The Monterey Peninsula Water Management District isn’t taking no for an answer.

On Oct. 27, the MPWMD filed suit in Monterey County Superior Court to halt the implementation of the State Water Resources Control Board's Oct. 20 cease-and-desist order, which cuts back the Peninsula’s water supply.

"Despite our timely comment and objections, the state water board failed to correct deficiencies in the order," says water district General Manager Darby Fuerst. "The SWRCB order jeopardizes the health and safet of the residents and businesses of the Monterey Peninsula."

The local water district also objects to the state's imposed moratorium on new water connections, which "intereferes with the land use planning authority of cities, and the management authority of the district," says MPWMD attorney David Laredo.

The state water board finally adopted the order after more than a decade of threats. In 1995, the board issued a mandate to California American Water to stop illegally diverting almost 11,000 acre-feet of water per year from the Carmel River, which is habitat to threatened local steelhead. Cal Am still takes more than 7,000 acre-feet per year beyond its legal limit, according to a July draft of the order.