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Industry Eyeing EPA’s Hustle to Control ‘Forever Chemicals’

/in , , /by /Bloomberg Lawby Pat Rizzuto

Industry attorneys say they’re bracing for a wave of corporate liability and litigation as the Biden administration works swiftly to fulfill a campaign promise to control “forever chemicals.”

The Environmental Protection Agency this month announced it’s working on three water-related regulations for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS. It sent a fourth chemical data-collection proposal to the Office of Management and Budget, or OMB, for approval.

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California’s Water Worries May Not Affect San Diego

/in , , /by /KPBS-FM/TVby Erik Anderson Quoted: San Diego County Water Authority

California could be facing a dry summer after two dry winters, but there shouldn’t be a huge impact on local supplies.

California water officials have already cut in half the amount of water they expect to deliver from the state water project.

That could be a major cut for central valley farmers and other water users that rely heavily on the Sacramento Delta for their water.

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Sweetwater Authority Reservoirs Provide Safe Public Recreation

/in , , /by /Water News Network

One year into the coronavirus pandemic, San Diego County’s reservoirs and lakes have provided welcome opportunities for safe, accessible outdoor family recreation.

After shutting down in March 2020, facilities began to slowly reopen through the summer months by carefully implementing safety guidelines, including increased sanitation, social distancing, and restricted attendance to allow San Diegans to resume their favorite hiking, fishing, horseback riding, and bird watching activities.

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Helix, Padre Dam Municipal Water Districts Use Lawsuit Win to Help Customers

/in , , /by /The San Diego Union-Tribuneby Karen Pearlman Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

Two East County water agencies plan to reduce future water rates by using millions of dollars they received from the San Diego County Water Authority as part of a legal settlement. The Water Authority announced a plan Feb. 25 to distribute $44.4 million to its 24-member agencies — including the Helix Water District and Padre Dam Municipal Water District — after receiving a check for that amount from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.

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Vallecitos Water District Wins Awards for Sonic Tech Disrupting Algae Blooms

/in , , /by /Times of San Diegoby Debbie Sklar

The Vallecitos Water District received two awards for its innovative use of technology to reduce algae blooms at Mahr Reservoir, it was announced Thursday. The district received the “Excellence in Action” national award from the WateReuse Association and the “Innovation and Resiliency” state award from the California Association of Sanitation Agencies for its use of an ultrasound technology to address water quality at the Stanley A. Mahr Reservoir with a reduced need for chemical treatment.

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Encina Power Station Demolition Begins

/in , , /by /North County Daily Star

NRG Energy began demolition of the 400-foot Encina Power Station stack this week. The apparatus mounted around the top of the stack, known as the Mende Spider, is equipped with a jackhammer that breaks the concrete in a cylindrical pattern; the pieces of the stack fall through the center of the stack and are recovered from the bottom. NRG estimates the device will remove the stack about 10 feet per day. At this rate, NRG anticipates removing the top 350 feet of the Encina stack by the end of April. The remaining 50 feet will be removed from the ground by an excavator.

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California Weighs Changes for New Water Rights Permits in Response to a Warmer and Drier Climate

/in , , /by /Western Water (Water Education Foundation)by Gary Pitzer

As California’s seasons become warmer and drier, state officials are pondering whether the water rights permitting system needs revising to better reflect the reality of climate change’s effect on the timing and volume of the state’s water supply. A report for the State Water Resources Control Board recommends tailoring new water rights permits to California’s increasingly volatile hydrology. And it warns that the increasingly whiplash nature of California’s changing climate could require existing rights holders to curtail diversions more often and in more watersheds — or open opportunities to grab more water in climate-induced floods.

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America’s Obsession With Wipes is Tearing Up Sewer Systems

/in , , /by /Bloomberg CityLabby Gerald Porter Jr.

Across the U.S., cities and towns are being forced to throw more money at solving blockages as consumers buy (and flush) more wipes than ever. Even before the pandemic, Americans were already flushing far too many wipes into the sewer system. After a year of staying at home, the pipe-clogging problem has gotten worse.

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Opinion: Too Many in Arizona Lack Water Security. It’s Time to Rethink How We Manage It

/in , , /by /AZ Centralby Chris Kuzdas and Haley Paul

The past year has shown Arizonans how critical water is to all we hold dear. It’s a pillar of public health, a precious and finite resource, and the lifeblood of our economy and food production.

Water is essential for life, and climate change is shrinking already scarce supplies. Fortunately, we also know what we can do now to help safeguard our water.

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The Water Tap: Utah’s Exceptional Drought Calls for Exceptional Measures. Or Does It?

/in , /by /The Spectrumby Joan Meiners

Last week, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox issued an executive order declaring a statewide drought emergency. In the press release that followed, he urged Utahns to “evaluate their water use and find ways to save not only because of current drought conditions but also because we live in one of the driest states in the nation.”

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