The Carlsbad City Council approved a water-rate increase proposal over three years during its Nov. 3 meeting. The city, which operates the Carlsbad Municipal Water District (CMWD) and handles water, wastewater and recycled water, will hold a public hearing on Jan. 11, 2022, before voting on final approval.
A proposed ballot measure would force the state to dedicate 2% of the general fund to building more water storage for California’s urban areas and farms. The Water Infrastructure Funding Act of 2022 would require the transfer of the funds into a trust account every year until the projects funded by the account have created an additional 5 million acre-feet of additional water supply that can be reliably delivered to Californians every year thereafter.
Camille Touton of Nevada was confirmed by the Senate on Thursday to be commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation, which oversees water management of the Colorado River in Western states. Democratic and Republican senators approved President Joe Biden’s nominee on a voice vote.
Nearly an entire run of juvenile winter-run Chinook salmon cooked in the Sacramento River this past summer, casting doubt as to whether the iconic species can survive the one-two punch of drought and climate change.
Water rising beneath the ground, pushed up by intruding salt water as sea levels rise, now impacts thousands of toxic waste sites throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. A six-month investigation by NBC Bay Area found that the threat from rising groundwater isn’t decades in the future but, in some cases, may be imminent. In many hot spots from the North Bay to the South Bay, UC Berkeley scientists told the Investigative Unit they’ve recorded groundwater already at or near the surface.
Chula Vista, Calif. – Sweetwater Authority (Authority) received a rebate of $1,070,931 from the San Diego County Water Authority (SDCWA). The money from SDCWA comes as a portion of $35.9 million in rebate funds the regional wholesaler recently distributed to its 24-member agencies.
November 4, 2021 – The end of daylight saving time on Sunday offers residents a reminder to assess their outdoor watering needs and adjust their irrigation systems to reduce water waste – an especially important step after more than two years of statewide drought. Plants simply don’t need as much water during cooler months, and they typically don’t need irrigation at all after heavy rains.
The end of daylight saving time is a reminder to residents to assess their outdoor watering needs and adjust their irrigation systems to reduce water waste – an especially important step after more than two years of statewide drought. Plants simply don’t need as much water during cooler months, and they typically don’t need irrigation at all after heavy rains.
“This is a great time to make sure irrigation systems are working properly and delivering the right amount of water,” said Jeff Stephenson, a water resources manager for the San Diego County Water Authority. “After two years of drought, using water efficiently and eliminating water-wasting practices is a critical part of preserving more of our precious supply.”
Outdoor watering accounts for more than half of a typical household’s water use in California. Making seasonal adjustments to irrigation controllers can help reduce water waste and lead to healthier landscapes. Water-saving practices include turning off irrigation systems when rainstorms are predicted and leaving them off for at least a week after significant rainfall.
Using water efficiently indoors and outdoors is easier than ever thanks to online resources offered by the Water Authority at www.watersmartsd.org. The site is filled with information about conservation incentives, and it includes tools and programs designed to make the most of the region’s most precious natural resource. Saving water is easier than many people realize. A few simple changes can make a big difference – especially outdoors.
The 2021 water year was the driest in California in more than a century, but San Diego County continues to have reliable water supplies due to long-term investments in water sources and infrastructure, coupled with extensive water conservation efforts. Per capita potable water use in the San Diego region has decreased by nearly 50% since 1990 as residents and businesses continue to adopt WaterSmart practices.
San Diego County Water Authority Operations and Maintenance staff recently completed a complex relining project on a section of Pipeline 3 in central San Diego, within Mission Trails Regional Park. Pipeline 3 traverses the western portion of the region from the Riverside County border in the north to Lower Otay Reservoir in the south. The proactive Pipeline 3 relining project is part of the asset management program to make preventative repairs to large-scale infrastructure.
The results are in: Californians aren’t saving enough water. Amid a historic drought, Gov. Gavin Newsom has asked us to reduce water consumption by 15 percent. Yet in August, the most recent month for which data is available, we’d brought usage down just 5 percent compared with the same time last year. Of course, not all water-saving is the responsibility of California households. Eighty percent of California’s water goes toward agriculture, and other businesses play a big role too.
(Editor’s note: The New York Times published a previous story, How San Diego Has Water Despite A Punishing Drought.)
Sweetwater Authority Logo 2019