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CWA Asks LAFCO for Countywide Vote on FPUD/Rainbow Reorganization

/in , , /by /Fallbrook Village Newsby Joe Naiman Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

The San Diego County Water Authority has asked for a countywide vote in case San Diego County’s Local Agency Formation Commission approves the prior steps for the Fallbrook Public Utility District and the Rainbow Municipal Water District to detach from the SDCWA and become part of the Eastern Municipal Water District.

The CWA board voted to request a countywide public vote Nov. 21. The term “countywide” applies only to residents within the CWA boundaries, which does not include the entirety of San Diego County.

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Water Authority Wants Voters To Weigh In On Agencies’ Divorce Request

/in , , /by /Voice of San Diego Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

Two small water agencies are trying to divorce themselves from the San Diego County Water Authority and join a Riverside County water agency instead.

The San Diego County Water Authority isn’t willing to let them go so easily. Its board of directors last week approved a resolution to ask the obscure San Diego Local Agency Formation Commission “to require approval by voters across the Water Authority’s service area of any proposed ‘detachment’ by the Rainbow Municipal Water District and the Fallbrook Public Utility District from the Water Authority,” the Water Authority wrote in a press release.

 

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Water Authority Seeks County Vote on Possible Exit of Fallbrook, Rainbow Districts

/in , /by /Times of San Diegoby Chris Jennewein

The San Diego County Water Authority wants county voters to weigh in on whether the Fallbrook and Rainbow water districts can detach and join an agency serving Riverside County.

The Fallbrook Public Utility District and Rainbow Municipal Water District, which together serve around 50,000 customers in North County, are seeking to detach in hopes of paying less for water for their largely rural communities.

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Board Supports Countywide Vote on Potential Member Agency Detachment

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The San Diego County Water Authority’s Board of Directors last week authorized actions to seek to ensure all San Diego County voters are heard on plans by the Rainbow and Fallbrook water agencies to leave the regional water wholesaler and instead join a Riverside County water agency.

The Board of Directors approved a resolution to ask the San Diego Local Agency Formation Commission – known as San Diego LAFCO – to require approval by voters across the Water Authority’s service area of any proposed “detachment” by the Rainbow Municipal Water District and the Fallbrook Public Utility District from the Water Authority. Detachment from the Water Authority has potential impacts for water agencies, fire districts and water ratepayers across San Diego County.

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Sancon Awarded FPUD Manhole Rehabilitation And Relining Contract

/in , /by /Village News (San Diego, Calif.)by Joe Naiman

Sancon Technologies Inc. was awarded the Fallbrook Public Utility District contract for the rehabilitation and relining of FPUD manholes.

A 5-0 FPUD board vote, Oct. 28, approved a contract with the Huntington Beach company, which bid $78,787. Sancon will rehabilitate 22 manholes and one wet well.

FPUD’s capital improvement program includes improving the reliability of the district’s sewer collections system through strategic rehabilitation of existing infrastructure.

 

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Spaletta Chosen as FPUD Special Counsel for Santa Margarita Water Rights

/in , /by /Village News (Fallbrook, Calif.)by Joe Naiman

The Fallbrook Public Utility District will use Jennifer Spaletta as FPUD’s special counsel for matters involving Santa Margarita River water rights.

A 5-0 FPUD board vote, Oct. 28, approved the legal services agreement with Spaletta Law. Spaletta replaces Martha Lennihan, who retired.

“We just retained another water rights attorney with a lot of experience and knowledge in the area,” FPUD general manager Jack Bebee said.

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Riverside County LAFCO Conveys FPUD/Rainbow Reorganization to San Diego LAFCO

/in , , /by /Village Newsby Joe Naiman

The potential reorganization in which the Fallbrook Public Utility District and the Rainbow Municipal Water District would detach from the San Diego County Water Authority and become part of the Eastern Municipal Water District will require approval from San Diego County’s Local Agency Formation Commission, but Riverside County’s LAFCO has agreed to let the process be conducted entirely by San Diego County’s LAFCO.

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MWD Approves Conjunctive Use Project Subsidy

/in , /by /Fallbrook Village Newsby Joe Naiman

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California has a subsidy program for projects which produce local supply and the projects MWD will fund now include the Santa Margarita River Conjunctive Use Project.

MWD’s board vote Sept. 10 approved the agreement with the San Diego County Water Authority and the Fallbrook Public Utility District. FPUD is expected to receive $23,637,500 in incentive payments over a 25-year period.

L to R: Colter Shannon, Toby Stoneburner, Matt Perez, and Austin Wendt, stand in front of the utility vehicle they will take to Paradise, Calif. to help with water repairs from November’s treacherous Camp Fire. Photo: FPUD

Fallbrook PUD Crews Help Paradise Camp Fire Recovery Efforts

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Crews from the Fallbrook Public Utility District are helping rebuild water services in Paradise, Calif. after the devastating November 2018 Camp Fire.

The Camp Fire burned 153,336 acres, destroyed 18,793 structures, caused 85 deaths and three firefighter injuries. The Camp Fire is the deadliest, most destructive fire in California’s history, according to CAL FIRE.

Colter Shannon and Austin Wendt left the FPUD yard Sept. 22 to make the 565-mile, 10-hour drive to Paradise. On Sept. 29, two more FPUD crew members, Toby Stoneburner and Matt Perez, will depart for the Butte County town. Each two-member team will spend two days driving and five days working on repairs for a total of seven days.

“I just want to help,” said Wendt. “That town went through devastation and I can actually do something to physically help. My wife and I always send backpacks to places devastated by hurricanes. For the most recent one, we sent 25 backpacks stuffed with school supplies.”

San Diego water agencies help Paradise Irrigation District

The Paradise Irrigation District is still struggling to repair the damaged infrastructure that resulted in more than 10,500 customers being issued a “do not drink” water advisory.

Two other San Diego County water agencies recently helped Camp Fire recovery efforts. Six water professionals from the Helix Water District and Padre Dam Municipal Water District spent one week in August assisting the Paradise Irrigation District.

Fallbrook PUD crews will bring back lessons learned to community

Their time away won’t cost FPUD a penny as their labor is reimbursed by FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

“We’re doing this because we recognize that we are in a fire-prone area here in Fallbrook,” said Jack Bebee, FPUD general manager.

The Rice Fire in 2007 burned 206 homes, 9,472 acres, two commercial properties, and 40 outbuildings in the Fallbrook area. Bebee said he knows Fallbrook may one day need the help the crews are now providing to Paradise.

He said the crews can bring back with them some of the lessons they learn from the destruction and repair work. Bebee said the district is also working with North County Fire on emergency preparedness and the FPUD board room has been set up as an emergency command center in the event it is needed.

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FPUD Board Appoints New Director

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Fallbrook, Calif. –The Fallbrook Public Utility District board of directors appointed local businessman Dave Baxter to fill the board seat vacated in July by Al Gebhart.

Baxter, current president of the Live Oak Park Coalition, was selected during a special board meeting to fill the empty Subdistrict No. 1 seat. He is senior director at Relevant Solutions, a company providing business solutions through instrumentation, and rotating and thermal equipment.

 

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