With a global pandemic, a catastrophic economic recession, and record-high unemployment numbers, one would think the state has enough issues to tackle. But proponents of a state water grab that I have been fighting since the day I was sworn into office in 2012 disagree. Where others see turmoil and anguish, they see opportunity. Apparently, they believe in the adage, “Never let a crisis go to waste.”
The economy might seem bad out there but San Diego may not have gotten the worst of California’s massive job losses. Roughly 67 percent of workers in San Diego County are considered essential and less likely to have suffered furloughs, shows a deep dive of unemployment data by Beacon Economics. That’s a higher percentage of the workforce than Silicon Valley, Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Editor’s Note: This feature highlights water utility employees in the San Diego region working during the coronavirus pandemic to ensure a safe, reliable and plentiful water supply. The water industry is among the sectors that are classified as essential. Gary Briant, Olivenhain Municipal Water District Purchasing/Warehouse Clerk, is the Water Utility Hero of the Week.
I spent many years working in the private sector. I noticed that my friends and family that worked in the water industry showed a real sense of pride in what they did. I wanted to stop the “rat race” in the private sector and join a team in the water industry where I could grow, contribute my skills, and be a part of something important. Working at OMWD feels like I’m part of a family, and I am very happy in my new career.
One of my duties here is to procure materials and supplies for Olivenhain. We have only had a few challenges finding supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our general manager had the insight to make sure we were prepared very early on, so I was able to secure many items before vendors ran out and/or items became backordered for months. When some supplies were not available, we thought “outside the box” to find solutions. For example, we used the recipe from World Health Organization to make our own hand sanitizer when it was sold out everywhere.
It’s really important to me that I keep myself safe so I don’t put another team member or family member in jeopardy of getting sick. I’ve been focusing on maintaining social distance, sanitizing, and staying healthy. Safety and education has been the main priority at OMWD since the pandemic began. I make sure all needed safety items are well stocked so everyone at OMWD stays well. We have also transitioned to accepting deliveries in a no-contact manner.
I look forward to seeing everything go back to as close to “normal” as possible. I understand we will have to modify many ways that we operate regarding socialization and maintaining a safe work environment. But I look forward to the challenge of helping my co-workers stay healthy so OMWD can continue being successful in its mission to deliver safe and reliable water service to the community.
As the coronavirus creeps through the human population, causing social and economic turmoil, farmers discard vast quantities of food that they are abruptly unable to sell in the upended economy. The waste has been widely reported as one heartbreaking impact of the Covid-19 crisis. Part of the problem seems to be that, with restaurants closed, vegetable farmers, as well as producers of milk, eggs and meat, wound up with no one to buy their goods.
In California, farms have not been immune to COVID-19. A Farm Bureau Federation survey recently found that more than half of farms across the state have lost customers or sales due to pandemic. Small family farms are especially vulnerable.
It’s been a year of surprises, one thing after another – a pandemic that shut down the world, a murder hornet that suddenly appeared in the north woods, rioting in the streets, and even a giant meteor just missed the earth. But there is one more startling event that not many people know about. That is: The State and the feds are actually talking to each other about our water. They’ve been figuring out how to balance the needs of fish versus farmers and settle how they will handle water deliveries to the Central Valley and Southern California.
The average US home used nearly 729 additional gallons of water in April than it did in February, according to a new study from water-monitoring company Phyn. This means usage was up 21% daily, as most Americans followed orders to work and shelter from home, in an effort to “flatten the curve” and curb the spread of the coronavirus.
I hope this finds you safe and healthy despite the challenging circumstances that we face as a region, state and nation.
While our hearts are heavy, we continue working on several critical issues at the Water Authority this month, and I would like to share three of them with you briefly.
As always, I will continue to update you on these critical issues and others in the weeks ahead.
Mayor Jim Kenney kicked off a recent briefing on Philadelphia’s coronavirus response with an unusual request for residents: Be careful what you flush. Between mid-March, when the city’s stay-at-home order was issued, and the end of April, most of the 19 sewer and storm water pumping stations in Philadelphia had experienced clogs from face masks, gloves and wipes residents had pitched into the potty, Kenney said.
Parts of the West are already in extreme drought ahead of wildfire season, and officials in some areas are worried about an uptick in fire action as more people emerge from coronavirus-related lockdowns and resume outdoor activities like hiking and camping.
The Water News Network is San Diego County’s source for water news and information.
