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‘No Way, Not Possible’: California Has a Plan for New Water Rules. Will It Save Salmon From Extinction?

/in , , , /by /Cal Mattersby Alastair Bland

The Newsom administration is refining a contentious set of proposed rules, years in the making, that would reshape how farms and cities draw water from the Central Valley’s Delta and its rivers. Backed by more than $1 billion in state funds, the rules, if adopted, would require water users to help restore rivers and rebuild depleted Chinook salmon runs.

The administration touts its proposed rules as the starting point of a long-term effort to double Central Valley Chinook populations from historical levels, reaching numbers not seen in at least 75 years. But environmental groups have almost unanimously rejected it, saying it promises environmental gains that will never materialize and jeopardizes the existence of California’s iconic salmon and other fish.

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Concern Arises Over Lake Hodges Water Level: This Is Why

/in , , /by /Fox 5 San Diegoby Amber Coakley

Residents and officials in North County are trying to raise the water level of Lake Hodges, but they’re facing their biggest challenge — the state mandate of levels.

California government requires lakes to be no deeper than 280 feet; however, concerned people are asking that the reservoir be raised to 293 feet. As of Friday, the lake had dropped to 273 feet, which is the lowest it’s been in the last 40 years.

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With Bone-Dry Conditions, Southern California High Fire Danger Could Linger Into the New Year

/in , , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Grace Toohey

By this time of year, Southern California has usually recorded some measurable rainfall. Santa Ana winds, meanwhile, are typically dying down.

But this December, neither is the case.

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‘Forever Chemicals’ Detected in Sweetwater Reservoir

/in , , /by /Fox 5 San Diegoby Jaime Chambers

Roughly 200,000 San Diego County households get their tap water from the Sweetwater Authority. In a recent safety test, however, that water flagged a toxic chemical called PFAS, also known as a forever chemical. The level is not enough for action, but enough to trigger a mandatory state warning.

“We have one data point. There is a lot of things that we are waiting for, a lot of information,” said Paulina Martinez Perez, the chairwoman of the Sweetwater Authority. “The water is safe to drink, and we are ready and prepared to do whatever we need to do in order to continue delivering safe and reliable water to our customers.”

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Vista Irrigation District Board Elects Officers For 2025

/in , , /by /The Vista Press Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

The Vista Irrigation District board of directors elected Patrick Sanchez as its president and Marty Miller as its vice-president for 2025 at its annual organizational meeting.

Sanchez has served on the board of directors since March 2017. This will be the second time he has led the board since being elected.  Sanchez represents Division 4, which encompasses the Shadowridge area of Vista.

Water Rates Could Soar More Than 60% Within 5 Years Under Proposed Hikes

/in , , /by /San Diego Union-Tribuneby David Garrick

San Diego could raise water rates by 61% and sewer rates 32% over four years to cover sharply rising costs for workers, imported water, chemicals, energy, construction projects and other priorities.

The increases, which would incrementally kick in between January 2026 and January 2029, are recommended by two new studies analyzing future revenues and expenses for the city’s water and sewer systems.

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How to Make Sense of the Fluoride Debate

/in , , /by /New York Timesby Melinda Wenner Moyer

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s skepticism about fluoride has become a focal point in the debate about whether he’s suitable to run the nation’s health department.

His pledge that the Trump administration would “advise all U.S. systems to remove fluoride from public water” has sparked outcry among dentists and some public health experts who say that fluoridated water is safe and essential for protecting oral health in children.

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Metropolitan Water District Board Member Censured for Racist Remark

/in , , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Ian James

A board member of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California has been censured for making a racist remark about an Arab American employee.

The MWD board of directors voted to censure John Morris, a member representing the city of San Marino, after an investigation found that he used a racist term when he referred to a staff member at a board event last year. The district said the investigation was conducted in response to an anonymous complaint and determined that Morris’ remark violated the MWD’s antidiscrimination policy.

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San Diegans Can Drink Their Tap Water. Many Pay More at the Vending Machine Anyway.

/in , , /by /Voice of San Diegoby Amy DiPerro

On a May afternoon, customers fill empty five-gallon jugs at vending machines beside the front door of the Aqua Bar water store in Escondido. Inside, the store’s owner chats with regulars turning the faucets at two large metal sinks. Customers come and go, wheeling carts full of newly-filled containers out to the trunks or flat-beds of waiting cars.

Aqua Bar is roughly in the middle of a neighborhood that could be the water vending machine capital of San Diego County.

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California Water Officials Try to Curb Spread of Invasive Golden Mussels Found in Delta

/in , , /by /CBS 13 Sacramentoby Esteban Reynoso

An invasive species in the San Joaquin County Delta is putting water officials on high alert.

Despite its name, the golden mussel isn’t native to the Golden State, but instead to Southeast Asia. Now, some lake boat ramps and launches are closed, to try and keep the invasive species at bay.

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