You are now in Media Coverage San Diego County category.

OPINION: Choose Desalination Over Water Tunnels

There is a connection between the proposed $20 billion Sacramento Delta Water Tunnels, the proposed mining/pumping of water from the Mojave Desert, Central Valley farmers lacking the water resources to maximize food production, and the Sacramento River and fishing stocks suffering from inadequate water flows. That connection is the State Water Project (SWP), which pumps water to Southern California and reduces the river water needed for fisheries, farmers, and the Sacramento River, itself.

Poseidon Prevails In Desalination Lawsuit

A lawsuit seeking a new environmental report for the controversial Poseidon desalination plant proposed for Huntington Beach was rejected by a Sacramento Superior Court judge on Tuesday. Three environmental groups had filed the suit, arguing that the plant’s 2010 Environmental Impact Report needed to be entirely done over because of subsequent changes to the proposal. In its 2017 approval of the project, the State Lands Commission determined that Poseidon needed only to complete a supplemental report addressing the changes to the project, which proponents champion as a drought-proof source of local drinking water.

Rebates On Lawn Replacement In San Diego Increased For Limited Time

The San Diego County Water Authority is making local customers aware that lawn rebates are currently 175 percent higher than normal. The average rebate on participating lawns is usually $1 per sq. ft. in San Diego County. It is currently at $2.75 per sq. ft. There is no word on when the rebate will go back down to a buck, but it could happen in the coming weeks. Rebates are not just reserved for lawn to turf replacement. In fact, the Water Authority encourages people to have water-efficient shrubs and trees as part of their gardens.

Storm To Return Mudslide, Flood Danger In Southern California Friday, Saturday

A storm is forecast to dip far enough south to bring soaking rain to much of the California coast, including Southern California, from Friday afternoon to Saturday morning. A blockbuster storm with high winds, pounding surf and widespread torrential rainfall and severe flash flooding is not anticipated. However, the cumulative nature of the rainfall in central and northern areas from recent prior storms, as well as a thorough soaking in Southern California with this storm can lead to travel delays, disruptions to outdoor activities and other problems.

Women’s Future Careers In Water Topic Of Cuyamaca Event

Mount Helix resident Kathleen Coates Hedberg is a registered civil engineer, a grade 4 water treatment operator and cross connection specialist. On the board of directors of the Helix Water District and San Diego County Water Authority, Hedberg knows what it is like to be in a male-dominated field. “There’s only six of us on the county water board out of about 36 members,” Hedberg said. She’d like to see a shift in those numbers, and is an advocate for women seeking — and succeeding — in careers in the water and wastewater industries.

New Round Of Complaints On High Water Bills

A group of Allied Gardens residents say they are receiving outrageously high water bills from the city of San Diego. It’s the latest flare up in an issue that has already caused major changes at City Hall. A 2018 audit found that nearly 3,000 families were sent incorrect bills, largely due to human error reading the meters. The city says it is working to create more meter-reader oversight and improve the customer service experience. Jim Montana got a nearly $600 water bill in December, which was triple the norm.

San Diego Water Authority Gets $500K In Grants For Water Projects

Three San Diego County projects to improve water supply reliability received a total of $500,000 in grant funding from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, the San Diego County Water Authority announced Monday. The county received funding for new seawater intake screens at the Claude “Bud” Lewis Carlsbad Desalination Plant, brackish water optimization and integrated planning in the San Dieguito River watershed and new water treatment technology at the East County Advanced Water Treatment Project.

 

Young Artists Featured In Fallbrook PUD Conservation Calendar

Fourth-graders from five Fallbrook-area elementary schools put pens, crayons and watercolors to work with the goal of creating the best and brightest water-conservation posters in competition to become part of the 2019 Fallbrook Public Utility District’s “Be Water Smart” calendar. Two hundred posters demonstrated the students’ enthusiasm and creativity. Out of these entries, 14 were honored in the 2019 calendar. The free calendars are available at the Fallbrook Public Utility District office, 990 E. Mission Road in Fallbrook, during business hours while supplies last. The pupils’ colorful images vividly depict the contest’s theme, “Be Water Smart.” The district’s panel of judges viewed all the entries to find the most eye-catching artwork that successfully communicated the need for saving water.

San Diego Region Gets $500,000 For Water Technology Projects

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California has awarded the San Diego region $500,000 for three water supply technology projects. The grant will fund projects by the San Diego County Water Authority, Padre Dam Municipal Water District and a collaboration by the City of San Diego and Olivenhain Municipal Water District to diversify water supplies. The three projects are: New seawater intake screens at the Claude “Bud” Lewis Carlsbad Desalination Plant. The screens are designed to minimize the amount of fish larvae that enter the water treatment process. New treatment technology at the East County Advanced Water Treatment Project. Brackish water optimization in the San Dieguito River watershed.

Skies Clear After Weekend Storm Drenches San Diego County

Skies cleared Sunday after a Pacific storm drenched much of San Diego County over the weekend, making way for a drier, but still cool week, forecasters said. The latest system dropped more than an inch of rain at Palomar Mountain and Lake Cuyamaca, and nearly an inch at Lake Henshaw, according to Sunday rainfall totals. San Diego International Airport reported 0.9 of an inch of rain, pushing its seasonal total to 5.3 inches, almost two inches above average.