You are now in Media Coverage San Diego County category.

PFAS Toxins Found In Drinking Water Throughout Southern California

/in , /by /Orange County Register (Anaheim, Calif.)by Martin Wisckol

Wells of nearly two dozen Southern California water agencies have reportable levels of PFAS, a chemical family increasingly linked to cancer, liver and kidney damage, thyroid disease, high cholesterol, low fertility, low birth weight and ulcerative colitis. Six of those agencies have shut down wells in the past year because of the presence of those chemicals and two more plan closures, an investigation by the Southern California News Group found. The state only this year began ordering testing for the chemicals, and a state law requiring that customers be notified about the presence of those chemicals won’t kick in until next year.

Full Story

Celebrate National Water Quality Month

/in , /by /Valley News (Fallbrook, Calif.)by Ronald W. Sullivan

As the summer heat scorches Southern California, many residents may be cooling off by enjoying a swim in their backyard or community pool, a run through the sprinklers or a refreshing drink of water. Most people take their easy and uninterrupted access to water for granted without realizing how water agencies here and across the nation work tirelessly to provide their customers with a reliable supply of safe and clean water each and every day. August is National Water Quality Month, which is a good time to stop and think about how communities are provided safe, clean water whenever they need it and how they can help protect local water sources.

Full Story

Solana Beach Bans Distribution Of Single-Use Plastic Bottles At City Events

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

Solana Beach, long a San Diego County leader in environmental stewardship, took another swing at pollution this week by expanding its prohibition on single-use plastics to include water and beverage bottles at city facilities and events. The ordinance approved unanimously Wednesday by the City Council also bans the sale or distribution of single-use straws, utensils such as forks and spoons, stirrers, cocktail sticks and toothpicks made of plastic at any store in the city. Single-use food service ware, such as egg cartons and meat trays made from polystyrene foam, will also be off-limits.

Full Story

Vallecitos Water District Urges Water Restrictions During Pipeline Repair

/in , /by /The San Diego Union-Tribuneby Deborah Sullivan Brennan

The Vallecitos Water District is asking its customers to adopt water restrictions next month, when a major water distribution line will be out of service during repairs. “As a result of the shutdown, the water supplied to the District may be limited,” the district stated. The shutdown is scheduled to begin Monday, Sept. 9, and will run for about 10 days, but those dates may be adjusted according to the severity of the leak, or hot weather conditions. During that period, the district is asking customers to adopt voluntary restrictions. It also advises them to deep-soak their groves and landscaping by or before Sunday, Sept. 8, in preparation for the shutdown.

Full Story

New Tool Allows For Faster Water Quality Tests

/in , /by /FOX 5 San Diegoby Justina Myers

San Diego County’s Department of Environmental Health announced improvements to its water quality testing program Thursday, just ahead of the busy Labor Day weekend. A new testing tool allows officials to speed up the process of testing water samples for potentially dangerous levels of bacteria. Before implementing the new method at the beginning of the summer, it took up to 96 hours to process test results and alert beachgoers about bacteria levels. Now, the officials have results back within 24 hours. “That gives us the ability to get the information out to the public faster and let people know where it’s safe to swim,” said Lars Seifert, Land and Water Quality Division Chief for the County’s Department of Environmental Health.

Full Story

San Diego’s Water Rates Go Up On Sunday

/in , /by /Rancho Bernardo News-Journalby Elizabeth Marie Himchak

The City of San Diego is reminding its water customers that starting Sunday they will be paying more for water.

The price customers pay will be going up 4.82 percent to help pay for water reliability and infrastructure improvements. When combined with a 1.46 percent increase implemented by the San Diego County Water Authority, the total increase starting Sept. 1 will be 6.28 percent, city officials said.

Full Story

OPINION: Will Continued Sprawl or High-Density Infill Define San Diego’s Future?

/in , , /by /Times of San Diegoby Lawrence A. Herzog

There are two critical urban land use debates raging across the San Diego region today. How they play out will determine whether our region’s ecosystem becomes more resilient over the next several decades.

The disputes involve first, the future of urban sprawl in the far-flung rural suburbs of San Diego County, and, second, infill policy and increasing densities in San Diego’s urban core.
Full Story

Vallecitos Water District Invokes Water Shortage Contingency Plan Level 1

/in , /by /San Elijo Life

The San Diego County Water Authority is preparing to launch a major project to fix a leak in Pipeline 4 in the Moosa Canyon area of Bonsall. Pipeline 4 is a 90- inch diameter pipeline that provides treated drinking water throughout San Diego County, including the Vallecitos Water District (VWD). The leak site is in a remote area with no adjacent homes or business. Pipeline 4 will be shut down for up to 10 days. The shutdown likely will start on September 9, 2019, however, these dates may be adjusted depending on the severity of the pipeline leak or dangerous weather conditions, such as Santa Ana winds or Red Flag warnings.

Full Story

California Moves To Boost Recycled Water

/in , , /by /Water News Network

A new plan recommends four strategies to advance water reuse in California over the next three decades – an important part of both the state and regional water resilience portfolio.

The California WateReuse Action Plan includes a comprehensive set of proposed actions that will more than double the use of water recycling in California and help prepare the state for the impacts of climate change, according to WateReuse California, which released the plan in July.

Full Story

As Salton Sea Shrinks, Experts Fear Far-Reaching Health Consequences

/in , , /by /USC News (Los Angeles)by Eric Lindberg

In the string of small farm towns that stretches south from California’s Salton Sea toward the border with Mexico, pretty much everyone knows someone with asthma.

As many as three of every 10 people report having the disease in places like Brawley, Calipatria and Westmorland — compared with about one of 10 in California as a whole. Bronchitis is also common, and many residents complain about coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath

Full Story