The Helix Helps Customer Assistance Program starts today, April 5, and offers a one-time credit of up to $300 to help Helix Water District’s residential customers who live in a single-family home, are behind on their water bill and can demonstrate loss of income due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Encinitas, Calif. — Olivenhain Municipal Water District has been awarded $500,000 in grant funding from United States Bureau of Reclamation for OMWD’s Advanced Metering Infrastructure project. The award was made available through USBR’s Water and Energy Efficiency Research Program for Fiscal Year 2021.
Spring Valley, Calif. – The Otay Water District announces the launch of the 2021 WaterSmart Landscape Contest. The contest awards the title of “Best in District” and a $250 nursery gift card to the customer judged to have the most attractive, water-efficient yard. The deadline to enter is Friday, May 14, 2021.
One year into the coronavirus pandemic, San Diego County’s reservoirs and lakes have provided welcome opportunities for safe, accessible outdoor family recreation.
After shutting down in March 2020, facilities began to slowly reopen through the summer months by carefully implementing safety guidelines, including increased sanitation, social distancing, and restricted attendance to allow San Diegans to resume their favorite hiking, fishing, horseback riding, and bird watching activities.
Sweetwater Authority owns and maintains two popular recreation spots in San Diego County, Sweetwater Reservoir near Spring Valley and Loveland Reservoir, near Alpine.
Primarily a local water supply for Sweetwater Authority’s 200,000 customers in National City, Chula Vista, and Bonita, the agency has created recreational opportunities at the reservoirs. Fishing programs are offered at both reservoirs and a riding and hiking trail at Sweetwater Reservoir is operated by the County of San Diego.
Sweetwater is one of several regional water agencies that offer recreational opportunities at reservoirs and lakes. Helix Water District operates Lake Jennings, a hot spot for trout fishing. The City of San Diego also provides boat rentals and paddle-boarding at several of its reservoirs.
Sweetwater Authority owns and maintains two popular recreation spots in San Diego County, Sweetwater Reservoir (above) near Spring Valley and Loveland Reservoir near Alpine. Photo: Sweetwater Authority
Both fishing programs and the trail at Sweetwater Reservoir are designed to protect public health and the drinking water supply while benefiting the community.
“At Sweetwater Authority, part of our mission is finding the balance between human and environmental needs,” said Sweetwater Authority Board Chair Hector Martinez. “The recreation opportunities at our two reservoirs are a great example of how we achieve that balance. We can share these beautiful resources with the community while continuing to protect the local drinking water supply for our customers.”
A California Fishing License is required to fish at both reservoirs, and there are rules in place to ensure the protection of the water supply and sensitive habitats surrounding its reservoirs. For more information on current hours, fees, and COVID-19 safety, go to: www.sweetwater.org/fishing.
“The Board and I are proud to offer these recreation programs,” said Martinez. “We encourage the community to take advantage of these opportunities to get outside and enjoy the beauty of our water and the environment.”
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation has awarded three San Diego County water agencies a total of $2,788,500 in 2021 WaterSMART Water and Energy Efficiency Grants. A total of $42.4 million in grants was given to 55 projects across 13 states to improve water reliability and efficiency, conserving more 98,000 acre-feet of water per year.
“The Water Authority and its member agencies have been leaders in helping customers improve water efficiency, which ultimately helps our communities become more resilient to both dry years and the large-scale impacts of climate change,” said Water Authority Board Chair Gary Croucher. “This grant money is added value for our region as we continue to do our part for people and the planet.”
The Bureau of Reclamation grants support the new Executive Order on Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad to increase resilience to climate change impacts. The agency’s WaterSMART program works cooperatively with states, tribes, and local entities to plan and implement actions that increase water supply reliability through investments to modernize existing infrastructure and attention to local water conflicts.
March 24, 2021 – The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation has awarded three San Diego County water agencies a total of $2,788,500 in 2021 WaterSMART Water and Energy Efficiency Grants. A total of $42.4 million in grants was given to 55 projects across 13 states to improve water reliability and efficiency, conserving more 98,000 acre-feet of water per year.
San Diego County Water Authority crews recently replaced two pickup truck-sized valves at the agency’s Pressure Control and Hydroelectric Facility in central San Diego – each valve weighing about 35,000 pounds.
The replacement project took place during a scheduled shutdown of a portion of Pipeline 5, which delivers untreated water throughout the county. The pressure-control facility is a key piece of the Emergency and Carryover Storage Project, which ensures water is available around the region if imported water deliveries are disrupted.
Several large-diameter valves in the facility control the pressure and quantity of water delivered to reservoirs and water treatment plants in eastern and southern parts of the county. In addition, a hydroelectric turbine in the facility generates supplemental electricity that reduces the Water Authority’s energy costs while supplying surplus power to the region.
“The new valves will allow the facility to function efficiently at both low and high water flows, depending on regional demand,” said Kirk Whitaker, a senior engineer at the Water Authority. “The project is part of ongoing improvements that enhance the flexibility of our regional water delivery system.”
To perform the valve replacement, a large crane lifted the existing valves out of the facility through the roof and placed them onto flatbed trucks for delivery to a disposal and recycling site. The new valves were then lowered into the facility through the roof and fitted with new 42-inch pipeline sections. Concrete was poured to build pedestals that secure the valves in place.
The new valves were produced in Germany and transported to San Diego by ship. The valve installation process took four days to complete.
The Pressure Control and Hydroelectric Facility serves an important function in improving aqueduct operations and enhancing the flexibility of the Water Authority’s extensive water delivery system. The $21 million facility was completed in 2007 and pressurizes a 22-mile-long section of the Water Authority’s large-diameter Pipeline 5 between San Marcos and Mira Mesa.
The pipeline previously conveyed water in one direction only, from north to south, by gravity. This limited the Water Authority’s ability to move water around the county in the event of a supply disruption. Upgrades to Pipeline 5 now allow water to be transported either north or south using water stored at San Vicente Reservoir, which greatly improves pipeline operations and ensures that water can continue flowing to member agencies.
An angler casts a line, hoping for a nibble. Nearby, hikers and equestrians enjoy a morning walk along the water. Overhead, dozens of bird species, some of which are endangered, travel home to their nests made safe by protected areas around the reservoir. This idyllic scene is just another Saturday morning near Sweetwater Reservoir in Spring Valley, Calif.
March 17, 2021, Santee, Calif. – Padre Dam Municipal Water District’s Board of Directors unanimously approved using the recently received $1,157,552 rebate from the San Diego County Water Authority to offset the District’s next pass‐through rate increase from the San Diego County Water Authority. This action will result in a direct benefit to customers by the reduction or potential elimination of a water pass through increase in 2022.
Encinitas, Calif. — Olivenhain Municipal Water District’s Board of Directors accepted at its March 17 meeting the Government Finance Officers Association’s Distinguished Budget Presentation Award. The award was presented in recognition of OMWD’s budget for Fiscal Years 2021 and 2022. This is the nineteenth consecutive year OMWD has received this recognition.
Sweetwater Authority Logo 2019