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Water Authority Activates Water Shortage Contingency Plan

October 28, 2021 – The San Diego County Water Authority today activated Level 1 – Voluntary Conservation of its Water Shortage Contingency Plan in support of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s efforts to sustain California after two record-dry years. The agency’s 36-member Board of Directors voted unanimously to activate the regional drought response plan for the third […]

$35.9 Million More in MWD Overcharges Being Returned to Local Water Agencies

October 28, 2021 – The San Diego County Water Authority’s Board of Directors today announced a plan to distribute $35.9 million to its 24 member agencies across the region after receiving a fund transfer from the Los Angeles-based Metropolitan Water District of Southern California to pay legal damages and interest.

Day Without Water-San Marcos Mayor Rebecca Jones hosts a new awareness campaign video to remind residents about the importance of water conservation. Photo: Vallecitos Water District

Imagine a Day Without Water

San Diego County residents joined Americans across the country marking Thursday, October 21 as “Imagine A Day Without Water.” The nationwide awareness campaign offered opportunities to learn about our nation’s water systems and the hard work that goes into ensuring a day without water doesn’t become a reality for their community. The day-long event is […]

Water infrastructure-Olivenhain Municipal Water District-Base paving along El Camino Real across from Camino Encinitas Plaza, just north of Via Montoro. Photo: OMWD joint project by Olivenhainv

Joint Project By Olivenhain MWD and City of Encinitas Reaches Final Phase

The El Camino Real Potable Water Pipeline Replacement and Green Bike Lane Striping Project has reached its final stage. After the Olivenhain Municipal Water District Board approved filing of a notice of completion for the pipeline portion of the project, the City of Encinitas will finish restoring the street and complete new bike lane striping. […]

Olivenhain Municipal Water District Logo landscape design workshops

Governor Extends Drought Emergency to San Diego County and Encourages Voluntary Conservation; Olivenhain Municipal Water District Remains at Level 1 of Its Water Shortage Contingency Plan

Encinitas, Calif. — In an October 19 proclamation, Governor Newsom extended to Southern California the drought-related State of Emergency that had been declared earlier in the year for other areas of the state. The emergency declaration directed water agencies throughout the state to activate their Water Shortage Contingency Plans to preserve water supplies. Olivenhain Municipal […]

Water Authority Prepares to Activate Water Shortage Contingency Plan

October 20, 2021 – The San Diego County Water Authority is preparing to activate Level 1 – Voluntary Conservation of its Water Shortage Contingency Plan in support of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s efforts to sustain California after two record-dry years. The agency’s 36-member Board of Directors will decide at its formal monthly meeting on Oct. 28 […]

Drinking water-desalination plant-water supply-drought

WaterSmart: Weathering Dry Times in San Diego County

News stories by national and regional media outlets highlighted the investments by the San Diego County Water Authority and its 24 member agencies to create a plentiful water supply for the region, helping to weather dry times like the current drought. The New York Times, Spectrum News 1, The Wall Street Journal and Wired Magazine […]

Olivenhain Municipal Water District Logo landscape design workshops

Olivenhain Municipal Water District Remains at Level 1 of Its Water Shortage Contingency Plan

Encinitas, Calif. — At its October 13 meeting, Olivenhain Municipal Water District’s Board of Directors received an informational report on water supply conditions. OMWD will remain at Level 1 of its Water Shortage Contingency Plan, which calls for voluntary conservation efforts. OMWD moved out of a Level 2 Water Supply Shortage condition, which has mandatory water […]

Olivenhain Municipal Water District Logo landscape design workshops

OMWD Wraps Up Year-Long Construction Project Along El Camino Real

Encinitas, Calif. — Olivenhain Municipal Water District’s Board of Directors unanimously approved today the filing of a notice of completion for the El Camino Real Potable Water Pipeline Replacement and Green Bike Lane Striping Project. After over a year of collaboration with the City of Encinitas, OMWD has officially turned the project over to the […]

Atmospheric Rivers-Water Year 2021-drought-climate

Atmospheric Rivers Left California Mostly Dry in Water Year 2021

The Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes, or CW3E, at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, released its report October 11 on atmospheric rivers during Water Year 2021. The report, “Distribution of Landfalling Atmospheric Rivers over the U.S. West Coast During Water Year 2021: End of Water Year Summary” shows that more atmospheric rivers landed on […]

Water Authority Wins National 2021 EPA WaterSense Excellence Award

October 11, 2021 – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has recognized the San Diego County Water Authority with a 2021 WaterSense Excellence Award for advancing water efficiency through its Qualified Water Efficient Landscaper, or QWEL, program. The Water Authority received one of 34 WaterSense awards last week at the national WaterSmart Innovations Conference in Las […]

Desal Plant Operations Continue as State Starts to Install Barriers at Lagoon

CARLSBAD, Calif. (Oct. 7, 2021) – Poseidon Water and the San Diego County Water Authority issued the following joint statement in response to emergency response efforts following the recent oil spill off the coast of Orange County. No oil has been detected by the plant’s monitoring system. “The San Diego County Water Authority and Poseidon Water appreciate […]

Carlsbad Desalination Plant-oil spill-Lagoon-boom protection

Desal Plant Operations Continue; Protective Boom Installed at Lagoon

(Editor’s note: As of Friday, October 8, the Carlsbad Desalination Plant continues operating at full production with no indication of oil in the feed water. As a precautionary measure, protective booms have been placed at several locations in the Aqua Hedionda Lagoon, including in front of the desalination plant intake). Poseidon Water and the San […]

Carlsbad Desalination Plant Maintains Safe Operations, Monitors Orange County Oil Spill

CARLSBAD, Calif. (Oct. 6, 2021) – Poseidon Water and the San Diego County Water Authority issued the following joint statement in response to the recent oil spill off the coast of Orange County: “The oil spill has not affected the operations of the Claude ‘Bud’ Lewis Carlsbad Desalination Plant. The facility is San Diego County’s largest […]

In the new virtual reality video tour of the East County AWP, Kyle Swanson, East County AWP director helps lead participants on a guided tour of water facilities. Photo: East County AWP

Virtual Reality Video Tour for East County Water Project

A new 360-degree virtual reality video tour takes viewers through the planned East County Advanced Water Purification facilities. Participants are immersed in a guided tour of water facilities, where they can control their view by moving their computer mouse or smartphones to any direction in the video they want to see. Viewers with a virtual […]