California officials have urged residents to prepare for a third year of drought and urged people to conserve water.
“With only one month left in California’s wet season and no major storms in the forecast, Californians should plan for a third year of drought conditions,” said California Department of Water Resources Director Karla Nemeth.
The San Diego County Water Authority announced Monday that it will begin precautionary repairs to a key pipeline in Bonsall.
The Water Authority said its staff detected potential weaknesses in a 48-foot section of Pipeline 4 just north of West Lilac Road in late January using acoustic fiber-optic monitoring.
Plans are to shut down and drain that stretch of 90-inch diameter pipe starting Tuesday. Work to replace the segment will continue until the line is back in service approximately 10 days later.
The San Diego County Water Authority is proactively fixing a 90-inch diameter pipeline in Bonsall. The work is part of the agency’s long-term commitment to maintaining regional investments in water supply reliability and affordability.
Water Authority staff detected potential pipeline weaknesses just north of West Lilac Road in late January using real-time acoustic fiber-optic monitoring. This technology locates distressed sections of pipelines even while they are in use as part of the Water Authority’s high-tech asset management program.
Further investigation prompted the Water Authority to prioritize repairs on a 48-foot-long section of pipeline. Water Authority staff are carefully monitoring the pipe section around the clock while preparing designs and identifying contractors that can quickly mobilize for repairs.
Plans are to shut down and drain that stretch of pipe starting March 1. Work to replace the pipeline segments will continue until the line is back in service approximately 10 days later.
“This repair highlights the value of strategic investments in money-saving asset management tools and training,” said Martin Coghill, a senior manager for operations and maintenance at the Water Authority. “By proactively identifying this problem spot, we prevented what could have been a major unplanned shutdown.”
The San Diego County Water Authority is proactively fixing a 90-inch diameter pipeline in Bonsall as part of the agency’s long-term commitment to maintaining regional investments in water supply reliability and affordability. Graphic: San Diego County Water Authority
The Water Authority has been coordinating closely with retail water agencies in North County that rely on deliveries from Pipeline 4. Rainbow Municipal Water District, Fallbrook Public Utility District, City of Oceanside, Valley Center Municipal Water District, and Vallecitos Water District are preparing to continue water deliveries by other means to homes and businesses while Pipeline 4 is out of service.
Fortunately, while Pipeline 4 is shut down the Water Authority’s resilient system can deliver treated water to retail agency connections from multiple sources, including the Carlsbad Desalination Plant.
Fortunately, while Pipeline 4 is shut down the Water Authority’s resilient system can deliver treated water to retail agency connections from multiple sources, including the Carlsbad Desalination Plant. Photo: San Diego County Water Authority
Water Authority infrastructure repairs are funded by water ratepayers countywide. Regional investments in supply reliability ensure consistent and timely monitoring, maintenance, and repairs of the complex countywide water delivery system. Those investments, in turn, support San Diego’s regional economy and quality of life.
The Water Authority operates and maintains a water delivery system capable of delivering more than 900 million gallons of water per day through 310 miles of large-diameter pipeline, 1,600 aqueduct-related structures, and approximately 100 metering/flow control facilities. It also includes a state-of-the-art water treatment plant, hydroelectric facilities, pump stations, flow regulatory structures, and reservoirs that store water for emergencies and dry years.
Work underway on major Pipeline 4 repair project in north San Diego County that maintains water supply reliability and affordability. Thanks to five San Diego County Water Authority member agencies, water deliveries will continue during work. https://t.co/iMvnJ2FeJl #cawater pic.twitter.com/nRmXwyXVty
— San Diego County Water Authority (@sdcwa) March 2, 2022
As assets age, the Water Authority proactively replaces and repairs them to minimize impacts to member agencies and the public. Investments in the latest inspection technologies, including electromagnetic scanning, robotic inspections and 3D tunnel inspections help the Water Authority’s asset management team detect defects in pipelines and related facilities. By identifying corrosion or other types of deficiencies early, potential problems are corrected so they don’t become large and more costly issues.
Approximately 82 miles of the Water Authority’s pipelines are pre-stressed concrete cylinder pipes, also known as PCCP, that are made from a combination of steel and concrete. However, numerous catastrophic failures have occurred with these pipes worldwide in recent decades. In response, the Water Authority instituted a proactive program in 1991 to reinforce the pipelines with steel liners. To date, the Water Authority has relined 47 miles of PCCP.
(Editor’s note: The Rainbow Municipal Water District, Fallbrook Public Utility District, City of Oceanside, Valley Center Municipal Water District, and Vallecitos Water District are five of the San Diego County Water Authority’s 24 member agencies that deliver water across the metropolitan San Diego region.)
The San Diego County Water Authority is proactively fixing a 90-inch diameter pipeline in Bonsall as part of the agency’s long-term commitment to maintaining regional investments in water supply reliability and affordability.
Water Authority staff detected potential pipeline weaknesses just north of West Lilac Road in late January using real-time acoustic fiber-optic monitoring. This technology locates distressed sections of pipelines even while they are in use as part of the Water Authority’s high-tech asset management program.
Educating employees about how to manage their personal finances is paying big dividends for the San Diego County Water Authority.
The wholesale water supplier received a $24,884 grant in 2020 to develop a financial wellness program for its staff and the more than 16,000 employees at its 24 retail water agencies, which include cities, special districts and a military base in the San Diego region.
Eva Plajzer, a 30-year civil engineering and management professional, has been appointed Director of Operations and Maintenance for the San Diego County Water Authority. She fills the position vacated by the retirement of Jim Fisher, whose 32-year career included nearly 10 years in a leadership role at the Water Authority.
The Water Authority is a regional wholesale water agency that provides about 80% of the water used in San Diego County, sustaining a $253 billion economy and quality of life for 3.3 million residents. The agency’s Operations and Maintenance Department is responsible for operating the aqueduct system; ensuring facility security and emergency preparedness; and maintaining and managing the fleet and various other assets.
We received some welcome news from the three major U.S. rating agencies last week, when they reported strong credit ratings and credit quality for the San Diego County Water Authority.
While that might not seem like a big deal, it really is. The newly released analysis by Fitch Ratings, S&P Global, and Moody’s allow the Water Authority to optimize its debt portfolio and minimize the cost of financing vital water reliability projects. In addition, S&P changed its long-term outlook for the Water Authority to stable from negative due to actions by the agency’s Board of Directors and staff leaders.
Ultimately, that means saving ratepayer money.
All three rating agencies highlighted the strength of the Water Authority’s significant investments in supply diversification, which allow the agency to meet demands in its service area despite ongoing drought conditions. The Water Authority’s credit quality is deemed strong, in part because the agency adopted its Long-Range Financing Plan in 2021. S&P said, “the LRFP reflects strong management of the authority’s financial and capital needs balanced with long-term affordability for its member agencies.”
The rating services also cited the Water Authority’s financial leadership, including prudent strategies to manage issues related to COVID-19, its success diversifying water supply sources, its commitment to infrastructure maintenance, and its financial reserves for managing contingencies.
We plan a $170 million bond sale this week, and these ratings will help us get the best rates. That’s just one part of our strategy at the Water Authority to promote affordability in everything we do – from maintaining our extensive water supply system to distributing tens of millions of dollars to our member agencies to investing in conserved water sources.
I look forward to sharing more of our affordability strategy as we move into 2022.
February 7, 2022 – Eva Plajzer, a 30-year civil engineering and management professional, has been appointed Director of Operations and Maintenance for the San Diego County Water Authority. She fills the position vacated by the retirement of Jim Fisher, whose 32-year career included nearly 10 years in a leadership role at the Water Authority.
The Water Utility Climate Alliance has added the Water Authority’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to its mitigation case studies library. The case studies provide valuable information and inspiration for greenhouse gas mitigation or sewage thermal energy use projects from concept to implementation for water utilities across the U.S.
The Water Utility Climate Alliance has added the Water Authority’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to its mitigation case studies library. The case studies provide valuable information and inspiration for greenhouse gas mitigation or sewage thermal energy use projects from concept to implementation for water utilities across the U.S.
Water Authority Senior Water Resources Specialist Goldy Herbon said case studies are developed in partnership with WUCA. Contacts are provided in each case study to facilitate follow-up and enable interested readers to learn more. WUCA recognizes the importance of greenhouse gas mitigation as a key climate adaptation strategy and an issue of climate leadership in the water sector.
“By sharing our efforts and experience in GHG reduction with our peers across the U.S., we hope to set an example for other industries and business sectors, leading to even more mitigation efforts,” said Hebron. “The case studies are by no means an exhaustive list, but it is a great starting point for water utilities exploring the potential of implementing their own GHG mitigation projects. Additionally, WUCA is open to adding more GHG projects to its roster.”
The Water Authority greenhouse gas mitigation case study is on WUCA’s webpage.
The Water Authority installed solar panels at three locations in 2011: its Kearny Mesa headquarters and Escondido operations center; and the Twin Oaks Valley Water Treatment Plant.
Energy generated by the solar power systems reduces the Water Authority’s energy costs as well as GHG emissions, making agency operations more efficient for water ratepayers. Combined, the solar power systems will reduce the agency’s energy expenses by nearly $3 million over 20 years. The solar power systems were installed at no cost to the Water Authority through a 20-year power purchase agreement with CleanCapital.
Claude “Bud” Lewis Carlsbad Desalination Plant. Photo: Poseidon Water
The Claude “Bud” Lewis Carlsbad Desalination Plant, which supplies nearly 10% of San Diego County’s drinking water, is also featured as a case study. The plant’s energy recovery project, part of its High-Energy Efficiency Design, uses state-of-the-art pressure exchanger technology to recover and reuse a significant portion of the energy from the reverse osmosis process.
The Water Authority recently earned Climate Registered gold status from The Climate Registry for verifying and publicly reporting its greenhouse gas emissions. The effort fosters transparency for the agency’s climate mitigation initiatives and will help the Water Authority track and validate emissions reductions in the future.
The Climate Registry operates North America’s largest voluntary registry for greenhouse gas emissions. The Water Authority’s 2019 and 2020 inventories were verified and published in The Climate Registry’s public database in November, earning the agency gold status for both years.
The Water Authority first developed its Climate Action Plan in 2014 and updates it every five years. GHG emissions against a baseline and tracking progress toward State of California goals. Annual GHG inventories are provided to the board of directors.
The Twin Oaks Reservoir dual solar array total production is roughly 3.6 mWh annually, enough to power 340 homes. Photo: Vallecitos Water District
The Water Authority’s GHG mitigation case studies offer crucial examples of progressive GHG mitigation projects at water utilities with lessons learned during implementation. The selection of case studies represents a wide range of project types (pump optimization, wind power, and battery storage) to provide a strong starting point for utilities to learn from each other. Many of the projects can be applied equally to wastewater and stormwater utilities.
Water utilities have a unique role to play in mitigating GHGs due to the high energy usage of the water industry and being a reliable purchaser of energy, as well as being a trusted leader for other industries and business communities. A key objective for WUCA is for the alliance to continue developing practical examples and case studies of climate adaptation and climate mitigation.
The Water Authority works with its 24 member agencies to deliver water affordably and efficiently across San Diego County, and the agency has championed energy efficiency and environmental sustainability for decades.
The Water News Network is San Diego County’s source for water news and information.
