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San Diego Regional Water Agencies Boost Efforts to Fight Hunger

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An effort to bolster food bank supplies and fight hunger in San Diego County is getting a helping hand from the region’s public water agencies.

The San Diego County Water Authority and its member agencies are supporting a virtual food drive in partnership with the Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank. The campaign allows donors to select and purchase items such as canned meats, vegetables, fruits, peanut butter and oatmeal for distribution to needy residents. To donate, go to www.bit.ly/SDWaterAgencyFoodDrive.

The Water Authority Board leadership launched the effort for staff and Board members about two weeks ago, then expanded it by inviting 24 retail member agencies countywide to join the effort to fight hunger. So far, nearly $6,000 has been contributed through that portal, and some member agencies are setting up their own portals for their service areas.

Help fight hunger

In addition, water agencies have partnered with the Food Bank to inform its clients that it is unnecessary to purchase bottled water when convenient, clean drinking water is available 24/7 at the tap for about a penny a gallon.

“The region’s water industry is committed to sustaining our community in this time of acute need,” said Water Authority Board Chair Jim Madaffer. “The San Diego region has come together time and again to meet challenges such as wildfires, and we’re doing the same to provide hunger relief during this crisis.”

Demands for food increase during pandemic

The San Diego Food Bank typically helps feed 350,000 people each month at 200 distribution sites — and demands have skyrocketed as the economic impacts of coronavirus closures ripple across the region.

Donations to the San Diego Food Bank are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. The San Diego Food Bank is a 501(c)(3) organization.

Essential workers on the job

In response to the pandemic, the Water Authority and its 24 member agencies have increased regional coordination and communication to ensure continued delivery of safe and reliable water service for San Diego County. Public water supplies in the region remain safe to drink due to numerous robust treatment processes used by local and regional water providers.

As essential workers, the region’s water and wastewater system employees will continue to work to ensure safe and reliable water services.

San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer tours the Alvarado Water Treatment Plant after meeting with workers to thank them for their continued service. Photo: City of San DIego water treatment plant

San Diego Mayor Thanks Water Treatment Plant Employees

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The City of San Diego’s public utilities team including water treatment plant employees continues to work to provide its customers with high-quality drinking water during the coronavirus pandemic.

Following efforts to increase safety measures throughout all City departments to stop the spread of COVID-19, San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer toured the Alvarado Water Treatment Plant on Friday to observe increased safety protocols. He also thanked City employees as they continue to deliver safe, reliable water to over 1.4 million San Diegans.

Increased safety measures ensure continued water supply safety

San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer meetes with water treatment plant workers playing essential roles in delivering safe drinking water. Photo: City of San DIego

San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer meets with water treatment plant workers playing essential roles in delivering safe drinking water. Photo: City of San Diego

Mayor Faulconer kicked off his visit Friday morning by meeting maintenance staff on duty.

“Like many San Diegans, our City employees are adapting as we take on the COVID-19 crisis,” said Faulconer. “They’re working under increased safety measures so we can continue to deliver essential services, including a safe, clean and reliable water supply.

“I stopped by the Alvarado Water Treatment Plant today to thank the employees there and let them know how proud we are of all they’re doing to keep the water running for San Diegans.”

More than a month into the coronavirus crisis in California, water and wastewater treament employees, continue to work around the clock to deliver essential services to San Diego County residents.

“I am so grateful for the employees that come to work daily to make sure the City residents have access to a safe and reliable water supply,” said Shauna Lorance, City of San Diego public utilities director. “While you might not be able to go out to a restaurant, visit the beach or any of the usual activities all of us in San Diego have learned to enjoy, you do not have to worry about the safety of the water supply. The water continues to be treated and tested just like always.”

The San Diego County Water Authority and its 24 member agencies have increased regional coordination and communication to ensure the coronavirus pandemic does not impact safe and secure water service for San Diego County.

Treatment plants employ innovative disinfection and filtration

Pipes carrying water through the treatment process at the Alvarado Water Treatment Plant. Photo: City of San Diego

Pipes carrying water through the treatment process at the Alvarado Water Treatment Plant. Photo: City of San Diego

The City of San Diego has three water treatment plants that use several treatment methods to provide safe drinking water to the public. The plants are managed by the City’s Public Utilities Department.

San Diego’s drinking water treatment plants use a combination of innovative disinfection strategies and filtration. This multi-step process provides multiple barriers against elements that could make the city’s water unsafe or impact taste.

When the Alvarado Water Treatment Plant began operation in 1951, it replaced old water treatment plants at University Heights and Chollas Heights. Located near the Murray Reservoir, Alvarado today provides drinking water to customers in the central section of the City. Plant capacity is 200 million gallons of treated drinking water per day and is operated by 16 City employees.

A multi-phase expansion and upgrade project for the plant was completed in 2011. The Alvarado Plant began its first year of active participation in the American Water Works Association’s Partnership for Safe Water Program in 2013 and has implemented several optimizing projects.

Alvarado is also home to the City’s Water Quality Laboratory, which continuously monitors the City’s drinking water to make sure it is always safe and meets all state and federal health standards.

Pipeline 5 Upgrades in North San Diego County Halfway Complete

/in , , /by /Water News Networkby Kristiene Gong Quoted: San Diego County Water Authority

This week, crews are installing a carbon fiber lining inside Pipeline 5 in North San Diego County between Fallbrook and Escondido. The work is essential to maintain the 96-inch pipeline that delivers untreated water from Lake Skinner in southwest Riverside County to the Lower Otay Water Treatment Plant in southern San Diego County.

The work began at the end of March when Pipeline 5 was shut down for the installation of two internal steel bulkheads. The bulkheads allow the rest of the pipeline to stay in service while work is performed in an isolated section.

“Ensuring that water supplies continue to be reliable for all of the region’s 3.3 million residents and businesses is our priority,” said Jim Fisher, director of operations and maintenance at the Water Authority. “We are performing this essential repair to one of our largest pipelines to make sure that there are no interruptions in service to our member agencies.”

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Regional Water Agencies Boost Efforts to Fight Hunger

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San Diego – An effort to bolster food bank supplies in San Diego County is getting a helping hand from the region’s public water agencies.

The San Diego County Water Authority and its member agencies are supporting a virtual food drive in partnership with the Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank. The campaign allows donors to select and purchase items such as canned meats, vegetables, fruits, peanut butter and oatmeal for distribution to needy residents. To donate, go to https://bit.ly/SDWaterAgencyFoodDrive. 

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Opinion: California Water Policies Inhibit Food Production by Valley Farmers

/in , , /by /CalMattersby William Bourdeau

Over the past several weeks, the COVID-19 pandemic has created images Americans never expected to see in this country: Empty supermarket shelves and people lined up outside of markets waiting to enter to purchase food.

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106,000 American Clean Energy Jobs Were Lost in March

/in , /by /pv magazineby Tim Sylvia

The dramatic impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic have hit every sector of the U.S. economy hard, with renewable energy being no exception. Today, BW Research released an analysis of unemployment data that shows more than 106,000 clean energy workers lost their jobs in the month of March.

Those 106,000 job losses represent a 3% loss in employment across the clean energy industry. In 2019, the clean energy industry added more than 70,000 jobs for a 2.2% growth rate, one which outpaced the U.S. workforce as a whole. The renewable energy generation sector alone lost 16,500 jobs.

The analysis, coupled with forecasts from industry trade groups and companies, led BW Research to the conclusion that, if no actions are taken quickly to support the industry, up to 500,000 jobs could be lost — or almost 15% of the clean energy workforce.

Broken down by state, California experienced the largest number of layoffs, losing 19,900 jobs, which equates to more than 3.5% of its clean energy workforce.

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San Diego Mayor Proposing Deep Cuts to Close $250M Revenue Gap During Pandemic

/in , , /by /The San Diego Union Tribuneby David Garrick

Plummeting tax revenue during the COVID-19 pandemic has prompted San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer to propose sharp spending cuts in response to a projected $250 million budget gap.

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Power Shutoff Bans Amid Pandemic May Require Cost Recovery for Utilities

/in , , /by /Utility Diveby John Funk

More than 100 members of Congress, including 15 senators, are pressing the House and Senate leadership to include language in the next COVID-19 funding package prohibiting utilities from disconnecting customers who may not be able to pay their bills now or immediately after the crisis that has closed businesses and thrown millions out of work.

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Unexpected Coronavirus Consequence; People Clogging Sewage Systems With Disinfectant Wipes

/in , , /by /KCLU (Thousand Oaks, Calif.)by Lance Orozco

It seems like the thing to do.  You use a disinfectant wet wipe, and you toss it in the toilet.  Right?  That’s actually wrong.  It’s an issue causing problems for wastewater treatment systems on the Central and South Coasts.  People are using wet wipes in record numbers because of coronavirus.  But, they can create problems for your sewer system, and for wastewater treatment facilities.

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Industry Survey Indicates Revenue Challenges for U.S. Water Utilities

/in , , /by /Circle of Blueby Circle of Blue

A rising number of water utilities expect that the coronavirus pandemic will result in financial repercussions. Two-thirds of water utilities say that changes in water demand and customer payments during the coronavirus pandemic will cause cash flow problems within the next two months or more.

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