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Lake Mead Forecast Improves by 2 Feet Since September as New Water Year Begins

New projections show Lake Mead dropping about 9 feet between now and October of 2024 — but keeping an extra 2.57 feet compared to forecasts from just a month ago.

The 24-month study for October 2023 from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is the first forecast of the 2023 water year, which runs from Oct. 1, 2023, to Sept. 30, 2024.

California Bans Watering Grass at Certain Businesses

A bill signed into law Friday by Governor Gavin Newsom will now ban certain businesses from watering its grass in an effort to reduce water usage.

The bill is modeled after the State placed similar rules on commercial, industrial and government agencies from using drinking water for grass deemed “non-functional” in 2022.

Opinion: You’re Already Drinking Dinosaur Pee. So Don’t Be Afraid of Recycled Wastewater

Perhaps the biggest development in water over the last three decades has been the change in attitude among consumers about their liquid assets. After repeated droughts punctuated by history-making deluges, Californians appear more open than ever to embracing reuse of stormwater, wastewater and seawater — as long as we can be certain that it is clean and safe to drink.

Phoenix Spends $30 Million to Reopen Cave Creek Water Plant Back for Water With a Twist

A tiny, shuttered wastewater treatment facility in north Phoenix that the City Council voted to bring back online Wednesday will be the city’s first to use advanced water purification technology that officials hope to make widespread within a decade.

California Water Purification Facility Marks Major Milestone

The Chino Basin Program (CBP), a program led by the Inland Empire Utilities Agency (IEUA) and partners, has reached a significant milestone as environmental engineering firm Brown and Caldwell completes the preliminary design of a new 13.4 million gallons per day Advanced Water Purification Facility (AWPF), a vital component of the innovative water program.

Funding for Water Projects Takes $200 Million Bite

The state’s money problems are taking a $200 million bite out of funding for drinking and wastewater projects.

The state Water Resources Control Board voted Tuesday to approve the cuts as part of a statewide belt tightening effort.

Northwest Drinking Water Concerns Could Get Worse as the Climate Changes

Thunderstorms high in the Cascades recently stirred up a lot of dirt in a central Washington river, causing problems for people on its banks.

All the dirt in the Naches River was too much for the city of Yakima’s water treatment plant to handle. Cities and towns could see situations like this happen more often as the climate continues to change.

Climate change will cause more storm runoff, change when snowpack melts and lead to more severe wildfires and harmful algal blooms, said Amanda Hohner. She studies how post-wildfire runoff affects drinking water treatment plants.

“At least in the Western U.S., the effects of wildfire and also climate change are really starting to challenge drinking water treatment plants, resulting in different water quality than maybe those water treatment plants were designed for,” Hohner said.

Algae Bloom Prompts Water Contact Advisory at Lower Otay Reservoir

An algae bloom prompted city officials to post caution signs at its Lower Otay Reservoir.

The City of San Diego advises the public to not expose their skin to the water while the cautionary alert is in effect.

Encinitas Opens New Water Pipeline Reducing Drinking Water Demand by 27 Million Gallons Per Year

A new water pipeline project recently finished construction in Encinitas. On Tuesday local and congressional leaders held a ribbon cutting to mark the opening of the pipeline.

The Manchester Avenue Recycled Water Pipeline Project involved the construction of approximately 1.4 miles of six-inch diameter recycled water pipeline. According to a press release, customers connecting to this new pipeline will now irrigate with recycled water, reducing the demand for imported drinking water by more than 27 million gallons per year.

Kimberly Hunt Looks Into Sustainable Water Programs in San Diego County

After two decades of drier conditions in the west, the concern for the Federal Government is how to keep the Colorado River flowing in the long term.

Kimberly Hunt is live in Oceanside at the Pure Water Facility.

The facility opened last year and is a first of its kind water treatment plant that turns waste water into drinking water.