All Features
Behind-the-scenes stories about regional water issues, projects, and people.
The Water News Network is San Diego County’s source for water news and information.
The Water News Network is San Diego County’s source for water news and information.
Landscape Makeover Program Adds New ‘Designer At Your Door’ Service
/in Conservation Corner, Features /by Gayle FalkenthalThere is a new opportunity for San Diego County residents who want to save water through the WaterSmart Landscape Makeover Program: “Designer At Your Door.” This new in-person service offers on-site and in-studio technical design assistance from landscape industry professionals for qualified residents. As 2023 begins with cool, rainy weather, now is the ideal time […]
San Diego County Student Artwork Featured in 2023 Calendar
/in Education, Features /by Gayle FalkenthalSix San Diego County student artists are among the 37 Southern California students whose artwork will appear in the 2023 “Water Is Life” Student Art Calendar. The “Water is Life” Student Art Calendar is produced annually by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, or MWD. It showcases student artwork visually illustrating important water conservation […]
Water Industry Workers Support Holiday Giving Programs
/in Features /by Gayle FalkenthalHoliday giving programs are a tradition among the San Diego region’s water and wastewater agencies. As in previous years, in 2022, employees pitched in to help a wide array of nonprofit community services. Members of the San Diego County Water Authority’s Charitable Giving Committee and Employee Association teamed up to help out in a food […]
Chula Vista Students Learn How Water Produces Energy
/in Education, Features /by Gayle FalkenthalStudents in the Chula Vista Elementary School District learned about the science of hydroelectric power during their most recent Innovation LIVE! event. The online lesson, “Water + Wheel = Power!” was led by CVESD’s Hydro Station on December 2. The Hydro Station opened nearly four years ago at the Richard A. Reynolds Groundwater Desalination Facility. […]
Lake San Marcos HOA Landscape Makeovers Benefit From County Watershed Restoration Program
/in Features, WaterSmart Living /by Gayle FalkenthalLake San Marcos area homeowners associations are conserving water and helping restore the area’s watershed with support from the County of San Diego’s Watershed Rebate program. The rebate program is part of the County’s Watershed Protection Program. Through a partnership between the program and the San Diego County Water Authority, residences and businesses in unincorporated […]
San Diegan Lois Fong-Sakai Elected MWD Board Secretary
/in Achievements, Features /by Mike LeeSan Diego County Water Authority board member Lois Fong-Sakai has been elected secretary of the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. Fong-Sakai, who represents the City of San Diego on the Water Authority board, is a registered civil engineer in California and Nevada. She becomes the first Asian-American to service […]
San Diego County Water Authority Named a 2022 Top Workplace
/in Achievements, Features /by Mike LeeThe San Diego County Water Authority has been named a Top Workplace for 2022 by The San Diego Union-Tribune – the second straight year the agency has been recognized. The newspaper’s honor roll is based solely on employee feedback through third-party surveys by Energage LLC, an employee engagement technology firm. “Everyone in San Diego County […]
Building Named to Honor Water Industry Pioneer Dawn McDougle
/in Achievements, Features /by Gayle FalkenthalThe Vallecitos Water District honored former staffer and water industry pioneer Dawn McDougle by naming a building in her honor. The McDougle Building, at the Meadowlark Reclamation Facility, celebrates her three decades in the wastewater industry. McDougle, who retired at the end of 2021, joined district and industry colleagues, friends and family, at a dedication […]
Elfin Forest Recreational Reserve Photo Contest Open
/in Education, Features /by Gayle FalkenthalThe Elfin Forest Recreational Reserve photo contest gives amateur photographers more visual opportunities in its 16th year, accepting entries from Fall through early Spring 2023. Designed to be a fun and educational way to showcase the natural beauty at Olivenhain Municipal Water District’s Elfin Forest Recreational Reserve, the contest is open for entries from November […]
Free Online WaterSmart Landscape Design Workshops
/in Conservation Corner, Features /by Mike LeeAs California enters a fourth straight year of drought, more residents are taking advantage of free, online webinars helping them create a beautiful, water-efficient outdoor landscape. New three-hour workshops are now scheduled through December, funded in part by the County of San Diego Watershed Protection Program. Taught by local landscape professionals, upcoming webinars focus on […]
Water Districts Offer Discounted Rain Barrels
/in Conservation Corner, Features /by Gayle FalkenthalDue to the persistence of California’s unprecedented megadrought, capturing rainfall when it occurs is a conservation priority. Several water districts in North San Diego County are offering discounted rain barrels. To encourage water conservation as drought conditions persist, the Olivenhain Municipal Water District, Carlsbad Municipal Water District, San Dieguito Water District, and Santa Fe Irrigation […]
Free “Drought-Proof Your Garden” Webinars with Waterwise Garden Guru
/in Features, WaterSmart Living /by Mike LeeThe San Diego County Water Authority and waterwise garden guru Nan Sterman have teamed up to offer a series of free public webinars designed to help San Diego County residents care for their gardens during a fourth straight year of severe drought. Starting at 7 p.m. on Nov. 2, Sterman will host periodic webinars during […]
Water News Network Best Public Service Website 5th Time at SD Press Club Awards
/in Achievements, Features /by Mike LeeThe Water News Network was awarded first place as the Best Public Service or Consumer Advocacy Website in the 49th annual San Diego Press Club Excellence in Journalism Awards. It’s the fifth consecutive year the WNN website has won first place in that category. The award for best public service website is one of seven […]
City of Escondido Recognized as Water Saving Model
/in Conservation Corner, Features /by Gayle FalkenthalAs California endures its worst drought in 1,200 years, San Diego County’s water industry has developed diversified sources and accelerated conservation practices to secure its water supply for the future. The City of Escondido’s innovative water treatment and saving methods offers a model for other drought-stricken cities. Escondido has led the San Diego region on […]
New State Tax Break and Lawn Removal Rebates Save Money, Water
/in Conservation Corner, Features /by Mike LeeFall is the perfect time to yank those thirsty lawns and install drought-tolerant landscapes with the help of cooler days and major financial incentives. Homeowners and businesses in San Diego County can receive between $2 and $4 per square foot for removing grass and replacing it with low water-use plants that are better suited to […]