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SCV Chamber Joins Californians For Water Security Coalition

/in , /by /Santa Clarita Valley News (Santa Clarita, Calif.)

The Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce has joined the Californians for Water Security Coalition to help advocate on behalf of the SCV, which relies on water sourced through the California State Water Project. The state’s current water delivery system faces outdated infrastructure, earthquake hazards, and misallocation issues that put the water security of the Santa Clarita Valley at risk. In Southern California alone, nearly 30 percent of water used by residents comes from this vital delivery system. “California has experienced water scarcity and supporting this coalition and its efforts will help our region advocate for a secure water supply,” said Nancy Starczyk, chair of the Board of the SCV Chamber.

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La Mesa Conservation Garden Wins 2019 Otay Water District WaterSmart Landscape Contest

/in , , /by /Water News Network

La Mesa residents Bob and Shan Cissell’s conversion of 2,500 square feet of thirsty irrigated lawn into a creative conservation garden was selected by the Otay Water District as the winner of its 2019 WaterSmart Landscape Contest. The annual competition recognizes landscape redesign projects among 13 participating San Diego County water agencies which best represent water-efficient landscaping principles. Inspired after their participation in the Water Authority sponsored WaterSmart Landscape Makeover Program courses, and by the Water Conservation Garden in El Cajon, the Cissells began their La Mesa Conservation Garden project in April 2018 by removing the sod. They incorporated creative elements including a hand-built waterfall made from an old truck ladder rack, and other solid materials otherwise destined to become trash in a landfill.

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Volunteers On Horseback Inform Residents On Upgrades To Water System Serving Compton, Willowbrook

/in , /by /ABC7 (Los Angeles)by Amy Powell

COMPTON, Calif. (KABC) — Volunteers on horseback rode down the streets of Compton Sunday, informing residents of upgrades coming to their water supply. Compton’s equestrian community had riders on horseback going around the neighborhood, handing out flyers with information to residents who live in the old Sativa Water District that serves nearly 7,000 residents in Compton and Willowbrook. Phase one for a new water supply begins Monday. As part of ongoing infrastructure repair, the Los Angeles County Public Works Department will make start flushing out the system and make an emergency connection to Liberty Utility, a neighboring water company.

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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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