With the recent passage of Senate Concurrent Resolution (SCR) 80, October 7-15 was officially designated as “Water Professionals Week.” SCR 80, authored by Sen. Bill Dodd (D-Napa), was sponsored by a coalition of state water, wastewater and utility associations, including the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) to bring recognition to the service and contributions by the water and wastewater professionals serving the various communities across California.

The City of San Diego now offers a rebate to encourage its water customers to conserve water by removing their water thirsty grass and installing water-wise material and efficient irrigation systems. The City’s Public Utilities Department water customers can receive a rebate up to $4,250 for residential owners and $17,000 for commercial owners. “This rebate will allow customers to become empowered in their efforts to save money on their water bills,” said Halla Razak, Director of Public Utilities.

Orange County water customers have a lot at stake as a proposed billion-dollar desalination project heads to the California State Lands Commission for approval. As expected, Poseidon, the plant’s developer, is making last-minute promises about the Huntington Beach project to appease concerns that have dogged the company for years. I’ve heard Poseidon’s promises before, in San Diego County, where we fought to stop them from building a virtually identical desalination plant.