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“Scanny” Gives SDCWA a New Perspective on Pipe Inspection

/in , /by /American Water Works Association

The high-tech surveillance device is called “Scanny.” Previously, SDCWA hired a specialty rope crew at a minimum of $3,000 a day to help perform the steep, slippery work throughout the hills and canyons of its service area. Shutoffs for this type of maintenance can’t surpass 10 days, so the pipe remained slick throughout the job.

Martin Coghill, SDCWA’s operations and maintenance manager, created the Scanny device in his spare time in his garage for less than $6,000. He arranged a series of GoPro cameras and lights on a mobile chassis. Learn more about how Scanny works in this video.

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Carlsbad to Study Whether to Build Solar Power Farm

/in , /by /The San Diego Union-Tribuneby Phil Diehl

Carlsbad has decided to proceed with a feasibility study of whether it should build a solar power farm on 30 to 40 acres in a rarely visited corner of the city.

The site is at the city’s Maerkle Reservoir, near the border of Oceanside and Vista, where Carlsbad owns about 100 acres including the 17-acre reservoir topped by a floating fabric cover.

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Water Authority Buys 9-Acre Site for $39 Million to Replace Aging Operations Facility

/in , /by /Times of San Diegoby Jennifer Vigil

The San Diego County Water Authority has purchased a new building on 9 acres in Escondido for $38.76 million, according to a brokerage.

San Diego-based RPG sold the 88,552-square-foot facility. The property, now completed, is part of a larger planned two-building industrial development, known as the Escondido Logistics Center, on Citracado Parkway at So. Andreasen Drive.

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How will the Northwest’s “Bomb Cyclone” Impact San Diego?

/in , /by /CBS 8by Evan Noorani

As San Diego’s wet season arrives and rain totals climb, scientific terms like “bomb cyclone” and “atmospheric river” are used to give context as to what is causing rain in the region. But, what do these terms really mean? And, will the same impact seen in other parts of the state carry over to San Diego?

The questions carry weight as the first atmospheric river of the season hits the Pacific Northwest this week and rain and snow are expected to hit Northern California through Sunday.

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New PBS Doc Names San Diego as America’s ‘Wildest City’

/in , /by /Axios San Diegoby Kate Murphy

A new nature documentary “San Diego: America’s Wildest City” showcases fascinating wildlife from the ocean to the desert and mountains.

The big picture: San Diego has more biodiversity than any county in America. That means the 3.3 million people who live here are surrounded by more plants, animals, and microorganisms than anyone else in the country.

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A Committee Meant to Advise San Diego Officials on Water Rates Keeps Canceling Meetings. Here’s Why.

/in , /by /inewssourceby Crystal Niebla

A committee meant to oversee elected officials on how they charge San Diegans for water and sewer services hasn’t been able to do its job due to a lack of members.

The Independent Rates Oversight Committee, or IROC, has served as the official advisory body to the mayor and City Council on issues related to the Public Utilities Department’s operations since 2007. Yet the committee has met just twice this year — even as residents face rising water rates.

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Santa Fe Irrigation Water Rate Increase to Start in January

/in , /by /The San Diego Union-Tribuneby Karen Billing

Santa Fe Irrigation District customers will see an increase to their water rates effective Jan. 1, 2025. According to a news release from the district, 100% of this increase is from the San Diego County Water Authority, the region’s wholesale water provider.

Costs for water purchases from the San Diego Water Authority account for about 50% of Santa Fe Irrigation District’s budget expenditures. The water authority’s rates are increasing by approximately 14.9%  this coming year and will be passed on to Santa Fe Irrigation District (SFID) customers.  According to the release, the authority’s increase is due to a variety of factors including inflationary pressures, debt repayment and climate impacts. This is the first increase of what SDCWA anticipates will be a total of an approximately 40% increase between 2025 and 2027, according to the district.

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Developer PAC Floods $40k into Vallecitos Water District Races

/in , /by /The Coast Newsby Leo Place

The Building Industry Association of San Diego has dumped tens of thousands of dollars into supporting the campaigns of two Vallecitos Water District board candidates ahead of the Nov. 5 election, generating speculation about conflicts of interest from other candidates.

The Vallecitos Water District oversees water services for approximately 100,000 people in San Marcos, Lake San Marcos, parts of Carlsbad, Escondido, Vista and nearby unincorporated areas. The board reviews proposed development projects and sets water rates for developers.

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SDG&E Warns Rural Residents of Potential Power Shutoffs

/in , /by /The San Diego Union-Tribuneby Rob Nikolewski

San Diego Gas & Electric officials have notified 24,700 customers living in backcountry areas that they may lose power in the coming days because Santa Ana winds are expected to blow through the area, which may result in elevated risk of fire.

Moderate-strength Santa Ana winds are expected to arrive Tuesday night and last until Thursday evening, leading the National Weather Service to issue red flag warnings for San Diego County valleys and mountains through Friday morning. The red flag warning is also in effect for inland and coastal Orange County.

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Local Manufacturing Growth Outpaces State, U.S., with $47B Economic Impact on Region

/in , /by /Times of San Diegoby Jennifer Vigil

San Diego’s manufacturing sector has a $47 billion regional economic impact annually, according to new research, while accounting for nearly one in 10 private jobs across the region.

The industry, according to a report by the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corp., supports 121,027 jobs at 4,429 establishments tied to manufacturing, which craft everything from consumer goods to genome sequencers.

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