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MWD’s Water-Use Mandates Don’t Impact San Diego Region

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April 26, 2022 – “The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California’s Board of Directors today voted to implement a series of actions to address serious water shortages in parts of its service area that solely depend on the State Water Project. Those restrictions do not directly affect residents and businesses who receive water from the San Diego County Water Authority through their retail water provider because our region is not currently receiving water from the State Water Project.

“The San Diego region continues to have reliable water supplies for 2022 and beyond due to a long-term commitment to conservation and investments in a diversified water supply portfolio, including drought-resilient sources like the Claude “Bud” Lewis Carlsbad Desalination Plant. However, extreme drought conditions are felt widely across the West, and we strongly support agencies taking appropriate conservation actions where they are needed.

“The Water Authority’s Board of Directors has not enacted water-use mandates as we wait for the State Water Board’s direction and final emergency regulations in late May. In addition, Water Authority’s diversified supplies remain intact.

“We continue to support the Governor’s call for increased voluntary conservation at homes and businesses. We encourage actions such as taking shorter showers and fixing leaks immediately, along taking advantage of rebates for replacing turf with landscapes that are WaterSmart and climate-appropriate.”

— Sandra L. Kerl, General Manager, San Diego County Water Authority

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To minimize the impact on the surrounding community, construction on the Manchester Avenue pipeline replacement project took place mainly at night. Photo: Olivenhain Municipal Water District

Manchester Avenue Potable Water Pipeline Replacement Project Completed

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The Olivenhain Municipal Water District recently completed the Manchester Avenue Potable Water Pipeline Project. In total, 3,700 linear feet of aged potable water pipeline was replaced along Manchester Avenue, Rancho Santa Fe Road and Encinitas Boulevard.

The pipelines previously serving water in this area were installed in 1961 and were approaching the end of their lifespan. OMWD takes a proactive approach in repairing and replacing aging water infrastructure to avoid leaks and ensure the continuation of uninterrupted water service to its customers. In the third year of drought in California, projects like this pipeline replacement, help save potable water and reduces costs to ratepayers.

“Emergency leaks are very costly, can waste millions of gallons of water, and can be disruptive to surrounding communities,” said Bob Topolovac, OMWD board director. “The investments we made to prevent these emergencies will benefit our ratepayers well into the future.”

Crews complete the final backfilling and repaving of the excavation area on Manchester Avenue required to facilitate the new pipeline installation. Photo: Olivenhain Municipal Water District

Crews complete the final backfilling and repaving of the excavation area on Manchester Avenue required to facilitate the new pipeline installation. Photo: Olivenhain Municipal Water District

Pipelines replaced included:

  • Approximately 1,900 linear feet of 12-inch pipeline in Manchester Avenue from Colony Terrace north to Encinitas Boulevard
  • Approximately 450 linear feet of 12-inch pipeline in Encinitas Boulevard west of Rancho Santa Fe Road
  • Approximately 500 linear feet of 12-inch pipeline in Rancho Santa Fe Road north of Encinitas Boulevard
  • Approximately 850 linear feet of eight-inch pipeline in South Rancho Santa Fe Road

The project completion map shows streets now fully opened to traffic and restored. Graphic: Olivenhain Municipal Water District

To minimize the impact on the surrounding community, construction took place mainly at night. The project was completed on time and with no major disruptions or water outages to the impacted community. OMWD coordinated with the City of Encinitas on a traffic management plan to mitigate construction traffic, and there were no significant traffic impacts.

 

(Editor’s note: The Olivenhain Municipal Water District is one of the San Diego County Water Authority’s 24 member agencies that deliver water across the metropolitan San Diego region.)

Sweetwater Authority Logo 2019Sweetwater Authority Logo 2019

Sweetwater Authority Strives to Continue To Improve Water Quality In Its Service Area

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Chula Vista, Calif. – Earlier this month, Sweetwater Authority (Authority) received calls from customers in the City of National City regarding discoloration of their drinking water. Upon receiving these calls, staff from the Authority’s Water Quality department deployed staff into the field to perform site investigations at several homes and businesses. An in-depth investigation led staff to find a significant change in system pressure, which was the result of a new water main that was being installed and a zone valve being inadvertently opened. Once this valve was closed, the water discoloration ceased. The Authority is working on continued enhancements to its best management practices to mitigate these types of events from occurring in the future.

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Vallecitos Board Declares Level 2 Drought Alert

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San Marcos, Calif. – California’s drought, which seemed to be retreating after soaking storms in both October and December, is now all but certain to continue into a third year after the driest January and February in recorded history. The record-breaking dry period and the absence of significant rains in March have required the State Department of Water Resources to reduce anticipated deliveries from the State Water Project to 5 percent of requested supplies. While the state continues to take necessary actions to help extend the state’s existing water supply, state agencies are asking all Californians to do their part now to conserve as much water as possible to make it last.

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OMWD Completes Manchester Avenue Potable Water Pipeline Project

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Encinitas, Calif. —  Olivenhain Municipal Water District’s Board of Directors unanimously approved today the filing of a notice of completion for the Manchester Avenue Potable Water Pipeline Project. Pipeline replacement work is now complete along Manchester Avenue, Rancho Santa Fe Road, and Encinitas Boulevard. In total, 3,700 linear feet of aged potable water pipeline was replaced.

The pipelines previously serving water in this area were installed in 1961 and were approaching the end of their lifespan. OMWD takes a proactive approach in repairing and replacing aging water infrastructure to avoid leaks and ensure the continuation of uninterrupted water service to its customers. As the impact of California’s drought continues to escalate, projects like this that help save potable water are even more urgent.

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Pipleline 4 repair in March 2022 saved money for San Diego County water ratepayers

Asset Management: Successful Pipeline Repair 4 Project in San Diego

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Tens of millions of gallons of water are flowing through a major pipeline in North San Diego County after successful repairs on a distressed section of Pipeline 4. The urgent repair project is a testament to the San Diego County Water Authority’s proactive Asset Management Program, which helps maintain water supply reliability while saving ratepayers money. The pipeline near Bonsall, returned to service in March, after a 10-day shutdown.

High-tech asset management program

Water Authority staff detected potential pipeline weaknesses just north of West Lilac Road in January using real-time acoustic fiber-optic monitoring. This technology locates distressed sections of pipelines even while they are in use as part of the agency’s high-tech asset management program.

As a result of the frequency or rate of change of wire breaks, Water Authority staff began preparing in late January for a 10-day shutdown to replace two distressed sections of pipe.

Preparations included:

  • Coordination with member agencies
  • Meeting with affected homeowners in the vicinity of the work
  • Preparing for the aqueduct shutdown
  • Completing engineering design for the pipe replacement; and
  • Procuring a contractor to complete the repair

Asset Management-Pipeline 4-infrastructure

The pipe was delivered on February 28.

Asset Management-Pipeline 4-March 2022

The pipeline was shutdown March 1.

Asset Management-Pipeline 4-Urgent Repair

By that evening, the pipe was nearly excavated.

Asset Management-Pipeline 4-March 2022

The next morning, March 2, the Water Authority asset management team performed

an evaluation of the wire breaks.

Asset management-Pipeline 4-March 2022

After the inspection, the installation of the new steel pipe started, including rebar

work for the concrete encasement. On March 5, the contractor poured 12 truckloads of concrete for the encasement.

Pipeline 4 March 2022

Once the pipeline replacement work was completed, crews

took a final walk through of the pipe in preparation of refill.

Maintenance crews reset a blowoff valve assembly that was removed for access to the pipeline.

P4 work completed after 10 day shutdown-March 2022

By the last day of the 10-day shutdown, the contractor had pulled the shoring and was completing backfill, allowing the pipeline to be put back into operation according to schedule.

Asset management team saves ratepayers money

Pipeline 4 repair work included collaboration with five North County member agencies served by the pipeline, and operations staff from throughout San Diego County, which helped plan and execute the timely completion of the repair.

The asset management team uses the latest inspection technologies to detect age-related defects that might be occurring on pipelines and other water conveyance facilities. By identifying defects early, they can often be corrected using localized, low-cost repair methods prior to them becoming larger, more costly issues.

The Water Authority operates and maintains a regional water delivery system capable of delivering more than 900 million gallons of water per day. The system consists of 310 miles of large-diameter pipeline, 1,600 aqueduct-related structures, and approximately 100 metering/flow control facilities.

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Vista Irrigation District Mourns The Loss of Director Paul Dorey

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Vista, Calif. – Vista Irrigation District is saddened by the passing of board member Paul Dorey on April 8, 2022.

Dorey served on the district board of directors for over 15 years. He retired from the district in 2004 after nearly 33 years of service and was first elected in 2006. Dorey has served as both board president and vice president three times each; he also served as the chair of the district’s fiscal policy, Warner Ranch, groundwater, water sustainability and public affairs committees, and as the district’s representative on the San Luis Rey Watershed Council.

“Paul cared deeply for his community and dedicated his career to public service and ensuring the delivery of a safe and reliable water supply to district customers,” stated Marty Miller, board president.

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landfalling atmospheric rivers-drought-CW3E-science

Few Strong Landfalling Atmospheric Rivers Reach California

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Few landfalling atmospheric rivers in the current water year have reached California, now in the third year of a statewide drought.

The latest update from the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes, Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego, shows that Water Year 2022 started strong in October, but weaker storms did not ease dry conditions.

landfalling atmospheric rivers-drought-CW3E

Landfalling atmospheric rivers

The CW3E report, Distribution of Landfalling Atmospheric Rivers over the U.S. West Coast During Water Year 2022: Summary Through March, was published April 7.

“While Water Year 2022 began with an exceptional AR over California in October, the state only experienced strong or greater magnitude AR conditions FIVE times, resulting in three straight water years of below normal activity,” according the report.

The report shows that the “lack of impactful events over consecutive years” – water year 2021 and water year 2020, combined with the current water year, has resulted in three straight years of below normal activity. Bottom line: If California hoped strong atmospheric rivers would end the current drought this water year, that’s not happening, at least so far. And the two previous years were a bust, creating extremely dry conditions across the state.

CW3E and Water Authority partnership

The San Diego County Water Authority partnered with the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes, at UC San Diego in 2020 to better predict atmospheric rivers and improve water management before, during, and after those seasonal storms. The Center and its partners share best practices in forecast-informed reservoir operations, increased research around atmospheric rivers and droughts, and develop strategies for mitigating flood risk and increasing water supply reliability.

“Through our partnership with CW3E and the AR forecasting tools they’ve developed, it better prepares us in management of our water resources using regional storage,” said Jeff Stephenson, Water Resources Manager with the San Diego County Water Authority, in 2021. “This storage, in conjunction with developing multiple water supply sources in the San Diego region, has prepared us for years when rainfall levels are below normal in the region.”

landfalling atmospheric rivers-drought-CW3E-research-science

For additional details and graphics go to: https://bit.ly/38rSTNE.

Atmospheric rivers-drought-California drought-climate

(Editor’s Note: Atmospheric river analysis by Chad Hecht, Julie Kalansky, & F. Martin Ralph. This analysis is considered experimental.)

City of San Diego Receives High Grades for Sewer Revenue Bonds

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San Diego, Calif. – Two credit ratings agencies have given the City of San Diego’s sewer revenue bonds high grades, a positive sign as the City moves forward on making important upgrades and rehabilitating its sewer system infrastructure.

 

Fitch Ratings and S&P Global Ratings have both assigned ‘AA’ ratings to approximately $158 million subordinate sewer revenue bonds, issued by the City’s Public Facilities Financing Authority. 

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Sweetwater Authority Logo 2019Sweetwater Authority Logo 2019

Sweetwater Authority Encourages Continued Water Efficiency and Applauds Customers’ Ongoing Efforts

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Chula Vista, Calif. – Sweetwater Authority continues to encourage customers to use water wisely and efficiently. On March 28, Governor Newsom called upon water agencies in California to activate their Drought Response Plans to higher levels of water restrictions to mitigate concerns of the long-term drought impacting our state. Because of the hard work and water efficient lifestyle that Authority customers have always embraced, we are already meeting the 20 percent water reduction associated with higher levels of the Drought Response Plan.

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