Tag Archive for: california water infrastructure

Who Governs California’s Drinking Water Systems?

/in , , , /by /California WaterBlogby Kristin Dobbin and Amanda Fencl

A key feature of California’s drinking water system is the large number of individual water systems. There are approximately 3,000 Community Water Systems (CWSs) in the state, meaning systems that serve a residential population year-round (the remaining 5,000 of the state’s 8,000 Public Water Systems are non-community systems serve places like schools, daycare, hospitals, campgrounds, or businesses that serve at least 25 people but have transient or non-residential populations).

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Opinion: Initiative to Fund and Fast Track Water Projects is Badly Needed

/in , , /by /Mercury Newsby Edward King

California is in the grip of its fourth drought since 2000. To cope with worsening droughts, over the past few decades Californians have made impressive gains in water efficiency. Total water diversions in California for agriculture and cities – roughly 30 million acre feet per year for agriculture and 8 million acre feet per year for cities – have not increased even while California’s population has grown and irrigated farm acreage has increased. But conservation alone cannot guarantee Californians have an adequate supply of water.

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Aqueduct Shutdown December 4 – 15

/in , , /by /The Valley Roadrunner Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

On December 4, 2021, the San Diego County Water Authority will be taking the 74-year old 1st San Diego Aqueduct out of service until December 15, 2021. With the aqueduct being off the district loses water supply to approximately 85% of the District’s its area (see map). 

First Aqueduct shutdown-Map

The Water Authority is taking the 48” diameter pipeline out of service to inspect and make final design decisions on how to make the needed repairs to the three tunnels discovered in the recently completed northern 1st Aqueduct relining project.

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Drought is Pushing More Saltwater Into the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. California Built a Wall to Keep it Out.

/in , , /by /CapRadioby Rich Ibarra

Drought conditions have prompted the building of a 750-foot wide rock barrier to prevent saltwater intrusion into the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.

The California Department of Water Resources constructed the temporary barrier with 110,000 cubic yards of rock off West False River in Contra Costa County. Principal engineer Jacob McQuirk said that without the barrier, saltwater would endanger freshwater supplies in the Delta and water exports to the south.

“Every tidal cycle, that saltwater slowly propagates into the interior Delta,” he said. “Really, the beneficial uses of the interior Delta, they include agricultural supply, also interior municipal supplies.”

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Oceanside Introduces 360 Tour of Water Recycling Project

/in , , /by /The Logby Jordan B Darling

Oceanside released an immersive 360-degree video and tour of the San Luis Rey Water Reclamation Facility, and new home of Pure Water Oceanside which is set to go online in 2022.

The video was released as part of “Water Awareness Month” and is a step-by-step tour of the water purification process, with a unique 360-view of the facility.

By turning your phone, you can see a view of the plant from all directions while hearing a narration of the process.

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Farmers Facing California Drought Impacts Feel Strain of Low Water Supply

/in , /by /KCRA3by Emily Maher

California farmers and ranchers are preparing for a difficult growing season as the state faces drought conditions. The California Board of Food and Agriculture met on Tuesday to discuss ways to help farmers and ranchers, as well as to discuss the proposed $5.1 billion included in the governor’s budget to address drought challenges and water infrastructure. After back-to-back dry years, the state’s water supply is strained, forcing farmers like Joe Martinez in Solano County to figure out ways to get the most out of their water.

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Construction of 8 Miles of Pure Water Soquel Pipeline to Start

/in , /by /Santa Cruz Sentinelby Hannah Hagemann

Construction on 8 miles of water pipeline that will be serve as life-blood for the Pure Water Soquel Project, is set to begin on May 24 in Santa Cruz. Three distinct components of building are set to take place during the next several months. From late May until June 15 crews will work around California Street, from the Santa Cruz Wastewater Treatment Facility to Laurel Street. After that, and until around July 6, construction will take place on Laurel Street to Chestnut Street. The third scheduled construction phase will run from July 6 through Aug. 12 on Chestnut to the west end of the Laurel Street Bridge.

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Opinion: Water Infrastructure — The Unmet Needs of Low-Income Communities

/in , , /by /The Hillby David Coursen

To meet the promise of its day one executive order on Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities, the Biden administration needs to provide low-income communities, communities of color and Indigenous people the same access to clean and safe water that the rest of our nation takes for granted. Biden’s COVID-19 relief plan makes a down payment on that promise by funding improved access to clean water for the overburdened communities of Indian Country.

 

 

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Port of San Diego Approves Pilot Project to Develop Rapid Stormwater Monitoring Device

/in , /by /sdnews.com

The Port of San Diego has approved a pilot project with FREDsense Technologies Corp. to develop a portable five-in-one field-testing sensor device to provide real-time metals analysis for stormwater monitoring. FREDsense will utilize their pre-existing titration platform optimized for the environmental remediation industry to produce an automated testing system for stormwater analysis, which will test the levels of various metals in San Diego Bay including aluminum, copper, lead, zinc and nickel, all of which are currently manually monitored under the Port’s stormwater programs.

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Doheny Desalination Plan Met with Caution, Delays

/in , /by /OC Registerby Martin Wisckol

As it enters its 20th year of planning and preparation, a desalination plant proposed near Doheny State Beach continues to be met with delays and uncertainty.

In mid-2018, officials were predicting that the operation could be turning ocean water into drinking water as soon as 2021. Now, the project will be doing well to simply win all required permits by the end of next year.

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