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.
San Diego Reservoirs Open with Coronavirus Safety Guidelines
/in Facilities & Operations, News /by Gayle FalkenthalAll City of San Diego reservoirs previously closed in response to the coronavirus pandemic are now open to the public during regular business hours for walking, jogging, cycling, fishing and boating. Normal fishing and boating fees will apply. “Overall everything is working well,” said Bryan Norris, the City’s reservoirs and recreation program manager. “Several reservoirs are […]
Lake Poway Water Level Temporarily Reduced for Maintenance
/in Facilities & Operations, News /by Gayle FalkenthalLake Poway’s water level is lower today, but it isn’t due to the current heatwave. The lake is being temporarily reduced to complete a planned maintenance project to replace a transducer. Lake Poway serves as the City of Poway’s main water storage reservoir, with a capacity to hold more than one billion gallons of water. […]
New Fish-Friendly Seawater Intake Pumps at Carlsbad Desalination Plant
/in Facilities & Operations, News /by Ed JoyceNew fish-friendly seawater intake pumps recently commissioned at the Carlsbad Desalination Plant are among the most environmentally advanced intake pumps in the world. The three intake pumps, manufactured by Indar, are part of a broader effort to ensure the long-term health of the marine environment near the Claude “Bud” Lewis Carlsbad Desalination Plant, which sits […]
New Helix Water District Connection Improves Emergency Communication
/in Facilities & Operations, News /by Gayle FalkenthalEast San Diego County firefighters and first responders will be better prepared to respond to emergencies due to improved communication capacity through a new partnership with the Helix Water District. The Heartland Communication Facility Authority recently installed a new radio repeater on Helix Water’s Calavo tank, located near Mt. Helix. “When public agencies work together […]
Pipelines Assessed in Record Time with Latest Technology
/in Facilities & Operations, News /by Kristiene GongThe San Diego County Water Authority’s asset management team recently celebrated the completion of a comprehensive condition assessment of more than 27 miles of the agency’s oldest pipelines. The assessment was performed in record time over just 16 months. The work was part of a package of rehabilitative efforts on a portion of the First […]
Community Outreach Makes Challenging Infrastructure Update a ‘Walk in the Park’
/in Facilities & Operations, News /by Gayle FalkenthalIn its efforts to maintain its critical infrastructure, the Vallecitos Water District undertook a challenging update to a wastewater system pipeline constrained by its precarious location. The existing eight-inch gravity sewer pipeline conveys wastewater from the intersection of Rock Springs Road and Bennett Avenue west through a greenbelt area to an existing 12-inch pipeline in […]
Sweetwater Authority Taps Innovative Technology to Ensure Water Quality
/in Facilities & Operations, News /by Gayle FalkenthalThe Sweetwater Authority recently began a multiyear water main flushing program using innovative technology to clean all 400 miles of pipeline in its system. It’s part of Sweetwater Authority’s use of the latest technology to deliver a safe, reliable water supply to its South San Diego County customers. Water main flushing cleans pipeline interiors by […]
Vallecitos Water District Crews Rehab Manhole, Protecting Environment
/in Facilities & Operations, News /by Gayle FalkenthalVallecitos Water District crews sprang into action to repair and rehabilitate a manhole in danger of failing, successfully preventing a spill, which could have resulted in significant environmental damage. Located just off Palomar Airport Road in a shared 30-foot easement with the Buena Sanitation District in Carlsbad, the manhole is part of a 30-inch outfall […]
Reservoirs Begin Reopening to Recreational Use Countywide
/in Facilities & Operations, News /by Gayle FalkenthalCity of San Diego lakes and reservoirs previously closed in response to the coronavirus pandemic are now in the process of reopening for public recreation. “A lot of San Diegans have a passion for fishing and boating, and we’ve been able to partner with the County [of San Diego] to reopen all of our lakes […]
Stimulus Funds Would Create Regional Jobs, Enhance Water Reliability
/in Facilities & Operations, News /by Ed JoyceWater suppliers in San Diego County say future COVID-19 federal and state stimulus packages should include funding for shovel-ready projects that would create jobs in the region. In a letter to members of California’s congressional delegation, a group of 13 agencies, including the San Diego County Water Authority and 10 of its member agencies, and […]
National Public Works Week Recognizes Essential Employees
/in Facilities & Operations, Features /by Gayle FalkenthalEvery time you fill up a water bottle or give the kids a bath, it’s due to the people working as essential employees behind the operation of water and wastewater systems within the San Diego County region’s public works infrastructure. National Public Works Week takes place the third week of May annually in recognition of […]
Olivenhain MWD, City of Encinitas Work Together to Keep Water and Traffic Flowing
/in Facilities & Operations, News /by Gayle FalkenthalThe City of Encinitas and the Olivenhain Municipal Water District are working together on a project that keeps water supply and traffic flowing. To prevent water main breaks and ensure reliable service to its customers, Olivenhain Municipal Water District is proactive in its repair and replacement of aging water infrastructure. Year-long construction project underway In […]
Three San Diego Reservoirs Reopen for Public Recreation
/in Facilities & Operations, News /by Gayle FalkenthalThree City of San Diego reservoirs will reopen for public recreation this weekend. Miramar Reservoir in Scripps Ranch and Lake Murray in San Carlos open on Friday. The Lower Otay Reservoir will reopen on Saturday, May 16. The three reservoirs will be open during regular business hours for walking, jogging, cycling, fishing, and boating, with […]
Essential Repairs Completed on Pipeline 5 in North County
/in Facilities & Operations, News /by Kristiene GongThe San Diego County Water Authority and its contractors have completed essential repairs on a section of Pipeline 5 in North San Diego County between Fallbrook and Escondido. The repairs included installing 156 feet of carbon fiber liner inside the 96-inch pre-stressed concrete cylinder pipe to extend its service life. The pipeline was returned to […]
Water Authority Distributes Protective Masks to SoCal Water Agencies
/in Facilities & Operations, News /by Ed JoyceThe San Diego County Water Authority is distributing 25,000 cloth masks to water and wastewater agency employees in six Southern California counties as part of the national effort to ensure essential workers have enough protective gear during the COVID-19 pandemic. The masks are available to public and private water and wastewater utilities in Mono, Inyo, […]