Tag Archive for: Irrigation

4S Ranch Water Reclamation Facility-CWEA 2022 Plant of the Year

OMWD Continues to Convert More Customer Meters to Recycled Water

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The Olivenhain Municipal Water District continues to reduce demand for imported drinking water by converting additional customer meters within The Lakes Above Rancho Santa Fe community to recycled water for irrigation.

The Lakes is a community in Rancho Santa Fe that will include 387 homes, large outdoor natural spaces, and several lakes, when fully developed.

New water meters

This phase included the installation of four new water meters that will measure an anticipated savings of over nine million gallons of imported drinking water each year. As the entire state continues to face water supply challenges, converting customers to recycled water for irrigation strengthens the local water supply portfolio, reduces treated wastewater flows to the ocean, and reduces the region’s overall demand for imported water.

Reducing reliance on imported water

“OMWD has been proactive about converting customers to recycled water for irrigation for decades,” said OMWD board director Marco San Antonio. “Every customer converted supports the goal of reducing our reliance on imported water, and this conversion is yet another step towards fulfilling that goal.”

4S Ranch Water Reclamation Facility

OMWD produces up to two million gallons of recycled water everyday at its 4S Ranch Water Reclamation Facility. Additionally, OMWD is the lead agency of the North San Diego Water Reuse Coalition, a group of nine North County agencies that coordinate across jurisdictional boundaries to share resources and expand the reach of the recycled water distribution system. As a result of their proactive approach, OMWD now serves up to 15 percent of its overall demand from recycled water and continues to identify additional ways to make recycled water available to eligible customers.

(Editor’s Note: Olivenhain Municipal Water District is a public agency providing water, wastewater services, recycled water, hydroelectricity, and operation of Elfin Forest Recreational Reserve. Organized in 1959, OMWD currently serves approximately 87,000 customers over 48 square miles in northern San Diego County, and is one of the San Diego County Water Authority’s 24 member agencies).

How IoT-powered Soil Sensors Helped a California Golf Resort Save Millions of Gallons of Water Per Month

/in , , /by /Fast Companyby Linda Rosencrance

Although much of California no longer suffers from drought conditions thanks to the recent record rainfall, the Golden State isn’t quite yet out of the woods when it comes to a scarcity of water.

And that means sustainable water management must continue to be top of mind for executives in a variety of industries, including turf management, agriculture, and hotel and resorts.

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Soledad Utilizes ‘Purple Pipes’ to Recycle Water Across the City

/in , , /by /KSBWby Paul Dudley

While drought conditions have improved on the Central Coast following our wet winter —saving water is still a priority. That’s why the city of Soledad is getting creative when it comes to how they water their public sports fields and parks.

Soledad is using a $16 million state grant to build a pipe system from their wastewater treatment plant to deliver recycled water to public fields across town. The city made history a few years back with the construction of a wind turbine that powers the treatment plant Their newest accomplishment comes in the form of purple pipes.

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Sprinklers-Spruce-EPA-Water Conservation

Spruce Up Your Sprinklers in April

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Californians gave their irrigation systems the winter off in much of 2023 thanks to above-average precipitation. As the weather warms, the U.S. EPA encourages everyone to perform a maintenance check in April as part of its “Sprinkler Spruce Up” effort.

A sprinkler spruce-up involves four steps: inspect, connect, direct, and select. Cracks in pipes can lead to costly leaks, and broken sprinkler heads can waste water and money. System maintenance can help save money and water, up to 25,000 gallons of water, and $280 over a six-month irrigation season. April is an ideal time to spruce up your irrigation system.

Look for leaks and breaks

Because most irrigation systems run in the early morning, missing or broken sprinkler heads may go unnoticed. This can cause overflow or flooding on landscapes or waste water on hard surfaces.

Inspect your irrigation system and look for sprinkler heads that do not pop up fully or are tilted. Flag them so they can be located and repaired later. You may be able to do it yourself but call on a WaterSense-certified professional who can replace the broken sprinkler heads.

You can hire a <yoastmark class=

Check all connections

Leaks can occur at the joints between sprinklers and the piping. Leaking joints can also be caused by too much water pressure or particles in the water. Check to ensure your pressure regulator is installed properly.

Between irrigation cycles, look for water pooling on the surface of your landscaping. This could be caused by an underground leak. Check the connections inside valve boxes to make sure all the valves and other components are securely connected. If the valves cannot close completely, your system could slowly seep water even when turned off.

Survey your irrigation coverage

The greatest waste of water in <yoastmark class=

Irrigation water spraying on hardscapes instead of landscape plants is wasted down the stormwater drain. While your system is running, note any overspray and adjust sprinklers toward your landscaping.

For best results:

  • Each sprinkler should be able to reach the sprinkler head next to it, called head-to-head coverage.
  • Direct sprinklers for uniform coverage to avoid dry spots.
  • Maintain consistent water pressure so that nozzles can operate efficiently.
  • Upgrade to a smart controller. Weather and soil moisture-based controllers can automatically adjust your watering schedule.

The greatest waste of water in landscape irrigation comes from watering too much, too fast. Observe how water absorbs into the ground during the watering cycle. If water begins running off your landscaping or pooling, run sprinklers in multiple shorter sessions with breaks. This allows water to soak into the soil and minimizes runoff.

Instructions to help homeowners check in-ground irrigation ground systems here: “It’s Time to Start a Sprinkler Spruce-Up!”  The EPA’s checklist “Find It, Flag It, Fix It: A Checklist For Your Landscape” shows how to walk through your landscape to identify problems. The checklist also provides additional irrigation and landscape tips and suggestions about when to call in an irrigation professional.

USDA Undersecretary Meets with Imperial Irrigation District

/in , , /by /KYMA, KECYby Dillon Fuhrman, Adelmi Ruiz

The Undersecretary of the United States Department of Agriculture, Robert Bonnie, privately met with the Imperial Irrigation District. The meeting started at 4:00pm Sunday and took place in El Centro.

During the meeting, Bonnie and the IID discussed the Western Water Policy and irrigation assistance to southeastern California farmers and ranchers.

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San Diego Farmers Say Rain Will Let Them Go Weeks Without Irrigation

/in , , /by /NBC 7 San Diegoby Omari Fleming Quoted: San Diego County Water Authority

Vendors at the Ocean Beach farmers market are singing rain’s praises after a series of storms that have passed through San Diego.

“I love it, we love it,” exclaimed farmer Mario Pasqual.

“We definitely need the water. You know, we haven’t had a lot of rain,” fellow farmer Eduardo Valdivia said.

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Turn Off Irrigation During and After Rainstorms

/in , , /by /Times of San Diego by Debbie L. Sklar Quoted: San Diego County Water Authority

A series of storms bringing much-needed rain to the San Diego region is also a reminder for residents and businesses to turn off irrigation systems when wet weather is predicted and for at least a week after significant rainfall.

While a series of atmospheric rivers is boosting the Sierra snowpack and easing dry conditions statewide, there is still a long way to go to overcome three arid years. Water-saving actions today can help conserve more of our most precious natural resources when needed.

“Outdoor watering accounts for at least half of a typical household’s water use, which means that cutting back on irrigation during damp and cool periods is one of the easiest ways to live WaterSmart,” said Efren Lopez, a water resources specialist for the San Diego County Water Authority. “With a half-inch of rain in many areas on Tuesday night and several more damp days in the forecast, this is the perfect time to turn off the sprinklers for an extended period.”

Despite the most severe drought conditions in more than 1,200 years, San Diego County continues to have enough water to meet demands due to significant investments in water conservation and supplies. The region’s long-term supply reliability depends on a continued commitment to water-use efficiency indoors and outdoors by homes and businesses both large and small.

Rain barrels are one easy way to save water. “Water stored in rain barrels can gradually be released into landscapes between rains,” said Lopez. “With our region’s traditionally wet months just ahead, this is a great way to increase your outdoor water efficiency.”

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Turn Off Irrigation During and After Rainstorms

/in , /by /The Vista Press Quoted: San Diego County Water Authority

A series of storms bringing much needed rain to the San Diego region is also a reminder for residents and businesses to turn off irrigation systems when wet weather is predicted and for at least a week after significant rainfall.

While a series of atmospheric rivers is boosting Sierra snowpack and easing dry conditions statewide, there is still a long way to go to overcome three extremely dry years. Water-saving actions today can help conserve more of our most precious natural resource for when it’s needed most.

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San Diego County Water Authority And its 24 Member Agencies

Turn Off Irrigation During and After Rainstorms

/in , /by

A series of storms bringing much needed rain to the San Diego region is also a reminder for residents and businesses to turn off irrigation systems when wet weather is predicted and for at least a week after significant rainfall.

While a series of atmospheric rivers is boosting Sierra snowpack and easing dry conditions statewide, there is still a long way to go to overcome three extremely dry years. Water-saving actions today can help conserve more of our most precious natural resource for when it’s needed most.

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San Diego County Water Authority And its 24 Member Agencies

Fall Back and Adjust Irrigation Systems to Save Water

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November 3, 2022 – The end of daylight saving time on Sunday offers residents a reminder to assess their outdoor watering needs and adjust their irrigation systems to reduce water waste – an especially important step as California enters a fourth straight year of drought. Plants simply don’t need as much water during cooler months, and they typically don’t need irrigation for several days after heavy rains.

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