Achievements

News featuring innovations, accomplishments, and awards by water industry professionals and water agencies.

Dr. Malcolm Dunstan of MAD & Associates represents the team including the Water Authority at the award ceremony, MAD & Associates led the RCC mix design for the San Vicente Dam Raise project. Photo: International Commission on Large Dams

San Vicente Dam Raise Wins Global Award

The International Commission on Large Dams presented the San Diego County Water Authority this week with a prestigious international engineering award for its innovative construction technology used to raise the historic San Vicente Dam. The project helps ensure regional water security for generations to come. Commission leaders made the presentation to the Water Authority at […]

(L to R) Chuck Greely, CWEA president; Dan Denham, Water Authority General Manager; Mel Katz, Water Authority Board of Directors chairman; and Sue Mosburg, executive director of CA-NV-AWWA, with the Advanced Water Treatment Champion award at the November Board of Directors meeting. Photo: San Diego County Water Authority leadership in training

Water Authority Recognized For Leadership In Training Industry Professionals

The California Water Environment Association (CWEA) and the California-Nevada Section of the American Water Works Association (CA-NV AWWA) recognized the San Diego County Water Authority’s leadership and support of setting training standards and establishing training programs for water and wastewater industry professionals. Chuck Greely, president of CWEA, and Sue Mosburg, executive director of CA-NV-AWWA, presented […]

Helix Water District Board Vice President Dan McMillan with the Golden Watchdog Award given to the District's Tunnel Hill Tanks project. Photo: San Diego County Water Authority

Helix Water District Receives Golden Watchdog Award for Tunnel Hill Tanks Project

The Helix Water District received the 2023 San Diego County Taxpayers Association (SDCTA) Golden Watchdog Award in Municipal and Educational Services for the District’s Tunnel Hill tanks project. The project resulted in a $6.3 million cost savings for its customers. “It’s a mindset at Helix,” said Helix Water District Board Vice President Dan McMillan. “From […]

Officials recognizing the Quantification Settlement Agreement 20th Anniversary (L to R): Jim Barrett, Coachella Valley Water District GM, Miguel Luna, Chair of the Legal and Claims Committee with the MWD Board, State Assemblyman David Alvarez (D-80), Water Authority GM Dan Denham, Colorado River Board of California Vice Chair and Water Authority board member Jim Madaffer, Water Authority Board Chair Mel Katz, Jamie Asbury, IID GM, MWD General Manager Adel Hagekhalil, IID GM Alex Cardenas. Photo: San Diego County Water Authority

Milestone Water Agreement Marks 20th Anniversary

San Diego County and Southern California water industry leaders commemorated the 20th anniversary of the 2003 Quantification Settlement Agreement (QSA), cited as a model of collaboration, relationship building, and voluntary conservation efforts among Southern California’s water agencies. The QSA is a historic set of water agreements enabling California to live within its Colorado River apportionment, […]

Jeff Stephenson-Director of Water Resources-planning-San Diego County Water Authority

Jeff Stephenson is New Director of Water Resources for San Diego County Water Authority

Jeff Stephenson has been appointed director of water resources for the San Diego County Water Authority, where he leads the department responsible for regional water supply planning and long-term facilities planning. Stephenson brings more than 27 years of experience at the Water Authority to fill the position vacated by the department’s previous director, Kelley Gage, […]

Native, water-wise plants thrive in one of the Helix Water District's demonstration gardens. Photo: Helix Water District

Helix Water District Demonstration Garden Wins Orchid Award

Helix Water District received an Orchid Award for Landscape Architecture from the San Diego Architectural Foundation at its 2023 annual Orchids and Onions architecture and design awards gala on October 5. The Orchid Award went to the district for its WaterSmart Demonstration Garden. The Demonstration Garden is located at the Helix administration office in La […]

Eden Bruckman-sustainability-San Diego County

Eden Brukman is San Diego County’s New Chief Sustainability Officer

Eden Brukman is the new chief of the San Diego County Office of Sustainability and Environmental Justice (OSEJ). In addition to her unbridled passion for service and helping others, Brukman brings more than two decades of sustainability leadership experience to the role. Brukman boasts a diverse portfolio of environmentally minded building and infrastructure projects along […]

Billy Ortiz submitted the winning photo, titled "Reflections." Photo: Helix Water District 2023 Lake Jennings Photo Contest

Lake Jennings 2023 Spring Photo Contest Winners Announced

Scenic views, beautiful birds, and unusual weather are all featured in the winning photos in the Lake Jennings 2023 Photo Contest. The contest is held annually by the Helix Water District. Winners were named this week and recognized at the September Governing Board meeting. The District runs the contest each year as a fun way […]

EPA WaterSense-Excellence Award-QWEL-water conservation

Water Authority Wins National 2023 EPA WaterSense Excellence Award

The U.S. EPA recognized the San Diego County Water Authority with a 2023 WaterSense Excellence Award for advancing water efficiency through its Qualified Water Efficient Landscaper program, better known as QWEL. The Water Authority received one of 25 Excellence Awards on October 5 at the national WaterSmart Innovations Conference in Las Vegas. This is the […]

EPA WaterSense-Vallecitos Water District-Videos

Vallecitos Videos Win National EPA WaterSense Award

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has honored the Vallecitos Water District with a WaterSense Partner of the Year Award for its video series promoting WaterSense and water efficiency in 2022. Vallecitos was one of nine Partner of the Year Award winners across the U.S. Awards were presented at the American Water Works Association Water Smart […]

One Water-Josh Kane-avocados-WaterSmart-farming-water savings

WaterSmart Moves Pay Off for Fallbrook Avocado Farm

Josh Kane didn’t know a lot about avocado farming 10 years ago, but he does now. In 2001, Kane’s mother bought a 60-acre avocado farm, the Rice Canyon Ranch, in Fallbrook, thinking it would be a good investment. But, some not-so-good advice, and the 2014 drought, had the business in a nosedive. So, Kane quit […]

Gayle Falkenthal (L) and Lisa Urabe display the San Diego County Water Authority and Vallecitos Water District's multiple San DIego Press Club Journalism Awards. Photo: San Diego County Water Authority Press Club Awards

Water News Network Best Public Service Website for Sixth Year at San Diego Press Club Awards

For the sixth consecutive year, the San Diego County Water Authority’s Water News Network website was recognized as the Best Public Service/Consumer Advocacy Website. The Water News Network was awarded for its public outreach and education at the San Diego Press Club’s 50th annual Excellence in Journalism Awards. Among the largest annual competitions in the […]

San Diego County Water Authority honored-The Climate Registry-Water Authority honored-Climate Change

San Diego County Water Authority Honored for Climate Change Efforts

The San Diego County Water Authority has earned Climate Registered gold status from The Climate Registry for the fourth consecutive year. The Water Authority was recognized for verifying and publicly reporting its greenhouse gas emissions, an effort that fosters transparency for the agency’s climate mitigation initiatives and helps the agency track and validate emissions reductions […]

Mary Matava of Oceanside is the San Diego County Farm Bureau 2022 Farmer of the Year. Photo: San Diego County Farm Bureau

Mary Matava Named 2022 San Diego County Farmer of the Year

The San Diego County Farm Bureau named Mary Matava as its 2022 Farmer of the Year. Matava, involved in the region’s agriculture industry for 45 years, was recognized for her achievement at an awards dinner September 7 at the Bernardo Winery in Rancho Bernardo. The Farmer of the Year award is presented to an active […]

Alliance for Water Efficiency-Award-AWE-Water Authority

Water Authority Earns National Conservation Innovation Award

The San Diego County Water Authority was recognized with a national award from the Alliance for Water Efficiency for programs that help county residents and businesses conserve water. The Water Authority earned the 2023 Utility Innovation Award for developing and deploying of one of the first and most comprehensive multi-benefit water-use efficiency incentive programs in […]