The COVID-19 pandemic is forcing the city of San Diego to make millions of dollars worth of budget cuts. One project that is not facing cuts is the city’s smart water meter program, or advanced metering infrastructure (AMI), which instead has asked to nearly double its budget request.
As businesses start operations after the “Safer at Home” order, the Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency is reminding all building owners and managers of the importance of maintaining good water quality by flushing your water system before reopening, officials said Monday.
Temperatures will soar well into the triple digits Tuesday in the San Diego County deserts as sweltering conditions are expected to grip the region until this weekend.
High pressure centered over Baja California will continue to build this week, with temperatures expected to peak on Wednesday and Thursday, according to the National Weather Service. Desert areas could reach 110 and 107, respectively, on those days.
Residents are lobbying San Diego officials to spare from the budget ax libraries, clean-water efforts, arts funding and other programs that were proposed to be cut to close a $300 million budget gap created by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Work to restore a damaged 9-foot diameter water pipeline in Moreno Valley continued Monday, May 4, and outdoor watering restrictions will be lifted for Western Municipal Water District customers starting Tuesday.
The actual repair work for a San Diego County Water Authority pipeline in Moosa Canyon is now complete, although a shutdown to remove the isolation bulkheads will be needed and the SDCWA pipeline will be shut down May 4-11.
“The carbon fiber repair has been completed, and we’re preparing for a shutdown of Pipeline 5, May 4, to remove the internal steel bulkheads,” Neena Kuzmich, CWA engineering manager, said. “After we remove the bulkheads Pipeline 5 will resume normal operations.”
Temperatures could reach triple digits Monday in the San Diego County deserts, and the mercury will be on the rise all week throughout the region, according to the National Weather Service.
Conditions will be relatively mild west of the deserts Monday, but building high pressure will cause temperatures to rise throughout the county until Friday, forecasters said. By midweek, high temperatures could be 15-20 degrees above average in most areas, forecasters said.
The NWS issued a heat advisory that will be in effect from 10 a.m. Tuesday to 9 p.m. Friday in the western valleys.
An excessive heat watch will also take effect Tuesday morning and last until Friday evening in the county deserts.
The leak has been stopped, and there is no danger from flooding, said Roxanne Rountree, a spokeswoman for the Eastern Municipal Water District.
But until work is completed, customers in Moreno Valley, Lake Mathews, Orangecrest, Mission Grove, Woodcrest, Air Force Village West, Hillcrest and Lake Hills and on the on March Air Reserve Base were asked to help ensure reserves are not eaten up.
The request was made by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and the Eastern, Western and Temescal Valley water districts.
The coronavirus pandemic forced the City of Escondido’s Water Quality Laboratory to rethink its lab operations without compromising community health or employee wellbeing while ensuring the clean, safe, and efficient operation of the city. Through teamwork and creative thinking, the lab found success in maintaining its essential work.
“Whether we have a pandemic or not, people still want to open their taps and have clean drinking water,” said Ralph Ginese, supervising chemist with the City of Escondido.
The situation with COVID-19 continues to evolve and is having a significant impact on our customers and community. IID is monitoring developments closely, and as an essential services provider, is open and well prepared to continue serving all its customers.
On March 21, the IID Board of Directors adopted a resolution proclaiming a local emergency associated with COVID-19. This ensures the continuation of IID’s critical water and electric services under the California Emergency Services Act.
As part of our Pandemic Response plan, the district initiated a shelter-in-place program for critical employees. A small group of volunteer employees, who possess specialized skills to operate the district’s water and energy delivery systems, will remain at critical job sites 24-hours-a-day for three weeks working to ensure that our water and energy delivery systems remain operational while they stay healthy.
This extra step is part of how IID is working to carry out our mission to deliver energy to our customers in the Imperial and Coachella valleys. It also ensures the continued year-round delivery of Colorado River water from the All-American Canal to the Coachella Canal that supports farming operations in both valleys.
