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Up to $2,000 In Water Bill Assistance Now Available to Qualified SWA Customers

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Chula Vista, Calif. – Sweetwater Authority (Authority) customers may be eligible for water or wastewater bill assistance from a new federal debt relief program. The Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) provides a one-time payment of up to $2,000 to qualified customers.

The program is administered locally by Metropolitan Area Advisory Committee on Anti-Poverty of San Diego County (MAAC). After the customer applies to the program, MAAC will work directly with the Authority to apply funding to the qualified accounts.

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State Lawmakers Reject Bill to Curb Farms’ Water Pumping

/in , /by /CalMattersby Rachel Becker

California lawmakers punted on a proposal to rein in agricultural groundwater pumping as drought continues to grip California and more than a thousand domestic wells have run dry.

A bill by Assemblymember Steve Bennett, a Democrat from Santa Barbara, would have added hurdles to obtain a permit to drill an agricultural well. Though the bill cleared the Senate on Monday, Bennett elected to not bring it up for a final vote in the Assembly before the Legislative session timed out Wednesday night. He said California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office told him the bill was no longer viable because of changes made.

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Parched: California’s Climate Crisis

/in , , /by /CBS Stations in San Francisco, Sacramento and Los Angeles Quoted: San Diego County Water Authority

Parched: California’s Climate Crisis

A special report on California’s changing climate and the ongoing drought by CBS stations across the Golden State: https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/video/parched-californias-climate-crisis/

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San Diego County Showing Way Forward in Beating Back Water Shortages

/in , , , /by /KPIX-TVby Reed Cowan Quoted: San Diego County Water Authority

More than 30 years ago, if you were to visit San Diego County, you would be struck by the lush green lawns, beautiful gardens, and many folks washing their cars.

The county alongside the Pacific Coast appeared to be flush with water. But in all actuality, a major water catastrophe was already in the works.

From 1987-1992, California was hit with a megadrought, and San Diego, which was at the end of the fresh water pipeline, was in deep trouble.

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North San Diego Water Reuse Coalition Awarded Up to $17.8 Million in Federal Funding

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

The North San Diego Water Reuse Coalition was awarded a grant of up to $17.8 million for the development of recycled water infrastructure. The grant funds come from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.

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In Boulder Visit, Nancy Pelosi Calls on Western States to Lead the Charge on Colorado River Issues

/in , , /by /CPR Newsby Andrew Kenney

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited the National Center for Atmospheric Research — the campus in Boulder that’s a hub for scientists studying climate change and water — on Wednesday. Speaking on a plaza with a sweeping view toward the plains, she and Democratic Rep. Joe Neguse promoted Democrats’ recent climate and tax package.

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Audit: Aging Infrastructure Among Issues Facing LAWPD

/in , , /by /Daily Breeze

Aging infrastructure and lack of implementation plans are among the top issues facing the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, according to an audit released Wednesday, Aug. 31, by city officials.

The report, jointly issued Mayor Eric Garcetti, City Controller Ron Galperin and the city council, analyzed risks and opportunities for improvements at the LADWP.

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Rohnert Park Company Working On More Efficient and Earth-Friendly Ways to Get the Salt Out of Sea Water

/in , , , /by /The Press Democratby Mary Fricker

As the current drought stretches into its third year, demands to desalinate ocean water rise, especially in such places as Sonoma County and its more than 55 miles of coastline. But putting a desalination plant on the Sonoma County coast seems unlikely, especially after the California Coastal Commission in May rejected construction of a desalination plant in Huntington Beach that had been studied for more than 15 years, said entrepreneur John Webley.

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Napa County’s Famed Wine Country Prepares for Climate Change

/in , , /by /CBS Bay Areaby Elizabeth Cook

Drought, heat, and wildfires all threaten Wine Country grape harvests, but growers are getting creative to defend their crops.

Climate change is endangering California’s wine industry. Just ask some of the industry’s titans.

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California’s Climate Makes It Especially Vulnerable to Global Warming

/in , , /by /The New York Timesby Soumya Karlamangla

The allure of California has long been its almost unbelievably good weather: predictably dry summers and pleasant, if occasionally rainy, winters. Who wouldn’t want to escape swampy heat for this temperate paradise? Our typically agreeable weather (current heat wave notwithstanding) is officially called a Mediterranean-type climate, defined as having cool, wet winters and dry, warm summers.

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