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In Bakersfield, Many Push for Bringing Back the Flow of the Long-Dry Kern River

/in , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Ian James

The Kern River cascades from the Sierra Nevada in a steep-sided canyon, coursing through granite boulders, and flows to the northeast side of Bakersfield. There, beside cottonwoods and willows, the last of the river collects in a pool where dragonflies hover and reeds sway in the breeze.

Then the river dies, disappearing into the sand.

Decades ago, the Kern flowed all the way through Bakersfield. But so much water has been appropriated and diverted in canals to farmland that the river has vanished in the city, leaving miles of dry riverbed.

Now, a group of residents is campaigning to bring back a flowing river in Bakersfield.

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Ramona Planning Group Supports Plan to Move Fire and Emergency Services Oversight to County

/in , /by /The San Diego Union-Tribuneby Julie Gallant

Ramona Community Planning Group members are backing the Ramona Municipal Water District’s efforts to transfer its oversight of fire and emergency medical services to the San Diego County Fire Protection District.

At their Dec. 2 meeting, members voted 14-0-1, with member Kevin Wallace abstaining, in favor of the proposal.

“This should have happened a long time ago,” said Casey Lynch, a Planning Board member. “The Ramona Municipal Water District needs to get back to providing water, sewer and parks services. Getting fire services off the books and into the county’s hands, where we know they do a good job, will give us more protection and care in fighting fires.”

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Pure Water Oceanside to Start Purifying Recycled Water by End of ’21

/in , , /by /The Coast News Group

By the end of December, the city will begin turning recycled water into drinkable water through its new, state-of-the-art water purification facility, the first of its kind in San Diego County.

The new water purification system, dubbed Pure Water Oceanside, uses ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis and an advanced oxidation process to purify recycled wastewater.

“It’s inspired by the natural water cycle and is the natural next step for recycling our precious water resource that we currently discharge into the ocean without tapping into its full potential,” said Oceanside Water Utilities Director Cari Dale, who has led the project.

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Californians Cut Water Use 13% in October; Still Behind Goal

/in , , /by /AP Newsby Kathleen Ronayne

Californians stepped up their water conservation in October, a move made easier by a massive storm that dumped record rain in some parts of the state but still wasn’t enough to combat the drought.

Collectively, people reduced their water use by 13.2% compared to last October, a major jump from prior months when water conservation lagged. Still, total water usage is down just 6% since July compared to the same period last year, far short of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s 15% goal.

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Drought-Tolerant Plant Giveaway Popular in Fallbrook

/in , , /by /Water News Network

More than 130 people took advantage of a drought-tolerant plant giveaway program offered by the Fallbrook Public Utility District. Since picking up their free succulents in November, homeowners have started their drought-tolerant home garden projects.

Participants were provided empty flats and invited to select from an assortment of three-inch potted succulents to suit their needs. Each person took home approximately 28 plants.

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10 Minutes With Sandra Kerl

/in , , /by /Brown and Caldwellby Wendy Broley and Mike Puccio Quoted: San Diego County Water Authority

San Diego County Water Authority General Manager Sandra Kerl recently sat down with Brown and Caldwell’s Wendy Broley, director of technical practices, and Mike Puccio, Southern California operations director, to talk about her experience dealing with unprecedented challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic, wildfires, and drought.

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California Considers $500 Fines for Water Wasters as Drought Worsens, Conservation Lags

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

As California descends deeper into drought, officials are growing increasingly troubled by dwindling water supplies and the public’s lackluster response to calls for conservation, with residents in recent months falling short of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s request for a voluntary 15% reduction in usage.

Now, as the West tips toward crisis, state water regulators are considering adopting emergency regulations that will prohibit certain actions in an attempt to curtail water waste and help conserve supplies.

If approved, the proposal could usher in a wave of water regulations that hearken back to previous droughts while underscoring the seriousness of the current one.

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Camarillo Doubles Potable Water Supply with New Desalination Plant

/in , , /by /WaterWorld Magazine

The city of Camarillo, Calif. has announced the start-up and commissioning of its North Pleasant Valley Groundwater Desalter Plant, moving the city closer to a more self-reliant potable water future.

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More Rain On the Way for San Diego

/in , /by /KPBS-FM/TVby Leslie Gonzalez

San Diego County got some precipitation Tuesday morning, and more rain is expected Thursday. But it’s a drop in the bucket since the county’s last storm in October.

National Weather Service meteorologist Alex Tardy said San Diego County is expected to receive .01 to .05 inches of rain Tuesday, and heavier rainfall, approximately .25 to .50 inches, on Thursday over Valley Center and Alpine.

“There will be no major storm. We can expect Pacific storms to bring in colder weather, which will replace the dry air and reduce fuel weather (fires),” he said.

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Officials Sign California-Denmark Water Collaboration Agreement

/in , /by /WaterWorld Magazine

On Nov. 30 the city of Oceanside, Calif. and Denmark officials celebrated the signing of the California-Denmark agreement for water sector collaboration on Water Technology Day 2021.

The memorandum of understanding is between the Danish Water Technology Alliance and the San Diego Regional Water Tech Alliance. The Danish Water Technology Alliance builds bridges between the North American and Danish water sector, with the aim of sharing information and fostering collaboration.

The event was held at Oceanside’s San Luis Rey Water Reclamation Facility in the Pure Water Oceanside center, to highlight the project and educate the delegation. Pure Water Oceanside will be the first water reuse project to go online in San Diego County. Oceanside Mayor Esther Sanchez and Water Utilities Director Cari Dale received the Minister for the Environment of Denmark, and her delegation, to provide a tour of the project and discussed a shared alliance to local, national, and international water security.

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