Encinitas, Calif. — Olivenhain Municipal Water District’s Board of Directors accepted at its March 15 meeting California Water Environment Association San Diego section’s 2022 Plant of the Year Award for its 4S Ranch Water Reclamation Facility.
The Plant of the Year award acknowledges OMWD’s 4S Ranch WRF accomplishments in regulatory compliance, innovative practices, cost-effectiveness, and superior plant operations.
Encinitas, Calif. — Olivenhain Municipal Water District has successfully converted Westmont of Encinitas to recycled water for landscape irrigation. The assisted living facility is the first of many customers along the Manchester Avenue and South El Camino Real corridor to tap into the newly installed recycled water pipeline.
Additional customers along the corridor are working to convert their irrigation systems to accommodate the new recycled water supply, which will ultimately reduce demand for imported potable water by more than 27 million gallons every year. As the impact of California’s drought continues to be challenging, projects like this that help save potable water are even more urgent.
Encinitas, Calif. — In order to promote outdoor water use efficiency, Olivenhain Municipal Water District, San Dieguito Water District, and Santa Fe Irrigation District invite members of the public to attend a free WaterSmart landscape design workshop on Monday, April 3, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The event will be held at the Encinitas Community and Senior Center at 1140 Oakcrest Park Drive in Encinitas.
Steve Sherman of California Landscape Technologies will provide an informative and interactive workshop that will feature methods to reduce outdoor water use and increase irrigation efficiencies. The workshop will provide homeowners simple, step-by-step approaches for creating attractive, water-wise landscapes that are easy to maintain.
Registration for the workshop is required at www.olivenhain.com/events.
This free two-hour workshop is offered through a partnership between OMWD, San Dieguito Water District, and Santa Fe Irrigation District.
March 10, 2023 – The San Diego County Water Authority on Thursday started a months-long public process to refine its next two-year budget and a draft preliminary proposed rate increase for 2024. The average rates charged by the Water Authority are currently projected to rise by approximately 14% next year, though agency staff and board members are assessing strategies to lower the number.
Chula Vista, Calif. – Sweetwater Authority recently awarded $5,000 to a National City laundromat as part of its Savings Through Efficiency Program (STEP) Grant program. The STEP grant is one of many resources the Authority offers businesses in its service area that help them reduce water use and save money.
Chula Vista, Calif. – To assist customers with costs associated with leak repairs, Sweetwater Authority is offering a rebate of up to $75 for repairs made from March 1, 2023 through June 30, 2023. The special rebate is in celebration of the national Fix a Leak Week, which serves as an annual reminder to check household plumbing fixtures and irrigation systems for leaks.
February 22, 2023 – The final shutdown for scheduled maintenance of the San Diego County Water Authority’s First Aqueduct is scheduled to begin February 27. The shutdown will run through March 8, allowing crews to reline portions of the historic aqueduct and perform regular maintenance work that ensures a safe and reliable water supply for the region. Portions of the First Aqueduct were shut down earlier this year for similar work, as part of a proactive approach to saving on future maintenance or replacement costs.
Chula Vista, Calif. – Sweetwater Authority recently acquired a NO-DES system to support the agency’s water main flushing program, which maintains overall water quality. The Authority is the first agency in the region to purchase the water-saving equipment. Bringing the flushing program fully in-house will achieve significant cost-savings for the agency and its customers.
Chula Vista, Calif. – Sweetwater Authority announced a new “Free Fishing Sundays” promotion at the Sweetwater Reservoir Recreation Program. Free access begins this Sunday, February 19 and will continue through the end of 2023.
Located at the eastern edge of Bonita, California, Sweetwater Reservoir’s Recreation Program is easily accessible to Authority customers and offers an abundance of outdoor activities, including shoreline fishing and a riding and hiking trail operated by the County of San Diego.
The program’s shoreline fishing access stretches along a 2.5 mile stretch on the south side of Sweetwater Reservoir. Anglers can catch a variety of fish, including bass, catfish, bluegill, red eared sunfish and crappie.
The program is currently open Friday through Monday, from 7 am to 4 pm. Beginning March 1st, the program will be open from 7 am to 5 pm. The entrance is located at 3203 Summit Meadow Road, Bonita, CA 91902. A valid California Department of Fish and Wildlife Fishing License is required. Regular fishing fees are still in effect on Fridays, Saturdays and Mondays.
“We recognize that the recent closure of Loveland Reservoir has impacted recreation access,” said Authority Board Chair Hector Martinez. “We hope that by offering free access to the program on Sundays, customers and local residents will come out and enjoy these outdoor recreational activities located right here in our own community.”
Fifth grade students in the Authority’s service area were also provided free fishing passes for the year through their schools. For more information about the Authority’s Recreation Program, go to: www.sweetwater.org/recreation.
(Editor’s note: The Sweetwater Authority is one of the San Diego County Water Authority’s 24 member agencies that deliver water across the San Diego County region.)
The San Diego County Water Authority has secured $3 million in grant funds to install water-efficient toilets and smart irrigation controllers in underrepresented communities across the region, bolstering the agency’s long-running efforts to enhance water affordability.
The Water Authority will use the money to install 7,300 high-efficiency toilets and smart irrigation controllers covering about 4,000 locations, saving more than 6,000 acre-feet of water and helping enhance water efficiency and affordability for vulnerable customers. The funds are from the California Department of Water Resources’ Urban Community Drought Relief Grant program, designed to advance Governor Gavin Newsom’s strategy to adapt California’s water supply for a hotter and drier future.
“This is another big step toward our goal of ensuring that everyone in San Diego County has access to safe, reliable and affordable water,” said Water Authority Board Chair Mel Katz. “Helping customers improve water efficiency ultimately saves them money and protects our most precious natural resource.”
In 2022, the Water Authority secured $25 million to cover overdue residential water bills resulting from the economic impacts of COVID-19. The Water Authority also operates an industry-leading asset management program designed to avoid the extreme costs of emergency repairs on large-scale water lines. And, the agency is advocating in Washington, D.C., for federal funds to defray the cost of generational upgrades to local dams and reservoirs.
The Water Authority’s Water-Use-Efficiency Direct Installation Program is designed to save residents money on water costs. To be eligible for the direct-install program, residents in manufactured housing communities, multifamily and single-family homes must be a customer within the Water Authority service area. Details and how to participate: www.synergycompanies.com/utility-program/sdcwa-dip or call 888-272-8394.
The direct-install program conserves water by replacing inefficient toilets with high-efficiency models through professional installation at no cost to participants. According to the U.S. EPA, the replacement of older toilets with high-efficiency models can reduce water use by up to 60%. The initiative also includes installing smart irrigation controllers at no cost and providing education on outdoor water-use efficiency. Smart irrigation controllers can make irrigation schedule adjustments more convenient and water-efficient by using local weather data and landscape conditions to tailor the amount, frequency, and timing of landscape watering.
The grant funds will extend the life of the Water Authority’s existing program that has installed 2,213 water-efficient toilets over the past 12 months. The program is funded and implemented through a partnership between the Water Authority, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and San Diego Gas and Electric.
Sweetwater Authority Logo 2019