People love the Golden State because of the coastline. There are all sorts of songs about the vibe California embodies — think “California Gurls” by Katy Perry, “Californication” by the Red Hot Chili Peppers and “California Love” by 2Pac.
But the ocean’s response to climate change is threatening that very identity.
New data shows that rainwater in some parts of the US contains high enough levels of potentially toxic per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to possibly affect human health and may, if found in drinking water, in some cases be high enough to trigger regulatory action.
On Dec. 16, Carpinteria Valley Water District’s (CVWD) Board of Directors unanimously certified the final environmental impact report (EIR) for the proposed Carpinteria Advanced Purification Project (CAPP) which involves the construction of a new advanced water purification facility, conveyance pipelines and injection wells to treat recycled water.
Nearly 40 million people depend on the Colorado River for their water supply. Last week, a group of stakeholders gathered in Las Vegas for the Colorado River Water Users Association conference to discuss major issues when it comes to sharing and regulating usage.
This year, one topic was the recently-completed drought contingency plan, which has been the focus of negotiations for the last five years. The plan is designed to keep water levels in the Colorado River’s biggest reservoirs from dropping rapidly.
Waters off the California coast are acidifying twice as fast as the global average, scientists found, threatening major fisheries and sounding the alarm that the ocean can absorb only so much more of the world’s carbon emissions.
A new rebate program for irrigation devices is available to qualified landscape contractors in San Diego County.
The WaterSmart Contractor Incentive Program, or WSCIP, is designed to help commercial, public and agricultural property owners improve water-use efficiency in large landscapes, through rebates for irrigation hardware upgrades. School districts, universities, and other organizations are also eligible.
WaterSmart offers water efficiency programs, services and incentives for residents, businesses and farmers in San Diego County.
Qualifying project sites must include at least one acre of irrigated landscape. The rebates are offered on a first-come, first-served basis.
“The incentive program was designed to be business-friendly and is part of the Water Authority’s focus on long-term water-use efficiency,” said Efren Lopez, a water resources specialist with the Water Authority, who manages the new program and the Qualified Water Efficient Landscaper Program.
The program offers a comprehensive package of innovative irrigation devices. Bundling these four items leads to the greatest water efficiency, but at least two items must be installed to participate in the rebate program.
Rebates are offered for the following devices:
The program is funded through Metropolitan Water District of Southern California’s Member Agency Administered Program. To enroll, or for more information, go to https://www.sdwatersmartcip.com/ or call (888) 521-9763.
The San Diego County Water Authority’s Board of Directors is committed to resolving litigation over rates and charges with the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. After months of detailed, confidential settlement discussions with best efforts by both parties, no settlement has yet been reached. However, the Water Authority remains optimistic about finding a resolution — all the more so after the Metropolitan board voted on Tuesday to spend $285.6 million in support of the City of San Diego’s Pure Water project.
Two projects underway will enhance fish habitat and water quality at Murray Reservoir.
The reservoir in Mission Trails Regional Park is owned by the City of San Diego and operated by its Public Utilities Department.
“As stewards of the area, it is important for us to improve and enhance the environment in and around Murray Reservoir,” said Shauna Lorance, director of the San Diego Public Utilities Department. “Working closely with state and local agencies allows us to better achieve this goal.”
In California this fall, utilities cut power to more than 3 million people to help prevent their power lines from causing wildfires. In the aftermath, the state has seen a rush on requests for battery systems, as many homeowners with solar have realized that their solar panels will not work when the grid is down.
A new report from the California Legislative Analyst’s Office has some sobering news when it comes to sea level rise.
The report found that ocean water could rise by seven feet or more by the end of this century, and it said local governments up and down the state are not doing nearly enough to meet the challenge.
The Water News Network is San Diego County’s source for water news and information.
