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5.5 Billion Gallons of Water Released From Lake Hodges Dam in Past Two Years

/in , , /by /CBS 8 San Diegoby Jenny Day Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

As we watch our water bills rise and are asked to consistently conserve water in a drought – billions of gallons of water are being dumped from the Lake Hodges Dam and there are concerns more water will be wasted this winter.

It’s been a dry fall, but we are expecting rain in the coming months and because the dam is badly in need of repairs, water levels have to be kept very low right now – meaning more of this precious resource will be released into the ocean.

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Pure Water Construction Snafu That Cost the City Millions Is Creating a ‘Pure Nightmare’ on One Major Road

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

A flooding problem that’s inflating the price tag of San Diego’s Pure Water recycling system by many millions is also creating another problem that’s frustrating people from Mission Valley to Point Loma.

The seemingly never-ending closure of westbound Friars Road at a key choke point between Napa Street and Sea World Drive is causing major congestion during rush hour and doubling commute times for many.

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Rising Water Costs in San Diego Is a Never-Ending Story

/in , , /by /Voice of San Diegoby McKenzie Elmer

The cost of water in San Diego will continue to skyrocket but we don’t have a good idea where or whether it will stop.

The city of San Diego recently revealed its own water rates will rise a whopping 61 percent through 2029, adding about $57 per month to the average water bill. Part of the reason is the San Diego County Water Authority, which sells water to the region’s 22 water districts, is paying off debt and deals it took on many years ago to claim more Colorado River water and tap into ocean water for drinking. Another reason is cities like San Diego are building their own expensive wastewater recycling systems.

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Climate-Change Adaptation for California’s Land, the Sea and Water Supply

/in , , /by /San Diego Union-Tribuneby Michael Smolens

California state government and many local agencies put a premium on reducing greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change.

But recent developments underscore the parallel emphasis on adapting to the effects of global warming — from advances in sea-level rise strategies to stretching water supplies to thinning forests at high risk for wildfire.

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Water Transfers, Conservation Partnerships Deliver Benefits to Regional Ratepayers

/in , , /by /The Coast News Group Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

For the second year in a row, the San Diego County Water Authority and its partners have struck a deal to conserve water in Lake Mead, support the long-term sustainability of the Colorado River and save local ratepayers money. 

The agreements between the Water Authority, the Imperial Irrigation District, and the Metropolitan Water District, with funding from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, are designed to promote voluntary water conservation. The 2024 agreement was announced during a meeting of the Colorado River Board of California at this year’s Colorado River Water Users Association’s conference in Las Vegas.

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South County Report: What’s in the Water

/in , , /by /Voice of San Diegoby Jim Hinch

Sweetwater Dam rises 200 feet from the floor of a rocky river gorge a few miles northeast of Bonita. The 136-year-old concrete and masonry dam holds back 28,000 acre-feet of water in Sweetwater Reservoir, a major source of drinking water in South San Diego County.

The dam, and the reservoir, have been quiet fixtures of the Bonita and Spring Valley landscape for generations. These days, they’re drawing an unaccustomed amount of attention.

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San Diego Headed for Third Driest Start to Rainy Season in 152 Years

/in , , /by /San Diego Union-Tribuneby Gary Robbins

San Diego appears headed for the third driest start to the rainy season in at least 152 years, a streak that would further elevate the risk of wildfires in an already parched county, the National Weather Service says.

The city has recorded only 0.13 inches of precipitation since the season began on Oct. 1. If things remain unchanged through Dec. 31, the three-month period will officially be off to an unusually dry start.

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Crumbling Asbestos Pipes Deliver Drinking Water. Should We Be Concerned About a Cancer Risk?

/in , , /by /ABC 10by Austin Grabish

Every month, Deacon Perry Owens Sr. estimates he spends at least $100 on bottled water. He doesn’t drink the tap water from his Emerald Hills home.

“It has a smell to it, a stench to it and we have tried every home remedy, and we can’t get rid of it,” he told Team 10.

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Poway, Ramona to Study Feasibility of Sharing Water Resources

/in , , /by /KPBSby Alexander Nguyen

Ramona Municipal Water District and the city of Poway have entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to look at the feasibility of sharing water resources.

Poway has been looking to diversify its water resources for the past 30 years, but the city is at a point where it needs to develop this.

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Concern Arises Over Lake Hodges Water Level: This Is Why

/in , , /by /Fox 5 San Diegoby Amber Coakley

Residents and officials in North County are trying to raise the water level of Lake Hodges, but they’re facing their biggest challenge — the state mandate of levels.

California government requires lakes to be no deeper than 280 feet; however, concerned people are asking that the reservoir be raised to 293 feet. As of Friday, the lake had dropped to 273 feet, which is the lowest it’s been in the last 40 years.

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