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City Opposes 8% Metropolitan Water District Rate Increase

/in , /by /Pasadena Now

Interim City Manager Cynthia Kurtz sent an opposition letter to the Metropolitan Water District (MWD) over rate increases.

“Pasadena does not support rate increases of 8% and 8% for each of the next two years,” Kurtz wrote in the March 21 letter. “Over the past decade, Metropolitan staff has continuously communicated to its member agencies to expect rate increases of 3-5% per annum. And, Metropolitan has stayed that course and managed to operate within those parameters despite some of the most challenging drought years in recorded history.”

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Water District Plans Increase of Recycled Wastewater

/in , , /by /The Malibu Timesby Jimy Tallal

Department of Water Resources (DWR) officials announced they were cutting State Water Project allocations from 15 percent of what had been requested by water districts to 5 percent, due to extremely dry conditions. The State Water Project is just one of Malibu’s water suppliers — other sources include groundwater and the Colorado River.

“We’re experiencing climate change whiplash in real time, with extreme swings between wet and dry conditions. That means adjusting quickly based on the data and the science,” said DWR Director Karla Nemeth in a prepared statement.

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Council Supports Initial Steps Toward Doheny Ocean Desalination Plant

/in , , /by /Dana Point Timesby Breeana Greenberg

The Dana Point City Council last week voiced continued support for South Coast Water District’s desalination plant, which looks to establish a local source for drinking water and reduce dependency on imported water.

In a unanimous decision, councilmembers voted to send a letter to the San Diego Water Board, imploring the agency to renew the South Orange County Wastewater Authority’s permit to discharge wastewater through the San Juan Creek Ocean Outfall.

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Marin Desalination Prospects Fade in Favor of Imports

/in , /by /Marin Independent Journalby Will Houston

The Marin Municipal Water District is moving away from plans to acquire temporary desalination plants and instead is exploring purchasing more water from Sonoma County during the winter months.

“We are determining that this is really not a feasible approach for the current drought where winter water does seem promising,” Paul Sellier, the district operations director, told the board on Oct. 19.

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Importing Water for Drought Fix Huge Project

/in , , /by /Arizona Capitol Timesby Obren Manjencich

Importing muddy water from the Mississippi River to save Arizona from drought could be as simple as landing a man on the moon.  

As droughts force local communities to find alternative solutions to water shortages, Arizonans could turn to importing flood water in the future.    

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Mayor Gloria Announces City on Track to Develop 50% of its Water Locally

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As part of his efforts to create a more sustainable future for all of us, Mayor Todd Gloria today publicly released a new analysis of San Diego’s future water needs that indicates that the City will develop more than 50% of its water locally by 2045, in large part due to the Pure Water recycling program. This will be a dramatic increase in local water supply, which currently requires the City to purchase 85% to 90% of its water from imported sources.

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Pure Water Oceanside Project Reaches Milestones

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Pure Water Oceanside construction remains on schedule for completion in 2022, with several significant milestones recently completed. The Oceanside project will purify recycled water to create a new, local source of high-quality drinking water that is safe, drought-proof and environmentally sound.

“Construction has impacted many residents and businesses,” said Cari Dale, City of Oceanside water utilities director. “Please know the City of Oceanside appreciates your patience. We thank people for understanding the need for this project and bearing with us during these months of construction impacts. This work is temporary, but the benefits will last for generations.”

Pure Water Oceanside Project foundation walls in place

Now under construction, Pure Water Oceanside will purify recycled water to create a new, local source of high-quality drinking water that is clean, safe, drought-proof and environmentally sound. Photo: Jeremy Kemp, City of Oceanside

Now under construction, the project will purify recycled water to create a new, local source of high-quality drinking water that is safe, drought-proof and environmentally sound. Photo: Jeremy Kemp/City of Oceanside

The foundational work on the facility located in the San Luis Rey Water Reclamation Facility is complete. Pipelines, electrical conduits, equipment pads/pedestals, and wet wells have been constructed. Prefabricated walls have been installed. Installing the roof and additional wall stabilizing are next on the schedule.

The water purification equipment including pumps, membrane filters, and reverse osmosis canisters are currently being manufactured. Delivery is anticipated between this summer and fall.

Coco Farms Drive and Fireside Park construction update

Work on the south side of Coco Palms Drive near the El Camino Real intersection begins this month. Parking in the area will be closed during this work period with "no parking" signs posted. Map: City of Oceanside

Work on the south side of Coco Palms Drive near the El Camino Real intersection begins this month. Parking in the area will be closed during this work period with “no parking” signs posted. Graphic: City of Oceanside

The two injection wells on Coco Palms Drive are complete. Sound walls will be removed. Construction on two planned monitoring wells is anticipated to begin within the next two months. Sound walls will be installed prior to extended hours construction into evenings and weekends to reduce the impact on the community.

Coco Palms Drive will continue to be closed for the next few months while pipeline construction is underway.

Work on the south side of Coco Palms Drive near the El Camino Real intersection begins this month. Parking in the area will be closed during this work period with “no parking” signs posted.

Monitoring well work in Fireside Park will take place primarily during the daytime, with possible evening and weekend work for critical activities. Sound walls will be installed to reduce noise. Drilling and development is estimated to take six weeks.

El Camino Real recycled water expansion pipeline work coming soon

An overhead look at pipeline installation along Douglas Drive in Oceanside for Pure Water Oceanside project. Photo: Jeremy Kemp, City of Oceanside

An overhead look at pipeline installation along Douglas Drive in Oceanside for Pure Water Oceanside. Photo: Jeremy Kemp/City of Oceanside

Pipeline installation work will begin soon to install recycled water pipelines under El Camino Real. Traffic delays are expected and alternative routes are suggested.

Cones will be set up in work zones to redirect traffic from closed lanes and flagger workers will help drivers safely navigate intersections. Regular working hours will be Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. with occasional work on Saturdays.

Work at the Mission Avenue and El Camino Real intersection will be at night to reduce commuter traffic impacts. Work hours will be from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m.

Oceanside Project benefits both residents and environment

Construction personnel guide reverse osmosis skids into place. Photo: Jeremy Kemp, City of Oceanside

Construction personnel guide reverse osmosis skids into place. Photo: Jeremy Kemp/City of Oceanside

Approximately 90% of Oceanside’s drinking water is imported. Pure Water Oceanside will create three to five million gallons of drinking water each day, enough water to provide 32% of the City of Oceanside’s water supply.

The water purification process uses reverse osmosis and advanced oxidation to create safe drinking water. The technology removes pharmaceuticals, chemicals, hormones, microplastics, and personal care products.

The project protects sensitive ecosystems by reducing the amount of water siphoned by imported water sources. It decreases the amount of recycled water discharged into the ocean, and uses half the energy needed to transport imported water, reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Residents are kept up to date on construction impacts to streets and other infrastructure through several outreach efforts including an interactive construction map, detailed online schedule, regular newsletters, and virtual open house presentations live on the City of Oceanside’s YouTube channel, offering residents the opportunity to ask questions.

California’s Delta Tunnel Project Inches Forward – and Just Got a $15.9 Billion Price Tag

/in , , /by /Sacramento Beeby Dale Kasler

When Gov. Gavin Newsom downsized the Delta tunnels water project last year, the idea was to save money and try to appease at least some of the project’s critics. Yet the project remains controversial — and still figures to be costly. After months of relative quiet, Newsom’s administration released a preliminary cost estimate for the scaled-back project Friday: $15.9 billion for a single tunnel running beneath the estuary just south of Sacramento.

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Aqueduct Project Brought Much-Needed Boon to 1930s Banning

/in , , /by /The Press-Enterprise (Riverside, Calif.)by Steve Lech

In 1930, while the Great Depression was worsening and the impacts of it were starting to be felt nationwide, the city of Banning received some good news. A major construction project was about to unfold in its backyard, and the city would benefit greatly. The project was the Colorado River Aqueduct of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. Starting in the mid-1920s, there had been a series of studies done for bringing water from the Colorado River west to be used in the greater Los Angeles region. In December 1930, the district made the final decision to go with a route that included the San Gorgonio Pass and construction of a major tunnel under Mount San Jacinto.

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OPINION: Gavin Newsom’s Plan for California Water is a Good One. Stay the Course

/in , , /by /Los Angeles Timesby The Times Editorial Board

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s new blueprint for California water policy offers a stay-the-course agenda for projects and policies intended to help cope with a warming climate and more volatile weather patterns that already are affecting the state’s irrigation, environmental and drinking water supplies. There are no moonshots and few surprises, and that’s fine; it will be challenging enough to ensure that all Californians are hooked up to safe and reliable water supplies to meet their needs for the coming decade and beyond.

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