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As Tijuana Sewage Pollutes South San Diego Beaches, County Asks for Federal Help

/in , , /by /KPBS-FM/TVby Erik Anderson

South San Diego County’s ocean waters are awash in sewage-tainted runoff coming across the border and local and state officials want action to stop the polluted flows.

Sixty million gallons of sewage-tainted water flows into the U.S. every day.

“The entire sewer system of Tijuana has collapsed,” said Serge Dedina, Imperial Beach mayor. “And it appears there is absolutely no effort underway in Mexico, on the part of the U..S federal government, the Trump administration, to actually move forward and ask for emergency repairs so that we don’t endure an entire summer of polluted beaches.”

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Construction Begins on Essential Water Project in Mission Trails Regional Park

/in , /by

The San Diego County Water Authority is making progress on the construction of a new 5 million gallon underground reservoir in Mission Trails Regional Park. The underground reservoir is also known as a flow regulatory structure.

Classified as a “critical or essential” infrastructure project during the COVID-19 response, the project is moving forward to stay on schedule. Water Authority and contractor staff are taking heath protection precautions to maintain public safety by following COVID-19 safety guidelines, including wearing face masks, using hand sanitizers, and disinfecting fencing, work tools and equipment.

Construction preparation underway for water project

Recent work includes the installation of temporary office trailers at the east end of Clairemont Mesa Drive in the City of San Diego, delivery of materials, installation of eight-foot fencing around the major construction sites and placement of silt fencing around environmentally sensitive areas.

Topsoil is being removed and saved where digging is planned. This topsoil will be placed back in its original location after construction is done to encourage plant re-growth, help hold water and prevent soil erosion. Construction crews are working Monday through Friday between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.

Trail closures to ensure safety of public and essential workers

Some trails in the western portion of the park are closed to ensure the safety of the public and essential workers on site. Several trail closure signs with maps have been strategically placed to help park users navigate the trails and take detours to avoid the construction area.

The project is in the western part of Mission Trails Regional Park near the Tierrasanta community. It includes building the new underground covered reservoir, a flow control facility and pipeline interconnections to upgrade the system that delivers water to treatment plants serving the central and southern areas of San Diego County. The project is anticipated to be complete in early 2022.

Essential IID Employees Living On Job Site to Stay Protected

/in , , /by /KYMAby Alexandra Rangel

Essential workers at Imperial Irrigation District, are now living at their job site in order to stay protected from the coronavirus.  According to IID, they will be housing 32 employees who are vital in providing Imperial County residents with water and energy.

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What’s Flushed Today Can be a Problem Months from Now Because of Coronavirus Fears

/in , , /by /Palm Springs Desert Sunby Larry Bohannan

Most businesses across the country and certainly in the Coachella Valley are dealing with the fallout from the coronavirus crisis on a daily basis.

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One Way to Monitor a Community’s Coronavirus Infections: Test the Sewage

/in , , /by /KQEDby Danielle Venton

By now we’ve heard plenty about the difficulty of accessing widespread testing for the coronavirus. However, there is another approach for municipalities who want to know the presence and extent of the COVID-19 virus in their community…

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Gardening Community Responds To Growing COVID-19 Food Need

/in , , /by /KPBSby Bennett Lacy

Three days a week, cars line up by the dozens at Kitchens for Good at the Jacobs Center in Chollas View. Drivers open their trunks to receive prepared meals and produce. This is just one of many distribution events in high demand amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Opinion: California Has a Chance for a Green Future After the Coronavirus. Don’t Waste it

/in , , /by /San Francisco Chronicleby Chronicle Editorial Board

Bears are taking over Yosemite meadows, and coyotes are wandering city streets. Hilltop sunsets never looked more pure and bright. Around the world, smog-glazed skies are giving way to blue vistas and fresh air. A deadly pandemic is slowing human activity and boosting wildlife in startling ways.

With oil selling at near giveaway prices and airlines virtually grounded, there are fewer emissions pouring out. More widely, tailpipes from millions of cars and trucks are idled by stay-at-home orders. NASA space shots show far less pollution in familiar population and industrial centers across the country.

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City of Santa Monica Projects Nearing Completion

/in , /by /Santa Monica Daily Pressby Madeleine Pauker

Although the city of Santa Monica is delaying, scaling back or canceling $40.4 million in capital projects through next June as municipal revenues dry up during the coronavirus shutdown, several major projects that predate the crisis are finished or nearing completion.

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Escondido Employee Named California Laboratory Person of the Year

/in , , /by /Water News Network

City of Escondido Water Quality Lab Associate Chemist Oyuna Jenkins has been named “Laboratory Person of the Year” by the California Water Environment Association for 2019-20.

Supervising Chemist Ralph Ginese nominated Jenkins for the award, calling her “an incredible asset” during her seven years working at the lab. “The lab technically could not function without Oyuna,” wrote Ginese.

“This is really teamwork,” said Oyuna Jenkins of her recognition. “I have to give credit to everyone in the lab. We work really hard. Whoever you call a hero, there are always people behind them.”

 

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Opinion: Reopening California’s Economy Needs a Path Forward; Here are 5 Precise Steps How

/in , , /by /CalMattersby Andreas Borgeas

The economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic has been devastating, and California must continue to act decisively to help mitigate the damage.

As a California state senator representing the 8th Senate District, I have learned heartbreaking stories from employees and business owners who are seeing their dreams and investments dismantled. If lucky enough to have employment, many working parents are forced to juggle work with the new demands of homeschooling, often while vulnerable elderly fend for themselves in solitude.  As a father of two school-aged children with elderly parents this hits close to home.

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