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Pine Hill Egg Ranch in Ramona Faces Possible Cease-and-Desist Order Over Concerns About Wastewater Treatment

/in , /by /Ramona Sentinel by Noah Harrel

A state water board will consider a proposed cease-and-desist order for the egg processing facility at Pine Hill Egg Ranch in Ramona over concerns that contaminated water has been getting into stormwater basins and two nearby creeks, officials said.

The California State Water Resources Control Board will discuss the order at its Oct. 11 meeting. Public comment on the issue through Aug. 28 will be taken into consideration by the board, officials said.

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Water District Expects to Gain Additional $78K Per Month with New Investment Policy

/in , , /by /Ramona Sentinelby Julie Gallant

A new investment strategy is expected to boost Ramona Municipal Water District’s income by $78,000 each month, with extra earnings arriving as early as February, officials said.

The water district’s directors unanimously approved updates to the agency’s investment policy at their meeting on Jan. 10. The policy allows staff to open accounts with the California Asset Management Program (CAMP) and the San Diego County Treasurer’s Pooled Money Fund.

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Ramona Water District Considers Waiving Fees for Granny Flats

/in , , /by /Ramona Sentinelby Julie Gallant

Ramona Municipal Water District directors next month will discuss a proposal to waive water and sewer service fees for accessory dwelling units built at the same time as a single-family home. Directors reviewed fees for small accessory dwelling units, also known as ADUs or granny flats, at their Dec. 13 meeting. But instead of approving the proposal, they asked staff to research how other water districts manage the fees for those types of buildings.

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Ramona Water District Moves Forward With Emergency Services Transfer, Approves Two-Year Budget

/in , , /by /The San Diego Union-Tribuneby Julie Gallant Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

Ramona Municipal Water District reported on the status of transferring the district’s oversight of fire and emergency medical services to the county and approved a two-year budget at the June 14 meeting.

The two topics are intertwined because transferring fire and EMS services to the San Diego County Fire Protection District would likely free up discretionary funds available from property taxes to spend on water, fire and parks services, said the water district board’s President Jim Hickle.

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Acres Residents in Ramona Seek $1.32M Grant to Get Access to Clean Water

/in , , /by /The San Diego Union-Tribuneby Julie Gallant

Residents of Ramona’s Acres community are working with local officials and a nonprofit on an application for a $1.32 million grant that would give them better access to clean water.

The funds would pay for new water main pipelines for the community, which has contaminated well water and inadequate pipes.

Toby Roy, a specialist with the nonprofit Rural Community Assistance Corporation, provided an update on the application process at the Dec. 14 Ramona Municipal Water District meeting.

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Ramona Farmers, Winery Owners Weather Dry Years with Water Conservation Strategies

/in , , /by /Ramona Sentinelby Julie Gallant Quoted: San Diego County Water Authority

Farmers and winery owners in Ramona and other parts of San Diego County are weathering the drought better than their counterparts in Northern California and the Central Valley through a mix of smart water use strategies, adequate water supplies and resources such as free irrigation system evaluations, according to water experts.

One reason local agricultural water users have avoided shortfalls in water supplies is because residents and businesses have been reducing the amount of water they use per person over the last 30 years, said Jeff Stephenson, water resources manager for the San Diego County Water Authority.

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Sustainable Ramona Presents Water Conservation Zoom Series

/in , , /by /Ramona Sentinelby Julie Gallant

Sustainable Ramona will kick off a series of free Zoom meetings on sustainability with a Water Conservation Resources series set for Sept. 20-24.

Future Zoom series will cover resources for homes and businesses; transportation, including electric vehicles and public transportation; agriculture, including information on farming using solar energy, called agrivoltaics; sustainable gardening, including composting and worm farming.

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Lafco Presents Options for Ramona to Gain Local Control With a Community Services District

/in , /by /Ramona Sentinelby Julie Gallant

A proposal to transition Ramona from an unincorporated town run by the county into a community overseen by a Community Services District is being explored by the county’s Local Agency Formation Commission.

Priscilla Allen, a LAFCO analyst, introduced Ramona Community Planning Group members to the idea at the group’s Aug. 5 meeting. The plan is based on Ramona’s growing population and trend toward urbanization, Allen said.

The creation of a Community Services District is included in 14 recommendations being submitted by LAFCO staff to the San Diego LAFCO Commission.

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Ramona Water District Moves to Improve Transparency and Community Relations

/in , /by /Ramona Sentinelby Julie Gallant

Ramona Municipal Water District directors agreed Tuesday, Feb. 9, to three changes that will make them and their meetings more accessible to the public, including moving their meeting times from afternoons to evenings and setting up email accounts on the district website.

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Water District Approves Deal to Share Emergency Resources with the County

/in , , /by /Ramona Sentinelby Julie Gallant

The Ramona area will continue to receive backup support from the county of San Diego during fire and medical emergencies with approval of a mutual aid agreement that brings the area nearly $2.5 million in benefits over roughly five years.

The Ramona Municipal Water District Board of Directors gave unanimous approval to the mutual aid agreement on Tuesday, Oct. 13. Director Jeff Lawler was absent.

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