U.S.-Mexico Aqueduct Idea to Be Studied

A $3-million study will help determine if Mexico and the United States can collaborate on an aqueduct to transport Colorado River water to the growing populations of San Diego County and Tijuana.

Members of the binational International Boundary and Water Commission signed an agreement Thursday to authorize the study, which is expected to take up to 18 months.

The study will consider possible routes for an aqueduct and provide estimates of its cost. Neither country has committed to building the system.

Mexico has rights under a 1944 treaty to 1.5 million acre feet per year of Colorado River water and up to 1.7 million acre feet in years when there is a surplus. But an existing Mexican aqueduct is not large enough to meet the future needs of the Tijuana-Rosarito area, which is expected to outstrip its supply by 2004, officials said.

An acre foot is equal to about 326,000 gallons.

San Diego, which is projected to need new water sources by 2008 for its growing population, purchases Colorado River water from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, which owns the aqueduct that delivers water to the region.

San Diego is exploring the possibility of building its own aqueduct so that it can purchase water directly from other agencies with rights to the Colorado River without having to deal with the MWD.

The San Diego County Water Authority is contributing $500,000 to the cost of the study and the state of California is paying the remaining $2.5 million. Mexico is contributing technical assistance to the project.