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Water Authority Expands Water-Use Efficiency Opportunities For Low-Income Homes

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San Diego, Calif. – The San Diego County Water Authority is expanding a long-running partnership with San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) to increase the availability of devices that save both water and energy for thousands of income-qualified residents across the region. The Water Authority’s investment of $150,000 will supplement funding for water-saving devices, allowing SDG&E’s Energy Savings Assistance Program to serve more customers.

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Water Authority Prevails In Open Meetings Lawsuit

/in , /by /San Diego Metro Magazine Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

Superior Court Judge John S. Meyer ruled in favor of the San Diego County Water Authority on July 20 in a lawsuit that alleged the agency violated the state’s primary open meetings statute, known as the Brown Act. San Diegans for Open Government, represented by Cory Briggs, sued the Water Authority on June 12, 2017, claiming violations of the Brown Act.

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San Vicente Aqueduct

1954: Final Pipe Installed for Pipeline 2, San Vicente Aqueduct

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Thanks to an intensive lobbying effort and consensus building by the San Diego County Water Authority’s first chairman, Fred Heilbron, the San Vicente Aqueduct’s second pipeline was constructed between 1951 and 1954.

The effort paid off when the second pipeline, parallel to and the same size as the first, began delivering water to the San Diego region. But even the doubling of capacity was insufficient to supply the growing population. The Water Authority had grown to 18 member agencies, and was four times the service area it had when it was originally formed ten years earlier in 1944.

Planning immediately began for a third pipeline, Pipeline 3.

Balboa Park sustainability efforts generate cost savings and efficiencies which boost its economic impact on the region. Photo: Water Authority

Balboa Park Sustainability Efforts Set World-Class Standards

/in /by by Water News Network staff

Most visitors know San Diego’s Balboa Park for its world-class museums, gardens, and performing arts venues. Behind the scenes is a learning laboratory of environmental best practices. Aaron L. Boyles, sustainability manager for the Balboa Park Cultural Partnership, describes an active, collaborative effort moving quickly to make Balboa Park the most sustainable urban park in the country. Conserving water is a critical component of this effort.

Sustainability benefits San Diego’s economy

How is Balboa Park managing to embrace sustainability without affecting its status as a major tourist attraction and economic driver for the San Diego region’s tourism sector? Boyles says improvements in sustainability actually enhance the park’s operations.

“The business model is pretty clear,” said Boyles. “When you reduce your need for resources, whether that is water, energy, or consumable products, you reduce your expenditures. When talking about buildings that accommodate millions of visitors per year, those savings are significant. That money can be reinvested into better things like infrastructure and the quality of the visitor experience.

“Last year alone, through the installation of more efficient plumbing fixtures, we were able to save 2.4 million gallons of water. That is equivalent to 3.6 Olympic-sized swimming pools, which really adds up in the long run,” explained Boyles.

An unexpected benefit from embracing sustainability is improved collaboration and communication among the many organizations in Balboa Park. “There was a time when neighboring organizations in the park saw each other as competitors. Now we see each other the way our visitors always have. We are One Park – One Team,” said Boyles. “Pooling our knowledge and efforts multiplies our power to get what we want, and we all want the same thing.”

Among its many initiatives, the Balboa Park Cultural Partnership is partnering with the San Diego County Water Authority this summer to promote the importance of safe and reliable water supplies for the region through the Water Authority’s Brought to You by Water outreach and education program

Balboa Park’s cactus gardens are beautiful and diverse, and represent best practices in landscaping with plants that are native to this area. They need very little water to look great, and can provide ideas for low-maintenance, drought- resistant landscapes at homes and businesses in San Diego County. Photo: Balboa Park Cultural Partnership Balboa Park Sustainability

Balboa Park’s cactus gardens are beautiful and diverse, and represent best practices in landscaping with plants that are native to this area. They need very little water to look great, and can provide ideas for low-maintenance, drought- resistant landscapes at homes and businesses in San Diego County. Photo: Balboa Park Cultural Partnership

Environmental awareness part of the park’s experience

“People come to Balboa Park to have fun and to learn from our cultural organizations. We are committed to making the park a showcase for resource efficiency just as it is for history, culture, and the arts. We aim to inspire millions of park visitors from across the region and around the world to embrace the human experience, and the connection to our environment has always been a formative part of that experience.”

Sustainability is now a unifying force in Balboa Park. “Each of our organizations offers something unique, but it turns out they all share the same challenges in their operations,” said Boyles. “With different organizations constantly trying new things, there are endless opportunities to share successes and lessons learned. The potential for partnerships is huge. We are a microcosm for the larger trend taking hold, which has players like the City of San Diego, SDG&E, and the San Diego County Water Authority making the commitment.”

“We import most of the water we use in San Diego, and Balboa Park wants to lead the way in conservation of this precious resource,” said Boyles. Low flow or waterless bathroom fixtures, efficient irrigation, and offering reusable water bottles are just some of the ways Balboa Park is setting high standards.

Water-use efficiency boosts green buildings

Balboa Park’s Sustainability Program continues to advance solutions that will help protect park resources and strengthen economic viability, while enhancing visitor experience and enjoyment.

Established in 2008, the award-winning Sustainability Program is a collaborative effort between the Balboa Park Cultural Partnership, the City of San Diego and San Diego Gas & Electric® (SDG&E). This collaboration is supported by an alliance of the Partnership’s members, Balboa Park stakeholders and sustainability experts.

The park is now home to 10 buildings certified by Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, known widely as LEED®. LEED certified buildings promote environmental benefits by reducing energy and water use, as well as greenhouse gas emissions through efficient and sustainable practices.

The most frequently implemented energy-efficiency tactics include heating, ventilation, and air conditioning upgrades; lighting retrofits; control upgrades; and computer server consolidation. Many organizations at Balboa Park installed water-efficiency measures such as low-flow and faucet aerators.

The park’s LEED® certified buildings are:

  • The Old Globe
  • San Diego Natural History Museum
  • Fleet Science Center
  • WorldBeat Cultural Center
  • Casa de Balboa (San Diego History Center, Model Railroad Museum, Museum of Photographic Arts)
  • Casa del Prado (San Diego Civic Youth Ballet, San Diego Junior Theatre, San Diego Youth Symphony)
  • House of Charm (Mingei International Museum and San Diego Art Institute)
  • Federal Building
  • Japanese Friendship Garden
  • San Diego Museum of Man

 

 

 

 

Supervisor Kristin Gaspar, chairwoman of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors, officials from the San Diego County Water Authority and several of its member agencies, the San Diego County Taxpayers Association, the Industrial Environmental Association, and more than 30 agencies and organizations have voiced strong opposition to any effort by state legislators to impose a drinking water tax.

San Diego Coalition Remains Vigilant on Water Tax

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Due in part to vigorous statewide opposition by a coalition of business, civic, and water industry officials, a proposed $135 million per year tax on drinking water in California has failed to advance in the state Legislature. But opponents of the bill said their victory should be considered temporary, and the anti-water-tax coalition in San Diego County remains on alert for attempts to revive the proposal.

In June, the legislative Budget Conference Committee failed to approve a Brown Administration budget trailer bill that included the water tax, and the trailer bill was not a component of the final state budget package passed by the Legislature on June 14. The proposed drinking water tax would have raised about $135 million a year to help provide clean, safe water in disadvantaged communities, mostly in the Central and Salinas valleys, where groundwater has been contaminated by farming operations.

Tax proponents likely to renew efforts in August

Tax proponents are likely to renew their efforts to advance another water tax proposal in August, the final month of the legislative session. Several legislative vehicles could allow them that opportunity.

Regional leaders in San Diego understand the need to improve water quality in poor, rural areas of the state. However, they say that should be done without adding another tax burden to residents who live in one of the nation’s most expensive states. They have also said the tax undermines access to the very thing it aims to support – clean water – by making it more expensive.

In addition, there is a major concern with the lack of administrative infrastructure – including appropriate managerial, technical, financial, and operational expertise – within the communities and regions suffering from poor groundwater quality. Without the appropriate governance structure or administrative infrastructure in place to make lasting improvements, the proposed water tax will not provide a lasting solution.

Supervisor Kristin Gaspar, chairwoman of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors, officials from the San Diego County Water Authority and several of its member agencies, the San Diego County Taxpayers Association, the Industrial Environmental Association, and more than 30 agencies and organizations have voiced strong opposition to any effort by state legislators to impose a drinking water tax.

New legislation offers help to boost clean drinking water access

There are other ways to help boost access to clean drinking water statewide. Assembly Bill 2050 offers a more systemic, long-term approach. AB 2050 would authorize the creation of small system water authorities that will have powers to absorb, improve, and competently operate noncompliance public water systems.

Co-sponsored by Eastern Municipal Water District and the California Municipal Utilities Association, AB 2050 approaches the challenge of unsafe and undrinkable water sources within disadvantaged communities in a more methodical and well-structured manner, acknowledging the need to first improve service delivery infrastructure and governance structure of failing and noncompliant water systems as a condition precedent to any broader funding solution such as a water tax.

 

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New Landscape Transformation Program Increases Incentives in San Diego County

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San Diego, Calif. – Residents in San Diego can now receive $2.75 per square foot for replacing turf with sustainable landscaping features as part of a new Landscaping Transformation Program launched today across Southern California.

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Water Authority Offers Incentive To Replace Grass

/in , /by /10 News (San Diego)by Allison Horn Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

San Diego County residents can receive money to replace their grass with sustainable landscaping through a new program. The San Diego County Water Authority and Metropolitan Water District of California will offer $2.75 per square foot. The idea is to create climate-appropriate yards that save water, reduce stormwater runoff, and lessen green waste. The Landscape Transformation Program includes requirements for grass removal, irrigation modification, and water retention or filtration to support reuse of rainwater.

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Development of the next generation of skilled water workforce professionals is vital to the health of the nation's infrastructure. Photo: Water Authority reliable water supply

Water Fosters Innovation Economy in San Diego County

/in /by by Water News Network

San Diego’s regional economy depends on cutting-edge industries such as life sciences, technology, aerospace, academia – not to mention the vibrant brewing sector. Together, those industries help drive economic prosperity countywide, and they share a basic need: reliable access to water.

It may seem obvious, but newly released numbers reveal just how vital a safe and reliable water supply is to the region’s economy.

The importance of a reliable water supplyThose five water-dependent industry clusters – life sciences, technology, aerospace, academia and brewing – collectively support daily business sales of nearly $30 million, according to a new report from the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corp.

And that’s just five industries. Total regional sales supported per day by reliable access to water amount to $482 million. That’s equivalent to 2.7 Comic-Cons every day.

A reliable water supply supports confidence by business in economic growth

Every day, the Water Authority delivers an average of 426 million gallons of water to 24 member agencies that serve 1.1 million households, more than 98,000 businesses, and 251,000 acres of farmland.

“One of the things that I think is really important about having a reliable water source is that it gives people confidence in our system,” Janice Brown, board chair of the regional EDC said during a late-June event to release the study. “And giving companies confidence in our system causes people to have more trust in economic growth.”

Over the past 20 years, the Water Authority has invested $2.4 billion in five major water reliability projects in the region, including new pipelines, dams and treatment plants, according to the EDC report, “The Importance of Water Reliability to San Diego’s Economy.” The total economic impact of these projects has been $4.8 billion over the past two decades.

Water reliability projects generate jobs in diverse fields

Water reliability generates jobs in a wide range of disciplines. Graphic: San Diego EDC

Water reliability generates jobs in a wide range of disciplines. Graphic: San Diego EDC

Regional water reliability projects, meanwhile, supported 1,475 jobs annually over the past 20 years. Just over half of these jobs have been in construction, but they also include jobs in architecture and engineering, retail, the restaurant industry, wholesale trade, real estate and other sectors.

Overall, more than 2,800 people work in the water and wastewater sector at the Water Authority and its 24 member agencies. Occupations include water resource engineers, water treatment operators, environmental scientists, hydrologists, and health and safety engineers.

Nationwide, nearly two million people work in 212 occupations to ensure that safe and reliable water supplies to their communities, according to a new study by the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program in Washington, D.C.

Skilled water workforce development critical to the nation’s future

The Brookings report points to a need to diversify the national pool of water workers, more than half of whom have a high school diploma or less but benefit from high levels of on-the-job training that helps them develop transferable skills.

“Renewing the country’s infrastructure requires a sizable workforce, and improving water infrastructure offer enormous environmental and economic returns for residents in every community,” said Joseph Kane, a senior research associate and associate fellow at the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program and lead author of the report.

Continued development of the nation’s water workforce will be critical as the nation renews aging infrastructure and tackles the challenge of income inequality, the Brookings report found.

In San Diego, regional water and education officials have long recognized that maintaining and enhancing the region’s robust water system will continue to require a talented, well-trained workforce.

Across the region, 58 programs create an educational pipeline for the water industry, according to the EDC report. They include programs at Cuyamaca and Palomar colleges and California State University San Marcos. The Water Authority and several member agencies also help prepare future workers through a regional program that has provided more than 150 paid internships since 2006 – many of which have led to full-time positions. More information about that internship program is at https://www.sdcwa.org/internships.

As San Diego's temperatures soar, be sure your water use isn't soaring by using water resources efficiently. Photo: DaveJessica - Creative Commons License use water resources efficiently

San Diego Region Expects Sizzling Summer Heat

/in , /by by Water News Network staff

Water Authority offers tips to keep things cool while using water resources efficiently

The first major heat wave of summer 2018 in the San Diego region arrived Friday, and it is expected to continue through the weekend. Temperatures hit a record 111 degrees in communities including El Cajon, Escondido, and Ramona on Friday. The City of San Diego reached 93 degrees. There won’t be much relief on the beaches, as Coronado’s forecasted high on Saturday is 83 degrees.

Heat records set in San Diego and around the world

Red-hot temperatures are a worldwide trend, including in the San Diego region. The National Weather Service reports 53 of the last 56 months have been hotter than normal at the official weather station at Lindbergh Field.

San Diego's temperatures show an upward trend overall.

San Diego’s temperatures show an upward trend overall.

All time heat records have already been set this week from Denver to Tbilisi, Georgia. Record heat is to blame for at least 33 deaths in and around Montreal, Quebec.

Whether or not the San Diego region will break its record high temperatures of 2017 this year, it is important for residents to use WaterSmart practices which help you use water resources efficiently during the peak water-use months.

The San Diego County Water Authority offers several tips for making the most of the region’s water supplies. They include:

  1. Check your landscaping’s irrigation system

Inspect irrigation equipment to eliminate overspray. Monitor soil moisture using a spade or soil probe, and only water if the top inch of soil is dry. Irrigate turf if it doesn’t spring back when stepped on. Better yet, upgrade to a “smart” irrigation controller that automatically adjusts water times based on weather conditions. Rebates on irrigation equipment are at WaterSmartSD.org.

  1. Water your mature trees correctly

Water mature trees like this mesquite tree slowly and deep into its roots. Photo: Water Authority Use water resources efficiently

Water mature trees like this mesquite tree slowly and deep into its roots. Photo: Water Authority

Irrigate mature trees once or twice a month using a soaker hose or drip system toward the edge of the tree canopy – not at the base of the tree. Use a hose faucet timer (found at hardware stores) to prevent overwatering. Young trees need more frequent irrigation; consult an arborist or tree-care manual for details.

  1. Refresh your compost and mulch

Keeping a 3-inch layer of mulch around trees and plants reduces runoff, helps control weeds and protects soil from direct sunlight and evaporation. Keep mulch at least a foot away from tree trunks and several inches from the crowns of plants. Also, add compost to increase soil nutrients.

  1. Refrigerate drinking water

Your lorikeet can get its drinking water this way. You should fill your reusable water bottles and chill them in the refrigerator for your cold drinking water. Photo Wade Tregaskis - Creative Commonsn License

Your lorikeet can get its drinking water this way. You should fill your reusable water bottles and chill them in the refrigerator for your cold drinking water. Photo Wade Tregaskis – Creative Commons License

Keep drinking water cool in your refrigerator to avoid running the tap. Use refillable water bottles instead of buying disposable plastic bottles.

  1. Put a lid on it

Pool and spa covers reduce evaporation, lower pool heating costs and keeping out dirt and debris.

  1. Take a gardening break from the heat

New plants need more water to get established, so wait until fall or winter for planting to take advantage of cooler temperatures and rainfall.

  1. Watch the grass grow

Let your grass grow longer in the summer. Photo: PhotoMix - Creative Commons License using water resources efficiently

Let your grass grow longer in the summer. Photo: PhotoMix – Creative Commons License

Set your mower to leave grass at least three inches high, because taller blades of grass can reduce evaporation up to 80 percent and protect your roots from heat. And don’t water during the hottest part of the day. The ground can be so hot, roots may literally cook themselves in hot irrigation water.

  1. Treat your vehicles to an efficient car wash

Patronize car washes that recycle water and save at least 15 gallons each time. When washing at home, use a hose nozzle that shuts off when you release the handle.

  1. Rinse your produce the right way

Rinse your fresh fruits and vegetables in a bowl, then use the water on your indoor plants. Photo: McBeth, Creative Commons License Use water resources efficiently

Rinse your fresh fruits and vegetables in a bowl, then use the water on your indoor plants. Photo: McBeth, Creative Commons License

Wash fruits and vegetables in a bowl of water instead of under a running water tap. Use the bowl of water afterward to water your house plants or outdoor container plants.

  1. Go to summer school

Learn more tips and best practices on how residents and businesses can use water most efficiently, including WaterSmart Landscaping Videos on Demand from the comfort of your beach chair or sofa, plus information on rebates, classes and other water-saving resources to help you keep your cool on your water use this summer at WaterSmartSD.org

 

 

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Wholesale Water Rates Kept In Check for 2019

/in , /by /San Diego County Water Authority

Wholesale water rates adopted today by the San Diego County Water Authority Board of Directors include some of the smallest increases in the past 15 years due to successful litigation against the Los Angeles-based Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and strategic use of financial reserves. They also highlight a historic shift in water costs: The Water Authority’s independent and highly reliable supplies from the 2003 Colorado River Quantification Settlement Agreement are now less expensive for the region than MWD, and that difference will grow in the years ahead.

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