Tag Archive for: San Diego County Water Authority

Water Authority General Manager Maureen Stapleton, State Sen. Ben Hueso, Water Authority Board Chair Mark Muir, and Christy Guerin, chair of the Water Authority’s Legislation and Public Outreach Committee (left to right). Photo: Water Authority

State Sen. Hueso’s Interest in Water Runs Deep

/in , /by

San Diego County is a leader in water conservation and management strategies that will become even more critical in coming years, state Sen. Ben Hueso (San Diego) said during an Aug. 1 Legislative Roundtable at the San Diego County Water Authority’s headquarters.

“San Diego is really a model in the state,” Hueso told an audience of about 90 water agency representatives, business and civic leaders and other stakeholders from around the county who attended the morning event. “San Diego leads the state in conservation. How we’re able to manage the system without an increase in the growth of consumption is just amazing. It’s just a testament to the great minds and people that we have managing our system, ensuring that we continue to have water … given the enormous challenges we have in providing for San Diego compared to other parts of the state.”

The Water Authority regularly hosts roundtables to hear from elected officials about water issues and other important developments in Sacramento and Washington, D.C., and to promote collaboration with civic, business and elected leaders in ensuring continued water supply reliability for the region.

“We’re so pleased Senator Hueso could join us today because he plays such an important role in water issues and water plays such a critical role in our region,” said Mark Muir, chair of the Water Authority’s Board of Directors. “Senator Hueso has been a true champion in protecting important independent water supplies for San Diego and has always been willing to work closely with us to balance all the important interests related to those water supplies.”

Hueso has been a leader on water issues since he was elected to the state Senate in 2013. He  chairs the Senate Committee on Energy, Utilities and Communications, and he also sits on the Natural Resources and Water Committee. His 40th Senate District includes cities in south San Diego County, the southern portion of the City of San Diego, and all of Imperial County. A former San Diego City Councilmember, Hueso was elected to the state Assembly in 2010 and previously chaired the Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee.

Finding Common Ground

Hueso’s commitment to water started as a youngster delivering newspapers. “Every morning when I used to fold those papers I would see ‘Drought,’ ‘Drought,’ ‘Drought.’ ‘Water scarcity.’ ‘Water scarcity,” he said. “If you’re a native San Diegan, that’s something you hear about a lot.”

Drought or no, water remains an important topic in the nation’s largest state, creating a complex challenge for policymakers. “It gets complicated when you consider that our water policy in California started in 1848 before our state was even formed with the Treaty of (Guadalupe) Hidalgo – the treaty with Mexico,” Hueso said. “There was actual language in that treaty that was aimed at protecting property rights and water rights for the people that owned property back then. And those water rights still apply.”

While those complexities can create division, they also create opportunity for bipartisan solutions. “The most important things that we’ve done in the state of California have been bipartisan,” Hueso said. “And that has taken effort. It has taken effort on both sides to come to a common ground and say we’re going to agree to do what’s in the best interest of the state in general. And when there has been an urgent matter facing the people of California, both sides have come together to forge relations and form solutions that truly help everyone.”

How that will play out in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Bay Delta is still unclear, even as the state pursues a $17 billion project called California WaterFix that involves routing water underneath the Bay-Delta in twin tunnels.

A sense of urgency at the Salton Sea

Salton Sea restoration – a legislatively mandated responsibility of the State of California – is another priority for Hueso.

“My focus is set on how do we solve this problem, what’s the best vehicle, and how can we do it in a way that still takes care of the public funds,” he said. “We have to be mindful of how to spend this money because we don’t have a lot of it. We have to stretch every penny, stretch every dime, and there’s really little room for error. And that’s how I think we need to proceed.”

Then he added: “I really believe in creating an agency that is going to focus on solving this problem. We really need an agency that has a sense of urgency.”

 

 

San Diego County Water Authority Board Chairman Mark Muir. Photo: Water Authority Historic water deal

Historic Water Deal Provides Less Expensive, More Reliable Supplies

/in , /by /San Diego County Water Authorityby Mark Muir, Board Chair

A historic achievement for the San Diego region passed almost unnoticed when the San Diego County Water Authority’s Board of Directors adopted new wholesale water rates in late June.

The rate-setting process highlighted how the Water Authority’s independent water supplies from the Colorado River are now both less expensive and more reliable than supplies from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. It’s an accomplishment that the region’s water officials started working toward two decades ago, and one that will bear fruit for decades to come.

The value of our independent water supplies will grow in coming years given the rapid increases in MWD’s rates, which have risen far faster than the cost of the Water Authority’s Colorado River supplies secured in 2003 through a complex, multi-state pact known as the Quantification Settlement Agreement.

Historic agreeement secures San Diego economy and quality of life

From the start, that landmark deal helped secure our economy and quality of life by giving us a major new source of water with a higher priority – or legal right – to Colorado River water than MWD. The agreement allowed the Water Authority to transfer increasingly large amounts of conserved water from the Imperial Valley to San Diego, so that by 2020 it will meet about half of our region’s projected water demand.

That visionary agreement also minimized the impact of MWD’s water delivery cutbacks during the past two droughts. In 2015, for example, MWD reduced water deliveries by 15 percent, but the Water Authority’s independent supplies meant we had enough water to meet 99 percent of normal demand.

While the supply benefits of the conservation-and-transfer agreement have long been clear, the region is just now starting to feel the cost benefits as well.

Here’s why: At the start, our independent Colorado River supplies were more expensive than MWD water. However, the cost of the Water Authority’s independent Colorado River supplies is controlled by a contract linked to the rate of inflation, which means those costs are rising far more slowly than MWD’s rates and charges.

Millions in savings achieved

In addition, the Water Authority has benefited from lawsuits that forced MWD to drop illegal charges for delivering our independent Colorado River supplies. A 2017 appellate court ruling netted the Water Authority about $15 million in savings in 2019, with tens of millions of additional savings in years to come.

The combined effect is that the Water Authority’s independent Colorado River supplies are less expensive than MWD supplies by $44 per acre-foot this year. In 2019, the difference will grow to $68 per acre-foot, and in 2020 our independent supplies are projected to be less expensive by $121 per acre-foot.

That’s worth celebrating because it means regional wholesale water rate increases in 2019 are among the lowest in 15 years – a testament to the all those who have worked for decades to secure a safe, reliable and cost-effective water supply for everyone who calls this place home.

 

Fresh water aboard Midway was critical to building up enough fresh-water steam to accelerate this A-6E Intruder from 0 to approximately 150 miles per hour in only three seconds. Photo: USS Midway Museum

USS Midway: A History of Sustainable Water Management

/in /by

The USS Midway Museum, docked in San Diego, is the most popular naval warship museum in the United States and among the most visited museums in the country, with 1.4 million people annually coming aboard.

Those visitors discover the Midway made its own fresh water while at sea, from the first day it was commissioned in 1945 until it was taken out of active service in 1992. But when this venerable aircraft carrier found new life as the USS Midway Museum in 2004, its relationship with water entered a new era as well.

The USS Midway Museum served as host for the launch of the San Diego County Water Authority’s new education and outreach program: Brought to You by Water.

The program underscores the importance of water reliability for the region’s key industries such as tourism and the military — something the operators of the USS Midway Museum understand on multiple levels.

Supporting a floating city at sea with water supplies

Twelve massive boilers aboard Midway converted fresh water into steam, the lifeblood of any aircraft carrier. Those boilers required periodic scraping, a dirty job far below the water line. Photo: Courtesy USS Midway Museum

Twelve massive boilers aboard Midway converted fresh water into steam, the lifeblood of any aircraft carrier. Those boilers required periodic scraping, a dirty job far below the water line. Photo: Courtesy USS Midway Museum

When deployed at sea, sailors aboard the USS Midway produced 240,000 gallons of fresh water daily through 12 boilers to support the floating city of 4,500 men. From cooking pasta to feeding sailors, to propelling the catapult system launching aircraft off the flight deck, the Midway depended on a safe and reliable water supply to thrive, just as the San Diego region does today.

Two evaporator plants deep inside the ship took in seawater and produced fresh water via desalination. According to Scott McGaugh, Midway Director of Marketing, working in those “evap spaces” was among the toughest duty assignments aboard the Midway. When one of these plants went out of service, the Midway had to ration its water.

Even in the best of times at sea, sailors always lived with a limited water supply, and water conservation was standard operating procedure. Consider a “Navy shower” — getting wet for 30 seconds or less, shutting the water off, soaping up, and then a quick rinse. That was the lifestyle during deployment, including a stretch when the Midway set a deployment record for aircraft carriers — 327 consecutive days at sea.

Water conservation remains a priority

Four steam throttle boards such as this were the gas pedals aboard Midway. Sailors here in 1958 fed the proper amount of steam into the four turbines necessary for propulsion and a top reported speed of 30 knots per hour. That’s 34 miles an hour for the 65,000-ton aircraft carrier when active—fast enough to water ski behind Midway. Photo: Courtesy USS Midway Museum

Four steam throttle boards such as this were the gas pedals aboard Midway. Sailors here in 1958 fed the proper amount of steam into the four turbines necessary for propulsion and a top reported speed of 30 knots per hour. That’s 34 miles an hour for the 65,000-ton aircraft carrier when active—fast enough to water ski behind Midway. Photo: Courtesy USS Midway Museum

While the USS Midway Museum doesn’t have to generate its own fresh water anymore, the conservation mindset is still a part of its daily life. Chief Engineer Len Santiago for the Midway says it is a priority for his team of 64 engineers to be good stewards of water and the ship deploys modern technology such as waterless urinals and sensors on faucets.

The most critical issue for the USS Midway Museum is water leaks. The Water Authority encourages homeowners to monitor their plumbing for leaks. Now imagine monitoring hundreds of miles of pipes aboard a floating museum.

“My staff and I have to make sure first, no leaks,” said Santiago. His team checks all systems regularly. “We have hundreds of spaces where pipes run through. We check all sensors in our restrooms for guests are working properly. Problems like a running faucet are reported immediately.

“As we grow as a museum, our infrastructure will continue to grow,” said Santiago. “In the 21st century, we’ll continue to leverage technology. I expect to have sensors that will alert me to water on the deck somewhere that might indicate a leak – even in things like air conditioning.”

 

 

 

 

U-T Publishes Response to Errant Story on Water Issues

/in , /by by Water News Network Staff

The San Diego Union-Tribune on July 28 published and In Response article by Water Authority Board Chair Mark Muir that addressed a serious omission in a July 1 story about the cost of the regional water supply diversification strategy.

Said Muir: “Unfortunately, the story omitted clear-cut evidence that the region’s supply reliability strategy is an unqualified success: Our independent water supplies from the Colorado River are both less expensive and more reliable than supplies from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, which have been cut twice in the past decade by drought.”

Click here to read Muir’s published response. In addition, the paper has posted two corrections to the story.

However, the paper’s In Response format didn’t allow enough space to address other substantive problems in the July 1 story that the Water Authority had raised with the U-T.

For instance, the story inaccurately presented MWD’s water costs, which are actually about 30 percent higher than cited in the story because MWD adds substantial fixed charges on top of its volumetric charges, requiring additional calculations to arrive at a valid comparison with the cost of water from the Water Authority’s other sources.

“Clearly, Water Authority investments in more reliable supplies and large-scale infrastructure have contributed to higher local water rates, and we have never said otherwise,” said Muir in the article submitted to the U-T that was edited for space constraints. “However, no factor has had a bigger impact on wholesale treated water rates in our region since 2008 than rate increases imposed on us by MWD – a fact that would have helped readers understand the value of reducing reliance on MWD.”

The story also failed to serve readers by presenting Steve Erie as an objective, disinterested academic. In fact, Erie has been a paid consultant and expert witness for MWD in two major lawsuits against the Water Authority. Mr. Erie is entitled to his opinions and the U-T is entitled to print them – but the paper should have disclosed his business relationship with MWD, in which he was paid $250 an hour for his services.

Finally, it’s important to note that the story significantly undercounted the amount of water produced locally. In 2020, for example, the Water Authority expects the San Diego region will generate 39 percent of its supplies locally (not 30 percent, as the article said).

“Converted to gallons, that’s approximately the annual production of the drought-proof Claude ‘Bud’ Lewis Carlsbad Desalination Plant – a critical component of a successful, cost-effective strategy to support our region’s economy and quality of life,” Muir said.

2003: Colorado River Agreement Signed

/in , /by

In 1995, the San Diego County Water Authority began negotiations with the Imperial Irrigation District (IID) for the transfer of up to 500,000 acre-feet of water per year from the fertile farming area in the southeastern corner of California. In 1998, the Water Authority and IID signed an agreement that provided for the transfer of between 130,000 and 300,000 acre-feet of water per year, depending on the exercise of certain options. Despite legislation signed in 1998 by then Governor Pete Wilson to encourage the transfer, its actual implementation took five more years to materialize.

Faced with the propsect of reduced sales to its largest customer, the Metropolitan Water District (MWD) responded to the Water Authority-IID deal with an all-out battle to protect its monopoly. In late 2003, pressure from the California State Legislature and the governor forced MWD to back down. It joined the Water Authority, IID, the Coachella Valley Water District, state of California, and the U.S. Department of the Interior in signing the historic Colorado River Quantification Settlement Agreement (QSA). The QSA created a plan for limiting the state’s use of Colorado River water to its basic annual appointment of 4.4 million acre-feet, instead of continuing to rely on surplus supplies that belonged to other fast-growing states in the Southwest.

Sunset Market in Oceanside welcomed the "Brought To You By Water" giant beach ball ambassador, accompanied by Water Authority community outreach staff who provided information and answered questions about the region's water supply. Photo: Authority

Giant Beach Ball Sparks Countywide Conversations on Water

/in /by by Water News Network staff

In the wake of a successful summer kickoff event aboard the USS Midway on June 21, the San Diego County Water Authority and its member agencies are taking the new Brought To You By Water outreach and education program to events throughout the region this summer, including farmers’ markets, concerts in the park, and street fairs.

The program’s visual ambassador — a 10-foot-diameter beach ball emblazoned with the ‘Brought to You by Water’ logo — has proved to be a hit. Dozens of people of all ages have eagerly accepted an invitation to sign the beach ball. They are asked to write something important or meaningful that is made possible by a safe and reliable source of water for the region.

Themes on the beach ball include children at play, pets, sports, the environment, and even wildfire protection. So far, the beach ball has popped up at a movie night in Santee and the Sunset Market in Oceanside.

The next scheduled events are:

  • Thursday, July 26 from 3-7 p.m. at North Park Farmers’ Market
  • Friday, August 10, from 6-8 p.m. at Alga Norte Community Park, Carlsbad for TGIF Concert in the Park
  • Sunday, August 26 from 6-8 p.m. at ARTS District Liberty Station

Follow the Water Authority on social media for future event dates and announcements on upcoming Brought to You by Water events.

Giant beach ball becomes regional ambassador

Visitors to the Oceanside Sunset Market get a close look at the topics written on the 'Brought To You By Water' beach ball. Photo: Charlie Neuman, Water Authority

Visitors to the Oceanside Sunset Market get a close look at the topics written on the ‘Brought To You By Water’ beach ball. Photo: Charlie Neuman, Water Authority

 

The Water Authority’s Brought to You by Water program explains how San Diego’s thriving economy and quality of life are all made possible by the safe and reliable water supply provided by the Water Authority and its 24 retail member agencies.

The  yearlong effort underscores the importance of water reliability to the region’s core industries, focusing on tourism, manufacturing, agriculture and craft brewing. According to a newly released San Diego Economic Development Corporation report, access to safe and reliable water supplies supports $482 million in total regional sales of goods and services daily. This figure is equivalent to the economic impact of nearly three Comic-Cons a day.

For more information about Brought to You by Water, visit B2UbyH2O.org

San Diego County Water Authority Logo Stacked Tagline

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

/in , /by

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.

Download File

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.

Full Story
San Vicente Aqueduct

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

/in , /by

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