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Recycling Los Angeles’ Water: We Help Them, They Help Us

/in , , /by /KSNV-TVby Jeff Gillan

A few hundred miles away from Las Vegas, what’s happening at a prototype wastewater purification plant in Southern California may increase our water supply here.

“We are designing the project to ultimately connect to what will likely be two of our water drinking facilities,” says Deven Upadhyay, the Chief Operating Officer and Assistant General Manager at the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, that region’s equivalent to our Southern Nevada Water Authority. The Metropolitan Water District is the wholesale water provider to 26 California member agencies that service 19 million people.

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Snow Shuts Off in West as Drought Recovery Hopes Dim

/in , , /by /The Washington Postby Diana Leonard and Ian Livingston

Winter whiplash has hit California and the West. Doused in epic snow and rain in December, the region has just experienced one of the driest Januaries on record in many locations, and there are no storms in sight for at least the first half of February.

The weeks-long dry spell, in the midst of what should be the wettest two months of the year, is dashing hopes of meaningful drought recovery this winter. Water-year surpluses are sliding into deficits, and fire danger is on the rise in California. The reversal may soon emerge in drought maps.

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California ISO Sketches $30.5B Draft Transmission Plan to Meet State’s Clean Energy Goals

/in , , /by /Utility Diveby Kavya Balaraman

California is aiming to supply 100% of its electric retail sales with renewable and zero-carbon resources by 2045, a target that — along with the electrification of transportation and other sectors — is driving the need for rapid development of renewable resources and energy storage over the next couple of decades.

This build-out will also necessitate significant transmission additions to connect out-of-state energy, as well as other generation pockets, CAISO noted in the draft outlook. The system operator has a 10-year transmission planning process; however, given that transmission requires long lead times thanks to permitting processes and right-of-way acquisitions, it concluded that a longer-term blueprint is essential.

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Credit Agencies Cite Water Authority Diversification, Reliability for Strong Ratings

/in , , /by /Water News Network Quoted: San Diego County Water Authority

The three major U.S. rating agencies reported strong credit ratings and credit quality for the San Diego County Water Authority kicking off 2022. Newly released analysis by Fitch Ratings, S&P Global, and Moody’s allow the Water Authority to optimize its debt portfolio and minimize the cost of financing vital water reliability projects.

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Long-Duration Storage Projects Gaining Steam

/in , , /by /California Currentby Elizabeth McCarthy Mentioned: San Diego Water Authority
Quoted: San Diego County Water Authority

Just days after the California Energy Commission announced the first application in the state for storage using compressed air, another long-term storage proposal advanced: a 500 MW project that would use pumped storage at the San Vicente Reservoir in eastern San Diego County.

The City of San Diego and the San Diego Water Authority board have begun negotiations with BHE Kiewit, a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, on the financing and building terms for the estimated $1.5 billion pumped storage facility. The city and the water agency also approved two contracts totaling $6.2 million for an environmental impact analysis and for preparation of an interconnection agreement with the grid operator plus a license from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, all on Jan. 27.

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California Snowpack Dwindles After a Dry January

/in , , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Hayley Smith

California’s second snow survey of the season arrived on the heels of one of the state’s driest Januarys on record, and officials are warning that a third dry year is possible unless more rain and snow arrive soon.

Surveyors from the California Department of Water Resources gathered Tuesday at Phillips Station near South Lake Tahoe to announce their latest findings. Statewide snowpack has dwindled to 92% of average for the date, they said.

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California Ballot Measure to Build More Reservoirs, Water Projects Dies Due to Lack of Signatures

/in , , /by /The Mercury Timesby Paul Rogers

Supporters of a proposed November ballot measure to provide billions of dollars to build new dams, desalination plants and other large water projects in California announced Tuesday they are ending their campaign due to lack of signatures and funding.

“Despite crafting an initiative that would solve California’s challenge of chronic and worsening water scarcity, and despite recent polling that indicates over 70% of California’s voters support increased state spending on water infrastructure, the campaign has been unable to attract the financial support necessary to gather the required 1 million signatures,” the campaign said in a statement.

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Marin Water District Proposes Prohibiting Decorative Turf

/in , , /by /Marin Independent Journalby Will Houston

The Marin Municipal Water District is proposing a ban on decorative grass at commercial and municipal properties to reduce demand on local reservoir supplies.

The proposal would require most nonfunctional turf be removed over several years. Under the proposal presented by staff last month, commercial properties would be barred from installing new decorative turf beginning in March.

The prohibition would not affect residential properties, churches, homeowners association common areas, sports fields, golf course greens and play areas such as in schools and parks.

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Otay Water District Invests in Preventive System Maintenance

/in , , /by /Water News Network

As part of its preventive maintenance program to safeguard its water supply and reduce water loss, the Otay Water District is conducting leak inspections of its pipeline system. Leak detection and repair programs save water by ensuring water system integrity. The District uses state-of-the-art equipment to inspect its water distribution system for leaks in pipelines, meters, and valves. The equipment is designed to “listen” for leaks and can pinpoint the location of even the smallest water leak. Once identified, crews will schedule the needed repairs.

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Partners Agree to Move Ahead on 500 MW San Vicente Energy Storage Facility

/in , , /by /Hydro Reviewby Hydro Review Content Directors Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority
Quoted: San Diego County Water Authority

Partners the City of San Diego and the San Diego County Water Authority will begin negotiations on a project development agreement with the BHE Kiewit Team to develop Phase 1 of the potential 500 MW San Vicente Energy Storage Facility Project.

The proposed project, which could generate enough energy for about 135,000 households, is subject to a full environmental review and regulatory approvals. If the authority and the city decide to proceed after completing environmental review, the San Vicente Energy Storage Facility would provide up to 500 MW of long-duration stored energy to help meet peak electrical demands throughout southern California and help meet California’s renewable energy goals.

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