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Fallbrook Public Utility District changes the painted numbers on its Rattlesnake Tank to reflect the year incoming seniors at Fallbrook High School will graduate. Photo: Fallbrook Public Utility District

Rattlesnake Tank Gets Class of 2023 Makeover

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The Fallbrook Public Utility District’s water storage tank uphill from South Mission Road has received a fresh set of painted numbers the past 40 years, but not everyone knows the story behind the annual makeover.

FPUD crews change the painted numbers on the tank to reflect the year incoming seniors at Fallbrook High School will graduate. A two-person team made up of district employees Colter Shannon (who also did it last year) and Martin Serrano performed the August task, painting over the “22” and changing it to “23” to welcome the graduating class of 2023.

It took district staff about five hours to paint the 25-foot-tall numbers onto the 3.6 million-gallon tank. Staff compressed the job, through the magic of time-lapse video, to about eight seconds.

“Parents and Fallbrook High seniors anxiously await the painting of the tank and begin calling the office early in June to find out when we’re doing it,” said Noelle Denke, FPUD public affairs officer. “This year, it’s especially exciting for them because so many of them are back on campus and need something to look forward to.”

Prior to painting the tank about four decades ago, Fallbrook High seniors would climb up the hill in the middle of the night as a traditional dare, scale the tank and then paint it themselves.

Because their annual antics took place at a significant height and in the dark, FPUD staff became concerned for student safety. Workers first tried installing a fence to prevent access by the yearly stealth painting crew.

The fence failed to deter the enterprising students. Instead, they began jumping the fence later at night. District officials struck a deal with the students. If they stopped risking their safety for the dare, FPUD would safely paint the tank yearly to commemorate them.

“We’ve been doing it ever since,” said Denke.

A 25-foot salute to Fallbrook High’s graduating seniors   

Rattlesnake Tank

One of the last attempts by Fallbrook High School students to paint the tank themselves in 1981. Photo: Fallbrook Public Utility District

Since the tank shares the space with several cell towers, Fallbrook Public Utility District arranges with them to power down their towers. Then crews safely hoist themselves up to the tower and get to work painting.

Rattlesnake Tank was built in the early 1950s and is one of Fallbrook’s oldest and most visible water tanks.

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

L to R: Governor Gavin Newsom; Clifford Chan, East Bay Municipal Utility District: Rick Cailender, Valley Water District; Joaquin Esquivel, State Water Resources Control Board; and Sandy Kerl, San Diego County Water Authority met on July 29 to discuss ways to maximize water supplies. Photo: San Diego County Water Authority water savings

Urban Water Suppliers Report Water Savings Progress Statewide

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Following Governor Gavin Newsom’s recent executive order and a State Water Board emergency regulation, members of the California Urban Water Agencies, or CUWA, including the San Diego County Water Authority continue to advance water-saving efforts, yielding measurable results.

These efforts come on the back of the driest first quarter in California’s history, which prompted the Governor to call for local water conservation steps rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. As severe drought conditions persist, state and local agencies are working together to support the Governor’s call to action and lower water use across all sectors through a variety of measures.

“Water conservation a way of life”

“Governor Newsom has demonstrated strong leadership in directing water agencies to implement actions that are the best fit for the communities we serve,” said Water Authority General Manager and CUWA Board Chair Sandy Kerl. “We look forward to continued collaboration at the state and local level as we collectively prepare for a more resilient future.”

“While we have made historic investments to protect our communities, economy, and ecosystems from the worsening drought across the West, it is clear we need to do more,” said Governor Newsom in a press release. “Amid climate-driven extremes in weather, we must all continue to do our part and make water conservation a way of life.”

Water savings increase; long-term drought resilience the goal

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The Carlsbad Desalination Plant uses reverse osmosis to produce approximately 10% of the region’s water supply; it is a core supply regardless of weather conditions, and it is blended with water from other sources for regional distribution. Photo: San Diego County Water Authority

Over the past few months, the Governor has convened a series of meetings with local water agencies, including Kerl and other CUWA representatives, to discuss progress and call for continued action. Since the first meeting in May, Californians have made substantial progress in conservation. Preliminary numbers suggest overall water use was down 7.5% in June compared to June 2020.

Based on an analysis of provisional data, CUWA agencies anticipate even greater water savings in July — about 10% on average compared to 2020, with several agencies exceeding 15% savings. This is due to significant investments in conservation rebates, turf replacement programs, public messaging, and outreach including stringent water use restrictions where necessary.

Beyond the immediate need for water conservation, Governor Newsom supports long-term drought resilience. “We are dealing with a changed climate in California that demands we reimagine not just how we use water, but how we capture, store and distribute it throughout the state,” Newsom said in a recent meeting.

In alignment with state priorities, CUWA members continue to invest in storage and drought-resilient supplies, such as water reuse and desalination, through local and collaborative regional efforts.

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Sweetwater Authority’s New Scholarship Program Supports Careers In The Water Industry

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Chula Vista, Calif. – Sweetwater Authority (Authority) recently launched a new scholarship program to provide funding for people interested in pursuing a career in the water industry. The Work for Water Scholarship is available to anyone living in the Authority’s service area.

Two $1,000 scholarships will be awarded to new or currently enrolled students at the Center for Water Studies at Cuyamaca College or another accredited college, community college or trade school with a career goal in the water industry.

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Padre Dam Board Vice President James Peasley Passes Away

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Santee, Calif. – Padre Dam Municipal Water District’s longtime Board member and Board Vice President James Peasley passed away on August 2. Board President Bill Pommering shares, “I have been honored to work with Jim for over a decade. Our community has lost a friend and a champion of serving the water needs of our community. Our prayers are with his wife Linda and his entire family.”

James Peasley served on Padre Dam’s Board of Directors for the last twelve years since 2010. He served as Board President in 2014 & 2019 and Vice President in 2013, 2018 & 2022. Additionally, he made significant contributions as a representative on the San Diego Metro Commission/Metro Wastewater Joint Powers Authority, San Diego Area Wastewater Management Committee, and the Santee Chamber of Commerce.

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Olivenhain Municipal Water District Logo landscape design workshops

Manchester Pipeline Projects Continue with Installation of Recycled Water Pipeline

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Encinitas, Calif. — Olivenhain Municipal Water District is beginning construction this week on a new recycled water pipeline in Encinitas along Manchester Avenue and South El Camino Real from Via Poco to Tennis Club Drive. Once complete, customers connecting to this new pipeline will irrigate with recycled water, which will reduce demand for imported potable water by more than 10 million gallons every year.

Recycled water is a sustainable water source that reduces the region’s dependence on imported water. OMWD is currently meeting approximately 14% of its total water demands using locally supplied recycled water for irrigation.

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Olivenhain Municipal Water District-recycled water pipeline-construction

Manchester Pipeline Projects Continue with Installation of Recycled Water Pipeline

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Olivenhain Municipal Water District is beginning construction this week on a new recycled water pipeline in Encinitas along Manchester Avenue and South El Camino Real from Via Poco to Tennis Club Drive. Once complete, customers connecting to this new pipeline will irrigate with recycled water, which will reduce demand for imported potable water by more than 10 million gallons every year.

Recycled water is a sustainable water source that reduces the region’s dependence on imported water. OMWD is currently meeting approximately 14% of its total water demands using locally supplied recycled water for irrigation.

Recycled water pipeline

“Recycled water is a critical tool in our effort to diversify our water supply and reduce the impacts of drought,” said OMWD Board President Larry Watt. “By converting from potable to recycled water for irrigation, this project has become yet another example of how we can significantly reduce our potable water consumption.”

This new pipeline is an element of the larger North San Diego County Regional Recycled Water Project — a collaborative effort among nine North County agencies that coordinate across jurisdictional boundaries. The water that OMWD will deliver through the new pipeline is produced at San Elijo Joint Powers Authority’s water reclamation facility in Cardiff.

Cost-effective for water ratepayers

OMWD has aggressively sought grant funding for this project to make it cost-effective for ratepayers. The efforts have been successful, with OMWD achieving $1,350,000 from California’s Department of Water Resources for two separate segments of the pipeline, and approximately $400,000 from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s Title XVI Water Reclamation and Reuse Program.

The project is expected to be completed in 2023 and progress updates can be found at www.olivenhain.com/projects and by following OMWD on Facebook and Twitter.

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Manchester Avenue potable water pipeline replacement project completed

Earlier this year, the Olivenhain Municipal Water District 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.

(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.)

Agencies Cooperating to Refurbish Reservoir for Recycled Water

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As drought conditions worsen in California, the San Elijo Joint Powers Authority is partnering with the San Dieguito and Olivenhain Municipal water districts to expand water recycling in north San Diego County.

The three districts’ cooperation in the planning and building of recycled water infrastructure dates to the early 1990s. Today, the agencies are planning a $2.2 million rehabilitation of the Wanket Reservoir. The San Dieguito and Olivenhain water districts built the 3-million-gallon reservoir in 1974.

The concrete tank, which overlooks the Encinitas Ranch Golf Course east of Quail Gardens Drive, was last used to store potable water in 2008, as water conservation efforts and more-efficient indoor plumbing rendered the tank unnecessary.

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Helix Water District Logo Square officers for 2021

Helix Recognized For Openness and Accessibility

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La Mesa, Calif. – The Special District Leadership Foundation has announced that Helix Water District is the recipient of the District Transparency Certificate of Excellence in recognition of the district’s outstanding efforts to promote transparency and good governance. The district has consistently received this award since 2015.

“This award demonstrates the commitment of our board and staff to open government and accountability to the people and communities we serve,” said Helix General Manager Carlos Lugo. “We are very proud of what we have done to empower the public and facilitate engagement with our customers.”

 

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Helix Water District Logo Square officers for 2021

Helix Recognized for Excellence in Financial Reporting

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La Mesa, Calif. – The Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA)  announced today that Helix Water District is the recipient of a Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for our fiscal year 2022-23 budget document.

“This award shows the commitment by the district’s board of directors and staff to serving the public with integrity, fiscal accountability, and transparency.” Said Kathleen Hedberg, Helix Water District’s Board President. “Our budget is well organized and easy to read. We want customers to easily see what we are doing, how we are efficient, and how we keep our operating costs steady.”

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Water Authority General Manager Sandra Kerl Named CUWA Board Chair

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July 21, 2022 – San Diego County Water Authority General Manager Sandra L. Kerl is taking the reins as board chair of California Urban Water Agencies (CUWA), a nonprofit corporation that supports development of sound water policy statewide.

The Water Authority is one of 11 member agencies of CUWA that are collectively responsible for serving drinking water to about two-thirds of California’s population. As the united voice for the state’s largest urban water purveyors, CUWA provides a technical perspective to promote common understanding and consensus-based solutions for urban water issues.

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