You are now in California and the U.S. Media Coverage category.

U.S. to Invest $125M in Water Recycling Projects to Help Drought-Stricken California, Utah

/in , /by /United Press Internationalby Sheri Walsh

The Department of Interior announced Monday that it will invest $125 million to create new recycled sources of water in California and Utah to help both states mitigate ongoing droughts.

The funding — which comes from President Joe Biden’s Investing in America — will support the Interior Department’s new Large-Scale Water Recycling Program, which was launched in 2023. The program will help five communities recycle water supplies by turning unusable water sources into clean, reliable ones.

Full Story

As Monumental California Water Law Turns 10, State Leaders Say There’s a Lot Left to Do

/in , /by /CapRadioby Megan Myscofski

California lawmakers passed significant new rules for managing groundwater a decade ago, during a major drought. Since then, the state has continued to see floods and more severe drought.

That’s given state leaders a lot to think about as they evaluate the decade-old policy, which they covered at a Department of Water Resources conference on Monday.

Full Story

Santa Fe Irrigation Water Rate Increase to Start in January

/in , /by /The San Diego Union-Tribuneby Karen Billing

Santa Fe Irrigation District customers will see an increase to their water rates effective Jan. 1, 2025. According to a news release from the district, 100% of this increase is from the San Diego County Water Authority, the region’s wholesale water provider.

Costs for water purchases from the San Diego Water Authority account for about 50% of Santa Fe Irrigation District’s budget expenditures. The water authority’s rates are increasing by approximately 14.9%  this coming year and will be passed on to Santa Fe Irrigation District (SFID) customers.  According to the release, the authority’s increase is due to a variety of factors including inflationary pressures, debt repayment and climate impacts. This is the first increase of what SDCWA anticipates will be a total of an approximately 40% increase between 2025 and 2027, according to the district.

Full Story

California Water Recycling Plant Gains $26M to Feed Lake Mead

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

Toilet water in Los Angeles will soon reduce the strain on Lake Mead, thanks in part to a $26.2 million boost that was announced Monday. The recycled water will benefit Nevada and other states and tribes that depend on the lake for drinking water.

Named the Pure Water Southern California project, when it’s active, it will generate enough water to serve nearly 386,000 households, according to a news release from U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev.

Full Story

‘Impressive’ Atmospheric River, First of the Season, Takes Aim at California

/in , /by /SFGATEby Katie Dowd

A “rather impressive system” is setting the stage for what could be California’s first atmospheric river storm of the season, the National Weather Service said Sunday. An atmospheric river carries water vapor from the tropics and, when it makes landfall, can bring a vast amount of rain and snow; in Oct. 2021, for instance, San Francisco got 750% more rainfall than an average year after a powerful atmospheric river passed through the region.

Because the movements of atmospheric river storms are difficult to predict, meteorologists are still refining the forecast. As of Sunday morning, “confidence is high” that northern parts of the North Bay “will be impacted by the strong atmospheric river beginning Wednesday, but these impacts could shift slightly southward closer to the SF Bay,” the weather service said.

Full Story

US EPA Report Cites Cybersecurity Flaws in Drinking Water Systems, Flags Disruption Risks and Lack of Incident Reporting

/in , /by /Industrial Cyberby Anna Ribeiro

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Inspector General released a report on cybersecurity concerns in drinking water systems. As part of its continued oversight of the EPA’s role as a sector risk management agency, the office revealed that passive assessment of cybersecurity vulnerabilities was conducted on drinking water systems with populations served of 50,000 people or greater. The findings revealed exploitable cybersecurity weaknesses that could disrupt service, cause data loss, or lead to information theft.

Furthermore, while attempting to notify the EPA about the cybersecurity vulnerabilities, the OIG found that the EPA does not have its ‘cybersecurity incident reporting system’ that water and wastewater systems could use to notify the EPA of cybersecurity incidents.

Full Story

A Century After Owens Valley Aqueduct Protest, Event Marks Tense Time in L.A. Water History

/in , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Ian James

It’s a chapter of California history filled with subterfuge and conflict: More than a century ago, agents secretly working for Los Angeles posed as farmers and ranchers as they bought land and water rights across the Owens Valley. Their scheme laid the groundwork for the construction of the Los Angeles Aqueduct, which in 1913 began sending the valley’s water to the growing city 233 miles away.

Residents were so enraged in the 1920s that some carried out a series of attacks on the aqueduct, blasting it with dynamite.

Full Story

Key Takeaways from the U.S. EPA’s Third Annual PFAS Roadmap

/in , /by /Water World

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on November 14, 2024, that they have released their third annual progress report on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

“EPA’s PFAS Strategic Roadmap: Three Years of Progress” highlights the achievements the agency has made under its PFAS Strategic Roadmap and the Biden-Harris Administration’s whole-of-government strategy to protect communities from the impacts of the contaminants.

Full Story

US EPA Report Cites Cybersecurity Flaws in Drinking Water Systems, Flags Disruption Risks and Lack of Incident Reporting

/in , /by /Industrial Cyberby Anna Ribeiro

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Inspector General released a report on cybersecurity concerns in drinking water systems. As part of its continued oversight of the EPA’s role as a sector risk management agency, the office revealed that passive assessment of cybersecurity vulnerabilities was conducted on drinking water systems with populations served of 50,000 people or greater. The findings revealed exploitable cybersecurity weaknesses that could disrupt service, cause data loss, or lead to information theft.

Furthermore, while attempting to notify the EPA about the cybersecurity vulnerabilities, the OIG found that the EPA does not have its ‘cybersecurity incident reporting system’ that water and wastewater systems could use to notify the EPA of cybersecurity incidents.

Full Story

Expansion of San Luis Reservoir Set to Boost California’s Water-Storing Capacity

/in , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Ian James

The Biden administration and eight California water agencies have reached an agreement to share in the costs of raising a dam to expand San Luis Reservoir, a nearly $1-billion project intended to increase the state’s water-storage capacity and benefit a group of urban communities and agricultural areas.

The plan to raise B.F. Sisk Dam and enlarge the reservoir near Los Banos will enable it to hold more water during wet years, boosting the reserves of water suppliers in parts of the Bay Area and the San Joaquin Valley.

Full Story