Agency News

News from the Water Authority and its 24 member agencies.

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Robert Kephart Selected to Fill Division 4 Vacancy on OMWD Board of Directors

Encinitas, Calif. — Olivenhain Municipal Water District’s Board of Directors selected Robert Kephart at its November 7 meeting as the new director representing Division 4 of OMWD’s service area. Mr. Kephart fills the seat left vacant by the resignation of Jerry Varty. Mr. Kephart has 20 years of service on the County of San Diego […]

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Otay Water District Executes Successful Bond Sale

Spring Valley, Calif. – On Oct. 11, the Otay Water District executed a successful bond sale that is expected to close on or about Nov. 1. The water revenue bond will fund $28 million of District’s capital projects during the next three years and will refinance $6.9 million of the District’s 1996 Variable Rate Demand […]

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Otay Water District Board Approves Overall Average Sewer Rate Decrease of Seven Percent for 2019

Spring Valley, Calif. – At its Oct. 3 meeting, the Otay Water District Board approved an overall average sewer rate decrease of seven percent for 2019. The rate decrease will take effect with sewer service billed on or after January 1, 2019, and may apply to sewer service used as early as the beginning of […]

Selling the land to a conservancy ensures the popular Sandia Creek hiking trails will remain preserved and open to the public forever. Photo: FPUD Fallbrook Hiking Destination

Popular Fallbrook Hiking Destination Preserved by FPUD Deal

Fallbrook, Calif. – The parking lot at the Sandia Creek trailhead was supposed to be 150 feet under water, if everything had gone as planned. The land was supposed to be flooded and turned into a dam. That would have made for some beautiful lakefront property in Fallbrook. But things didn’t quite turn out as […]

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Water Authority Wins 2018 WaterSense Excellence Award

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today recognized the San Diego County Water Authority with a 2018 WaterSense Excellence Award for advancing water efficiency through its Qualified Water Efficient Landscaper (QWEL) program. The Water Authority received one of 21 WaterSense awards presented at the WaterSmart Innovations Conference in Las Vegas.

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Otay Water District Board Member Gary Croucher Elected as Vice Chair of San Diego County Water Authority Board

Spring Valley, CA – Today, Board member of the Otay Water District Gary Croucher, officially will begin to serve his two-year term as Vice Chair of the San Diego County Water Authority’s Board of Directors. At its Sept. 27 meeting, the Water Authority Board unanimously elected Croucher as incoming Vice Chair, along with Jim Madaffer […]

Olivenhain Municipal Water District Logo landscape design workshops

Prepare Your Home for the Upcoming Fire Season

Encinitas, CA—Olivenhain Municipal Water District invites local residents to attend a workshop that will cover the fundamentals of landscaping for fire protection. This free event will be held on Thursday, October 18, from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Elfin Forest Recreational Reserve’s Interpretive Center Honoring Susan J. Varty.

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Extraordinary State Demands Thwart Research on Seawater Desalination Technologies

San Diego, Calif. – The San Diego County Water Authority is closing down work on a potential seawater desalination plant at U.S. Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton due to extraordinary permitting hurdles and related costs created by the State Lands Commission staff, along with the decreased potential that the plant will be needed in coming […]

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Water Authority Presents Kyocera With 2018 Water Innovation & Efficiency Award

San Diego, Calif. – The San Diego County Water Authority this morning presented its 2018 Water Innovation & Efficiency Award to Kyocera for reducing its annual water use by more than 6 million gallons at its San Diego facility, a decrease of nearly 20 percent since 2014. The award marks the Water Authority’s inaugural effort […]

Jim Madaffer Elected as Board Chair of Water Authority

San Diego, Calif. – New officers for the San Diego County Water Authority’s Board of Directors were unanimously elected today, with Jim Madaffer starting his two-year term as Board chair on Oct. 1. Madaffer, vice chair of the Board for the past two years as a representative from the City of San Diego, will serve […]

The Helix Water District received rebates of $5,500 from the State of California on each of the six Priuses purchased over the last two years. They average over 75 miles per gallon and the district expects to save an additional $1,000 per vehicle per year in avoided fuel costs. Photo: Courtesy Helix Water District

Helix Water District Is Going Electric

Representatives from the Helix Water District, San Diego Gas & Electric, and the cities of El Cajon, La Mesa and Lemon Grove on September 12 celebrated Helix’s new electric vehicle charging stations in conjunction with National Drive Electric Week and Electric Vehicle Day on September 15. Helix installed 10 electric vehicle charging stations at the […]

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Vista irrigation District Receives National Award For Financial Reporting

Vista, Calif. – Vista Irrigation District has been presented with the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting by the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) for its comprehensive annual financial report (CAFR) for fiscal year ending June 30, 2017. This certificate is the only national award for public […]

Jack Bebee was named the new general manager of the Fallbrook Public Utility District after a decade of serving the district. Photo: Courtesy FPUD

Jack Bebee Officially Named General Manager for Fallbrook Public Utility District

Fallbrook, Calif. – After a nationwide search with a pool of 54 candidates, the Fallbrook Public Utility District has a new general manager at the helm. Jack Bebee has been the district’s acting general manager for months. Prior to that, he served as the district’s chief engineer and assistant general manager. Bebee was selected by […]

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First-Ever High School intern at Fallbrook Public Utility District

Fallbrook, Calif. – Kate Calhoun, a junior at Fallbrook High, spent most of her summer Tuesday mornings at the Fallbrook Public Utility District as the district’s first paid summer intern. Now that school is back in session, she is back in class and recently finished her final task for the district. The final part of […]

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Jack Bebee Officially Selected as General Manager for Fallbrook Public Utility District

Fallbrook, Calif. – After a nationwide search with a pool of 54 candidates, the Fallbrook Public Utility District has a new general manager at the helm. Jack Bebee has been the district’s acting general manager for months. Prior to that, he served as the district’s chief engineer and assistant general manager. Bebee was selected by […]