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Cost of Bringing Clean Drinking Water to California Communities Estimated at $11.5 Billion

/in , /by /Los Angeles Times by Ian James

California has made significant progress helping small communities address problems of contaminated drinking water, but the costs of bringing safe tap water to hundreds of communities over the next five years will run more than $11.5 billion, according to a new state estimate.

In a newly released report, the staff of the State Water Resources Control Board estimated that at the start of this year approximately 913,000 Californians depended on public water systems that are failing to comply with drinking water regulations, while an additional 1.5 million people depended on water systems that are determined to be “at-risk.”

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Groundwater Declines in the U.S. Southwest

/in , /by /NASA Earth Observatoryby James R. Riordon

Record snowfall in recent years has not been enough to offset long-term drying conditions and increasing groundwater demands in the U.S. Southwest, according to a new analysis of NASA satellite data.

Declining water levels in the Great Salt Lake and Lake Mead have been testaments to a megadrought afflicting western North America since 2000. But surface water only accounts for a fraction of the Great Basin watershed, which covers most of Nevada and large portions of California, Utah, and Oregon. Far more of the region’s water is underground. That has historically made it difficult to track the impact of droughts on the overall water content of the Great Basin.

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Calgary Water Pipes are Vulnerable to Failure

/in , /by /The Globe and Mailby Jude Brocke Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

The infrastructure network that transports safe, clean water around Calgary contains 187 kilometres of pipe similar to the line that suffered a catastrophic break more than two weeks ago, forcing the city’s residents and businesses to cut back on water use and prompting a massive emergency fix-it job.

The city’s Bearspaw South Feedermain, which ruptured June 5, is a prestressed concrete cylinder pipe (PCCP), a design used elsewhere in Calgary and across North America. This type of pipe is known to be vulnerable to major failures, although its engineering has improved since the late 1970s and determining what, precisely, caused the feedermain to crumble may be impossible.

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Adel Hagekhalil: Southern California’s Embattled ‘Water Doctor’

/in , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Ian James

As general manager of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, Adel Hagekhalil has overseen a public agency that’s responsible for supplying the water that 19 million people drink. And he has been playing a leading role in efforts to transform how Southern California manages water, one of the most consequential issues the region faces as climate change continues to upend the water cycle.

His influence in this critical sphere currently hangs in the balance. Earlier this month, the water district’s board placed Hagekhalil on leave as it investigates harassment allegations by his chief financial officer that he denies. With him sidelined, some of his supporters are concerned the policies he has been pursuing could be affected.

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California Judge Grants Injunction in Water Conveyance Project

/in , /by /Courthouse News Serviceby Alan Riquelmy

A Sacramento County judge on Thursday ruled in favor of several water districts and local governments over California’s planned delta tunnel project that would divert water from Northern California to the south of the state, saying that exploratory work can’t continue until the state completes a necessary certification process.

The decision by Superior Court Judge Stephen Acquisto is a win for the groups that had argued the state Department of Water Resources hadn’t completed all documentation required by the California Environmental Quality Act and complied with the Delta Plan.

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Fire in Otay Mesa Puts Battery Storage Projects Under Scrutiny and Neighborhoods on Edge

/in , /by /The San Diego Union-Tribuneby Rob Nikolewski

A fire at a battery storage facility in Otay Mesa is out — but the stubborn nature of the blaze has sparked opposition from some residents about the relative safety of at least three other battery projects that developers want to build in other parts of San Diego County.

Renewable energy supporters say battery facilities are essential to meet California’s goals to develop a carbon-free electric grid. State policymakers and battery companies say the risk of future fires will decrease over time, counting on technological improvements in battery chemistries and better designs at the facilities housing the batteries.

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Calgary Officials Aiming for ‘Low End’ of Repair Timeline after Pipes Arrive from San Diego

/in , /by /CBCby Lily Dupuis, Omar Sherif Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

Two key pieces of pipe needed to complete repairs to a water feeder main that ruptured, triggering citywide water restrictions, arrived Tuesday night from San Diego and are being prepped for installation.

City of Calgary officials now say repairs could move quicker than previously expected.

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San Diego County Faces Nearly 40% Water Price Hike

/in , /by /Fox 5/KUSIby Tony Shin Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

Water districts across San Diego County are grappling with a dramatic price hike from the San Diego County Water Authority, which is projected to increase water prices by nearly 40% over the next few years.

Olivenhain Municipal Water District board members on Wednesday night voted to approve a budget that will affect 87,000 customers. A spokesperson for the district says they don’t know yet exactly how much this will cost their customers.

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Ramona Water District’s Higher Water Rates to Show on August Bills

/in , /by /The San Diego Union-Tribuneby Julie Gallant Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

Ramona Municipal Water District directors approved water rate increases for customers starting July 1 and will decide whether to continue raising rates each year through fiscal year 2028-29.

The rate increase was approved at the water district’s June 11 meeting by a 4-1 vote with Director Gary Hurst opposed. The new rates for the 2024-25 fiscal year are based on volume of water used, monthly service charges and water pumping costs, according to a staff report.

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Nevada Leads as 40-year Low is Reached in Colorado River Water Use

/in , /by /Las Vegas Review Journalby Alan Halaly

Efforts to stretch the overused Colorado River appear to be working: The total amount of water used across Nevada, California and Arizona is the lowest it’s been in 40 years.

The reduction is the result of several factors, including a good snowpack year allowing for more use of groundwater, increased conservation efforts and millions of dollars in Inflation Reduction Act funding to incentivize farmers to use less water.

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