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Plan To Stabilize Del Mar Coastal Bluffs Moves Forward

Work to stabilize the coastal bluffs through Del Mar is moving forward, following a vote Monday by the Del Mar City Council. Council members approved an encroachment permit Monday night, allowing SANDAG to work on a 1.6 mile stretch of coastline. This is Phase 4 of SANDAG’s bluff stabilization project, which began 18-years ago. Work has already been completed along the bluffs at the end of 11th Street. The circles seen in the dirt to the west of the train tracks are actually the tops of 65-foot tall pilings that stabilize the bluffs.

Pipeline relining is an efficient technique that extends the lifespan of pipes while minimizing costs and impacts to nearby communities. Photo: Water Authority

Innovative Pipeline 5 Relining Completed

San Diego County Water Authority crews completed relining a segment of Pipeline 5 in Fallbrook and San Marcos in late July, reaching a milestone in a strategic, multi-decade pipeline relining program. The 2.3-mile segment of Pipeline 5 was relined with new steel liners that are planned to last for more than 75 years.

The proactive pipeline relining program is a crucial part of asset management efforts that improve the reliability of San Diego County’s water supplies.

30-year pipeline relining program

Since the relining program began in 1991, nearly 47 miles of pre-stressed concrete cylinder pipe have been rehabilitated. This constitutes more than half of the total PCCP in the Water Authority system. The remaining 35 miles are expected to be rehabilitated by 2027.

The Pipeline 5 project was conducted in eight segments to minimize impacts to the nearby communities of Fallbrook and San Marcos.

Proactive measures to protect infrastructure

Pipeline relining is an efficient technique used on long stretches of pipelines. It involves inserting new steel liners into the existing pipes. The new liners can extend the lifespan of the pipe by several decades.

“Relining our existing pipes is quicker and more cost-effective than excavating, removing and replacing an entire pipeline,” said Gary Olvera, senior construction manager at the Water Authority. “In partnership with our member agencies, the Water Authority has developed an efficient and proactive plan to ensure continued water supply reliability for the entire region.”

New steel liners can extend the lifespan of a pipe by several decades. Photo: Water Authority

New steel liners can extend the lifespan of a pipe by several decades. Photo: Water Authority

Innovative technique to minimize impacts

To access Pipeline 5, crews excavated dirt to create eight 25-foot by 60-foot access portals spaced roughly 525 to 2,500 feet apart. During construction, crews eliminated two of the originally planned portals, helping save more than $217,000. Most of the work was then performed underground, inside the pipe.

Once the new liner was installed, the joints were welded together. Then, each new steel liner was coated with a cement mortar lining. Finally, the portals were backfilled, the pipeline was disinfected, and the pipe was put back into service.

A welder works inside the pipe to connect the new joints. Photo: Water Authority

A welder works inside the pipe to connect the new joints. Photo: Water Authority

Maintaining regional water supply reliability

Large-diameter pipelines operated by the Water Authority and its 24 member agencies extend approximately 310 miles to convey water throughout San Diego County.

Approximately 82 miles of the pipelines are pre-stressed concrete cylinder pipes. These types of pipes were installed between the early 1960s and late 1980s and some are nearing the end of their service life.

By relining the pipes ahead of time or conducting timely repairs with the latest technology, the Water Authority and its member agencies avoid pipeline failures and improve the reliability of future water supplies.

Innovative Pipeline 5 Relining Completed

San Diego County Water Authority crews completed relining a segment of Pipeline 5 in Fallbrook and San Marcos in late July, reaching a milestone in a strategic, multi-decade pipeline relining program. The 2.3-mile segment of Pipeline 5 was relined with new steel liners that are planned to last for more than 75 years. The proactive pipeline relining program is a crucial part of asset management efforts that improve the reliability of San Diego County’s water supplies. Since the relining program began in 1991, nearly 47 miles of pre-stressed concrete cylinder pipe have been rehabilitated. This constitutes more than half of the total PCCP in the Water Authority system.

OPINION: Tax On Bottled Water Puts California’s Most Vulnerable At Risk

On Aug. 12, California state senators will vote on Assembly Bill 792, which could essentially force all of us to pay millions of dollars more for plastic bottled water or sodas. A nickel here…a nickel there; it won’t be much per bottle. But because there are so many plastic bottles, it quickly adds up to millions of dollars. Consumers will inevitably shoulder the costs, and legislators will inevitably blame corporate greed or environmental measures when confronted about it. Higher-priced bottled water won’t affect average Californians much; either they can afford to not think about the price hike, or they have access to safe tap water.

State Agency Hopeful Chevron’s Massive Kern County Spill Is Finally Over

State regulators say they’re cautiously optimistic that a major release of crude oil from a Chevron well in Kern County — an episode that has continued for three months — is finally over. Chevron told state officials Wednesday that more than 1.3 million gallons of oil and water have flowed to the surface in the Cymric oil field, 35 miles west of Bakersfield, since May 10. An estimated one-third of that, or 445,130 gallons, is believed to be crude petroleum. The spill, which Chevron and the state’s Division of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources describe as a “surface expression,” has led to a major cleanup operation near the town of McKittrick.

Environmental Groups Move To Sue South Bay Refinery Over Mishandling Of Hazardous Waste

Several environmental groups moved Wednesday to sue the Phillips 66 refinery in the South Bay, accusing it of years of mismanaging hazardous waste that could pose a health risk to people living near its Wilmington and Carson facilities. The groups’ planned lawsuit comes four years after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency first raised concerns about the oil refinery’s practices. Environmental advocates said their decision to take legal action was the result of frustration with what they said was lax oversight by federal and state regulators. “These violations are significant,” said Mary Greene, deputy director of the Environmental Integrity Project, one of the organizations that plans to sue. “This screams of sloppy housekeeping and poor environmental management.”

Santa Fe Irrigation District Weighs Options For Water Rate Structures

The Santa Fe Irrigation District continues to evaluate potential water rate increases, aiming to bring forward a proposal for its new rate structure by the end of the year. Last December, the board voted not to adopt a proposal to raise rates by an average of 3 percent over the three years, sending the district back to work with its consultants to come up with a different plan that would be best for ratepayers. The Santa Fe Irrigation (SFID) board is weighing its various options and looking at what revenues are needed to accomplish the district’s capital investments to ensure safe and sustainable local water supply while ensuring that the customer receives the best service possible.

Spillway Boat Ramp Reopens Friday At Lake Oroville

The Lake Oroville Dam spillway boat ramp will officially reopen to the public (at least, on a partial basis) on Friday — more than two and a half years after it was closed in the aftermath of the spillway incident in February 2017. “We are thrilled to announce the reopening of the largest boat ramp facility at Lake Oroville,” said California’s Department of Water Resources director, Karla Nemeth, in a press release. “We want to thank the public for their patience during the Oroville spillway’s reconstruction.” DWR officials also recently gave the OK to reopen public access to the top of the Oroville Dam in late June.

New State Law Will Require Additional Review Of Water Transfers In The Mojave Desert, Targets Cadiz Water Project

Legislation authored by Sen. Richard Roth (D-31st District-Riverside) and signed last week by California Governor Gavin Newsom is expected to require additional review of the Cadiz Water Project by various state agencies effective Jan. 1, 2020. Adding a new section to the State’s water code known as the “wheeling” statutes, SB 307 will require the State Lands Commission to assess transfers of water from groundwater basins to ensure the transfer won’t, according to Governor Newsom’s bill signing message “unreasonably affect the environment and water dependent ecosystem in the surrounding watersheds.” The law does not regulate all statewide water transfers, only those from the Cadiz area of the Mojave Desert and the groundwater basins involved in the Cadiz Water Project.

The Future Of Water Security | Serving Up Science

Water is critically important to agriculture as well as many aspects of our lives. On this week’s segment Sheril and Karel speak with Dr. Jay Famiglietti, director of the Global Institute for Water Security at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, Canada about the future of water.

How much of Earth’s water is fresh water and why is that so important?

Famiglietti: It’s important because that’s the that’s the stuff that that helps us survive and flourish. And it turns out to be just a very small fraction of all the water that covers the earth. But ninety seven percent is ocean water, saline water, and only three percent is freshwater. Of that three percent, most of that is frozen.