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The San Diego County Water Authority presented its inaugural Water Innovation & Efficiency Award to Kyocera. Photo: Water Authority

Kyocera First Recipient of New Water Authority Award

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In an effort to remind regional stakeholders in the business community about the importance of water to San Diego’s regional economy, the San Diego County Water Authority presented its inaugural ‘Water Innovation & Efficiency Award’ to Kyocera International during the Industrial Environmental Association’s 34th annual conference at the San Diego Convention Center on September 28.

Kyocera was honored for its strong commitment to reusing water multiple in its production processes, thereby decreasing its water use by nearly 20 percent since 2014. This conserves more than 6 million gallons per year.

“Water is our most precious natural resource, and it’s so rewarding to see major employers like Kyocera redouble their efforts to use – and re-use – water efficiently,” said Jim Madaffer, whose term as chair of the Water Authority’s Board of Directors starts Oct. 1. “Corporate leadership like this, coupled with investments in water supply reliability, will help sustain our thriving economy and unparalleled quality of life.”

Madaffer presented the award to Kyocera in front of about 250 people at the conference. “There are a lot of folks in the industrial community here in San Diego,” he said. “By Kyocera’s example, we’re hoping that other companies follow their lead, being able to do what they can to save water for all of our region as well.”

Kyocera’s Meridith Marquis, Roger Blankenship and Mark Brodie accepted the award on behalf of the company.“Kyocera’s corporate motto is ‘Respect the Divine and Love People,’ which compels us to manufacture in resource-saving, eco-friendly ways,” said Marquis, divisional vice president for general affairs. “It takes a lot of water to manufacture the technology that surrounds us, and we must act in good conscience to recycle as much of that water as possible. The fact that we can save money while doing this makes it a win-win all around.”

View the award presentation video here.

Kyocera’s innovative efforts pay off

Headquartered in San Diego, Kyocera’s North American operations were established in 1971. Today, the company employs about 625 people locally and manufactures high-tech products such as ceramic semiconductor packages and microelectronic devices at its San Diego plant.

Kyocera has been investing in water-use efficiency at its local plant since 2000, with a marked increase in savings since 2014. Recent water savings result from:

  • Converting to a closed-loop cooling system that uses water multiple times instead of once
  • Re-using water from plating operations to cool its onsite co-generation plant
  • Installing water meters for production groups and making them accountable for water use
  • Adding flow regulators to fine-tune the amount of water delivered for manufacturing processes
  • Replenishing plating tanks only when necessary instead of continuously

Kyocera achieved significant water savings by installing a basic, off-the-shelf $30 valve allowing the company to repurpose reverse osmosis water that didn’t meet purity standards, and instead use it as cooling water. This single creative adjustment alone saved about 373,000 gallons per month. In all, Kyocera is saving about $62,500 a year in water costs compared to 2014, while upholding its corporate mission to embrace sustainability.

The Water Innovation & Efficiency Award is part of the Water Authority’s Brought to You by Water outreach and education program, designed to enhance the regional appreciation for the value of the safe and reliable water supplies. That effort includes enhanced partnerships to highlight the importance of water reliability to the region’s economy for tourism, agriculture, brewing, manufacturing and other key sectors.

This fall, the Water Authority is focusing on manufacturing companies with “products that put San Diego on the map.” For more information, go to the Brought To You By Water website.

 

Efficiencies Lower Long-Term Water Demand Forecast for San Diego Region

/in , /by by Water News Network Staff

Updated water-use projections for the San Diego region through 2040 are substantially lower than earlier forecasts due to efficiencies that have become standard practice at homes and businesses countywide.

That’s good news because it signals the potential for lower spending on water supply development and delivery in coming decades compared to previous forecasts.

The revised demand forecast by the San Diego County Water Authority also highlights how the region continues to align with state mandates for water-use efficiency even after nearly three decades of significant savings. Per capita potable water use in the Water Authority’s service area declined nearly 50 percent between fiscal years 1990 and 2017.

Changing Water-Use Habits Prompt ‘Reset’

Project water demands in San Diego County based on normal year conditions. Graphic: Water Authority

Project water demands in San Diego County based on normal-year conditions. Graphic: Water Authority

Revisions to the region’s water demand forecast were designed to align the Water Authority’s planning document with current water-use trends. Through the Urban Water Management Plan, the agency updates demand forecasts every five years, with the next comprehensive update in 2020.

However, emergency state regulations related to the 2012-2016 drought combined with the ongoing transformation of the landscaping market toward low-water-use designs and other factors significantly lowered water use between the formal five-year planning periods. That change prompted the interim demand “reset” by the region’s water wholesaler.

Instead of projecting 588,000 acre-feet of demand in 2020, the Water Authority now anticipates demand will be at 537,000 acre-feet – a reduction of approximately 9 percent. Projections through 2040 follow suit, so that annual demand is projected to be 655,000 acre-feet at the far end of the Water Authority’s planning horizon instead of 719,000 acre-feet.

“We wanted the forecast to reflect current conditions and demand levels, and we also wanted to have an inclusive process for receiving input from our member agencies,” said Tim Bombardier, principal water resources specialist for the Water Authority. “The net effect is that the interim demand forecast reset shifts the entire line down by about 60,000 acre-feet for the entire 2020 to 2040 planning horizon.”

The demand reset is intended as a provisional update, and a comprehensive update of the forecast will coincide with preparation of the Water Authority’s 2020 Urban Water Management Plan. Decreased demands change the amount of supplies necessary in future years, an issue the Water Authority will assess in detail when developing the 2020 plan. That process will start in late 2018.

Attendees sign the "Brought To You By Water" symbolic beach ball, naming summer activities that rely on a safe and reliable water supply. Photo: Water Authority. Brought To You

First Day of Summer ‘Brought To You’ By New Water Authority Education Campaign

/in , /by by Water News Network Mentioned: Mark Muir, Joe Terzi, Janice Brown, Ronne Froman
Quoted: San Diego County Water Authority

Dozens of partners from the San Diego region’s second largest industry, tourism, joined the San Diego County Water Authority for a special event aboard the USS Midway on the first day of summer, June 21, kicking off a new education and outreach campaign called ‘Brought To You By Water.’

The Water Authority program underscores the importance of water reliability to the region’s core industries, focusing on examples including tourism, manufacturing, agriculture, and craft brewing.

Watch video of the Brought to You Be Water kickoff event.

The event also showcased the release of a new San Diego Regional Economic Development Corp. (EDC) report highlighting the multi-billion-dollar economic impact of safe and reliable water supplies.

The EDC report underscores the importance of regional investments in clean, reliable water supplies to the San Diego region. It focused on more than $2.4 billion invested by the Water Authority in five major water reliability projects over the past two decades. Those projects generated $4.8 billion in total economic impact, supporting an average of 1,475 jobs annually over two decades and creating more than $1.8 billion in local wages and salaries. The report also found that access to safe and reliable water supplies supports $482 million in total regional sales of goods and services daily. “This figure is equivalent to the economic impact of nearly three Comic-Cons a day,” said Janice Brown, EDC board chairperson.

In addition, the report shows more than 2,800 people work in the water and wastewater sectors at the Water Authority and its 24 member agencies. The water industry provides career opportunities across all levels of educational attainment, in everything from customer service to engineering.

The Water Authority’s yearlong Brought to You by Water educational program explains how San Diego’s thriving economy and quality of life are all made possible by the safe and reliable water supply provided by the Water Authority and its 24 retail member agencies.

San Diego’s $17.9 billion tourism industry took center stage at Thursday’s event on the popular USS Midway Museum, with representatives and displays from the San Diego Tourism Authority, San Diego Zoo and Safari Park, LEGOLAND California, Balboa Park, Living Coast Discovery Center, the USS Midway, and additional attractions.

Local visitor industry shows the significance of safe and reliable water supplies

San Diego County attracts 35 million visitors annually, including 17.3 million hotel nights a year, more than 100 major conventions, and 194,000 tourism jobs. “Think about the pools, think about all of the attractions, think about the great parks. Balboa Park would not be Balboa Park without the opportunity to use water,” said Joe Terzi, President and CEO of the San Diego Tourism Authority.

In addition, the Water Authority is partnering with leaders in additional key economic sectors to showcase the significance of safe and reliable supplies to those industries. The outreach and education program includes a series of videos about the region’s iconic industries, which can be viewed and shared on social media, and a targeted advertising campaign.  To watch the videos, go to: b2ubyh2o.org 

Manufacturing: Nearly every one of the San Diego region’s groundbreaking 4,000 manufacturing facilities relies on water for washing, fabricating, cooling and other processes, which generate $23 billion in economic activity across 300 industries from world-famous guitars to Navy ships.

Craft Brewing: San Diego is justifiably proud of its $870 million a year craft brewing industry. But no one would enjoy a single pint wouldn’t be possible without safe and reliable water.

Coffee: Beer isn’t the only beverage making an impact in San Diego. The region is also home to a burgeoning coffee industry – another sector that values water as a core ingredient.

Agriculture: San Diego County’s farms produce nearly $2 billion annually in sales. Our region’s temperate climate and reliable water supplies support 5,500 local farms on more than 250,000 cultivated acres – plus numerous farmers markets, restaurants and grocery stores stocked with our local bounty.

Brought To You By Water outreach and education program activities planned

The ‘Brought to You By Water’ beach ball will travel to public events and gather more signatures this summer. Photo: Charlie Neuman for Water Authority

The “Brought To You By Water” program will be covered on the Water Authority’s newly created Water News Network, a regional online hub for water news and information at WaterNewsNetwork.com

“Over the next year, the Water Authority and its member agencies will make a special effort to highlight how our safe and reliable water supplies are critical to our economy, and quality of life,” said Mark Muir, Water Authority board chairman.

The Water Authority will participate in regional events for industry sectors, along with street fairs, farmers markets and other opportunities to talk about water with residents in the coming months. These events will feature a highlight of today’s kickoff, a giant beach ball – eight feet in diameter – branded with the Brought to You by Water logo and signed by guests at the conclusion of today’s event.

For more information about Brought to You by Water, visit B2UbyH2O.org

 

 

Lake Mead and Lake Powell – which provide storage for the Lower Basin states of Nevada, Arizona and California – are about 51 percent full. Photo: SDCWA Drought Talks

Bureau Executive Makes Case for Renewing Drought Talks in Colorado Basin

/in , /by by Darren Simon

El Centro, Calif. – U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Brenda W. Burman delivered a sobering message about the risks facing the Colorado River system and the need for action considering long-term drought conditions during an Imperial Irrigation District Board meeting on May 22.

In her first presentation to the IID Board of Directors since her confirmation as commissioner in November, Burman said it’s time to restart the stalled basin-wide drought contingency planning talks to address the threat of shortage on the river. Her discussion was filled with stark predictions for the river system should drought conditions continue, along with hopeful notes that worst-case shortage scenarios could be averted through conservation efforts.

Terry Fulp, the bureau’s regional director of the Lower Colorado River Basin, joined Burman at the IID meeting. Fulp said Lake Mead and Lake Powell – which provide storage for the Lower Basin states of Nevada, Arizona and California – are about 51 percent full.

Both lakes were near capacity in 1999, then dropped by half in just five years. That sudden loss of storage led to the development of the interim guidelines for managing a shortage on the river in 2007. In the years since, Fulp said, the river system has met demands despite the ongoing drought.

However, a shortage declaration may be triggered in the next two years because Lake Mead is barely over 1075 feet above sea level, the point at which a shortage could be declared. Fulp said Lake Mead would likely already be below the 1075-foot mark if not for conservation efforts across the Colorado River Basin.

Call to action on the river

Burman said she recognizes that drought contingency discussions have “fallen off,” but she said they need to start again with the goal of expanding conservation efforts throughout the river system. She said actions taken now will benefit water users today and serve the needs of the river system decades into the future, just as water users today benefit from the actions of the pioneers who built the system under the Boulder Canyon Act of 1928

“There absolutely needs to be action on the Colorado River,” she said. “The risk is too great.”

Under questioning from IID board members, Burman said “there is room” in drought contingency discussions to include additional storage for IID in Lake Mead (which IID has advocated for), and there could be flexibility in how that storage water is created.

When pressed on the Salton Sea, Burman said a memorandum of understanding between the state and federal governments remains in effect to address issues at the sea. She added that the federal government remains committed to the MOU even though the state is leading ongoing Salton Sea restoration efforts.

Burman said time will tell if drought contingency talks restart and whether agencies can reach agreement on the critical issues related to conservation and storage. To the extent that there is additional water conservation in the Imperial Valley, that likely would reduce flows to the Salton Sea – and that in turn would raise important questions about how reduced inflows would be mitigated to minimize impacts on sea levels.

Karla Nemeth, Director of the California Department of Water Resources, left, Cindy Messer, Chief Deputy Director (DWR), center, assists Frank Gehrke, Chief of the California Cooperative Snow Surveys Program, with the fourth snow survey of 2018 at Phillips Station in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The survey site is approximately 90 miles east of Sacramento off Highway 50 in El Dorado County. Photo: Dale Kolke / California Department of Water Resources

San Diego County Water Supplies Sufficient Despite Low Snowpack

/in /by by Water News Network Staff

San Diego County has secured sufficient water supplies for 2018 and beyond despite below-average, low snowpack in the Sierra Nevada at the start of April when the snowpack typically peaks.

The April 2 survey by the California Cooperative Snow Surveys Program showed water content in the snowpack statewide increased from 23 percent of average on March 1 to 54 percent of the historical average at the start of April. The early-April snow survey is deemed the most important for forecasting supplies from the State Water Project, which provides about 15 percent of the San Diego region’s water supplies.

“That’s a big improvement over last month, and there are still storms moving through the Sierra,” Alexi Schnell, a water resources specialist for the Water Authority, told the agency’s Board on April 12.

Water Use Drops Nearly 50 Percent

In San Diego County, ratepayers have invested heavily in drought-resilient supplies from water recycling, seawater desalination and conservation-and-transfer agreements for high-priority supplies from the Colorado River.

At the same time, the region’s per capita potable water use dropped by 47 percent between fiscal years 1990 and 2017 due to numerous conservation programs coupled with a strong commitment by residents and businesses countywide to “Live WaterSmart.”

In addition to the State Water Project, the San Diego region’s water supplies come from local sources such as the Claude “Bud” Lewis Carlsbad Desalination Plant and the Colorado River, which accounts for roughly three quarters of local supplies. Late March conditions in the Upper Colorado River Basin were better than the Sierra at 72 percent of normal snowpack – though the basin remains in a long-term drought.

Karla Nemeth, Director of the California Department of Water Resources, left, Cindy Messer, Chief Deputy Director (DWR), center, assists Frank Gehrke, Chief of the California Cooperative Snow Surveys Program, with the fourth snow survey of 2018 at Phillips Station in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The survey site is approximately 90 miles east of Sacramento off Highway 50 in El Dorado County. Photo: Dale Kolke / California Department of Water Resources low snowpack

Karla Nemeth, Director of the California Department of Water Resources, left, Cindy Messer, Chief Deputy Director (DWR), center, assists Frank Gehrke, Chief of the California Cooperative Snow Surveys Program, with the fourth snow survey of 2018 at Phillips Station in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The survey site is approximately 90 miles east of Sacramento off Highway 50 in El Dorado County. Photo:
Dale Kolke / California Department of Water Resources

Water Year Marked by Hot, Dry Conditions

On the home front, Lindbergh Field and the Ramona Airport have reported only 33 percent and 40 percent of normal rainfall respectively since the start of the water year in October.

In addition, the local hot streak persisted through late-winter, with average daily maximum temperatures at Lindbergh Field remaining above normal into early April. Over the past four years, only two months have been cooler than normal.

 

Region’s Farms Get Help Boosting Water Efficiency

/in /by by Water News Network Staff

Agriculture is a rich part of San Diego County’s heritage and foundational piece of the region’s economy, but it’s not easy to make a go of farming here given the hilly terrain, uneven soils and limited natural water supplies.

That’s where the San Diego County Water Authority comes in. The wholesale water agency has funded more than 2,300 free irrigation system evaluations for farmers since 1991 by partnering with the Fallbrook-based Mission Resource Conservation District. Those efforts can save farmers hundreds or even thousands of dollars each year, while stretching the region’s most valuable natural resource and improving crop performance.

And this year, the Water Authority is taking its agricultural assistance program to a new level by leveraging more than $1.5 million from a variety of sources to help improve irrigation efficiency at local farms with an enhanced package of services. By sharing costs with farmers, those funds will be stretched through 2021 to offer additional site evaluations and testing, soil mapping, water conservation planning, soil moisture sensors and technical assistance.

“I don’t think a lot of people really realize how important agriculture is to our economy,” says Michele Shumate, a water resources specialist at the Water Authority. “By improving water efficiency, we’re also supporting a large economy.”

Many Partners Enhance Efficiency Efforts

These dual benefits explain why the Water Authority helped to secure funding for expanded agricultural water efficiency efforts over the next three years. In addition to the Water Authority, the program partners are USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service, Mission Resource Conservation District, San Diego County Farm Bureau, and 10 Water Authority member agencies – Carlsbad, Escondido, Fallbrook, Oceanside, Rainbow, Rincon del Diablo, San Dieguito, Vallecitos, Valley Center and Yuima.

“The purpose of the funding is to address three related natural resource issues – water quantity, water quality and soil health,” said Shumate. “Making the most of our water supplies, reducing runoff and enhancing crop productivity benefit farmers and the region at large.”

San Diego County is home to approximately 5,700 farms – more than any other county in the nation – and they benefit from the region’s nearly perfect weather. But they also must contend with intermittent rain, hilly terrain and bedrock that can sit just a few feet below the surface – all of which makes irrigation efficiency both challenging and critical.

Irrigation evaluations typically begin with a conversation about current practices – when farmers irrigate, for how long and how many zones are in the irrigation system. Lance Andersen, who performs farm water-use evaluations as agricultural program director for the conservation district, then measures flow rates at sprinklers and water pressure at the risers. He produces a written report with recommendations for improving irrigation efficiency and offers a follow-up evaluation.

Simple Changes Can Yield Big Results

Easy fixes typically include adjusting water pressure throughout irrigation systems and replacing faulty pressure regulators. Regulating pressure on hilly terrain can be tricky, and Andersen often finds that water pressure in flat areas is too high, which results in overwatering. Ensuring that all emitters are of the same size and type is another easy adjustment for farmers.

It can be more challenging to adjust irrigation rates to account for soil type and depth. “Everybody kind of knows that we don’t have deep soil, but they don’t irrigate that way,” Andersen says.