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Climate Change Means Some Coastal Groundwater May Soon Be Too Salty to Drink. What Can Cities Do?

/in , , /by /WHYYby Alan Yu

Cape May, New Jersey has a long history as a resort town with seafood, ballrooms, and Victorian-era mansions, dating back to the 18th century. The idyllic, seaside town is surrounded by ocean on three sides.

But in the 1950s, the city started to have a problem with its water supply, which comes from groundwater. Saltwater was seeping into wells, making the water undrinkable. The city had to abandon its old wells and drill new ones, over and over again.

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Agriculture Industry Rushes to Adapt to Oncoming Climate Challenges

/in , , /by /Sacramento Business Journalby Emily Hamann

In California’s fields, farmers are already facing the impacts of climate change every day. They are heading into yet another potentially devastating fire year, and the third year in a row of drought.

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San Diegans on Notice: Water Rates Could Be Rising

/in , , /by /KPBS-FM/TVby Kitty Alvarado Quoted: San Diego County Water Authority

Come 2023, San Diegans might be paying more every time they turn on their faucet, flush the toilet or water their lawns. That’s because San Diego’s city council unanimously approved a proposal to send out notices in September for a public hearing to adjust water rates. It’s the first step before an increase. Under this proposal the rate could go up by as much as 3%.

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In Coachella Valley, Water Customers Still Using About 3 Times the State Average Per Person

/in , , /by /The Desert Sunby Erin Rode

Coachella Valley water districts once again were among California’s top water users in May, although some are making progress on conservation.

Just two of the six water agencies serving the Coachella Valley decreased their cumulative water use from July 2021-May 2022 compared to the corresponding months in 2020, according to data released by the State Water Resources Control Board last week.

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Supervisor Plancarte Calls for Water Shortage Summit

/in , , /by /Holtville Tribuneby Marcie Landeros

 Imperial County District 2 Supervisor Luis Plancarte called for a water shortage summit for all of the water providers in Imperial County to see where they stand with plans to reduce water consumption in light of extreme drought conditions in the state.

An emergency regulation was passed on May 24 by the state Water Resources Control Board, which required urban and commercial water suppliers to implement the second stage of their respective water shortage plans.

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Farmers in Lower Basin Unite to Solve Drought Crises

/in , , /by /The Desert Review

The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) issued a call last June to the public for assistance in developing long-term operations on the Colorado River. This announcement came within days of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Touton’s message to a Senate Committee that the seven states of the Colorado River Basin must come up with an emergency deal by mid-August to conserve between 2 and 4 million acre-feet of water in the next year to protect the entire Colorado River system, according to the Family Farm Alliance (FFA) newsletter.

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Western Drought Approaching Catastrophic Levels

/in , , /by /Ag Infoby Tim Hammerich

The western United States continues to suffer from a historic level of drought. Wade Crowfoot is the secretary of the California Natural Resources Agency, and he spoke during the Western Food and Ag Issues Summit hosted by Agri-Pulse. He offered up a key example of just how bad the drought has been.

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Porta Potties and Dirty Buses: Hearst Castle Cuts Down Water Use in Response to Drought

/in , , /by /The Tribuneby Mackenzie Shuman

Visitors to Hearst Castle can expect to see some changes as California combats its worst drought in years.

California State Parks is implementing stage 3 of its drought contingency plan in an effort to cut back on water use at the former San Simeon estate of newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst.

 

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L.A. Water Use Plunges a Record 9% as Unprecedented Water Restrictions Bring Savings

/in , , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Hayley Smith and Carolyn Cole

Damon Ayala peered at a wet patch of sidewalk on South Tremaine Avenue on a recent Wednesday and clicked his pen.

“No one should be watering today,” he said. “That’s evidence of a watering today. They’re going to get an information letter from me.”

Ayala is a member of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power’s water conservation response unit, and he spends his days patrolling the streets of L.A. looking for homes and businesses in violation of the new drought rules.

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El Centro Implements New Drought Mandates

/in , , /by /Hotville Tribuneby Marcie Landeros

The City Council voted unanimously to move into Stage 2 of the city’s water shortage contingency plan as required by the state Water Resources Control Board in response to increasing drought conditions.

The July 5 vote came in direct response to an emergency regulation passed on May 24 by the Water Resources Control Board, which required water suppliers, such as cities or the Imperial Irrigation District, to implement Stage 2 of their respective plans, according to El Centro Public Works Director Abraham Compos.

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