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Latest Raw Sewage Testing at Special Districts Facilities Does Not Detect Virus That Causes COVID-19

/in , , /by /Lake County News (Clearlake, Calif.)by Elizabeth Larson

The latest testing of raw sewage at Lake County Special Districts’ four treatment facilities found no presence of the virus that causes COVID-19 at any of the plants late in April, despite the fact that samples earlier in the month confirmed its presence.

Special Districts Administrator Jan Coppinger reported Friday that she received the latest test results from Biobot, a Massachusetts firm that is offering the testing as part of a pro bono program it’s conducting along with MIT, Harvard and Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

The tests are used to detect the presence of SARS-Cov-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The virus is shed in the stools of infected people.

Sewage testing also has successfully tracked the poliovirus and consumption of drugs such as opioids, according to Dr. Mariana Matus, chief executive officer and cofounder of Biobot.

Biobot is seeking to use wastewater testing to proactively detect outbreaks and help governments and communities to get ahead of public health crises like the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Sweltering Heat to Start Gripping San Diego County Tuesday

/in , /by /KPBS-FM-TVby City News Service

Temperatures will soar well into the triple digits Tuesday in the San Diego County deserts as sweltering conditions are expected to grip the region until this weekend.

High pressure centered over Baja California will continue to build this week, with temperatures expected to peak on Wednesday and Thursday, according to the National Weather Service. Desert areas could reach 110 and 107, respectively, on those days.

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Farmers Hijack Community Water Access Despite Groundwater Act, Activists Say

/in , , /by /KCETby Alastair Bland

When a fire started on the property next door to Ray Cano’s home, the neighbors used Cano’s hose and well to fight the flames. Running the pump at full throttle, they managed to control the blaze until the fire department arrived. Then, the well’s pump sputtered to a stop.

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San Diego Residents Fighting Deep Budget Cuts During Pandemic

/in , , /by /The San Diego Union Tribuneby David Garrick

Residents are lobbying San Diego officials to spare from the budget ax libraries, clean-water efforts, arts funding and other programs that were proposed to be cut to close a $300 million budget gap created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Amid Pandemic, U.S. Renewable Power Sources Have Topped Coal for 40 Days

/in , , /by /Reutersby Nichola Groom

Electricity generated by renewable sources like solar, wind and hydro has exceeded coal-fired power in the United States for a record 40 straight days, according to a report based on U.S. government data released on Monday.

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50 Years From Now, Many Densely Populated Parts of the World Could be Too Hot for Humans

/in , , /by /Inside Climate Newsby Bob Berwyn

Unless steps are taken to check global warming, up to 3 billion people will find themselves in areas too warm for human comfort, a new study finds.

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California Allocates $5 Million for Lead Testing in California Child Care Centers

/in , , /by /ABC 23 News (Bakersfield)by Wyatt Nail

The State Water Resources Control Board has executed an agreement to provide approximately $5 million in grant funds for testing and remediation of lead in drinking water at licensed Child Care Centers in California.

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Water Restrictions to be Lifted Tuesday While Pipeline Repairs in Moreno Valley Continue

/in , , /by /The Press-Enterpriseby Richard de Atley

Work to restore a damaged 9-foot diameter water pipeline in Moreno Valley continued Monday, May 4, and outdoor watering restrictions will be lifted for Western Municipal Water District customers starting Tuesday.

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New Poll Shows Voters Overwhelmingly Favor Investments Into Water/Wastewater Infrastructure

/in , , /by /Treatment Plant Operators magazine

A new poll recently released by the Value of Water Campaign shows that 84% of American voters want state and federal leaders to invest in water infrastructure. The near-unanimous support amid the COVID-19 pandemic reveals that voters value water and want elected officials to prioritize investing in infrastructure — specifically, drinking water and wastewater infrastructure.

For the fifth year in a row, the Value of Water Campaign poll surveyed over 1,000 American voters for the annual Value of Water Index. The poll asked voters how the nation should solve infrastructural issues and which priorities it should meet. Support for water infrastructure investment cuts across demographic, political and geographic divisions.

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Second Shutdown of Pipeline 5 at Moosa Creek Set For May 4-11

/in , /by /Fallbrook Village Newsby Joe Naiman Quoted: San Diego County Water Authority

The actual repair work for a San Diego County Water Authority pipeline in Moosa Canyon is now complete, although a shutdown to remove the isolation bulkheads will be needed and the SDCWA pipeline will be shut down May 4-11.

“The carbon fiber repair has been completed, and we’re preparing for a shutdown of Pipeline 5, May 4, to remove the internal steel bulkheads,” Neena Kuzmich, CWA engineering manager, said. “After we remove the bulkheads Pipeline 5 will resume normal operations.”

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