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The Water Authority is increasing its commitment to innovation by hosting technology-focused forums and looking for new tools to help operate and maintain the region's water infrastructure. Photo: Water Authority

Agency Embraces Innovation at Technology Showcase

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San Diego, Calif. – Welcome to the future.

That’s the message from the San Diego County Water Authority, which is developing and deploying cutting-edge techniques to maintain its 310 miles of giant pipes that provide water for 3.3 million residents across the region.

“This is all about assessing the condition of our pipelines through the most advanced technology at our disposal and performing repairs before age-related defects become an unforeseen issue,” said Martin Coghill, a senior water resources specialist for the Water Authority.

Coghill spoke before dozens of water industry officials and residents on hand for a Condition Assessment Technology Showcase during the Water Authority Board of Directors’ Engineering and Operations Committee in late August. The showcase included a review of the latest technologies to protect the region’s vital water infrastructure.

The show-and-tell included a 360-degree imaging system Coghill and his team recently developed to capture up-close views of the interior of pipelines too steep for crews to enter safely. Three-dimensional, virtual reality goggles were available for visitors to experience views recorded by the new imaging system.

A week earlier, the Water Authority hosted a technological show-and-tell for businesses and others interested in advancing the tools necessary to maintain and operate major water delivery systems. The outreach efforts were part of the agency’s expanding initiative to identify new technologies – or new uses for existing technology – to benefit the region’s water ratepayers.

Besides developing its own advanced tools, the Water Authority recently launched an online forum to solicit additional innovative concepts from entrepreneurs and members of the public.

Innovation technology takes center stage

One of the key areas in which the Water Authority has embraced innovation is maintenance of its large-scale pipeline system. Inspections with advanced technologies typically are conducted after the mid-point of a pipe’s projected lifespan, meaning some 60 miles of reinforced concrete pipe will need to be inspected over the next nine years. Visual inspections occur every 10 to 15 years.

Some of the advanced technology used in the asset management program was pioneered by the oil and gas industry, with the Water Authority and other agencies adapting and improving it for use in the water world.

“The Water Authority really is in a leadership role in trying new technologies for cost savings and efficiency, and some of these have been brought to us by private sector,” Water Authority General Manager Maureen Stapleton said during the August showcase. “However, a lot of what has been on show has been developed by our own staff…. I can’t tell you how talented our staff is in this area.”

Added Stapleton: “A lot of this can be scaled down to retail agency size, so it can be transferred to member agencies and so those agencies can make repairs without pulling pipes out and disrupting communities.”

 

 

 

 

 

Hurricanes Are Getting Worse. California Should Take Note

/in , /by /Public Policy Institute of California (San Francisco)by Jeffrey Mount

As Hurricane Florence ground its way through the Carolinas this past weekend, climate watchers couldn’t help but notice that the size and behavior of the storm have been eerily reminiscent of Hurricane Harvey, which devastated Houston last year. What made these two hurricanes so destructive was their slow pace and the fact that they were supercharged with moisture from bathtub-warm oceans. It’s a deadly combination that leads to epic, record-setting amounts of rainfall and unprecedented flooding, amplifying damage from the high winds and storm surge typically associated with hurricanes.

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OPINION: WaterFix Opponents Say Project Will Harm California’s Poorest

/in , /by /Courthouse News Service (Pasadena)by Nick Cahill

STOCKTON, Calif. (CN) –With California trudging ahead with a contentious $16.7 billion water project, a cache of environmental and social concerns remain around its plan to replumb the source of drinking water for an estimated 25 million residents. Backed by the state’s largest urban and agricultural water suppliers, outgoing Gov. Jerry Brown wants to build two massive 30-mile-long tunnels and funnel water from California’s largest river directly to farms and cities to the south.

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Agreement Will Pipe Treated Tijuana Water To Baja’s Wine Country

/in , /by /The San Diego Union-Tribuneby Michele Parente

Officials in Baja California’s drought-parched Valle de Guadalupe wine country are toasting a new agreement that will pipe in treated wastewater from Tijuana to irrigate the vineyards. A pact was signed in the Valle de Guadalupe on Sept. 13 between Baja’s governor, Francisco Vega de Lamadrid, and Fabián Yañez, who oversees operations in Latin America for ODIS Asversa, a private Israeli company that specializes in treating wastewater and recycling it for irrigation.

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Hold Onto Your Hillsides and Slopes

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Many San Diego County residents live near canyons, which are valuable natural resources. Native canyon hillsides should be not be disturbed.  

When planting in previously disturbed or built slopes and hillsides, low-water plants, trees, deep-rooted native plant species, and climate-appropriate plants with strong root structures should be selected. Their powerful root systems can help hold the soil together.  

If your slope is gentle with a 33 percent grade or less, coarse compost and mulch can be applied directly to hillside and slope surfaces. That will provide protection from rainfall and shade exposed soils. With occasional and gentle irrigation, mulch will “knit” together. 

Compost blankets are another type of erosion control mat applied that can protect and preserve soil surfaces. They can be used alone, with coir mats or other organic-engineered material with biodegradable grids for stabilization. Mats allow water to penetrate to the underlying soils while retaining loose soil and debris, preventing erosion. You can plant right through them, or use pre-seeded products.  

Hillside irrigation tips 

When preparing a hillside for planting, determine how you plan to irrigate before doing any work. Low-volume rotating spray heads are ideal for sloped areas, if the space is large and the groundcover is uniform. Inline emitter drip tubing can also be effective, especially for shrubs and trees spaced farther apart. 

Water can be applied in repeated short periods during any given day, so that it can be fully absorbed between applications. Runoff, erosion and efficient deep watering are always important issues to keep in mind, but especially on hillsides. 

NOTE: When using a drip irrigation system, emitters should be placed above the plant basin. Spray systems should have check valves in all lower heads to avoid low point runoff. Irrigation for the top of the slope and bottom of the slope should be on separate valves. 

This article was inspired by the 71-page Sustainable Landscapes Program guidebook available at SustainableLandscapesSD.org. The Water Authority and its partners also offer other great resources for landscaping upgrades, including free WaterSmart classes at WaterSmartSD.org.    

 

 

  

The Helix Water District received rebates of $5,500 from the State of California on each of the six Priuses purchased over the last two years. They average over 75 miles per gallon and the district expects to save an additional $1,000 per vehicle per year in avoided fuel costs. Photo: Courtesy Helix Water District

Helix Water District Is Going Electric

/in , /by by Water News Network staff

Representatives from the Helix Water District, San Diego Gas & Electric, and the cities of El Cajon, La Mesa and Lemon Grove on September 12 celebrated Helix’s new electric vehicle charging stations in conjunction with National Drive Electric Week and Electric Vehicle Day on September 15.

Helix installed 10 electric vehicle charging stations at the district’s operations center in El Cajon and 10 more at its administration office in La Mesa through SDG&E’s Power Your Drive program, which funded the equipment and installation.

Installing electric vehicle charging stations at its operations center and administration office is the latest cost control initiative undertaken by the Helix Water District. It received rebates of $5,500 from the State of California for each of six Toyota Prius automobiles purchase over the past two years. The vehicles average over 75 miles per gallon. The district expects to save an additional $1,000 per vehicle per year in avoided fuel costs. Integrating electric vehicles into the Helix vehicle fleet will accelerate when hybrid light-duty trucks become available.

But controlling costs isn’t the only motivation for going electric. Helix’s board of directors also wants its district to be part of the solution – to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to the sustainability of the communities it serves and the sustainability of California’s water resources.

The Power Your Drive program is for companies and their employees, and apartment and condominium complexes and their residents, and is part of SDG&E’s commitment to comply with Governor Brown’s goal of having 1.5 million zero-emission vehicles in California by 2025. SDG&E has installed more than 900 electric vehicle charging nozzles to date. The power utility’s goal is to install 3,000 nozzles at about 300 sites throughout San Diego County.

Controlling energy costs a priority for the Helix Water District

Front to back: Helix board president Kathleen Hedberg, Helix director Mark Gracyk, Lemon Grove councilwoman Jennifer Mendoza, Helix director Dan McMillan, El Cajon deputy director of public works Yazmin Arellano, SDG&E electric vehicle customer solutions manager Lianna Rios and La Mesa analyst Jenny Lybeck. Arellano and Lybeck manage their city’s climate action plan. Photo: Courtesy Helix Water District

Front to back: Helix board President Kathleen Hedberg, Helix Director Mark Gracyk, Lemon Grove councilwoman Jennifer Mendoza, Helix director Dan McMillan, El Cajon deputy director of public works Yazmin Arellano, SDG&E electric vehicle customer solutions manager Lianna Rios and La Mesa analyst Jenny Lybeck. Arellano and Lybeck manage their city’s climate action plan. Photo: Courtesy Helix Water District

Energy cost Helix Water District $2.2 million during the past fiscal year, primarily to pump water throughout the agency’s distribution system, which serves 275,000 people in El Cajon, La Mesa, Lemon Grove, Spring Valley and other unincorporated areas of the county.  Controlling energy costs, and their impact on water rates, is a priority for the district.

Helix maintains operations and design standards that reduce its energy demand during peak periods when energy prices are higher, and it purchases energy through the State of California’s Direct Access Program, saving an average of 18 percent on commodity costs. The district continually evaluates opportunities to replace aging infrastructure with energy efficient solutions. Smart building systems at each of the district’s facilities and a solar energy system at its operations center further reduce energy demands and costs.

One Of The Hottest Summers On Record Comes To An End This Week In San Diego

/in , /by /The San Diego Union-Tribune by Gary Robbins

The final week of summer in San Diego will start out a little hotter than average, then cool off a bit, says the National Weather Service. But high temperatures and gusty winds will raise the risk of wildfires Tuesday through Thursday in the region’s mountains and deserts. The fall equinox occurs at 6:54 p.m. on Saturday. But for reporting purposes, the weather service defines summer as June, July and August. This year, the mean temperature during that period was 73.6 degrees — making it the third hottest summer on record in San Diego.

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Helix Water District Is Going Electric

/in , /by /Water News Network

Representatives from the Helix Water District, San Diego Gas & Electric, and the cities of El Cajon, La Mesa and Lemon Grove on September 12 celebrated Helix’s new electric vehicle charging stations in conjunction with National Drive Electric Week and Electric Vehicle Day on September 15. Helix installed 10 electric vehicle charging stations at the district’s operations center in El Cajon and 10 more at its administration office in La Mesa through SDG&E’s Power Your Drive program, which funded the equipment and installation. Installing electric vehicle charging stations at its operations center and administration office is the latest cost control initiative undertaken by the Helix Water District.

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Improvements Could Bring More Activities To Diamond Valley Lake Near Hemet

/in , /by /The Press-Enterprise (Riverside)by Craig Shultz

Road improvements and other efforts could lead to longer hours at Diamond Valley Lake near Hemet. “We’re making steps forward all the time. It’s another step,” said Linda Krupa, a Hemet City Councilwoman and chair of a committee looking to increase recreational activities around the drinking-water reservoir. Upgrades have been made to the main access road to protect local wildlife — which is more active at night. Metropolitan Water District, which operates the lake, installed 10 steel plates over concrete culverts on either side of the road to ensure animals can safely cross. It also added rumble strips and signs to slow traffic.

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House Of Representatives Passes Bill That Could Rescue California Desert Hydropower Project

/in , /by /The Desert Sun (Palm Springs)by Sammy Roth

The companies trying to build a massive hydroelectric power plant on the doorstep of Joshua Tree National Park got one step closer to their objective last week. The House of Representatives unanimously approved America’s Water Infrastructure Act, a sprawling bill that would authorize and fund projects across the country, from bridge repairs to school drinking fountain replacements. The bill includes a provision that would allow federal regulators to throw a lifeline to the Eagle Mountain hydropower plant, which would be built in the open desert near Interstate 10, about an hour east of Palm Springs, on a property as close as 1.5 miles to Joshua Tree National Park.

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