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Water Authority Begins Pipeline 5 Repairs in North San Diego County

Next week, San Diego County Water Authority staff and contractors will begin crucial repairs on Pipeline 5 in rural North County between Fallbrook and Escondido.

The work is part of the Water Authority’s proactive asset management program, which monitors and maintains the condition of regional water infrastructure that includes 310 miles of large-diameter pipelines. The Water Authority’s approach, coordinated closely with its member agencies, has served the region well by avoiding large-scale, unexpected water outages for more than a decade.

Asset management program responds quickly to pipeline needs

After a leak in nearby Pipeline 4 was discovered in Moosa Canyon last summer, Water Authority staff assessed the conditions of Pipelines 3 and 5, which run parallel to Pipeline 4 as part of the Second Aqueduct. The assessment showed that a section of Pipeline 5 in Moosa Canyon was also under significant stress.

“Due to the very high operating pressure and the major consequences of potential failure of Pipeline 5, our staff immediately began planning a shutdown and repairs to mitigate risks,” said Jim Fisher, director of operations and maintenance at the Water Authority. “Our asset management program is designed to identify potential problems and respond quickly.”

After a leak in nearby Pipeline 4 was discovered near Moosa Creek last summer, Water Authority staff assessed the conditions of Pipelines 3 and 5, which run parallel to Pipeline 4 as part of the Second Aqueduct. Photo: San Diego County Water Authority

After a leak in nearby Pipeline 4 was discovered near Moosa Creek last summer, Water Authority staff assessed the conditions of Pipelines 3 and 5, which run parallel to Pipeline 4 as part of the Second Aqueduct. Photo: San Diego County Water Authority

Constructed in 1982, Pipeline 5 is a vital component of the Water Authority’s water system, delivering untreated supplies from Lake Skinner in southwest Riverside County to the Lower Otay Water Treatment Plant in southern San Diego County. The operating pressure exceeds 400 pounds per square inch in Moosa Canyon.

Carbon fiber technology extends pipeline life

Repairs will require that a section of Pipeline 5 in North County be shut down from March 30 until mid-May. Crews will start by installing bulkheads that isolate the Moosa Canyon section. Then, they will line the inside of the pipe with a carbon fiber liner, as was done to rehabilitate Pipeline 4. The carbon fiber liner will reinforce distressed areas and extend the life of the 96-inch, pre-stressed concrete cylinder pipeline.

The asset management program is a key element of the Water Authority’s commitment to providing a safe and reliable water supply to San Diego County. By making preventative repairs, the Water Authority ensures that water service will continue throughout the county.

Planning study seeks long-term solutions

Over the next 18 months, Water Authority staff will conduct a planning study to evaluate improvements required for all three pipelines in Moosa Canyon to ensure the long-term reliability of the Second Aqueduct. The results of the study will include recommendations about future projects as part of the Water Authority’s capital improvement program.

Carlsbad Desal Plant Workers Begin Shelter-In-Place

As of Friday, 10 workers are quarantined inside the Claude “Bud” Lewis Carlsbad Desalination Plant for the next three weeks, monitoring and adjusting gauges and switches, watching for leaks, and doing whatever is needed to safeguard San Diego County’s only significant local source of drinking water.

County Water Agencies Coordinate Operations to Protect Drinking Water

The San Diego County Water Authority and its 24 member agencies said Wednesday they have increased regional coordination to ensure the coronavirus pandemic does not impact water service in the region.

The water authority has activated its emergency operations center to ensure a coordinated response to any water supply problem that emerges. But officials stressed that there’s no evidence that the virus is transmitted through treated water.

“In these unprecedented times, the region’s water agencies are collaborating in complete solidarity to perform our vital mission of providing safe and reliable water supplies,” said Sandra L. Kerl, general manager of the water authority. “We are taking strategic, precautionary steps to ensure the region’s water security.”

We Can No Longer Rely on Historical Data to Predict Extreme Weather

Floods and other dangerous weather extremes are only getting more intense and more frequent as our climate warms. Historically, we’ve always been able to predict these extremes by looking at how often they occurred in the past. But a new study published Wednesday in Science Advances reveals just how many of those forecasts actually fall short. In just a decade, the findings suggest, the climate has shifted so drastically that the frequency of past extreme events is no longer a reliable predictor.

Active Pattern to Bring Rain and Snow to the West in the Week Ahead

More rain and mountain snow will move through the West, including communities in worsening drought, in the early part of the week ahead. This wet pattern began when an area of low pressure moved into the California coast on Sunday. It brought more than an inch of rain to much of the Los Angeles area.

Can Carbon Credits Save Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Islands and Protect California’s Vital Water Hub?

The islands of the western Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta are sinking as the rich peat soil that attracted generations of farmers dries out and decays. As the peat decomposes, it releases tons of carbon dioxide – a greenhouse gas – into the atmosphere. As the islands sink, the levees that protect them are at increasing risk of failure, which could imperil California’s vital water conveyance system.