La Mesa, Calif.—Helix Water District has launched its eighth annual Lake Jennings Spring Photo Contest to share the beauty of its reservoir with the local community. The contest is open to photos taken at Lake Jennings between March 1 and May 31, 2019.
Encinitas, Calif. — Olivenhain Municipal Water District began serving recycled water to the Del Rayo Downs Homeowner Association in Rancho Santa Fe this week. The conversion to recycled water enables the HOA to save money on its monthly water bill while decreasing imported water demand by approximately 17.5 acre-feet annually. An acre-foot is enough to serve two typical families of four for a year.
State and federal dignitaries praised retiring San Diego County Water Authority General Manager Maureen Stapleton today for decades of public service and her achievements in securing safe and reliable water supplies for the region.
Stapleton announced her retirement from the Water Authority earlier this month, prompting several commendations during the Water Authority Board of Directors regular February meeting.
California U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein said in a letter that she valued Stapleton’s expertise on water issues. “During your more than 40 years of public service, you have demonstrated a deep commitment to your profession and the region,” wrote Feinstein. “Under your skilled leadership, the Water Authority successfully developed water storage and conservation projects and oversaw construction of the nation’s largest desalination plant.
“Although your presence will be greatly missed, I am confident that your record of hard work and dedication will serve as a model for those who follow in your footsteps.”
In a California legislative resolution, elected leaders representing San Diego County lauded Stapleton “for her long and distinguished record of professional service and for her outstanding civic leadership.”
The resolution highlighted Stapleton’s many achievements over 23 years at the helm of the Water Authority, including successfully negotiating the landmark 2003 Colorado River Quantification Settlement Agreement. It is the nation’s largest ag-to-urban water conservation-and-transfer agreement, and it remains a cornerstone of water management in the Southwest.
“As General Manager, Maureen Stapleton oversaw the greatest investment in large-scale regional water infrastructure in San Diego County history, including the first major new dam and reservoir in 50 years and the nation’s largest seawater desalination plant – an investment that provides significant protections for the San Diego region in the event of imported water supply emergencies and droughts.”
Under Stapleton’s guidance, the Water Authority also implemented cutting-edge urban water conservation programs that have helped to reduce per capita water use in the San Diego region by more than 40 percent since 1990. The Water Authority also significantly increased water supply protections for the region during droughts or other emergencies with $3.5 billion in investments. And, the Water Authority partnered with Poseidon Water to develop the largest seawater desalination plant in the nation.
Former California Gov. Pete Wilson, who was in office during peak drought years in the early 1990s, highlighted Stapleton’s leadership during that time to create a safe, stable and reliable water supply for the region.
“The history of San Diego has always been about the struggle to create an adequate and reliable water supply,” Wilson said. “But today, that story has a new chapter, written by Maureen and her team at the Water Authority. Their success in building a highly reliable water supply that fuels San Diego’s robust economy and supports a quality of life envied the world over has been nothing short of remarkable and historic. She refused to just suffer drought.”
San Diego Rep. Scott Peters honored Stapleton with a Congressional Proclamation on behalf of the U.S. House of Representatives and the constituents of the 52nd Congressional District “for her lifelong contributions, exemplary leadership, and service to the San Diego region.”
The proclamation said: “She led a successful, multi-decade strategy to diversify and improve the reliability of San Diego County’s water supply, which now supports at $220 billion economy and the qualify of life for 3.3 million people; she transformed the Water Authority into a pioneering, visionary, agile, and driven public agency; and she has been a pillar of San Diego civic life for decades through service on several boards and foundations.”
Encinitas, Calif.—The Association of California Water Agencies recognized Olivenhain Municipal Water District today with its “Most Effective Agency on Federal Issues” award. The award was presented to OMWD General Manager Kimberly Thorner at ACWA’s annual conference in Washington, DC.
Escondido, Calif. – In the last several years, water bottles have become commonplace on school campuses as students learned the importance water plays with maintaining good health. However, keeping those water bottles filled throughout the day has been tough, since traditional drinking fountains are not designed for this purpose. So, the Rincon del Diablo Municipal Water District (Rincon Water) partnered with the Escondido Union School District to install water bottle refill stations, also known as hydration stations, at three Escondido elementary school campuses – Bernardo, Miller, and North Broadway. All three schools receive Rincon Water through their taps.
After 23 years at the helm of the San Diego region’s wholesale water agency, General Manager Maureen Stapleton is stepping down – and leaving an enormous legacy.
“The positive impact of Maureen’s leadership of the Water Authority and management of this region’s water supply cannot be overstated,” said Jim Madaffer, chair of the San Diego County Water Authority’s Board of Directors. “She has also been an important leader in our civic affairs for three decades and has dedicated countless hours to the betterment of our entire region. She will be greatly missed.
“Her name is synonymous with water in San Diego – for good reason,” Madaffer said. “Since 1996, Maureen has guided a dynamic agency that continues aggressively developing a comprehensive array of water supply and infrastructure projects designed to diversify the region’s water resources and improve the region’s water supply reliability.”
Stapleton announced her plans today to the Board of Directors and staff. Upon Stapleton’s departure, Deputy General Manager Sandy Kerl, who has more than 25 years of experience in public administration including a decade at the Water Authority, will be the acting general manager while a search for the Water Authority’s next general manager is under way.
“The success of the Water Authority over the past two decades is testament to the vision of the Board of Directors, the passionate commitment and dedication of the Water Authority’s staff and management team, the partnership we forged with our 24 member agencies, and the unwavering support of the San Diego region’s civic leaders,” Stapleton said. “I am immensely proud of our shared accomplishments, and I will greatly miss my Water Authority colleagues and esprit de corps we shared carrying out the Water Authority’s mission to provide our region with a safe and reliable water supply.”
‘Instrumental in the growth and development of our region’
Former San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders, now President and Chief Executive Officer of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, called Stapleton “instrumental in the growth and development of our region. Under Maureen’s leadership, the Water Authority has helped propel San Diego’s economy by ensuring our region has a diversified, highly reliable water supply – and the infrastructure system needed to produce and treat water, store it, and deliver it to millions of San Diegans.”
Stapleton’s career includes many milestones, including successfully negotiation the landmark 2003 Colorado River Quantification Settlement Agreement, the nation’s largest farm-to-urban water conservation-and-transfer agreement that remains a cornerstone of water management in the Southwest.
Under her guidance, the Water Authority implemented cutting-edge urban water conservation programs that have helped to reduce per capita water use in the San Diego region by more than 40 percent since 1990.
In 2013, the Water Authority won the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies’ Platinum Award for Utility Excellence, the organization’s highest honor for outstanding achievement in implementing nationally recognized best practices for effective utility management. Three years later, AMWA bestowed its Sustainable Water Utility Management Award on the Water Authority, saying the agency’s “sustainability mindset saves ratepayers money, reduces the environmental impacts of projects and operations, conserves energy and water, and helps the agency thrive in a changing climate.”
Agency mission and projects continue to move ahead
In 2017, the Association of California Water Agencies presented the Water Authority with the Clair A. Hill Water Agency Award for Excellence for innovation and excellence in water resources management with its addition of supplies from the Carlsbad Desalination Project – the largest seawater desalination plant in the Americas.
The same year, the Water Authority won the American Society of Civil Engineers’ Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement Award – the top international engineering award – for having the foresight and dedication to build the Emergency & Carryover Storage Project. That $1.5 billion system of dams, reservoirs, pump stations, pipelines and tunnels, to protect the region’s 3.3 million people and $220 billion economy from extended dry periods or emergencies that could disrupt imported water deliveries.
Said Madaffer: “While Maureen’s departure will leave a significant hole, I’m confident in the leadership team that we have assembled both on the Board of Directors at the senior staff level so that the important work of the Water Authority will continue with the same diligence as it has for decades.”
Encinitas, Calif.—To encourage water conservation and reduce runoff that can carry pollutants into local waterways and beaches, Olivenhain Municipal Water District has partnered with Carlsbad Municipal Water District, San Dieguito Water District, and Santa Fe Irrigation District to offer discounted rain barrels to area residents. Rain barrels ordered by February 26 will be available for pick up at Solana Center for Environmental Innovation on March 2, between 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. The center is located at 137 North El Camino Real in Encinitas.
Encinitas, Calif.—Olivenhain Municipal Water District and San Dieguito Water District have partnered to offer a free WaterSmart Landscape Design Workshop. The event will be held Tuesday, February 19, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Encinitas Community Center, located at 1140 Oakcrest Park Drive in Encinitas.
Encinitas, Calif. —At Olivenhain Municipal Water District’s January 16 board meeting, Ed Sprague assumed the position of president for the fourth time. Mr. Sprague will serve as president for the 2019-2020 term. In addition, Bob Topolovac is serving as vice president, Larry Watt as treasurer, Robert Kephart as secretary, and Christy Guerin as director and San Diego County Water Authority representative.
Eighteen talented San Diego, Coronado and Imperial Beach elementary school students used their artistic skills to communicate the importance of water conservation in the City of San Diego’s Public Utilities Department 18th annual Kids Poster Contest.
Winning entries in the contest are featured in the 2019 Water Conservation Calendar, which debuts this month. They are available free for pickup at San Diego city libraries, recreation centers, and at San Diego City Hall, 202 C Street downtown.
The theme “How Am I A Water Conservation Hero?” asked students to imagine themselves saving water from being wasted. They could draw, paint, color, cut and paste original artwork depicting one important message about water conservation. Winning students were honored at a City Council presentation in 2018, and their artwork was featured publicly at the San Diego County Fair and San Diego Watercolor Society Gallery.
“The City of San Diego’s Public Utilities Department is proud to sponsor the yearly Kids Poster Contest,” said Brian Hojnacki, a supervising management analyst for city utilities. “It allows us to involve first to sixth graders through art while learning and thinking about water conservation in our region. It’s a win-win for us all.”
In addition to being recognized as community ambassadors and local conservation celebrities, winners received gift cards as prizes and publication in the new calendar. The winning posters will be displayed throughout the City of San Diego all year.
The contest winners for 2018 whose artwork was used to create the 2019 calendar are:
Grade 1
1st Place – Ruiya Xia, Solana Ranch Elementary School
2nd Place – Isabella Chen, Solana Ranch Elementary School
3rd Place – Angela Han, Solana Ranch Elementary School
Grade 2
1st Place – Weiyi Liu, Stone Ranch Elementary School
2nd Place – Ella Zhao, Monterey Ridge Elementary School
3rd Place – Tracie Liu, Sycamore Ridge School
Grade 3
1st Place – Rachael Ma, Monterey Ridge Elementary School
2nd Place – Alanis Huang, Solana Ranch Elementary School
3rd Place – Kate Hu, Solana Ranch Elementary School
Grade 4
1st Place – Lauren Chen, Monterey Ridge Elementary School
2nd Place – Abigail Wei, Monterey Ridge Elementary School
3rd Place – Caden Phan, Hardy Elementary School
Grade 5
1st Place – Claire Zhang, Solana Pacific Elementary School
2nd Place – Angela Chen, Monterey Ridge Elementary School
3rd Place – Annika Liao, Del Sur Elementary School
Grade 6
1st Place – Madeleine Irawan, Black Mountain Middle School
2nd Place – Eric Shi, Mesa Verde Middle School
3rd Place – Vicky Xu, Solana Ranch Elementary School
1st Place – Katelyn Chen, Oak Valley Elementary
The 19th annual poster competition for the next calendar is now open to students from first through sixth grade. The theme is “Where Can I Catch The Rain, and What Can I Do With It?”
Winning posters will be featured in the 2020 Water Conservation Calendar. Winners will be honored at a San Diego City Council meeting and have their work displayed at the San Diego County Fair and in the San Diego Watercolor Society Gallery. The entry deadline is March 22, 2019. More information is here.
