The cutting-edge world of desalination and the future of water supply in Southern California is the topic for conversation and insight from water agency officials in a new podcast. The four distinguished guests are from San Diego County Water Authority, Eastern Municipal Water District, Las Virgenes Municipal Water District and South Coast Water District.
The San Diego County Water Authority’s new SkillBridge Program intern came ashore in the perfect location. Of all the adventures Trevor Bland’s military service has taken him on, he regards San Diego as his favorite. It is here where he enjoys physical fitness, trips to the beach and the city’s Mexican food scene.
Luckily, when Bland joined the Department of Defense SkillBridge program he didn’t have to go far.
Bland was assigned as a human resources analyst intern with the Water Authority in August after five years of Naval service. Drawing from his experience as a U.S. Navy Surface Warfare Officer, he says, gave him the skills to address personnel issues in the civilian workforce.
The San Diego County Water Authority’s new SkillBridge Program intern came ashore in the perfect location. Of all the adventures Trevor Bland’s military service has taken him on, he regards San Diego as his favorite. It is here where he enjoys physical fitness, trips to the beach and the city’s Mexican food scene.
Luckily, when Bland joined the Department of Defense SkillBridge program he didn’t have to go far.
Bland was assigned as a human resources analyst intern with the Water Authority in August after five years of Naval service. Drawing from his experience as a U.S. Navy Surface Warfare Officer, he says, gave him the skills to address personnel issues in the civilian workforce.
“My time in the Navy taught me how to stay calm, think clearly and problem solve in high pressure situations,” Bland said. “This experience with problem mitigation and solutions prepared me for the many roles in the human resources department.”
After receiving his B.A. in Psychology from Suffolk University in 2019, Bland commissioned in the U.S. Navy. Inspired by his father’s service of more than 30 years, he says the path to service always felt natural.
Bland began his first naval tour aboard the USS Dewey in San Diego, where he served as a Repair Officer and Boarding Officer.
In August of 2021 when the USS Dewey’s homeport was transferred nearly 6,000 miles away to Yokosuka, Japan, Bland followed.
During this 12-month stay in the South China Sea, Bland led a team of 10 specially trained sailors in counter-piracy missions that tackled smuggling and theft.
Bland finished his military career in late 2022 with his second and final tour as the Auxiliaries Officer and Assistant Chief Engineer on board the USS Harpers Ferry.
“My time in the Navy taught me how to stay calm, think clearly and problem solve in high pressure situations,” Trevor Bland said. “This experience with problem mitigation and solutions prepared me for the many roles in the human resources department.” Photo: San Diego County Water Authority
Now at the Water Authority, Bland’s role includes promoting job openings, ensuring consistency among various HR projects and assisting other outgoing military personnel with their career changes.
Transitioning from active duty to civilian life can be intimidating, says Bland. Without a clear vision for one’s career path and daily life, many members leave the service fearful for the future.
“For the first time in however many years, the service member is alone in ensuring everything from their medical insurance to financial stability is in order, when prior to that, those benefits were awarded to them,” Bland said.
It’s at this pivot point where SkillBridge makes the difference. SkillBridge offers service members a chance to gain new experience and skills in the civilian workforce before they leave the military.
Upon joining the four-month program, members receive the same military benefits and pay they received on active duty while working full-time in a civilian field of their choice.
“When you’re in SkillBridge, you still have the security of your military career while experimenting with different jobs,” Bland said.
Participation in the program not only helps service members, but it’s rewarding for employers as well. Employers gain early access to the new perspectives, diverse and dedicated skills that SkillBridge interns bring from years in the military.
“Interns like Trevor are a great addition to our department because they bring skills and a proven work ethic from the military that would otherwise be untapped if not for SkillBridge,” said Gretchen Spaniol, Water Authority acting director of human resources.
As the first public agency in California to partake in the Department of Defense’s Skillbridge Program, the Water Authority has led the way in integrating former military personnel into the water industry. Since joining the program in 2020, the Water Authority has welcomed eight military interns.
For the interns, the payoff is clear. “The cooperation and support provided by the Water Authority make this life change a lot less scary,” Bland said.
As the home to both Navy and Marine Corps families, San Diego has more than 110,000 active-duty personnel, with military families constituting nearly 8% of the county’s population. Of the more than 30,000 service members departing from the military each year in California, over half reside in the San Diego region.
The Water Authority’s successful participation in SkillBridge highlights the agency’s commitment to military personnel and families.
The San Diego County Water Authority has earned Climate Registered gold status from The Climate Registry for the fourth consecutive year. The Water Authority was recognized for verifying and publicly reporting its greenhouse gas emissions, an effort that fosters transparency for the agency’s climate mitigation initiatives and helps the agency track and validate emissions reductions in the future.
The San Diego County Water Authority has earned Climate Registered gold status from The Climate Registry for the fourth consecutive year. The Water Authority was recognized for verifying and publicly reporting its greenhouse gas emissions, an effort that fosters transparency for the agency’s climate mitigation initiatives and helps the agency track and validate emissions reductions in the future.
Construction on the City of Poway’s clearwell replacement is anticipated to begin this fall following the award of contract to Gateway Pacific Contractors, Inc. The contract was awarded at the Sept. 19 Poway City Council meeting.
The clearwell is Poway’s major storage reservoir for water treated at the water treatment plant, prior to being distributed to Poway water customers.
Replacing the aging clearwell, built in 1964, is the second phase of the Water Infrastructure Improvement Program. This program is the largest capital improvement program (CIP) in the city’s 43-year history. The first phase of the program built the infrastructure necessary to bypass the clearwell. The improvements to Poway’s water system will increase the reliability of drinking water for water customers now and for generations to come.
The two tanks that will be built as part of the clearwell replacement project, will provide Poway’s water system with redundancy and operational flexibility in that one tank can be taken offline for maintenance and repairs without interrupting service. Gatweway Pacific was the lowest responsible bidder for the project, with a bid amount of approximately $31.6 million.
The targeted construction start date is Fall 2023 and will include the restoration of the ballfield at Lake Poway once the new tanks are operational. The project is expected to be completed in Fall 2026.
Water Projects Overview
After three years and a contentious fight, ratepayers in Fallbrook and Rainbow will finally have their say on whether to leave the San Diego County Water Authority in November’s special election.
But for a while, that vote was in jeopardy.
When the San Diego County Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) approved the detachment in July, there was a bill making its way through the California Legislature that could have upended that.
On a 5-3 vote, the San Diego City Council approved a series of water rate increases Tuesday totaling nearly 20% over the next two years, following a public hearing during which San Diegans largely urged the body to reject the hikes.
The first adjustment will be an increase of 5%, effective Dec. 1, 2023, followed by a 5.2% increase on July 1, 2024, and an increase of 8.7% effective Jan. 1, 2025. While ratepayers have previously seen smaller increases, Tuesday’s rate adjustment is the first comprehensive jump in rates since 2015.
“This is a significant magnitude of a fee increase,” said Councilmember Kent Lee. “I think it was pointed out earlier that we have not had a rate increase of this magnitude for several years and it will have a significant impact on residents.”
Gavin Newsom better have a big desk.
Of more than 2,600 bills introduced in the legislative session that wrapped up late last week, about 840 managed to navigate their way through the Assembly and Senate. The bills that survived the legislative gauntlet now await their respective fates at the hand of the governor, who has an Oct. 13 deadline to sign them into law or veto them.
Here’s a look at some of the noteworthy energy bills Newsom will consider:
A late provision by outgoing Senate Pro Tem Toni Atkins, D-San Diego, included a proposed pumped hydroelectric storage project at San Vicente Reservoir near Lakeside to the list of potential projects that AB 1373 helps facilitate.
If constructed, the San Vicente project will pump water from the existing reservoir to a smaller reservoir (still to be constructed) and then generate emissions-free electricity by sending the water back downhill.
The San Diego County Water Authority offers free WaterSmart classes, with both virtual and in-person options, taught by local landscape design professionals. Classes help participants understand landscape design and maintenance, soil identification and health, turf types and removal tips, plant selection, rainwater catchment, irrigation retrofits and project installation, whether completed as a DIY project or with contractor assistance.
Participants get the knowledge and skills they need to transform their yards into spaces that are water-efficient, sustainable, and beautiful year-round. The workshops are typically offered in spring and in fall clusters, with fall classes scheduled for September through November.
Five topics are available to choose from, including:
Participants who attend all five workshops and meet other program criteria can sign up to receive an in-home visit by a landscape professional who will help them create customized landscape transformation plans, through the Designer at Your Door service. For more information, visit sdcwa.org/your-water/conservation/classes.
“The workshops are designed to help residents create and maintain their own beautiful and water-efficient outdoor spaces,” said Debby Dunn, a water resources specialist for the Water Authority. “Most of our residential water use is outdoors in our landscapes. This is why learning how to create water-efficient spaces is a great way for San Diegans to continue doing their part to use water efficiently.”
For people who prefer to learn at their own pace, the Water Authority offers short, entertaining and educational on-demand videos, with topics that mirror the workshops. To watch the videos go to sdcwa.org/your-water/conservation/classes and click on the videos link.
Low-water plants, improved irrigation technologies, and WaterSmart classes not only save water, but also reduce energy use, protect our natural resources, and create beautiful outdoor living spaces.
The Water News Network is San Diego County’s source for water news and information.
