Poway Secures $1M in Federal Funding for Water Project
NBC 7’s Joe Little talks to business owners who were shut down by a major leak in the water system in 2019 to see why this multi-million dollar project is so important.
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Oceanside Holding Ribbon Cutting for First Operating Potable Water Reuse Project in San Diego County
Tuesday is a big day for San Diego County as a first-of-its-kind project that will change how we get our drinking water will open.
Pure Water Oceanside will be the first operating potable water reuse project in San Diego County. Pure Water Oceanside will purify recycled water to provide a local water supply that is clean, safe and drought-proof.
The plant will recycle the water using state-of-the-art purification technology that replicates and accelerates nature’s natural recycling process.
Water Authority Confident in Local Water Supply, But Still Urges Conservation Amid Drought
California’s Department of Water Resources Friday announced that due to the ongoing statewide drought, it must reduce the State Water Project allocation to 5% of requested supplies for 2022, but San Diego County Water Authority officials said they remain confident in the region’s supply.
DWR previously set the allocation at 15% but a historically dry January and February, with no significant storms forecast for March, required a reduction in the allocation to conserve available water supply, a statement from the state agency read.
Local water supply
“Today’s announcement about reduced allocations from the State Water Project brings into focus the increasing challenges created by the megadrought,” said Sandra L. Kerl, general manager of the San Diego County Water Authority. “This is an emergency felt throughout the state and we strongly support continued conservation.”
“Reduced water deliveries from the State Water Project highlight how the San Diego region’s conservation ethic combined with investments in drought-resilient supplies are paying off,” Kerl said. “The region uses very little water from the Bay-Delta, and even with reduced allocations, the Water Authority has reliable water supplies for 2022 and beyond.”
In addition to the 5% allocation, DWR will also provide any unmet critical health and safety needs of the 29 water agencies that contract to receive State Water Project supplies.
Water Authority Confident in Local Water Supply But Still Asks to Conserve
California’s Department of Water Resources Friday announced that due to the ongoing statewide drought, it must reduce the State Water Project allocation to 5% of requested supplies for 2022, but San Diego County Water Authority officials said they remain confident in the region’s supply.
Carlsbad Desalination Plant Shields Region From Megadrought
As the worst drought in 1,200 years grips the West, the Claude “Bud” Lewis Carlsbad Desalination Plant is protecting the San Diego region with 50 million gallons a day of drought-proof water.
Completed in 2015, the plant was built before the period of increasing inflation that’s driving up prices for water infrastructure projects that are just starting. That means the desal plant is safeguarding the region’s economy and quality of life today at a lower cost than it would be to build now.
Desert Water Agency Discusses Local Water Conservation Efforts
Governor Gavin Newsom declared a drought emergency in 2021, yet recent data shows Californians are not conserving enough water, in fact the Coachella Valley used about 20% more water this January than the previous one.
Wednesday afternoon, the Desert Water Agency presented a plan to address the drought and how the Coachella Valley can help.
The DWA currently serves the cities of Palm Springs, Desert Hot Springs and a portion of Cathedral City.
Water District Directors Approve Map With New Division Boundaries
Ramona Municipal Water District directors approved a final map for the district’s election boundaries after discussing the pros and cons of dividing downtown Ramona among four divisions.
The water district has five divisions, each represented by a director. Redistricting Partners LLC recently presented revised division boundaries to reflect changing population sizes and demographics based on 2020 Census data.
‘Absolutely Gorgeous’: The Flower Fields Return, Blazing ‘More Color Than Ever’
Paul Ecke III tells a story about his fastidious volunteers at The Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch. A docent once asked him to get out of the field — even after learning he was the owner.
And that’s how he explains the importance of keeping your distance from the plants to preserve them.
The north end of the Carlsbad Flower Fields, at 5704 Paseo Del Norte, is now ablaze with color, and visitors are welcome through at least Mother’s Day.
San Diego Water Agencies Seek Inspiring WaterSmart Landscape Contest Entries
Eleven participating San Diego County water agencies invite homeowners to share their inspiring landscaping makeover stories by entering the 2022 WaterSmart Landscape Contest.
The annual contest recognizes outstanding WaterSmart residential landscapes. The winning landscape from each participating water agency will receive a prize valued at $250 and may be recognized in print and online publications. The deadline to apply is May 13, 2022.
Why Your Water Bill is Rising
Two things are true about the cost of water in San Diego: the cost of bringing water here and maintaining the system that does it is rising, but the amount of water San Diegans consume is dropping.
In 1990, the average San Diegan used 235 gallons of drinkable water per day, according to the Water Authority’s records. By 2021, San Diegans cut that almost in half to 130 gallons per day. Megadroughts that triggered mandatory water cutbacks triggered better water conservation habits, which stuck.
But while San Diegans are using less, the costs they pay continue to rise. The cost of San Digeo’s water supply is expected to rise anywhere from 5.5 to 10 percent beginning in 2023, with hefty hikes continuing in the years thereafter.
“Long after I’m dust, these supplies will be valuable to this region,” said Gary Arant, who leads the Valley Center Municipal Water District, of the haul of water rights San Diego has locked up. “Right now, we’ve got a lot of water. It’s expensive, but I think the decisions we made were good.”
