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San Diego and Tijuana’s Shared Sewage Problem has a Long History

/in , , /by /The Washington Postby Kevan Q. Malone

In January, President Trump signed the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) into law, replacing the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The new trade pact is set to go into full effect July 1. Thanks to House Democrats from Southern California, the legislative act governing its implementation in the United States will provide $300 million for infrastructure to stop the chronic flow of sewage across the international border from Tijuana, Mexico — an ecological peril highlighted on a recent episode of “60 Minutes.”

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U.S. EPA Moves to Curb State Powers to Deny Permits for Energy Projects

/in , , /by /Reutersby Valerie Volcovici

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency chief Andrew Wheeler signed on Monday a rule limiting state powers to block energy infrastructure projects, setting up a fight with some Democratic governors who say Washington is stripping their ability to protect their states’ interests and combat climate change.

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Officials Worry About Wildfires as More People Enjoy Nature After Coronavirus Lockdowns

/in , , /by /The Weather Channelby Jan Wesner Childs

Parts of the West are already in extreme drought ahead of wildfire season, and officials in some areas are worried about an uptick in fire action as more people emerge from coronavirus-related lockdowns and resume outdoor activities like hiking and camping.

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Boise Joins International Study To Test Coronavirus Levels In Wastewater

/in , /by /Boise State Public Radioby Molly Wampler

One of the biggest unknowns about coronavirus is how it spreads within a community, especially with asymptomatic carriers and minimal testing capabilities. In a new international effort, the City of Boise in partnership with the lab Biobot, has started sampling the city’s wastewater system to collect data on community levels of COVID-19.

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New Front Opens in the Fight Over the Lake Powell Pipeline

/in , , /by /The Salt Lake Tribuneby Brian Maffly

The water rights behind the proposed Lake Powell pipeline are not actually coming from the project’s namesake lake, but rather from the major reservoir upstream on the Green River.

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NV5 Awarded $3M to Support Water Conservation in the Western US

/in , , /by /Water World

Funding from NASA and the California Department of Water Resources asks Quantum Spatial to provide remote sensing services.

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USDA Approves $2.5 Million for California Water Investments

/in , , /by /AgNet Westby Brian German

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced that it will be providing more than $2.5 million for California water investments through the Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant program.  USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development Bette Brand noted that the department will be investing $281 million for 106 projects in 36 states and Puerto Rico to improve water and wastewater infrastructure.

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Pandemic Prompts San Diego to Try Virtual Building Inspections, Delay Permit Expiration Dates

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

San Diego is delaying expiration dates for several types of development permits and launching virtual building inspections to help keep local construction projects moving forward during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Water Utility Hero of the Week: Dale Austin, Vallecitos Water District

/in , , /by /Water News Network

This feature highlights water utility employees in the San Diego region working during the coronavirus pandemic to ensure a safe, reliable and plentiful water supply. The water industry is among the sectors that are classified as essential. Dale Austin, Vallecitos Water District Senior Pump & Motor Tech, is the Water Utility Hero of the Week.

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Utilities Ramp Up Lobbying for Relief, Broader Reforms

/in , , /by /E&E Newsby Hannah Northey

The nation’s water utilities, facing more than $27 billion in lost revenue from the pandemic, are ramping up their outreach to Congress as lawmakers prepare to act on infrastructure legislation and additional relief in the face of a historic pandemic.

In addition to a flurry of letters and meetings, advocacy groups and lobbyists with congressional expertise are pushing for provisions in both Water Resources Development Act bills moving through the House and Senate, and the next round of COVID-19 stimulus funds.

In the near term, the bills could be a lifeline for both residents and utilities reeling from the economic fallout of the pandemic.

Over the longer term, some hope the bills could provide a pathway for revamping a highly fractured, aging water system — old lead pipes, vulnerable dams and 1,500 drinking water systems in violation of the Safe Drinking Water Act, said Robert Powelson, CEO of the National Association of Water Companies.

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