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Water Authority Takes Steps to Resolve Water Lawsuits

/in , , /by /Fallbrook Village Newsby Jim Madaffer Quoted: San Diego County Water Authority

After securing more than $350 million for water supply projects in the San Diego region – along with other benefits – the San Diego County Water Authority’s board of directors Feb. 27 voted to dismiss related claims against its Los Angeles-based supplier, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.

This is a major step toward resolving the litigation, in which we claimed water rights and challenged water rates and charges imposed by MWD on the Water Authority and the region’s ratepayers from 2010-2018. The board’s action will allow the parties to avoid a trial scheduled for June 2020 and clear the way for judgment to be entered in the older cases.

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90 US Cities and States Suspend Water Shutoffs to Tackle Coronavirus Pandemic

/in , , /by /The Guardianby Nina Lakhani

Almost 90 cities and states across the US have suspended water shutoffs for residents unable to afford their bills, as local leaders scramble to tackle the complex public health threats posed by the coronavirus pandemic.

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Stormy Weather Targets California Before Official Start of Spring

/in , , /by /AccuWeatherby Courtney Spamer

The final days of winter will bring more stormy weather across much of California.

A storm started off the weekend along the northern California coast, helping to produce snow and blizzard conditions across the Cascades and northern Rockies.

The storm will shift south along the California coast through early week, bringing precipitation to central and southern California.

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Carlsbad Municipal Water District Launches New Billing System

/in , , /by /The Coast News Groupby Steve Puterslo

It has been 20 years in the making, but the Carlsbad Municipal Water District has finally launched a new billing system.

Approved several years ago, the new system makes it much easier to register, sign up for automatic payments and get billing information, to name a few, said Finance Manager Cheryl Gerhardt.

The new system upgrade also includes 24-hour, 7-day-a-week ability to check a balance or make a payment, paperless billing and other features, which went live March 3 to the public.

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Treated Wastewater May be Safe for Aquaculture

/in , , /by /PHYS.orgby American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev

Although aquaculture in treated wastewater is practiced worldwide, there is scant scientific research concerning whether organic micropollutants are present at safe levels for consumption.

A new study in Aquaculture by researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev has determined that organic micropollutants in the water—trace elements of heavy metals, pharmaceuticals and personal care products as well as pesticides, solvents, and detergents—result in minimal accumulation in fish. Additionally, the wastewater does not appear to affect other commercially important traits of fish.

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Lithium Startup Backed by Bill Gates Seeks a Breakthrough at the Salton Sea

/in , , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Sammy Roth

David Snydacker knew going in that California’s Imperial Valley was a “graveyard for lithium-extraction technologies.”

For years, companies had tried and failed to find a cost-effective way to pull the valuable mineral — a key ingredient in the batteries that power electric cars — from the naturally heated fluid deep beneath the Salton Sea. One of the most recent busts was Simbol Materials, a much-hyped startup that collapsed in 2015 shortly after Elon Musk’s Tesla Inc. offered to buy the firm for $325 million.

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Tensions Emerge as a Top Arizona Official Discusses Tribes’ Unresolved Water Claims

/in , , /by /Arizona Republicby Ian James

Many of Arizona’s Native tribes have long-standing claims to water rights that haven’t yet been settled, and a discussion of efforts to negotiate possible agreements took center stage at a meeting of Gov. Doug Ducey’s water council.

The meeting grew tense after Arizona’s top water official gave a presentation on the status of tribes’ unresolved water claims, and then didn’t allow leaders of four tribes to speak.

Arizona Department of Water Resources Director Tom Buschatzke said he sent letters a week ago to all 22 federally recognized tribes in Arizona inviting them to speak about the issue at upcoming meetings later this year.

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Watch: Sensors Detect Water Pollution in Real Time

/in , /by /Electronics360by Siobhan Treacy

Researchers from San Diego State University have adapted existing sensor technology that can detect fluorescence, enabling rapid detection of bacteria in water.

The team’s plan was to combine this technology with telemetry to transmit contamination alerts in real-time. This technology would be useful for water monitoring agencies and government authorities. It can be used on surface water and water treatment plants.

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LA City Officials: Tap Water Still Safe To Drink, Even as Coronavirus Spreads

/in , , /by /CBSN Los Angeles

Those who live in the city of Los Angeles don’t need to stockpile bottled water in the midst of growing fears about the spread of COVID-19, city officials urged Thursday.

The L.A. Department of Water and Power reminded residents that their tap water is safe to drink, even as the coronavirus spreads.

“There is no threat to your public drinking water supply and no need to use bottled water,” the department said in a statement. “LADWP’s treatment processes are specifically designed to protect the public from all viruses and harmful bacteria.”

L.A. water goes through several treatments before reaching customers’ taps, including filtration, ultraviolet light, and chlorine disinfection, according to the statement.

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Opinion: Let’s Understand the Case for Detachment From the San Diego County Water Authority

/in , , /by /Village News (Fallbrook, Calif.)by Rodney T. Smith Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

As a new Fallbrook resident, I attended the recent Fallbrook Community Forum. I was impressed with the openness, friendliness, dedication and commitment of the participants. The experience led me to join the Fallbrook Chamber of Commerce.

I wish my enthusiasm extended to the proposal for our community to detach from the San Diego County Water Authority. The report involved whining about “process issues” that commonly consume public agencies. Observing the crowd, the presumption is that the affirmative case for the proposal has been made. Nothing could be further from the truth.

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