A study recently published in the journal Science found that global warming and climate change have led to an emerging “megadrought” in the western U.S. – and that the drought we’ve been experiencing over the last 20 years is as bad or worse than any in 1,200 years.
For the last two weeks, an algae bloom has dazzled crowds and lit up waves in Southern California. But now, scientists say it’s turning deadly for some fish, and they want to know why.
The COVID-19 pandemic is forcing the city of San Diego to make millions of dollars worth of budget cuts. One project that is not facing cuts is the city’s smart water meter program, or advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), which instead has asked to nearly double its budget request.
As businesses start operations after the “Safer at Home” order, the Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency is reminding all building owners and managers of the importance of maintaining good water quality by flushing your water system before reopening, officials said Monday.
The San Diego County Water Authority is distributing 25,000 cloth masks to water and wastewater agency employees in six Southern California counties as part of the national effort to ensure essential workers have enough protective gear during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The masks are available to public and private water and wastewater utilities in Mono, Inyo, San Bernardino, Riverside, San Diego and Imperial counties. Water Authority staff created a drive-through operation to maintain physical distancing while handing out the facemasks.
“It’s a tall order, but one that leverages our core values of collaboration and communication on behalf of our community,” said Water Authority General Manager Sandra L. Kerl. “It’s part of our duty as water and wastewater professionals to continue ensuring a clean, safe, and reliable water supply for our region – and beyond.”
In response to the coronavirus pandemic, the Water Authority and its 24 member agencies have increased regional coordination, and taken precautionary measures to protect employees. Public water supplies in the region remain safe to drink due to numerous robust treatment processes used by local and regional water providers.
San Diego County Water Authority Safety Officer Stephen Lee about to place a bag containing protective cloth masks in the front seat of the the Rincon del Diablo Municipal Water District truck as the District’s Steve Plyler waits in the driver’s seat. Photo: San Diego County Water Authority
The mask distribution effort in San Diego County is part of a statewide distribution of 200,000 masks to water and wastewater industry staff. The masks are being dispersed nationwide to 16 different critical infrastructure sectors.
The masks were provided through a joint effort by FEMA, the U.S. EPA and the California Water & Wastewater Agency Response Network, or CalWARN, with assistance from the California-Nevada American Water Works Association and the California State Water Resources Control Board.
The EPA asked CalWARN to organize distribution of masks within the state. CalWARN asked the Water Authority to manage a distribution point. The distribution will continue until the masks are gone.
Water agencies are required to apply at CalWARN.org to receive the masks, free of charge. Once applications are approved, details regarding pickup dates, times, location, and quantity are sent to the applicants.
The state had been wrestling with the problem for 15 years, and there were hopes it was about to get pinned to the mat. A decade and a half of meetings, lawyerly and political negotiations, and massive public input had led the State Water Resources Control Board to the brink of a momentous decision: California must leave a lot more water in its rivers and streams in order to save the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and San Francisco Bay.
When small businesses are closed it means appliances haven’t been running inside; a problem that could be putting customer’s health at risk but also damaging the plumbing.
Wastewater could provide early, painless and localized data about the rise or fall of coronavirus levels.
The latest testing of raw sewage at Lake County Special Districts’ four treatment facilities found no presence of the virus that causes COVID-19 at any of the plants late in April, despite the fact that samples earlier in the month confirmed its presence.
Special Districts Administrator Jan Coppinger reported Friday that she received the latest test results from Biobot, a Massachusetts firm that is offering the testing as part of a pro bono program it’s conducting along with MIT, Harvard and Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
The tests are used to detect the presence of SARS-Cov-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The virus is shed in the stools of infected people.
Sewage testing also has successfully tracked the poliovirus and consumption of drugs such as opioids, according to Dr. Mariana Matus, chief executive officer and cofounder of Biobot.
Biobot is seeking to use wastewater testing to proactively detect outbreaks and help governments and communities to get ahead of public health crises like the COVID-19 pandemic.
Temperatures will soar well into the triple digits Tuesday in the San Diego County deserts as sweltering conditions are expected to grip the region until this weekend.
High pressure centered over Baja California will continue to build this week, with temperatures expected to peak on Wednesday and Thursday, according to the National Weather Service. Desert areas could reach 110 and 107, respectively, on those days.
The Water News Network is San Diego County’s source for water news and information.
