In April 2016, Water. Desalination + reuse (Faversham House) reported, citing The San Diego Union-Tribune, that Carlsbad city council in California had approved a 30-year agreement with the County Water Authority. The city was to receive an extra 3,200 Ml (3.2 million m³) a year from the Carlsbad desalination plant, which had started production in December 2015. A US$2.8 million link would carry this water directly to the city, initially at a 60 percent premium over blended supply. The Water Authority already took 60,000 Ml a year from the plant.
The report showed Southern California communities willing to pay considerably more for desalinated water during the drought in order to rely less on imports.