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Mayor Garcetti Pushes Out Top DWP Executive After FBI Raids

/in , /by /Los Angeles Timesby David Zahniser, Dakota Smith, Emily Alpert Reyes

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti on Tuesday sought to reassure the public in the wake of FBI raids at the Department of Water and Power headquarters, announcing that he had pushed out the agency’s top executive months ahead of his planned departure. Garcetti’s announcement came as activists called for more forceful action at the DWP, which has been reeling from a scandal over the city’s response to a disastrous rollout of customer billing software at the utility. “It’s very clear to me that, given the events of the last 24 hours, we need to have a utility that people can trust and leadership they can trust,” Garcetti said in an interview.

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Kern County Spills Still Growing, Chevron To Appeal

/in , /by /KQED News (San Francisco)by KQED News Staff

As Chevron Gets Ready to Appeal State Order, Kern County Spill Continues to Grow. One of the largest oil spills our state has seen in decades is still growing. The oil giant Chevron told regulators almost a million gallons of fluid has burst through the ground near the site of one its oil wells about 30 miles from Bakersfield. Chevron also told state officials it plans to appeal an order from regulators calling for it to “take all measures” to stop the spill and ensure it doesn’t happen again.

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Close To $3 Million Of Water Has Reached Ventura County’s Overstressed Groundwater Basin

/in , /by /Ventura County Star (Camarillo, Calif.)by Cheri Carlson

Close to $3 million worth of water has rushed down the Santa Clara River over the past several weeks to recharge groundwater basins in the Oxnard Plain. The release was part of a deal between the United Water Conservation District and Fox Canyon Groundwater Management Agency to help recharge aquifers still struggling after years of drought. United told the Fox Canyon board it could purchase extra water from the California Water Project thanks to a particularly wet winter statewide. Fox Canyon then would buy roughly 15,000 acre-feet of water once it made it to spreading ponds near Oxnard and Camarillo.

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Humidity, Sizzling Heat And Even Some Thunderstorms Are In The Forecast

/in , /by /NBC Los Angelesby Shanna Mendiola and Jonathan Lloyd

Heat and humidity will punish Southern California Tuesday, when temperatures will exceed 100 degrees and some communities face the threat of thunderstorms.

A heat advisory will be issued for the San Fernando Valley at 11 a.m., and it’s expected to expire Tuesday night. Temperatures and high humidity will combine to create a situation in which heat illnesses are possible. Temperatures in the area will range from 90 to 103 degrees.

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Environment Report: Officials Worry Water Notices Are More Confusing Than Informative

/in , , /by /Voice of San Diego by Ry Rivard

Two weeks ago, the San Diego County Water Authority notified thousands of customers across the region that San Diego’s main drinking water treatment plant wasn’t doing everything it was supposed to do to kill viruses and parasites.

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California’s Clean Energy Conundrum

/in , , /by /American Water Works Associationby Gary Bousquet and Mike Lee

San Diego – While California draws nearly one third of its power from renewables, solar and wind energy systems are periodically pulled offline because there’s not enough demand when the wind is blowing and the sun is shining. These so-called “curtailments” increased significantly between 2014 (when they were almost non-existent) and today. They could soon become a major barrier to a more sustainable future as more and more renewable energy sources are developed to meet peak demands.

Thankfully, California water agencies are well-positioned to play a pivotal role with a solution that makes the state’s electrical grid more flexible, stable and efficient. Strategic deployment of large-scale, long-duration pumped storage facilities could minimize curtailments and provide many other benefits.

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Environment Report: Officials Worry Water Notices Are More Confusing Than Informative

/in , /by /Voice of San Diegoby Ry Rivard Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

Two weeks ago, the San Diego County Water Authority notified thousands of customers across the region that San Diego’s main drinking water treatment plant wasn’t doing everything it was supposed to do to kill viruses and parasites.

We reported on this and rounded up other violations issued to local water agencies by state drinking water regulators.

A few water officials worried that the notices were likely to cause more alarm than necessary. Federal law requires that water agencies notify customers of drinking water issues.

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Dead Fish Line Shore Of Scripps Ranch fishing Spot

/in , /by /ABC10by Jonathan Horn

Dozens of dead fish are now lining the shore of a popular Scripps Ranch fishing spot.

The die-off, largely of catfish and bluegill, happened over the weekend at Evans Pond, which is adjacent to the Scripps Miramar Branch Library.

On Sunday, the water was reflecting a deep green color, likely due to an algal bloom that contributed to the die-off.

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It’s Not Your Imagination — Humidity Is Getting Worse In San Diego

/in , , /by /KPBSby John Carroll

It’s part of the reason so many of us love living here so much, the beautiful sunny weather. But inject humidity into the picture and the sunny becomes sticky. That’s when what meteorologists call the “heat index” comes into play. Some people call it the “real feel” temperature.

But are we really feeling more humid weather in San Diego over the last several years?

Meteorologists at the local National Weather Service office in Rancho Bernardo said yes. “In recent years, it has definitely been more humid than normal,” said meteorologist Brandt Maxwell.

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District Raises Water And Sewer Rates, Despite Protests

/in , , /by /San Diego Union-Tribuneby Julie Gallant Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

After objections from the public and lengthy discussions, Ramona Municipal Water District Board of Directors approved four types of rate increases recommended by staff. The first action — to adopt an ordinance increasing water rates and fees — was approved 3-2 with President Jim Robinson and directors Thomas Ace and Bryan Wadlington in favor, and directors Jim Hickle and Jeff Lawler opposed. Monthly water charges will increase in different amounts depending on meter size and treated vs. untreated water. The increase reflects a 7 percent revenue adjustment each year for the next five years. Because meters and water quality vary for each customer, the increase in rate revenues do not necessarily directly correlate to the increase in proposed rates.

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