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Shocking Report Reveals Major Issue With Safety of Us Drinking Water: ‘The Risk of Disease Was Unacceptably High’

/in , /by /The Cool Downby Veronica Booth

The Waterkeeper Alliance has completed a study on the prevalence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, in surface waters throughout the U.S. The “forever chemicals” — so called for their persistence in environments and bodies — have been linked to a wide range of health issues, from cancer to reproductive health concerns.

PFAS are widely found in common household items, such as non-stick cookware, water-repellant clothing, stain-resistant furniture, and some brands of dental floss.

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Traffic Impacts Planned for Escondido During Aqueduct Upgrades

/in , /by /Escondido Times-Advocate Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

Starting this week, pedestrians and motorists in Escondido will notice traffic impacts due to construction work on San Diego County Water Authority facilities as part of the Southern First Aqueduct Facilities Improvement project.

Work will take place on Bear Valley Parkway just north of San Pasqual Valley Road where a traffic lane and a bike lane on Bear Valley Parkway will be closed, Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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San Diego’s Water Sellers Are Thirsty for Revenue

/in , /by /Voice of San Diegoby MacKenzie Elmer Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

It’s that time of year – August – when San Diego’s real summer heats up and notices that the city of San Diego is raising water rates hit our mailboxes.

On Sept. 30, the San Diego City Council will take up the uncomfortable exercise of approving a 63 percent hike in water rates and a 31 percent hike in wastewater rates over the next four years.

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The Start of California’s Fire Season Has Moved up 6 Weeks Since 1990 Thanks to Climate Change

/in , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Corinne Purtill

You are not imagining it. Fire season in California is indeed starting earlier and lasting longer in virtually every region of California than it did two decades ago, researchers have found, thanks largely to human-caused climate change.

In the Sierra Nevada, fire season starts about 24 days earlier than it did in the early 1990s. In the Northern Basin and Range region, which runs along the northernmost border with Nevada, it’s 31 days earlier.

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Could California Be in Store for a Drought? What You Need to Know

/in , /by /Fox 5 San Diegoby Sharisse Cohee

While San Diego may be known for its sparkling beaches, some areas of the county are also susceptible to extreme heat and wildfires, which can pose a continued risk of drought throughout California.

With elevated heat advisories coming into effect in several regions of the county this week, including El Cajon, Escondido and Campo, the risk of drought in these areas also rises.

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SoCal Heat Wave Peaks Thursday, but Sweltering Temperatures Will Last for Days

/in , , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Clara Harter

The worst of Southern California’s ongoing heat wave is expected to land Thursday, but relief is not yet in sight. Temperatures will remain toasty over the weekend, and another hot spell is forecast next week.

Temperatures will hit the triple digits in the San Fernando and Antelope valleys on Thursday, while interior regions of Los Angeles County will see temperatures in the 90s, according to the National Weather Service. Lancaster even has a shot at matching its previous daily temperature record of 107 degrees, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Devin Black.

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Residents Urged to Boil Water as Outage Affects Thousands in Granada Hills, Porter Ranch

/in , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Noah Goldberg and Ian James

About 9,200 households in Granada Hills and Porter Ranch were dealing with a water service outage on Wednesday after the Los Angeles Department of Water Power announced that emergency repairs were underway at a pump station.

The problem arose on Tuesday afternoon. The DWP said that as crews were making repairs of a leak at a pump station that connects to a 10-million-gallon tank, a valve controlling the flow of water failed to open.

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California Fires Are Burning and Incoming Heat Wave Could Make Things Worse

/in , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Grace Toohey

Authorities in California are bracing themselves for a prolonged heat wave this week that could amplify the risks of a wildfire and intensify fires already burning in the southern and central portions of the state.

The warming trend is forecast to bake almost all of inland California over the next week, dialing up the heat on what’s already been a fiery summer in the state’s southern half, and raising the risks up north after a relatively quiet start to the season.

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Major Clean Power Plant Serving l.a. Goes Fully Online in Kern County

/in , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Hayley Smith

One of the largest solar and battery power plants in the United States is now supplying Los Angeles and Glendale from Kern County.

Local leaders and clean energy experts gathered Tuesday beneath a blazing desert sun to mark the initiation of full production from 1.36 million solar panels and 172 lithium iron phosphate batteries that make up the Eland solar-plus-storage electricity project. It’s as large as 13 Dodger stadiums, parking lots included, and will generate 7% of the electricity for all of the city of Los Angeles, much of it at a record-low price.

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Groundwater Is Drying Out, Heating Up, and Causing Sea Level Rise

/in , /by /Gristby Rebecca Egan McCarthy

The Verde River is one of the last free-flowing rivers in Arizona, winding through what’s known as the Verde Valley before feeding into the Salt River. Agriculturally, the valley is relatively fertile, supporting crops like sweet corn, alfalfa, peaches, and pecans, as well as a small wine industry. Recently, though, residents have found that the water below their feet is drying up.

Faith Kerns grew up in the area, and her parents still live in her childhood home. This summer when they tried to turn on the garden hose, which is connected to their groundwater well — a common source for household water in the region — nothing came out.

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