Communication strategy for coordinating San Diego residents and stakeholders during state mandated water cuts leading up to the commissioning of the Carlsbad Desalination plant. Additional facts and figures supporting these talking points are available. Water Abundance: Shifting the conversation from competing over a shrinking California water supply to creating an abundance of water for all our needs and uses.

1. Executive Communication Strategy
“The California Drought”
For SD County water stakeholders
Julian Bergquist - June 8, 2015

2. Communication Summary
“There is no water shortage in San Diego. We're actually on track to
have a surplus next year and by 2020 to be independent of water
brought in from drought plagued regions. The governor's plan that
forces San Diego County to drastically cut water usage doesn’t actually
help the other parts of the state that have a water problem. The plan
actually threatens San Diego’s well planned and orchestrated multi-
decade strategy for water independence and self-sufficiency. It costs
San Diego homeowners and businesses billions and billions of dollars
and gives a false sense of making a difference. San Diego’s plan for
self sufficiency and conservation is a model for other cities to follow
since the plan has actually worked.”

3. This executive communication strategy is for
ratepayers and SD county residents
dissatisfied with the current approach to the
California drought. The outcome is
coordinated action that transforms the
conversation from “water shortage” and
gotcha stories to a solutions that produces an
abundance of water for all.
SD County Water Stakeholders

4. What is the actual problem?
The problem is not a drought.
The problem is not a water shortage.
The true problem is how we are handling the
conversation.

5. Pointing the Finger
Every voice in the conversation, from your next-door
neighbor to state officials, seems to be pointing the finger at
someone else.
● Northern California Vs. Southern California
● Environmental Groups Vs. Desalination Proponents
● State Interests Vs. Regional Interests Vs. Local Interests

6. Yet, we all want the same thing.
● We all want clean, safe water for ourselves and our
families for generations to come.
● We all want a better California for our neighbors.
● We all want to take pride in the place where we live.

7. San Diego County Outcome 2015
●No San Diego County water district is fined
or penalized.
●California Governor Jerry Brown withdraws
the order demanding San Diego to reduce
its total urban water usage by 25%.
●San Diego County continues its effective
plan for self sufficiency.

8. 1. Is there a water
shortage?
2. Does the CA
State mandated
strategy help?
3. How should we
do our part?
Is there a water shortage in San
Diego? Is it the same across the
state?
Do sweeping cuts solve the
problem? Do they penalize
regions unfairly? Is the
conversation based on a decades
old view of the situation?
Showcase regions like San Diego
who are doing a great job being
self sufficient and reducing water
usage? How can each individual
help?
Questions for San Diegans?

9. What should be the conversation?
Let’s start by asking 3 big questions, to steer the
conversation towards a more authentic, thoughtful, and
viable solution at each level:
State level
Regional level
Individual level

10. I. Is there a water shortage?
Is there an actual Shortage in San Diego County? No
Are there shortages in other regions and jurisdictions? Yes
How is the problem in one region overshadowing the
entire issue? Laziness, arrogance, or decades old thinking

11. II. Do the State Strategies work?
How will it directly and indirectly cost us money?
● Rate payer - increase in price of water to pay fixed
costs.
● Paying for water we are contractually obligated to use.
● Wildfire risk heightened.
● Residential property value destruction.
● Our conservation does little to help Northern CA

12. III. San Diego is Leading the Way
Why are we paying for the irresponsible practices of the
rest of the state?
San Diego has become a model municipality for responsible water management
since the beginning of the drought.
● What are we owed, as a county, for leading the way in conservation?
● A simple “Great Job, San Diego” from Gov. Brown’s office is not enough.
● Shift the conversation statewide: local jurisdictions doing their own part, according
to their regional shortage (Rather than mandated cuts across the board)

13. At the California State level
Do unilateral reductions solve the problem?
Which jurisdictions are doing a great job? How
can they be rewarded?
Find a solution that solves the actual problem

14. Desalination Plant
When the plant comes online, San Diego
County could reduce its draw on water coming
from the Sierra by upward to 25%.
How can San Diego County best use the
expensive desal water given the mandated
cuts.

15. Where do we go from here?
Next Steps:
1. Transform the conversation from “shortage” to “abundance”
a. Reach out to media (PR, interviews, talks)
b. Ask big-picture questions, rather than applying small-scale
solutions to the entire state.
2. Encourage Maureen Stapleton and Mayor Faulconer to take up the
banner for San Diego - to take ownership for the work we have done
as a city.
3. Engage the regional and local leaders who have done the work that
made us a model city (SDCWA, et. al)

16. Talking points about “Shortage”?
1. Is there a water Shortage in San Diego County?
a. No. (see SDCWA website)
b.Actually a surplus beginning 2016
2. Is there a water shortage elsewhere in State? Some do.
3. Education of where does SD water come from?
4. What if the drought continues (we assume it will and El
Nino is not a solution)?

17. 1.20 years of investments in infrastructure
2.Approximately 5 years to independence of
water from drought regions
a.Pure Water - treats wastewater to potable
standards
b.Desalination
c.IID - Increased Colorado water over 3 years
d.Totalling ~ 550 mgd
3. San Diego is “off the grid” in 3-5 years
Long Term strategy - SD model

18. Declared Future for California State:
“Water Abundance is available throughout California
now that urban water use is unlimited, sustainable
and of low environmental impact. We’re using a new
way of thinking, living, doing business based on
shared values and agreements; then scaling those
to the most essential areas of society (impacting
water, energy, the food supply and transportation).
We’ve achieved strong partner alliances between
consumers, food producers, cities, industry, and
innovators.” - (Created December 9th, 2015)

19. Areas of Impact in society
Shared values and partner alliances between
consumers, food producers, cities, industry, and
innovators
Created from a common set of shared values
(hopes, concerns, and aspirations)
Using short and long term strategies to fulfill them
(strategy, agreement, coordinated action)