California residents can expect an increase in their water allocation next year, the Department of Water Resources announced Monday.
Supplies from the State Water Project have risen from 5% earlier this month to 15%, providing more water for 27 million Californians.
The San Diego region’s future depends on water. The San Diego County Water Authority and its 22 member agencies depend on the skill and dedication of all their professionals to provide a safe, reliable water supply to support the region’s economy and the quality of life of its residents.
Professional landscape maintenance personnel play a vital role in the water industry in San Diego County, overseeing environmental stewardship, water conservation, and the preservation of habitats and ecosystems.
Russ Kubota helps maintain the vegetation and habitat throughout the Vallecitos Water District, including easements, and ensures accessibility to key facilities, including pipelines, tanks, and reservoirs. Photo: Vallecitos Water District
Russell Kubota has dedicated 23 years to his work as a Landscape Maintenance Worker II with the Vallecitos Water District. Kubota helps maintain the vegetation and habitat throughout the district, including easements and ensures accessibility to key facilities, including pipelines, tanks, and reservoirs.
Kubota has a degree in ornamental horticulture and two licenses from the California Department of Pesticide Regulation, allowing him to use herbicides when required to help manage the district’s environment. He has worked in the Conservation Department, performing irrigation audits, and represented the district performing outreach at events such as the San Marcos Street Fair, educating the public on water conservation.
Currently, Kubota focuses on maintaining a fire-safe, ecologically healthy ecosystem throughout the Vallecitos Water District, covering approximately 1,989 acres in north inland San Diego County.
Safety is a key responsibility. “In the event of an emergency or even for routine maintenance, one of the biggest reasons I have to maintain the vegetation around our facilities is for safety,” said Kubota. “Being able to easily access and work around our equipment without being exposed to any hazards like rattlesnakes or bees.”
Russ Kubota and his team at the Vallecitos Water District work with the California Department of Forestry (CalFIRE), which helps provide personnel for vegetation management through its inmate firefighter program. Photo: Vallecitos Water District
Kubota coordinates this effort with the California Department of Forestry (CalFIRE). CalFIRE helps provide personnel for vegetation management through its inmate firefighter program, officially called the “Conservation (Fire) Camp Program.” It is run by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR).
Kubota says he’s grateful for the opportunity to work with the program participants. “Because all these areas are part of public infrastructure, the inmates receive time off from their sentences for community service.”
Monitoring and removing invasive plant species is a key responsibility for Russ Kubota. Photo: Vallecitos Water District
Kubota oversees the removal of non-native plants that are flammable and invasive, such as eucalyptus, castor bean, pampas grass, and salt cedar.
“Many areas of our district are near environmentally sensitive habitat. I always try to be aware of all the different types of plants and animals that are in our easements and right of ways,” said Kubota.
Kubota says he enjoys being outdoors, working in the many beautiful areas of the district. “I’m outside all the time, out in the fresh air, and we have lots of wildlife out here and a lot of natural vegetation like our oak trees. It’s just a beautiful place to work.”
Kubota says he hasn’t considered retiring because he gets to work outdoors and with people who are equally dedicated to their jobs at the Vallecitos Water District. It also doesn’t hurt that his job gives him time to surf in the morning before work.
“I really do enjoy the people I work with. I love the job sites that I go to. I love the entire work environment here at Vallecitos,” said Kubota.
The Biden administration signed off on Friday on its plan for how to run the massive system of pumps, canals, reservoirs that moves water across California, just weeks before President-elect Donald Trump takes office with a very different vision.
The Bureau of Reclamation’s record of decision closes a four-year process to overturn Trump’s previous rules for the Central Valley Project, which both environmentalists and the state of California claimed did not adequately protect endangered fish like the Chinook salmon and Delta smelt and sued over.
As we watch our water bills rise and are asked to consistently conserve water in a drought – billions of gallons of water are being dumped from the Lake Hodges Dam and there are concerns more water will be wasted this winter.
It’s been a dry fall, but we are expecting rain in the coming months and because the dam is badly in need of repairs, water levels have to be kept very low right now – meaning more of this precious resource will be released into the ocean.
A flooding problem that’s inflating the price tag of San Diego’s Pure Water recycling system by many millions is also creating another problem that’s frustrating people from Mission Valley to Point Loma.
The seemingly never-ending closure of westbound Friars Road at a key choke point between Napa Street and Sea World Drive is causing major congestion during rush hour and doubling commute times for many.
The cost of water in San Diego will continue to skyrocket but we don’t have a good idea where or whether it will stop.
The city of San Diego recently revealed its own water rates will rise a whopping 61 percent through 2029, adding about $57 per month to the average water bill. Part of the reason is the San Diego County Water Authority, which sells water to the region’s 22 water districts, is paying off debt and deals it took on many years ago to claim more Colorado River water and tap into ocean water for drinking. Another reason is cities like San Diego are building their own expensive wastewater recycling systems.
California state government and many local agencies put a premium on reducing greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change.
But recent developments underscore the parallel emphasis on adapting to the effects of global warming — from advances in sea-level rise strategies to stretching water supplies to thinning forests at high risk for wildfire.
Delfina Gonzalez was sworn in at a special Otay Water District board of directors meeting on December 6. Gonzalez was elected to represent Division Two in the November 2024 election.
“I am honored to have been elected by the community of division two and proud to serve Otay’s ratepayers,” said Gonzalez. “My vision is to prioritize long-term planning, responsible water usage, fiscal accountability, and customer service. I am committed to fostering sustainable, pragmatic solutions for South Bay’s water needs, growth, and the well-being of families and businesses.
“The District has accomplished a great deal through its board and staff, and I am dedicated to being part of this team to continue executing the District’s mission.”
Defina Gonzalez participates in her first Otay Water District board meeting. Photo: Otay Water District
Gonzalez brings a multifaceted career to the board, spanning education, labor organizing, business ownership, and community relations. With more than 25 years of dedicated service to Chula Vista and the South San Diego region, she has been a strong advocate for civic engagement and water policy.
Gonzalez previously served on the Citizen Advisory Committee for the Sweetwater Authority and is an elected member of the San Diego County Central Committee, where she has contributed to critical discussions on water policy and political advocacy. Additionally, she has been active in the City of Chula Vista’s district four civic initiatives.
Her professional experience includes her role as a childcare coordinator and department specialist at Southwestern College, where she enhanced educational programs and organized events include the annual Day of the Young Child Conference.
Gonzalez also owned an event planning company, managing large-scale city events. Bilingual in English and Spanish, she is known for her ethical leadership, expertise in policy development, financial literacy, and community engagement.
Gonzalez’s commitment to public service is reflected in completing the San Diego County Water Authority’s Citizens Water Academy. She is also a board member of I Am Green, a nonprofit addressing homelessness and promoting eco-friendly and environmental solutions for a greener future.
Originally from Spring Valley and a lifelong San Diegan, she resides in Chula Vista with her husband, Reyes, and is the proud mother of three adult children. During her free time, she enjoys participating in cultural events, church activities, and spending time with her dogs.
Director Gonzalez’s term will run from December 2024 through December 2028.
The five-member Otay Water District Board of Directors is the governing body of the District. It is responsible for setting rates for service, taxes, policies, and ordinances, adopting the annual budget, and other matters related to the management and operation of the water agency. Voters elect each director within one of five divisions to represent the public’s interest on the Board. Directors serve four-year terms in office.
New York City is the water poverty capital of the United States, according to a study citing census data, with 56,900 residents living without access to running water in 2021.
In second place was Los Angeles, with 45,900 people, followed by San Francisco, with 24,400. In Chicago and Houston, more than 22,000 residents do not have access to running water.
For decades, California’s water debates have centered on a familiar tension: agriculture versus urban consumption. Agriculture, which consumes 80% of the state’s developed water supply, has long dominated discussions about conservation and efficiency. Yet, a new contender is emerging, one poised to dwarf agriculture in water demand and reshape the state’s water future: artificial intelligence (AI).
California’s agricultural sector is the backbone of the nation’s food supply, using approximately 34 million acre-feet of water annually — over 11 trillion gallons. This water sustains crops like almonds, grapes and rice, many of which are highly water-intensive and vital to the state’s economy. For decades, agriculture has been framed as the primary focus of water conservation efforts, with farmers frequently cast as both stewards and villains of California’s strained water resources.
