Carlsbad Desalination Plant Running at Full Capacity with ‘Shelter In Place’
When your business is water, your business is essential. Over at the desalination plant in Carlsbad, it’s anything but business as usual.
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New Safe Drinking Water Plan for San Diego City Schools Approved
The San Diego Unified School Board met today at 5 o’clock and unanimously approved a proposal to have “drinking water-filtration” in all of its schools.
The proposal is the result of something that happened in 2017. The state authorized California’s school districts to ask their water providers for a sampling of the schools’ drinking water.
The City of San Diego Water Department’s sampling of possible lead content in the water, particularly in the district’s older schools, was alarming. It prompted a concerned district to ask the department to accelerate the testing. In all, 40 schools had to have their drinking water systems remediated because of lead content.
San Diego International Airport Collects Over Two Million Gallons of Stormwater
In its first year of operation, an innovative stormwater capture and re-use system at San Diego International Airport has collected more than two million gallons.
The airport collects rain that falls on the roof of the Terminal 2 Parking Plaza, diverting it from becoming runoff that can pollute San Diego Bay. This water is fed into the airport’s central plant, where it is used in place of potable water to help heat and cool the terminals.
Water Authority Offers Settlement to End MWD Litigation
SAN DIEGO (KUSI) – The San Diego County Water Authority’s board offered Thursday to settle a long-running dispute over rates with the giant Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.
For decades now, the Metropolitan Water District headquartered in Los Angeles has been selling water to San Diego County, water that’s mostly piped in from the Colorado River. From the perspective of the San Diego County Water Authority, it hasn’t been a very good deal for San Diego.
Water Authority Board Chair Jim Madaffer says San Diego has been paying higher rates, in part to subsidize other water agencies. He hopes that bringing an end to the lawsuits will ultimately help consumers.
Water Authority Board Chair Jim Madaffer tells KUSI News Reporter Sasha Foo about the offer the Water Authority has made to the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California that would end litigation between the two wholesale water suppliers. Screenshot: KUSI News/Water Authority
Settlement Offer To MWD
The offer asks MWD to make $140 million in payments to San Diego County water customers to cover claims from 2011 through 2020 and, in the future, follow new procedures in setting water rates.
The Water Authority delivers wholesale water supplies to 24 retail water providers, including cities, special districts and a military base in San Diego County.
Watch the entire video report here: https://www.kusi.com/water-authority-offers-settlement-to-end-mwd-litigation/
Judge Halts Pure Approved Water Construction Contracts
In a recent ruling, Superior Court Judge John S. Meyer awarded an injunction against the City of San Diego after the City Council, last year, voted to exclude non-union contractors from bidding on the Pure Water project. In his ruling, Judge John S. Meyer, rightfully stated that the City’s action “is puzzling because it appears to be an attempt to amend or repeal SDMC 11.4401 (Prop A), et seq., which is precluded under the Ordinance. ‘This Ordinance shall not be amended or repealed except by a majority vote of the voters of the City of San Diego.”
San Diego’s Farmer of the Year Taps Every Drop
Growing water-intensive crops like avocados in San Diego County is no small feat. Producing avocados requires the use of innovative farming methods to supply the trees with enough water.
It’s the use of innovative farming methods that earned John Burr the title of San Diego County’s Farmer of the Year – an honor he recently celebrated on KUSI-TV with Water Authority Board Chair Jim Madaffer as part of the agency’s Brought to You by Water outreach and education program.
Innovative farming methods
Over the past few months, the Water Authority partnered with local agriculture industry leaders like the San Diego County Farm Bureau to highlight the importance of safe and reliable water supplies for more than 5,500 local farms that are part of the county’s $4.8 billion agriculture industry.
Local farmers like Burr are invaluable in growing the agricultural bounty that sustains 3.3 million residents and the region’s quality of life.
Found in everything from tacos to smoothies to toast, avocados have become a staple in California cuisine and, with only about 10 inches of annual rainfall in the San Diego region, it takes innovation and technology to grow the popular fruit.
Technology saves water
For decades, Burr has been perfecting the operations on his Escondido farm, using state-of-the-art technology like the California Irrigation Management Information System. Two different satellite systems allow him to regulate irrigation by zones to determine precise water amounts to prevent using too much or too little water on his trees.
Satellites collect data, which Burr then analyzes with spreadsheets to determine how many gallons of water each tree requires. Every bit of data collected, from water usage to atmospheric conditions to soil type, allows Burr and his team to streamline their operations to be even more water-efficient.
“In San Diego County, we have to get the most out of our crops with the least amount of water,” said Burr, who irrigates his farm with water from the City of Escondido. “When the weather varies with changing seasons or fluctuating weather patterns, providing the right amount of water at the right time is paramount to using water efficiently. These technologies provide the information and tools that allow us to do that consistently, and ensure our crops grow successfully.”
Efficient land use conserves water
Those who see Burr’s farm may also notice another difference from the typical avocado farm, which is that his groves are designed for high-density planting.
“A typical avocado grove can have about 100 trees, but ours have about 400 in the same area of land. This cuts our water usage in half,” he said.
Each tree is also limited in height to prevent water loss through transpiration. This is especially important in a region like San Diego County, where temperatures can rise quickly on summer days.
New San Diego Budget Reflects New Era
Helen Robbins-Meyer, San Diego County’s Chief Administrative Officer released the county’s 2020 proposed budget yesterday, that totals six point two billion dollars. The Board of Supervisors will spend a month dealing with amendments and public hearings that begin June 10. KUSI’s Steve Bosh has a preview. A new era in leadership is broadening the County of San Diego’s outlook on how to grapple with some of our region’s core issues, meet new challenges and remain prepared for whatever the future may bring.
Historic Rainfall Wipes Out Drought For Most Of California
The latest report on California’s water conditions has been released and the drought monitor shows some encouraging news about our drought levels. Experts say it has very little impact on our local supply. KUSI’s Ginger Jeffries explains.
San Diego Reservoirs Are Filling Up After A Record Year Of Rainfall
For the first time in a long time, the San Diego area is reaping the benefits of mother nature’s generosity. “We’ve had 9 inches of rain so far in February, it could be a record,” says Ron Mosher of the Sweetwater Authority. As a result, Sweetwater is sharing the wealth. All that water has been collecting in a series a lakes and reservoirs. “It’s been a blessing. We’re now transferring enough water to supply 130,000 people for six months,” says Mosher.
SD County Water Authority General Manager Announces Intent To Retire After Almost 25 years
San Diego County Water Authority General Manager Maureen Stapleton announced her intent to retire today after nearly 25 years at the agency’s helm. Stapleton was appointed general manager in December 1995. Since then, she has received awards from the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, the San Diego Press Club and the Association of California Water Agencies for her efforts to keep the county’s water supply stable and healthy. Stapleton tipped her hat to the agency’s Board of Directors and the agency’s “unwavering support of the San Diego region’s civic leaders” in her announcement.
The Water News Network is San Diego County’s source for water news and information.
