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Water Authority Proposes 2023 Rates and Charges for Member Agencies

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May 26, 2022 – The San Diego County Water Authority is taking strategic steps to minimize rate increases for its 24 member agencies and their customers, while ensuring a safe, reliable, and affordable water supply as drought grips California for a third consecutive year.

Water Authority staff today proposed increasing rates and charges for member agencies by 5.2% for treated water and 3.7% for untreated water in calendar year 2023. The increases are attributable to historically high inflation, significant energy cost increases from SDG&E, and continued cost increases by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. The Water Authority Board is expected to vote on rates for next year at its regular meeting on June 23, following a public hearing.

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Helix Water District Student Poster Contest Winners Highlight Water is Life

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Helix Water District honored local student artists for their winning Water Is Life posters at an awards ceremony during Helix Water District’s board meeting on May 24, 2022.

Each year, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, one of Helix’s wholesale water providers, holds a regional poster contest for students in kindergarten through eighth grade to increase students’ awareness about water.

Helix promotes the contest to all K-8 schools within its service area. This year, 349 students from 22 schools submitted posters depicting how to use water wisely.

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OMWD Recognized for Construction Projects to Ensure Water Reliability

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Encinitas, Calif. — Olivenhain Municipal Water District’s Indian Head Canyon Pipeline Restoration Project and El Camino Real Potable Water Pipeline Replacement Project were both recognized today as 2022 Projects of the Year by American Public Works Association’s San Diego and Imperial County Chapter at its awards event in Mission Valley.

“OMWD takes great pride in providing uninterrupted water service to our customers,” said OMWD Board President Larry Watt. “Replacing and repairing infrastructure before it fails helps to avoid emergency repairs, which is a more cost-effective and less impactful approach.”

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OMWD Recognizes Winners of the Annual Water Awareness Poster Contest

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Encinitas, Calif. — Olivenhain Municipal Water District’s Board of Directors recognized at its May 18 meeting the top three entries in the 2022 “Love Water, Save Water” Poster Contest.

Fourth grade students living or attending school within OMWD’s service area were eligible to enter the contest. The recognized entries were from Flora Vista Elementary School and Stone Ranch Elementary School. The winning posters were submitted by Indira Jayanti, Ariana Lemle, and Emalyn Negrea. Indira’s poster depicts her creative interpretation of rain harvesting. Ariana’s poster featured a large drop of water illustrating four different natural landscapes dependent on water, and Emalyn’s artwork shows two mermaids happily swimming in water.

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High School Photo Contest Winners Highlight the Importance and Beauty of Water

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Chula Vista, Calif. – Twelve local high school students were honored for their award-winning photographs at the Sweetwater Authority (Authority) Board Meeting on May 11. The winners were selected from a group of 65 students from high schools across the South Bay who submitted over 150 entries for the Authority’s High School Photo Contest.

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Water Authority Awarded Patent for Pipeline Inspection Tool

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The San Diego County Water Authority has been granted its first ever utility patent for a device that inspects interior sections of water pipelines that are inaccessible or not safe to inspect without expensive specialized gear and training.

Water Authority Operations and Maintenance Manager Martin Coghill invented the tool to save time, reduce costs and improve safety during ongoing aqueduct inspections. The Water Authority’s industry-leading Asset Management Program includes a proactive search for pipeline weaknesses that can be addressed before they become large and costly problems.

 

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Helix Water District Locks in Stable Prices for Renewable Energy

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Helix Water District recently renewed its electricity-purchasing contract with San Diego-based Calpine Energy Solutions, a company that sells electricity but relies on utilities like SDG&E, Edison and PG&E to deliver it. Helix has worked with Calpine since 2007 to manage the district’s energy costs and its move to renewable resources.

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City of San Diego Celebrates 100th Year of Barrett Reservoir

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SAN DIEGO – This year marks a century of Barrett Reservoir playing an important part of the City of San Diego’s water supply. Barrett is one of nine reservoirs that make up part of the City’s vast water system. Fishing season opens at Barrett on Wednesday, May 4.  

Barrett Reservoir was created with the completion of Barrett Dam in 1922 after about three years of construction. Named after George Barrett who owned the land at one time, the reservoir is located at the confluence of Cottonwood and Pine Valley creeks.  

“For 100 years, Barrett Reservoir has served as an integral part of our drinking water system and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future,” said Juan Guerreiro, Interim Director of the City’s Public Utilities Department. “Barrett is also a popular recreation area that San Diegans enjoy.” 

 

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Sweetwater Authority Approves Pipeline Projects in Bonita and the City of National City

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Chula Vista, Calif. – The Sweetwater Authority (Authority) Governing Board approved $2.4M in pipeline projects in Bonita and National City to ensure continued reliable water service for customers. The Board voted to approve these projects at its April 27 Governing Board meeting. SRK Engineering was awarded the contract for construction that will begin in June 2022.

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Padre Dam Board Holds Revenues Steady for Next Five Years

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April 27, 2022 – Padre Dam Municipal Water District’s Board of Directors unanimously approved a zero percent revenue increase for the District’s water and wastewater operations over the next five years – for Fiscal Years 2023-2027. The decision to adopt this approach to not increase revenue for the next five year period was based on the Board’s desire to minimize customer rate impacts as well as the District’s strong financial position of the water and wastewater operation funds.

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