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Water Authority Board Approves Landmark Project Labor Agreement

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The San Diego County Water Authority’s Board of Directors on Thursday approved a Project Labor Agreement to govern most of the agency’s future construction contracts, ensuring projects deliver a range of community and worker benefits while continuing to be built to the highest standards.

By setting the bar for the Board to consider PLAs at $1 million, the Board embraced a strategy designed to foster a well-trained local workforce; enhance the Water Authority’s ability to compete for state and federal construction grants; prevent work stoppages and similar disruptions; and expedite resolution of contractor/labor disputes

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Free “Drought-Proof Your Garden” Webinars Start Nov. 2

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October 26, 2022 – The San Diego County Water Authority and waterwise garden guru Nan Sterman have teamed up to offer a series of free public webinars designed to help San Diego County residents care for their gardens during a fourth straight year of severe drought.

Starting at 7 p.m. on Nov. 2, Sterman will host periodic webinars during the fall and winter called “How to Drought-Proof Your Garden.”

The events include a short update on drought conditions, followed by survival strategies for landscapes and a question-and-answer session. The presentation focuses on how to use water wisely in landscapes, how to care for plants during drought, and how to create beautiful gardens that require little – if any – irrigation.

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Sweetwater Authority Approves Plans for Bayfront Development Pipelines

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Chula Vista, Calif. – The Sweetwater Authority approved the initial phase of improvement plans for the Chula Vista Bayfront Redevelopment. This phase of the project includes nearly a mile of public water main.

“The Governing Board is excited for the Chula Vista Bayfront Development and the opportunities that it will bring to our community,” said Chair Alejandra Sotelo-Solis. “The Board is supportive of development in the community and looks forward to providing safe, reliable water to the businesses and residents of the Bayfront.”

The Chula Vista Bayfront Redevelopment will provide the region with new spaces for hotels, residential units, and parks with a variety of amenities. The Authority is proud to provide water to the thriving South County community. We continually look for ways to better serve the community, including ways to partner with developers to build the infrastructure needed to keep South County vibrant.

Editor’s Note: The Sweetwater Authority is a public water agency providing safe, reliable water to National City, Chula Vista and Bonita, and is one of the 24 member agencies of the San Diego County Water Authority).

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Sweetwater Authority Receives Grant from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

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Chula Vista, Calif. – Sweetwater Authority received a grant from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for $275,000. The grant money is for the preparation of a draft Habitat Conservation Plan Natural Community Conservation Plan (HCP / NCCP). The Authority will provide a 25% match to these funds to complete the draft plan.

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New State Tax Break and Lawn Removal Rebates Save Money and Water

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October 17, 2022 – Fall is the perfect time to yank those thirsty lawns and install drought-tolerant landscapes with the help of cooler days and major financial incentives.

Homeowners and businesses in San Diego County can receive between $2 and $4 per square foot for removing grass and replacing it with low water-use plants that are better suited to withstand the hot and dry conditions that continue to hammer the West. All customers are eligible for the base rebate of $2 per square foot, but other agencies offer additional funding, including the City of San Diego and the County of San Diego. Click here for details: www.sdcwa.org/your-water/conservation/.

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Annual Aqueduct Work Starts Oct. 16 to Ensure Water System Reliability

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October 13, 2022 – Sections of the regional aqueducts will be shut down over the next six months for maintenance projects to ensure a safe and reliable water supply for the region. The San Diego County Water Authority and its member agencies are coordinating on the annual “shutdown season” to minimize impacts to residents and businesses, who are not expected to face service disruptions.

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State Water Resources Control Board Chair Tours Sweetwater Authority’s Desalination Facility

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Chula Vista, Calif. – The Sweetwater Authority Governing Board welcomed the Chair of the State Water Resources Control Board, E. Joaquin Esquivel, at the Richard A. Reynolds Groundwater Desalination Facility today for a tour.

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North County Water Agencies Offers Low‐Cost Rain Barrels to Help Customers Save Water

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Encinitas, Calif. — To encourage water conservation as drought conditions persist, Carlsbad Municipal Water District, Olivenhain Municipal Water District, San Dieguito Water District, and Santa Fe Irrigation District have partnered to offer discounted rain barrels to area residents this fall. Collecting rainwater for future use not only can save drinking water and money, but also reduces irrigation runoff that can carry pollutants into local waterways and beaches.

Although average rainfall in San Diego County is just under ten inches annually, even light rain can provide a sufficient amount of water for later use. For example, a roof with a 2,000‐square‐foot surface area can capture 300 gallons from only a quarter inch of rain.

Rain barrels at Solana Center

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Rain barrels ordered from October 1 to November 30 will be available for pick up at Solana Center for Environmental Innovation located at 137 North El Camino Real in Encinitas. Photo: Solana Center

Fifty‐gallon barrels are on sale for $97, with a final cost of $62 after a $35 rebate from water wholesaler Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. Rebates on rain barrels and other water‐saving measures are available at www.socalwatersmart.com.

Rain barrels ordered from October 1 to November 30 will be available for pick up at Solana Center for Environmental Innovation located at 137 North El Camino Real in Encinitas. Visit www.solanacenter.org/rain‐barrels for more information and to order rain barrels.

Catching rain in barrels not only saves water for use in gardening and landscaping but also prevents rainwater from draining to the ocean and picking up contaminants along the way.

(Editor’s note: The City of Carlsbad, Olivenhain Municipal Water District, San Dieguito Water District and the Santa Fe Irrigation District are four of the San Diego County Water Authority’s 24 member agencies that deliver water across the metropolitan San Diego region.)

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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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