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L.A.’s Quest for Water Leaves Costly Bill: Higher Rates for Customers, Choking Air Pollution

/in , , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Louis Sahagún

Even as worsening drought and aridification force Los Angeles to end its overwhelming dependence on imported water, Angelenos may soon realize that weaning themselves off supplies from the rugged eastern Sierra Nevada doesn’t mean they will stop paying for the city’s long, complicated history there. That’s because, even if the city is able to make good on a pledge by Mayor Eric Garcetti to recycle 100% of its water by 2035 and increase its ability to capture storm water, Los Angeles will still have to pay millions of dollars to control the region’s hazardous dust pollution — an environmental consequence of L.A.’s draining of Owens Lake more than a century ago, as well as recent diversions that have lowered the level of Mono Lake farther north.

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They Used to Call California Ocean Desalination a Disaster. But Water Crisis Brings New Look

/in , , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Hayley Smith

For decades, environmentalists have decried ocean desalination as an ecological disaster, while cost-savvy water managers have thumbed their noses at desal’s lofty price tag. But as the American Southwest barrels into a new era of extreme heat, drought and aridification, officials and conservationists are giving new consideration to the process of converting saltwater into drinking water, and the role it may play in California’s future.

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Fallbrook, Rainbow Would Save on Water Bills by Leaving San Diego Wholesaler, Report Finds

/in , , /by /The San Diego Union-Tribuneby Joshua Emerson Smith Quoted: San Diego County Water Authority

Farmers and other ratepayers in Fallbrook and Rainbow could see an average saving on their water bills of more than $20 a month by joining the Eastern Municipal Water District in Riverside County, according to a new report.

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Public Input Wanted in Drought-Resistant Water Supply

/in , , /by /Spectrum Newsby Sarah Pilla

California is entering this next year with a water deficit, that is unlikely to recover with an average year of precipitation. With reservoir levels and groundwater levels dropping, the Metropolitan Water District is innovating new ways to reduce our reliance on imported water. Metropolitan Water District plays an integral role in how we get our water in Southern California. They’re responsible for importing water from the Colorado River system and the State Water Project in Northern California, which is then distributed to water agencies around the southland.

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Proposal to Place Solar Panels Over LA Aqueduct Advances

/in , /by /Whittier Daily News

A proposal to place solar panels over the 370-mile Los Angeles Aqueduct in an attempt to reduce evaporation and add capacity for renewable energy for residents was approved by a council committee this week. Around one-tenth of the water in the aqueduct is lost from evaporation each year due to the length of travel for water to make it through the aqueduct, according to the office of Councilman Mitch O’Farrell, who introduced the motion. O’Farrell is the chair of the council’s Energy, Climate Change, Environmental Justice, and River committee.

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San Diego Begins Construction on Advanced Water Recycling Plants

/in , , /by /KUSI News

The Pure Water San Diego Program was pushed into action at the very start of November, 2022. City leaders gathered on the first of the month to discuss one of the most ambitious infrastructure projects in the county. Pure Water San Diego is a program that intends to use proven water purification technology to clean recycled water and produce safe, high quality drinking water.

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Tear Out Your Lawn, Get More Free Cash. LADWP Ups Rebates for Customers.

/in , , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Jon Healey

Los Angeles residents, now is a great time to pull out your lawn. With water supplies continuing to tighten, L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti announced Thursday that the city’s Department of Water and Power will pay homeowners and businesses significantly more to remove their grassy turf. Approved applications will receive $5 per square foot, a 67% increase from the previous $3-per-square-foot incentive.

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Third Consecutive Dry, Warm Winter Projected for San Diego Amid Statewide Drought

/in , , /by /KPBS-FM/TVby Jacob Aere Quoted: San Diego County Water Authority

Even with the recent wet weather in San Diego County, climate change is rapidly accelerating in California, according to a new state report.

Alex Tardy, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, explained how that can affect the state’s water supply.

“Our long term deficits are still significant in Southern California and especially in Northern California. And the overall water supply being at its lowest state on record for the Colorado system and near record lows even for California,” Tardy said.

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Wednesday’s Rain Has Little Impact on California Drought Conditions

/in , , /by /FOX 5 San Diegoby Zara Barker

While any amount of rain is beneficial for the Southern California region, experts said the small amount that rained in San Diego will not make an impact in drought levels, especially because the ground was so dry. Current conditions show a moderate drought in San Diego. The rain caused slow-moving traffic across several areas in San Diego and a mess for Tracy Hanson, who woke up to a downed tree in her front yard in the Lemon Grove neighborhood.

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Free ‘Drought-Proof Your Garden’ Webinars Start Nov. 2

/in , , /by /The San Diego Union-Tribune Quoted: San Diego County Water Authority

The San Diego County Water Authority and waterwise garden guru Nan Sterman have teamed up to offer a series of free public webinars designed to help San Diego County residents care for their gardens during a fourth straight year of severe drought.

Starting at 7 p.m. on Nov. 2, Sterman will host periodic webinars during the fall and winter called “How to Drought-Proof Your Garden.”

The next webinar will be Nov. 21, starting at 5 p.m.; to register for that date, click here.

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