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Water District Directors Named to Ad Hoc Committee Reviewing Proposed CALFIRE Contract

Two members of the Ramona Municipal Water District Board of Directors were recently selected to review the next fire and emergency medical services agreement proposed by Cal Fire.

Opinion: RMWD Investments in Natural Gas Benefit Ramona

The Ramona Municipal Water District has received some inquiries from concerned customers regarding the impact of the SDG&E power outages on RMWD’s water system during fire season and COVID.

As many of us in Ramona are aware, RMWD purchases 100 percent of our water from the San Diego County Water Authority and the water is pumped nearly 1,000 feet “up the hill” to Ramona. During the last several years, RMWD has made several important investments in natural gas technology and emergency generators to provide a second source of power for pumping, improve water reliability, reduce pumping costs and protect Ramona in emergencies.

Local Leaders Discuss Impacts of Water Conservation Laws

Four elected officials representing area water districts expressed frustration with state laws aimed at water conservation during an American Liberty Forum of Ramona informational meeting Saturday, June 27.

Roughly 50 attendees gathered at Ramona Mainstage to hear the “Water Regulations Today and Tomorrow” presenters discuss the pending impacts of Senate Bill 606 and Assembly Bill 1668, which were signed into law by former Gov. Jerry Brown in May 2018.

Panelists Set to Explain Laws Limiting Water Consumption

Panelists from several water districts will give updates on new laws affecting water consumption in California during an American Liberty Forum of Ramona event set for Saturday, June 27.

The free forum on Water Regulations Today and Tomorrow will be held at Ramona Mainstage, 626 Main St. Doors open at 11 a.m. and a video program starts at 11:30 a.m.

The focus will be on Senate Bill 606 and Assembly Bill 1668.

SB 606 is in response to mandates that California achieve a 20 percent reduction in urban per capita water use by Dec. 31, 2020. Existing law requires each urban retail water supplier to develop urban water use targets and an interim urban water use target.

AB 1668 would require the state Water Resources Control Board to adopt long-term standards for the efficient use of water and would establish specified standards for per capita daily indoor residential water use.

RMWD Implements Plan to Dissolve Some Untreated Water Delivery

In an effort to save costs and reduce the impacts of declining untreated water sales, the Ramona Municipal Water District (RMWD) recently approved of implementing a three-phase strategy for converting from an untreated water system to treated, and in some cases, recycled water systems.

Water District Maintaining Safe Supply of Drinking Water

Ramona Municipal Water District is assuring its customers that they can continue to safely use and drink their tap water and that the coronavirus, COVID-19, has no impact on its water supply.

Pipeline Project: Completed or to be Continued?

A large water pipe repair effort may have gone bust, at least temporarily, at the project site near Rangeland and Highland Valley roads. The project is intended to install new pipe under the Santa Maria Creek to connect to an existing pipe after it broke last year.

The Ramona Municipal Water District (RMWD) awarded the contract to Capriati Construction Corp. of Henderson, Nev., with unanimous approval of the district’s board of directors on March 12, 2019. The contract bid was $348,915.

RMWD Sets Meeting to Consider Raising Water Pumping Rates

Ramona Municipal Water District board members unanimously approved April 11 to schedule a public hearing to consider raising untreated water pumping rates despite expressed reservations about another RMWD rate increase.

The vote to schedule the Proposition 218 public hearing for 2 p.m. Tuesday, April 14, was approved 4-0-1, with Secretary Jeff Lawler absent. The scheduled meeting will be held at the Ramona Community Center, 434 Aqua Lane.

Proposition 218, the “Right to Vote on Taxes Act,” requires local government agencies to hold a public hearing when rate increases are proposed to be able to consider protests to those rates affected by Proposition 218. The notice for the public hearing with the proposed increases is required to be sent to affected property owners at least 45 days before the public hearing.

Water District Elects Officers, Approves Million-Dollar Contracts

A new slate of officers were ushered in to the Ramona Municipal Water District (RMWD) Jan. 14 just before its board of directors approved two construction contracts estimated to cost more than $1 million apiece.

RMWD Board President Jim Robinson was an easy choice to serve a second term as the board’s president. He quickly received unanimous support among the four directors present, with Vice President Jim Hickle absent.

RMWD Resurrects Idea for Sharing Water Facilities with Poway

The City of Poway’s water woes has prompted Ramona Municipal Water District representatives to resurrect a 7-year-old proposal to share water facilities for their mutual benefit.

In December 2012, RMWD General Manager David Barnum presented a three-phase vision for cooperating with Poway with the intent of reducing water costs and maximizing resources. The dormant but unforgotten plan was again floated by RMWD Board President Jim Robinson to the Poway City Council on Dec. 3, 2019.