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.
El Camino Real Infrastructure Project Reaches Milestone
/in Facilities & Operations, News /by Gayle FalkenthalThe Olivenhain Municipal Water District project to replace aging water infrastructure along El Camino Real in Encinitas has now reached the halfway point. After getting underway in March 2020 at the start of the coronavirus pandemic, the project is making steady progress. District officials expect the entire project to be completed in Spring 2021. During […]
Water Agencies Assist in Fighting Valley Fire
/in Facilities & Operations, News /by Mike LeeThe Sweetwater Authority and the Otay Water District collaborated with multiple agencies during the recent Valley Fire in San Diego County. Water infrastructure played a key role in the firefighting effort. Cooperation and collaboration are critical elements during wildfires. Both water agencies worked with multiple responders, including U.S. Forest Service firefighters, CALFIRE and SDG&E, to […]
Olivenhain Social Media Solves Water Infrastructure Mysteries
/in Facilities & Operations, News /by Gayle FalkenthalIf you’ve ever driven past pipes sticking out of the ground and wondered, “What is that thing?” you aren’t alone. While sitting at a red light one day, Olivenhain Municipal Water District Customer Services Manager John Carnegie glanced at a pipe and realized there were probably members of the public who are unaware of the […]
Solar Project Saves Energy, Costs for Vallecitos Water District
/in Facilities & Operations, News /by Gayle FalkenthalThe Vallecitos Water District is pursuing greater use of renewable resources, increasing capacity to the electrical grid, and reducing long term operational costs with an innovative solar power project. In 2017, the Vallecitos Water District Board of Directors agreed to pursue development of districtwide renewable power sources using existing open space to benefit the District […]
Major Relining Project Honored by the American Public Works Association
/in Facilities & Operations, News /by Kristiene GongThe San Diego and Imperial Counties Chapter of the American Public Works Association recently recognized a San Diego County Water Authority pipeline relining project for its excellence as a public works project. The award commends the successful partnership between Water Authority staff, the contractor and local agencies working together to complete this critical repair to […]
Pure Water Oceanside Recycling Project Gets $69 Million EPA Loan
/in Facilities & Operations, News /by Mike LeeThe Pure Water Oceanside project is getting a $69 million loan from the U.S. EPA that will finance nearly half of the project’s construction cost. EPA officials announced the loan at an event today in Oceanside attended by federal, regional and local officials. The innovative water reuse project will purify recycled water to create a […]
San Diegans #AskAnExpert Reservoir Recreation Questions
/in Facilities & Operations, News /by Gayle FalkenthalReservoir Keeper Viviana Castellon shared her expertise with citizens during the City of San Diego’s #AskAnExpert series on Instagram as part of the City’s community outreach to citizens. The City regularly offers the opportunity for the public to ask employees about its services including parks, libraries, streets, and water. “We find that it’s a great […]
New Lake Jennings Boat Dock Open
/in Facilities & Operations, News /by Gayle FalkenthalA new floating boat dock at popular reservoir and recreation facility Lake Jennings was unveiled with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on August 31 and opened to the public for boating and fishing activities. The dock is reinforced concrete encapsulating a solid polystyrene core, which makes the dock float. Numerous safety features include a nonskid concrete surface, […]
Vallecitos WD Uses Innovative Technology to Monitor Water Quality
/in Facilities & Operations, News /by Gayle FalkenthalThe Vallecitos Water District is known for its sustainable practices in water and wastewater treatment processes, without any compromise in water quality. The district is now using a new ultrasound technology to address water quality at the Stanley A. Mahr Reservoir with a reduced need for chemical treatment. Mahr Reservoir was completed in 1981. Originally […]
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 Mike LeeNew 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 […]