Water districts get among the least attention among local governments – yet they control the safety of tap water, the prices, maintain water delivery infrastructure and influence conservation efforts.
So just where do the current candidates stand on issues like the drought, climate change, transparency and term limits?
The Voice of OC newsroom set to find out.
Construction began Friday on a project aimed at restoring around 125 acres of coastal wetlands and salt marsh habitat in the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge.
The Otay River Estuary Restoration Project, a joint effort of desalination developer Poseidon Resources, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and other agencies, seeks to restore salt ponds located within the refuge in order to create new habitat for native fish, wildlife and plant species. Among the species most impacted by the loss of coastal habitats are migratory shorebirds and other salt marsh-dependent species, according to officials.
Several months ago, Rosario Rodriguez faced a financial dilemma that has become all too common for millions of drought-weary Californians — either pay the electric bill, which had skyrocketed to about $300 during a scorching summer in western Fresno County, or pay the $220 combined water, sewer and trash bill.
“Our water is expensive, even though we can’t drink it because it’s contaminated,” Rodriguez said in Spanish.
Earlier this month, the California Coastal Commission approved plans for a desalination plant near Doheny State Beach. In May, the commission voted against a plant in Huntington Beach. Today we look at the differences.
The greenlighted $140 million desalination plant in south Orange County’s city of Dana Point includes technology preferred by environmentalists and regulators and could provide up to 5 million gallons per day. Unlike the rejected $1.4 billion plant in Huntington Beach (that would have produced 50 million gallons per day), the Doheny Ocean Desalination project location has unique hydrogeology that allows advanced slant wells (shown in graphics on the right) to draw water from beneath the ocean floor to protect marine life.
Partners in a plan to restore 125 acres of degraded coastal wetlands as a mitigation project for the Carlsbad seawater desalination plant celebrated the start of construction Friday morning in Imperial Beach.
The Otay River Estuary Restoration Project in South San Diego Bay is a joint effort by the desalination plant operator Poseidon Resources, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other agencies to improve the habitat for native fish, plants and birds, particularly migratory shorebirds and other salt marsh-dependent species.
A rare third straight year of La Niña is expected to bring warmer than average temperatures and worsening drought conditions to the Southland, also increasing the risk for fire danger.
As California endures its worst drought in 1,200 years, San Diego County’s water industry has developed diversified sources and accelerated conservation practices to secure its water supply for the future. The City of Escondido’s innovative water treatment and saving methods offers a model for other drought-stricken cities.
Officials with the City of Burbank announced Tuesday that residents will be allowed to water their lawns and outdoor plants one day per week starting Nov. 1.
A Sustainable Water Use Ordinance is now in State III. The ordinance limits potable water usage for outdoor watering due to the California drought.
The Rainbow Municipal Water District certified the Programmatic Environmental Impact Report for Rainbow’s water and sewer master plan.
What the Bonsall Unified School District does in the long term with the 49.78-acre parcel off of Gird Road the district owns wasn’t addressed at the Sept. 13 BUSD board meeting. Regardless of whether the district builds a school, builds athletic or other non-classroom facilities, or sells the land, the current use for part of the land will be by the Rainbow Municipal Water District for storage.
