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Mel Katz Elected Board Chair of San Diego County Water Authority

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New officers for the San Diego County Water Authority’s Board of Directors were elected today, with Mel Katz starting his two-year term as Board chair on Oct. 1. Katz, vice chair of the Board for the past six months as a representative for the City of Del Mar, will serve with incoming Vice Chair Nick Serrano, a Board representative from the City of San Diego, and incoming Secretary Frank Hilliker. Katz will serve as the 27th board chair since the Water Authority’s founding in 1944.

Gary Croucher, who represents the Otay Water District on the Water Authority’s Board, served as chair the past two years. His term ends on Sept. 30. Croucher has served on the Board since 2001.

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OMWD Offers Free Water-Wise Landscape Design Workshop on October 8

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Encinitas, Calif. — Olivenhain Municipal Water District invites members of the public to attend a free water-wise landscape design workshop on Saturday, October 8 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The event will be held at OMWD’s headquarters at 1966 Olivenhain Road in Encinitas. Drought survival kits will also be available free of charge, featuring water reuse buckets, hose nozzles, moisture sensors, and other water-saving tools.

OMWD Board President Larry Watt will lead a discussion about drought conditions. Steve Sherman of California Landscape Technologies will follow with an informative and interactive workshop that will feature methods to reduce outdoor water use and increase irrigation efficiencies. Registration for the workshop is available at www.olivenhain.com/events.

Water-wise and WaterSmart rebates

This public event is one of the first at OMWD’s newly improved headquarters. Attendees will have the opportunity to explore the new facilities, learn more about the ongoing drought, get advice on water conservation practices, and learn more about available rebate programs.

“Every drop of recycled water used on our landscapes replaces a drop of imported drinking water,” said OMWD Board Secretary Bob Topolavac, after the agency received a water recycling award recently. “With the state now in its third consecutive dry year, it is more critical than ever to be promoting the benefits of recycled water to new potential users to expand the use of this sustainable water supply.”

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City of San Diego Identifies Additional Repairs Needed at Hodges Dam

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Ongoing repairs currently underway at Hodges Reservoir Dam have led the City of San Diego to determine more work is needed to address additional defects that were detected and to ensure the safety of the dam. This discovery will likely delay completion of this crucial repair project by several months.

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Free Workshop on October 13 Highlights Importance of Efficient Irrigation

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Encinitas, Calif. — Olivenhain Municipal Water District, in partnership with Hunter Industries, invites the public to attend a free workshop featuring practical tips to save water through an efficient irrigation system. This workshop is designed for individuals interested in the latest irrigation advances in reducing outdoor water use. The workshop will be held on October 13, from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Elfin Forest Interpretive Center Honoring Susan J. Varty, located at 8833 Harmony Grove Road in Escondido.

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Sweetwater Authority Adds Clean Energy Vehicles to its Fleet

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Chula Vista, Calif. – Yesterday, the Sweetwater Authority Governing Board gathered to see and celebrate the agency’s new electric vehicles (EVs). The purchase of these clean energy vehicles demonstrates the Authority’s commitment to sustainability.

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Olivenhain Municipal Water District Achieves Highest Honor for Financial Reporting

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Encinitas, Calif. — Olivenhain Municipal Water District’s Board of Directors accepted at its September 14 meeting the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada.

The award recognizes OMWD’s Annual Comprehensive Financial Report for the fiscal years ending June 30, 2020 and June 30, 2021. Providing an overview of OMWD’s fiscal management, the report contains details about budgetary controls, debt administration, and investment policies.

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Olivenhain Municipal Water District Recognized for Recycled Water Community Outreach

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Encinitas, Calif. — The WateReuse Association of California recognized Olivenhain Municipal Water District as its 2022 award recipient for Recycled Water Community Outreach. The award was presented at WateReuse’s annual conference in San Francisco.

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OMWD to Host Open House Celebration on October 8

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Encinitas, Calif. — Olivenhain Municipal Water District invites the public to attend an open house celebration on Saturday, October 8 from 10:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The event will be held at OMWD’s headquarters at 1966 Olivenhain Road in Encinitas.

The event is free of charge and will feature children’s activities, complimentary food and refreshments, a water-wise landscape workshop, San Diego Woodies mini car show, and informational booths from San Diego County Water Authority, Encinitas Fire Department, and Solana Center for Environmental Innovation. Drought survival kits will also be available free of charge, featuring water reuse buckets, hose nozzles, moisture sensors, and other water-saving tools.

Open House Celebration

The public event is one of the first at OMWD’s newly improved headquarters. Attendees will have the opportunity to explore the new facilities, learn more about the ongoing drought, and get advice on water conservation practices and rebate programs.

OMWD Board President Larry Watt will lead a discussion about drought conditions. Steve Sherman of California Landscape Technologies will follow with an informative and interactive workshop that will feature methods to reduce outdoor water use and increase irrigation efficiencies. The free workshop will be held from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and is open to the public. Registration for the workshop is available at www.olivenhain.com/events.

Improvements to OMWD’s headquarters were completed in 2020. The facility, originally constructed in the 1960s, now offers a 200-person capacity community room for public use, public access to restrooms, fire sprinklers, and an accessible, secure lobby.

(Editor’s Note: Olivenhain Municipal Water District is a public agency providing water, wastewater services, recycled water, hydroelectricity, and operation of Elfin Forest Recreational Reserve. Organized in 1959, OMWD currently serves approximately 87,000 customers over 48 square miles in northern San Diego County. OMWD is one of the San Diego County Water Authority’s 24 member agencies that deliver water across the metropolitan San Diego region.)

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Padre Dam Board Appoints New Board Member to Division 5

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September 9, 2022 – Padre Dam Municipal Water District’s Board of Directors has appointed Rocky Qualin to the Board of Directors to fill the vacancy in Division 5 as the result of the recent passing of James Peasley. Qualin took the oath of office at the Board meeting on September 7, 2022 and then participated in his first meeting. Qualin will hold office for the balance of the unexpired term which expires December 2, 2022.

Safe and reliable water

“My interest in being part of the Padre Dam board is to ensure that my community is provided with safe and reliable water and sewer services at the lowest costs possible,” stated new Board member Rocky Qualin. “I believe Jim’s service on the Board was achieving this and I hope to continue down the successful path he created as I fill this roll.”

Division 5 seat

Qualin is the only candidate for the Division 5 seat for the next four year term which will begin in December 2022 and go through November 2026. Therefore, Qualin will be reseated as the Division 5 representative in December for the next four year term.

Padre Dam Municipal Water District-Rocky Qualin-Division 5

The Padre Dam Municipal Water District’s Board of Directors appointed Rocky Qualin to the Board of Directors to fill the vacancy in Division 5. Qualin took the oath of office at the Board meeting on September 7, 2022 and then participated in his first meeting. Photo: Padre Dam Municipal Water District

Santee resident

Qualin is a long-time Santee resident. He has been married to his wife Jenni for 19 years and has two children – a son that attends Santana High School and a daughter attending Grossmont Community College.

Qualin graduated and earned a bachelor’s degree in Finance from San Diego State University.  He has over 25 years of experience as a banking and insurance executive involved with budgeting, managing cash flow and analyzing risk for small to large size companies.

In addition to serving on Padre Dam’s Board Qualin also serves on the Board of Governors for the Grossmont Hospital Foundation as well as the Board of Directors for the local nonprofit Lion’s Camp Jack, which sends foster and at-risk youth to summer camp.

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Carlsbad Desalination Plant Cuts Energy Demand to Help Avoid Blackouts

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Carlsbad, Calif. (Sept. 4, 2022) – Poseidon Resources (Channelside) LP and the San Diego County Water Authority are temporarily reducing water production at the Claude “Bud” Lewis Carlsbad Desalination Plant to support statewide emergency energy conservation efforts during the extreme heat wave.

While the plant accounts for less than 1% of peak energy demand in San Diego Gas & Electric’s service territory, Channelside and the Water Authority are committed to supporting electrical reliability while ensuring continued delivery of safe and reliable water supplies. The partners are reducing water production at the plant by about 20% for three days over the holiday weekend; regular water deliveries will be made from other sources.

“The partnership by the Water Authority and Channelside is another reminder of the value our investments in cutting-edge technology and water supply reliability,” said Sandra L. Kerl, general manager of the Water Authority.  “Desal plant operations are nimble, so production can be ramped up and down in response to local needs. This flexibility underscores the value of regional water supply planning, which allows us to activate solutions during challenging times.”

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