California has taken a big step towards boosting how much sewage water local governments can purify and reuse for drinking — a process known as water recycling. On Tuesday, the state proposed draft regulations to expand recycling by introducing new purification standards and processes.
As droughts strain water supplies across Western states, some cities and farmers have struggled with mandatory cutbacks. Determining who gets cut is decided by the foundational pecking order of Western water: the older your claim to water, created as the country expanded westward, the better protected it is. When there’s a shortage, those with newer water rights have to cut back first, sometimes giving up their water completely before older claims lose a single drop.
Luis Ramirez leapt onto the roof of his bright blue water truck to fill the plastic tank that by day’s end would empty into an assortment of buckets, barrels and cisterns in 100 homes.
It was barely 11 a.m. and Ramirez had many more stops to make on the hilly, grey fringes of Tijuana, a sprawling, industrial border city in northwestern Mexico where trucks or “pipas” like Ramirez’s provide the only drinking water for many people.
“Each time, it gets farther and farther where we have to go,” he said, blaming the city’s water problems on drought and population growth, before jumping into the driver’s seat next to 16-year-old assistant Daniel Alvarez.
Among the last cities downstream to receive water from the shrinking Colorado River, Tijuana is staring down a water crisis driven also by aging, inefficient infrastructure and successive governments that have done little to prepare the city for diminishing water in the region.
Water agencies in San Diego County are sharing outdoor water-efficiency tips during “Smart Irrigation Month.”
July was chosen as Smart Irrigation Month in 2005 since its traditionally the month of peak demand for outdoor water use in the county. Landscape irrigation consumes 50% of the typical California home’s monthly water use.
A stretch of unusually wet months has erased drought across much of the Southwest. A briefing by climate experts spelled out how a snowy winter and rainy spring brought relief to a particularly parched region.
“Unlike some past presentations I’ve given for the Southwest,” said Brian Fuchs, a climatologist with the National Drought Mitigation Center, “This one actually has some good news in it.”
Escondido homeowners Marcus and Leanne Fowler decided it was time for a landscape makeover two years ago when their effort to keep their lawn green required a lot of water. But they didn’t know where to start, lacking experience with landscape design and working with a limited budget.
The couple started from the beginning, and the result was a waterwise landscape selected as the City of Escondido’s 2023 Landscape Makeover Contest winner.
The winning landscape before and after its makeover using Nifty Fifty plant choices. Photo: City of Escondido
First, the Fowlers educated themselves by watching videos online to help them figure out how best to move forward. They selected plants found in the San Diego County Water Authority’s Nifty Fifty Plants for WaterSmart Landscapes. The choices were selected to thrive in Escondido’s warmer inland climate zone, including palo verde trees, varieties of sage (salvia), aloes, cacti, Kangaroo Paws, and succulent ground covers.
The dry riverbed feature helps capture and retain rainfall. Photo: City of Escondido
A dry riverbed included in their design works to infiltrate and channel rainfall, minimizing slope erosion.
The old sprinkler system had been watering the driveway more than the lawn. It was replaced with an efficient drip irrigation line set to water twice weekly.
Beautiful plant choices from the Nifty Fifty list add color without requiring a lot of water. Photo: City of Escondido
“Hopefully, our DIY project inspires others to join the water conservation movement,” said Marcus and Leanne Fowler.
They now enjoy their beautiful yard and have neighbors inquiring about making similar changes to save water and costs while embracing low-water use and native plants.
Homeowners Kathleen and Alan C. were selected as Honorable Mention winners for their landscape makeover.
Kathleen and Alan C. were selected as Honorable Mention winners for their landscape makeover. Photo: City of Escondido
The WaterSmart Landscape Contest is open annually to City of Escondido water customers and customers of other participating member agencies who have taken a California-friendly approach with their home landscaping. Whether the customers choose to enter the contest or not, all can explore rebates from the SoCal WaterSmart turf removal rebate program and free online landscape workshops to help guide their efforts.
Visit landscapecontest.com for eligibility, entry information, and other resources.
(Editor’s note: The City of Escondido is one of the San Diego County Water Authority’s 24 member agencies that deliver water across the San Diego County region.)
By taking a watershed approach to his landscape redesign, homeowner Brad Lefkowits won the Olivenhain Municipal Water District’s 2023 Landscape Makeover Contest. The WaterSmart Landscape Contest is held annually by water agencies throughout San Diego County.
By taking a watershed approach to his landscape redesign, homeowner Brad Lefkowits won the Olivenhain Municipal Water District’s 2023 Landscape Makeover Contest.
Even the family dog feels right at home in the winning design. Photo: Olivenhain Municipal Water District
Lefkowits was recognized at the June 21 OMWD Board of Directors meeting. The WaterSmart Landscape Contest is held annually by water agencies throughout San Diego County. Entries highlight colorful and lush landscapes that use less water than turf-heavy landscapes. Winning entries exhibit an appealing design, climate-appropriate plant selection, and water-efficient irrigation.
Landscape Contest Winner Brad Lefkowits receives his award from Olivenhain Municipal Water District Board President Christy Guerin at the June board meeting. Photo: Olivenhain Municipal Water District
“Water is a precious, limited resource in California where the next dry period could be right around the corner,” said OMWD Board Treasurer Neal Meyers. “We encourage our customers to continue to increase outdoor water use efficiency, and replacing large turf areas with drought-tolerant plants could cut a home’s outdoor water use in half.”
The landscape design features the generous use of swales to capture and hold rainwater to prevent runoff. Photo: Olivenhain Municipal Water District
Lefkowits says his goal was to keep as much rainwater on the Encinitas property as possible using a watershed-inspired landscape design. He captures rainwater in a 530-gallon cistern and sends overflow into a series of connected swales. Swales are shallow, broad channels designed to store water runoff. They are easy to incorporate into landscaping at a minimal cost. The swales in the Lefkowits’ yard can hold over an inch of rain without any leaving the property.
Minimizing water runoff to streets reduces the amount of pollutants carried into storm drains and eventually into the ocean.
Both native plants and Mediterranean climate plants are incorporated into the winning design. Photo: Olivenhain Municipal Water District
Lefkowits included both native plants and attractive and hardy plants from other Mediterranean climates around the world in his landscape. He installed a 300-square-foot lawn for two sons and the family dog, using a mix of California Buffalo Grass and native Carex praegracilis. It only needs to be watered once a week.
While Lefkowits uses high-efficiency rotating sprinkler nozzles for the small lawn, all other areas are irrigated with an in-line drip system.
The result is a yard with multiple uses and surprises around every turn. It has a lush appearance and still accommodates family activities without using grass requiring much water.
The finished project offers something for every member of the Lefkowitz family to enjoy. Photo: Olivenhain Municipal Water District
(Editor’s note: The Olivenhain Municipal Water District is one of the San Diego County Water Authority’s 24 member agencies that deliver water across the San Diego County region.)
Most of California exists under dueling states of emergency. Since February, storms have caused emergency-level flooding and damage in 47 of the state’s 58 counties, yet most of California only recently exited a drought emergency.
One rainy season can’t supplant years of drought, but images of flooded cities and towns — and the injuries and deaths caused by these disasters — are made more painful when we hear that our state is running out of water nevertheless. The question that water managers and state policymakers must address is how to adapt our water system to eliminate the dual states of emergency.
The San Diego County Water Authority board approved a 9.5% increase in wholesale water rates for its member agencies in 2024, citing the need to fund critical water supply projects.
The authority’s $1.85 billion budget for the next two years includes capital projects considered “critical for maintaining safe and reliable water supplies” in the event California returns to drought.
The impact of the wholesale rate increase on residential rates will vary based on the amount of water used by each of the 24 member agencies in the county, as well as individual usage by customers.
“The board and staff have worked tirelessly for months to minimize rate increases while supporting the reliability of our water supply,” said Board Chair Mel Katz. “Despite cost increases created by extraordinary inflation and depressed water sales, we have a budget that allows the water authority to do what it does best — provide the water that sustains our economy and quality of life.”
Officials blamed the lower water sales on an exceptionally wet and cool winter following years of drought.
