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Wastewater Recycling Made Sewage Valuable. Now East County and San Diego Are Fighting Over It.

/in , /by /Voice of San Diego by MacKenzie Elmer

The city of San Diego pursued its massive wastewater-to-drinking water recycling program, in part, because the federal government said it had to. Millions of gallons of undertreated sewage enters the Pacific Ocean through the city’s aging Point Loma treatment plant on the regular; Pure Water is the region’s first step toward a solution.

But now, a bloc of eastern San Diego County water agencies is building their own recycling project because, they say, the cost of buying imported water from the drought-ravaged Colorado River is unsustainable.

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Does California Have Enough Water for Lots of New Homes? Yes, Experts Say, Despite Drought

/in , , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Liam Dillon

To some, it defies common sense. California is once again in the middle of a punishing drought with state leaders telling people to take shorter showers and do fewer loads of laundry to conserve water. Yet at the same time, many of the same elected officials, pledging to solve the housing crisis, are pushing for the construction of millions of new homes.

“It’s the first question I’d always get,” said Jeffrey Kightlinger, who until last year ran the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, the agency that delivers the water ultimately used by half the state’s population.

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On a Block Full of Lawns, She Ditched Grass for a DIY Drought-Tolerant Oasis

/in , , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Lisa Boone

Long before the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California declared a water shortage emergency and ordered outdoor watering limited to one day a week, Sarah Lariviere, an avid gardener, was thinking about ways to conserve water.

During the pandemic, the young adult author found inspiration on the long walks that she and her husband took in their Burbank neighborhood. It wasn’t the endless series of lush green lawns that moved her, however, but the occasional drought tolerant landscape that would materialize, sandwiched between the turf.

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LADWP Water Restrictions Begin Tomorrow. Here’s What to Know

/in , /by /NBC Los Angelesby Toni Guinyard

Starting Wednesday, June 1, new restrictions go into effect for millions of Los Angeles Department of Water and Power customers, including limiting outdoor watering.

The effects of the water conservation ordinance will vary a bit depending on what kind of sprinkler system you have.

If you have a standard sprinkler system, each cycle is limited to a maximum of eight minutes on your approved watering days.

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Is This California’s Year for a Long-Term Drinking Water Assistance Program?

/in , /by /Capital and Mainby Dan Ross

For 35 days between March and April of this year, Dante Woolfolk went without any running water in his house in Brooktrails, a small town nestled amid the leafy canopies of Mendocino County in Northern California. A spiraling unpaid water bill had led the local water system to turn off the spigot.

For those 35 days, says Woolfolk, his life was upended. He purchased water to cook, make coffee and clean the house. He believes he “easily” spent $600 on bottled water alone. The 36-year-old’s three children stayed with a nearby friend.

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Opinion: As Drought Persists, Water Rights on Agenda

/in , /by /CalMattersby Dan Walters

As a third year of drought continues, California officialdom is increasing pressure for more water conservation.

Last week, the state Water Resources Control Board imposed a statewide ban on watering of “non-functional” turf, such as grass around commercial buildings, and directed local water agencies to implement water use restrictions.

“California is facing a drought crisis and every local water agency and Californian needs to step up on conservation efforts,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a supportive statement.

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California Drought Resurrects Decades-Old Plan for Controversial Sites Reservoir

/in , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Louis Sahagun

A long-dead proposal to flood a bucolic valley north of Sacramento and create a massive reservoir for thirsty Southern California is finding new life — and opposition — amid the effects of climate change and worsening drought.

First conceived in the 1950s, the Sites Reservoir project was abandoned in the 1980s — the twilight years of America’s big Western dam-building projects.

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Rising Water Rates Puts HOA at Crossroads

/in , /by /ABC 10 News San Diegoby Jonathan Horn Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

As San Diegans continue to battle soaring inflation, a proposed hike in water rates could drive the cost of living even higher next year.

Now, one group of homeowners could decide to pay for a big change now, to avoid more increases later. They’re the 192 owners at The Lakes at Carmel Del Mar, a condo complex that has five lakes and winding walkways surrounded by grass.

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San Diego County Water Authority Proposes Water Rate Hike, Citing Rising Costs

/in , /by /10 News San Diegoby City News Service Quoted: San Diego County Water Authority

San Diego County Water Authority staff Thursday proposed increasing rates for its 24 member agencies by 5.2% for treated water and 3.7% for untreated water in 2023, citing inflation and increasing energy and Metropolitan Water District of Southern California costs.

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Water Rates Could Be on Rise Too – Board to Review Agency Call for Hikes of Up to 5.2%

/in , , /by /Times of San Diego by City News Service Quoted: San Diego County Water Authority

The San Diego County Water Authority Thursday proposed increasing rates for its 24 member agencies by 5.2% for treated water and 3.7% for untreated water in 2023.

The agency cited inflation and increasing energy costs along with rising expenses from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.

“We recognize inflationary pressures are challenging for many residents and we are working collaboratively with all levels of government to identify, advocate for, and improve water affordability,” said Water Authority General Manager Sandra L. Kerl. “As our rate-setting process moves forward, we will remain focused on maintaining the lowest possible rates while delivering a safe and reliable water supply during the driest period in more than 1,200 years.”

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