Mark Twain once said, “Whisky is for drinking, and water is for fighting over!” But what if cooperation yielded more benefit than just going it alone, when it comes to urban water utilities?
A new study of water supply in the North Carolina Research Triangle found that agreements between water utilities can help mitigate their risks.
The agreement between the Rainbow Municipal Water District and Tri Pointe Homes for the Citro development has been amended.
Rainbow’s board voted 5-0 April 26 to approve an amendment to the participation agreement for the Rice Canyon Pipeline facilities which increases the total cost from $5,100,000 to $5,502,373.
The County of San Diego will be replacing the Live Oak Park Road bridge, which will impact two Rainbow Municipal Water District water mains. Hazard Construction was given the county contract for the bridge replacement and, on April 26, the Rainbow board approved an agreement with Hazard to add the water main construction to the Lakeside company’s work.
One hundred years after a landmark agreement divided the waters of the Colorado River among Western states, the pact is now showing its age as a hotter and drier climate has shrunk the river.
The flow of the Colorado has declined nearly 20% since 2000. Reservoirs have dropped to record low levels.
In light of the current conditions affecting the Colorado River Basin, the Imperial Irrigation District Board of Directors has initiated an accelerated process to develop a plan to manage its annual water supply by apportioning it among all categories of water users.
Referred to as the revised Equitable Distribution Plan, the intent is for the plan to be effective by July 1, 2022 and retroactive to January 1 of this year. The revised plan is being developed by the district in consultation with the board’s Colorado River committee.
The Las Virgenes Municipal Water District Board unanimously approved a drought resolution Wednesday that will limit residents outdoor irrigation to one day a week, with the restrictions taking effect June 1.
Last week, LVMWD held a virtual town hall with more than 1,300 people who shared their concerns and feedback with the district’s board of directors.
By rejecting the plan for a desalination plant in Orange County last week, the California Coastal Commission surrendered to environmental interests fundamentally committed to a world of restrictions rather than abundance. Rather than embrace innovation and technology, the commission has chosen to place the interests of a few activists over the interests of Californians.
The organization responsible for North American electric reliability warned energy shortfalls were possible this summer in California, Texas and the U.S. Midwest where extreme heat from a severe drought could cause power plants to fail.
In 2021, numerous extreme weather events stressed the U.S. power grid, including the February freeze in Texas that knocked out power to millions after freezing natural gas pipes, and record heat, drought and wildfires in the West.
More reservoirs across Utah may run dry and the Great Salt Lake will continue to decline, state officials warned lawmakers on Wednesday.
During a briefing before the Utah State Legislature’s Natural Resources Interim Committee, lawmakers were told that 99% of Utah remains in severe or extreme drought. That’s actually an improvement over last year, when a huge chunk of the state was in “exceptional” drought — the worst category.
On Wednesday, State Senator Melissa Hurtado, D-Sanger joined her colleague, Democratic State Senator Dave Cortese in sending a letter to United States Attorney General Merrick Garland requesting an investigation into possible drought profiteering and water rights abuses in the Western states.
The Senators said they’re concerned about the increasing amount of water rights being purchased by hedge funds, their potential anti-competitive practices and the devastating impact that could have on water security.
