Facilities and Operations
News on the processes, people, and places working to deliver a safe and reliable wholesale water supply to the San Diego region’s 24 member water agencies.
The Water News Network is San Diego County’s source for water news and information.
Pipeline 5 Upgrades in North San Diego County Halfway Complete
/in Facilities & Operations, News /by Kristiene GongThis week, crews are installing a carbon fiber lining inside Pipeline 5 in North San Diego County between Fallbrook and Escondido. The work is essential to maintain the 96-inch pipeline that delivers untreated water from Lake Skinner in southwest Riverside County to the Lower Otay Water Treatment Plant in southern San Diego County. The work […]
Water Pros Working Round the Clock To Ensure Service
/in Facilities & Operations, News /by Gayle FalkenthalMore than a month into the coronavirus crisis in California, water pros continue to work around the clock to deliver essential services to San Diego County residents. From the Fallbrook Public Utilities District south to the Sweetwater Authority and east to the Padre Dam Municipal Water District, essential employees at the San Diego County Water […]
Reservoirs, Lakes Remain Closed to Fishing Due to COVID-19 Pandemic
/in Facilities & Operations, News /by Gayle FalkenthalAlthough San Diego County’s lakes and reservoirs remain closed to fishing and other recreational activities for safety reasons due to the coronavirus pandemic, staff and volunteers continue to work. Crews are maintaining facilities, providing security, and sharing photos of wildlife and native blooms enjoying the arrival of spring. Popular overnight campsites remain open at Santee […]
Customer Thanks Vallecitos Water District Employees for Their Efforts
/in Facilities & Operations, News /by Gayle FalkenthalMost Americans take a safe and reliable water supply for granted. Dedicated water and wastewater professionals, including Vallecitos Water District employees, work to provide a secure, plentiful supply of drinking water. Vallecitos Water District customer Manisha Bambhania has a deeper appreciation. A native of India, Bambhania grew up in a home where running water was […]
Water Utilities Aim to Keep Specially Trained Employees Healthy and Working
/in Facilities & Operations, News /by Ed Joyce /NPRby Clay Masters Quoted: San Diego County Water AuthoritySome municipal water utilities are taking emergency measures to sequester some employees to assure that they can keep the water flowing as the coronavirus spreads. In this country, millions of Americans can follow advice to stay at home so long as the electricity stays on and the water and the phone service. Utility workers need to keep […]
Carlsbad Desalination Plant Workers Self-Isolate
/in Facilities & Operations, News /by Ed Joyce /Water News Network / WaterWorldby Ed Joyce / WaterWorldIn an effort to ensure continuity of operations, ten volunteers are sheltering in place at the Claude “Bud” Lewis Carlsbad Desalination Plant in San Diego County. Poseidon Water‘s Jessica Jones shares this inspiring story of selfless dedication to keeping the water flowing. “They did volunteer to operate the plant on-site for 21 days,” said Jones. […]
Water Authority Begins Pipeline 5 Repairs in North San Diego County
/in Facilities & Operations, News /by Kristiene GongNext week, San Diego County Water Authority staff and contractors will begin crucial repairs on Pipeline 5 in rural North County between Fallbrook and Escondido. The work is part of the Water Authority’s proactive asset management program, which monitors and maintains the condition of regional water infrastructure that includes 310 miles of large-diameter pipelines. The […]
San Diego Region’s Water Supplies Safe to Drink
/in Facilities & Operations, Features /by Ed JoyceThe San Diego region’s water supplies remain safe to drink. The San Diego County Water Authority and its 24 member agencies have increased regional coordination and communication to ensure the coronavirus pandemic does not impact safe and secure water service for San Diego County. Public water supplies in the San Diego region remain safe to […]
Vallecitos Water District HAZMAT Team Ready to Respond
/in Facilities & Operations, News /by Gayle FalkenthalTo protect its employees, members of the public, and the environment from any accidental chemical releases or exposure, the Vallecitos Water District has established its own internal Hazardous Materials Response Team or HAZMAT team. Maintaining its own internal team allows a 24-hour response capability. Common hazardous chemicals play vital roles in the water and wastewater […]
‘Baking Skills’ Used for Repair at Lake Hodges Pumped Storage Facility
/in Facilities & Operations, News /by Ed JoyceYou might not think ‘baking skills’ would come in handy to fix a recent problem at the Lake Hodges Hydroelectric and Pump Station Facility. But those skills, along with initiative and ingenuity, were demonstrated by San Diego County Water Authority staff as part of the creative and complex repair. The facility connects the City of […]
New Inspection Tool Aids Vallecitos Pipeline Assessments
/in Facilities & Operations, News /by Gayle FalkenthalA new pipeline inspection tool being used by contractors working for the Vallecitos Water District to determine pipeline integrity could become a standard tool saving time and money. After nearly completing construction in 2008, developers walked away from the 500-acre High Point subdivision in the City of Escondido. Water facilities installed for the subdivision were […]
Wildlife Protected for New Underground Reservoir Project
/in Facilities & Operations, News /by Kristiene GongOne by one, small mammals and amphibians living within a construction zone in Mission Trails Regional Park are being relocated to safe areas. Protecting sensitive species is one part of the Mission Trails Project. A team of biologists from the San Diego County Water Authority, AECOM, and the San Diego Natural History Museum began surveying […]
Vallecitos Water District Training Preps Firefighters for Wastewater Plant Emergencies
/in Facilities & Operations, News /by Gayle FalkenthalNorth San Diego County fire agencies teamed up in November with the Vallecitos Water District for confined space training drills. The drills, held over a two-week period, prepare firefighting professionals to respond to emergencies in facilities such as wastewater treatment plants and maintain their confined space certification. The recent training took place at the Vallecitos […]
San Diego Projects Improve Water Quality, Fish Habitat
/in Facilities & Operations, News /by Ed JoyceTwo projects underway will enhance fish habitat and water quality at Murray Reservoir. The reservoir in Mission Trails Regional Park is owned by the City of San Diego and operated by its Public Utilities Department. “As stewards of the area, it is important for us to improve and enhance the environment in and around Murray […]
National City Firefighters Get WaterSmart with Sweetwater Authority
/in Facilities & Operations, News /by Gayle FalkenthalThe National City Fire Department is learning more about the water system it relies on, thanks to some specialized training for firefighters from Sweetwater Authority staff. Firefighters wanted to learn more about the water distribution system and where the city’s water originates. The department also wanted to review the location of Sweetwater Authority’s treatment facilities, […]