Southern California’s smaller cities and large businesses must take the threat of a crippling earthquake far more seriously than they have been, a committee of business, public policy and utility leaders said Thursday, saying action is needed to “prevent the inevitable disaster from becoming a catastrophe.”

Despite strides made by the city of Los Angeles to focus on earthquake safety, Southern California still faces significant threats that haven’t been resolved.

 

The Water Replenishment District of Southern California (WRD) has unanimously approved and signed an agreement with J.F. Shea Construction to build a $110 million state-of-the-art water treatment plant that will enable WRD to develop the first locally sustainable groundwater basins in California. “This is an exciting day,” said WRD Board of Directors President Willard H. Murray, Jr. “The Los Angeles region has a long and sometimes colorful history of importing water to quench our thirst. With this project WRD will be turning a corner in our water history.

The San Diego County Water Authority Board of Directors today voted to raise rates 6.4 percent for untreated water and 5.9 percent for treated water in 2017.

The Water Authority cited increasing expenses for imported water and the need to pass on higher costs for water from the desalination plant in Carlsbad. The SDCWA, which delivers water to 24 local agencies and districts that distribute to customers, also cited the impact of state-mandated conservation on its budget.

 

It’s only June, but temperatures are headed into 90-degree range, and a major fire is already front page news (“Santa Barbara County fire at 7,811 acres, 45 percent contained,” June 18).

Because of the continuing California drought, authorities predicted another dangerous year, and the Sherpa Fire is one of 1,800 wildfires state and forest service firefighters have battled since January.

In a June 1 Letter to the Editor, “SLO County tackles the health effects of climate change,” rising temperatures, frequent wildfires and drought were included by San Luis Obispo County’s health officer, Penny Borenstein in a list of climate change-caused events that impact human health.

Are your watering stipulations and conservation efforts about to change for the better?

The San Diego County Water Authority’s initial determination that the San Diego region has an adequate water supply for this and the next three years means the city of San Diego Public Utilities Department will be asking the City Council to enact the Level One Drought Watch condition. The city is currently in Level Two Drought Alert conditions.