San Diego is selling surplus desalinated water to other states

San Diego's water authority is exploring agreements to trade surplus desalinated water from its Carlsbad plant with Arizona and Nevada as the Colorado River faces major shortages.

San Diego's water authority is discussing deals to trade surplus desalinated ocean water with Arizona and Nevada. The talks come as the Colorado River has weakened, prompting cutbacks across the Southwest. Rather than shipping water, the arrangements would swap access rights to different sources. Officials say exploratory agreements are being pursued and federal approvals would be required. Key facts: - Arizona and Nevada are pursuing a deal with the San Diego County Water Authority to access water produced by the Carlsbad desalination plant, according to officials. - The proposed arrangement would trade access rights to water sources instead of physically shipping water and would involve part of the plant's estimated 56,000 acre-feet of annual output. - Southern Nevada Water Authority general manager John Entsminger said he intends to sign an exploratory agreement with San Diego; further action is pending federal and other approvals. Summary: If completed, the transfers could provide water to hundreds of thousands of people and reflect a broader turn toward trades, recycled water and desalination in the region. Exploratory agreements are being pursued now, but federal approvals and additional negotiations are needed before any transfers would take effect.