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Opinion: Water May Cost More Now, But 30 Years Ago San Diego Almost Ran Out

/in , , /by /Times of San Diegoby Gary Croucher Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

There’s been a lot of talk lately about the cost of water — and that makes sense given the economic realities faced by many residents, farmers, and businesses. But it also seems that newer generations of San Diegans do not know that there was a time when we didn’t have water when and where we needed it.

Thankfully, that’s not a problem in San Diego County today even though elsewhere drought-stricken communities face the potential of only having enough water to meet basic health and safety needs.

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Los Angeles Is Building a Future Where Water Won’t Run Out

/in , , /by /Bloombergby Brian Eckhouse and Laura Bliss

A helicopter whisks off a rooftop in downtown Los Angeles, climbs above a thin layer of haze and soars over barren mountains past the city’s edge. Soon, scars of climatic stress are evident to L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti and Martin Adams, general manager and chief engineer of the city’s water and power department, as they peer out the windows. Trees torched years ago by wildfire. Flats parched by sun and little precipitation.

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It’s Official — San Diego Will End January With Lowest Rainfall in Nearly a Decade

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

San Diego will finish January with 0.16 inches of rain, making it the driest January since 2014, when San Diego International Airport recorded 0.01 inches of precipitation, says the National Weather Service.

Forecasters say the airport won’t receive any rain on Sunday or Monday, and that the region is unlikely to get significant precipitation through February 7.

The airport averages 1.86 inches in January.

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Questions About Lack of Diversity and Racial Bias Roil Major California Water Supplier

/in , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Ian James

Not every water development plan has gone over well. In the late 1990s, a $55 million LADWP plan to treat wastewater to potable standards was killed after public outcry, with newspapers labeling the concept with the icky phrase “toilet to tap.”

But attitudes have changed. Other parts of Southern California have shown that reclaimed water is safe to drink, and public awareness has grown to the point that what L.A. is planning at its sewage treatment plants no longer seems novel, Adams says.

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San Vicente Potential Energy Storage Facility Project Moves Ahead

/in , , /by /Water News Network Quoted: San Diego County Water Authority

As partners, the City of San Diego and the San Diego County Water Authority will begin negotiations on a project development agreement with the BHE Kiewit Team to develop Phase 1 of the potential San Vicente Energy Storage Facility Project, which could generate enough energy for about 135,000 households.

The proposed project is subject to a full environmental review and regulatory approvals.

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Pure Water San Diego Phase 1 Construction in North City Area

/in , , /by /Water News Network

Construction work is underway in several areas of San Diego, building major infrastructure projects for Phase 1 of Pure Water San Diego.

Pipelines, pump stations, and treatment facilities are all being built in the Morena, Bay Park, Clairemont, University City, Miramar, and Scripps Ranch communities. It is a milestone toward the realization of securing a local, drought-resilient water supply for San Diegans for generations to come.

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Improving Personal Financial Literacy at San Diego County Water Authority

/in , , /by /Water News Network Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

Enhancing the financial literacy of employees at the San Diego County Water Authority was a primary objective when staff submitted a grant application for a portion of $1.4 million in funds available to public employers by the Mission Square Research Institute.

The Water Authority was among 24 public sector employees selected for a grant and received $24,884 to implement its three-year strategic plan to help employees improve their financial wellness.

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Pasadena Water and Power Official Explains Need for Rate Hikes Despite Reduced Water Usage

/in , , /by /Pasadena Nowby Keith Calayag

Pasadena Water and Power Interim General Manager Jeffrey Kightlinger on Tuesday stressed the need to increase water rates in the city despite reduced water usage by local residents and businesses complying with conservation efforts in light of current drought conditions in California.

PWP is recommending an increase in water rates by an average of 7.1% on April 1, 2022. A second increase of 7.2% would take effect on Jan. 1, 2023.

The water rate adjustments would help pay for rising costs for purchasing and treating water, and to provide funding for critical improvements to reservoirs, treatment facilities and other water infrastructure.

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Data, Fines and Threats to Compel Water Conservation

/in , /by /GCNby Shourjya Mookerjee

To address drought conditions, one California region is considering penalizing residents who exceed their “water budget,” a figure based on the property size and the number of residents in a household.

The Las Virgenes Municipal Water District (LVMWD) will increase fines on residents who use too much water. It is also considering restricting the flow of water to households that have repeatedly disregarded conservation efforts. The flow restrictors will be reserved for homes that have been fined for overuse for three months or longer.

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Poseidon Water Announces Application for Coastal Development Permit Completed

/in , , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Lilly Nguyen

Officials at Poseidon Water reported Monday the company has received notification from the California Coastal Commission that the application for a coastal development permit for its controversial $1.4-billion water desalination plant will be up for consideration in March.

If it receives approval, Poseidon Water will be able to then negotiate a contract to sell desalinated water to the Orange County Water District and begin construction of the facility.

It is expected to be located adjacent to the AES Huntington Beach Generating Station on Newland Avenue and is proposed to provide 50 million gallons of desalted drinking water a day.

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