VIDEO: Effects of Drought and El Niño on California Landscape
Effects of drought and El Niño on California landscape.
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OPINION: MWD Rate Hike Harms Water Authority, San Diegans
It’s been 25 years since the San Diego County Water Authority decided to broadly diversify its supplies. The authority’s experiences dealing with the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California during a severe drought led officials to believe they urgently needed additional sources of water to avoid disaster in a future drought. This triggered a harsh response from the giant water wholesaler. Upset that its largest customer was publicly questioning MWD’s trustworthiness, MWD paid $400,000 to a public relations company for what The Los Angeles Times called a “clandestine effort to discredit San Diego County water leaders.”
OPINION: Met’s Fiscal Practices Underscore the Importance of Local Water Projects
On Tuesday, the board of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is expected to approve more rate hikes and more illegal rates. The illegal rates alone will overcharge San Diego County water ratepayers more than $135 million over the next two years – not counting the additional and disproportionate costs imposed by MWD’s new scheme for water treatment charges. In addition, MWD will not reduce the property tax rate as prescribed by state law.
El Niño Slightly Improved the Drought but Didn’t Bust it
For the past few months, we’ve used the KPBS Drought Tracker to tell you how much rain and snow El Niño has been bringing to California. Now that we’ve reached the end of what turned out to be a fairly average wet season, where does California’s drought stand now?
We’ve limited our focus to California’s wettest months, which stretch from October to the beginning of April. We could still see some rain in coming weeks, but California’s traditionally defined wet season is now over.
Southern California Water District Buys Delta Land
Southern California’s largest water district has signed a multimillion deal to buy several sprawling islands far north in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, drawing criticism for giving the powerful district a stronghold in the vital water hub, officials said Monday.
The deal worth $175 million will put the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California in ownership of 20,000 acres in the delta, a source of water for millions of residents throughout the state and some of the nation’s most valuable farmland.
Rancho Santa Fe, Solana Beach Water District Seeks Input on Rate Hike
The Santa Fe Irrigation District is going through its rate-setting process right now and an eight-page notice was recently sent out to all customers on what is being proposed and how they can participate in the process — including how to oppose the increases.
Santa Fe Irrigation District Manager Michael Bardin visited the Rancho Santa Fe Association board meeting on April 7 as the district continues its outreach process on the proposed raise in rates.
Water Agency Finances Hit by Mandatory Conservation
This is the time of year when water utilities set their rates, which almost inevitably go up. But this year, the rate hikes are likely to be higher than usual, as water utilities cope with the unexpected impact of mandatory conservation on their budgets.
On April 12, Metropolitan’s board of directors is scheduled to vote on its prices for 2017 and 2018. These prices will be passed down to customers like the San Diego County Water Authority. In turn, the Water Authority sells to retail agencies that sell to the ultimate residential, business and agricultural customers.
VIDEO: Crews free man after getting arm stuck in water pipe
Crews free man after getting arm stuck in water pipe.
Crews Free Water District Worker With Hand, Arm Stuck in Line: SDFD
Crews briefly turned off the water supply for a line serving all of 4S Ranch to help rescue a worker who somehow got his arm and hand stuck inside the valve of a 48-inch water line.
The Metropolitan Water District worker had his arm stuck in the water release pipe for nearly two hours while crews worked to free him, San Diego Fire-Rescue (SDFD) Capt. Amador said.
OPINION: Desalination Plant Lessens Local Impacts of State Emergency Regulation
Over the past several months, the San Diego County Water Authority joined with its member agencies and local civic and business groups to advocate for state policies that reflected local water supply investments and conditions. The proposed modifications were designed to achieve important statewide water management goals in a more equitable and sustainable manner, allow communities to receive the benefits of their investments in water supply reliability and minimize unnecessary impacts to ratepayers.
