Chula Vista, Calif. – Sweetwater Authority (Authority) received a rebate of $1,070,931 from the San Diego County Water Authority (SDCWA). The money from SDCWA comes as a portion of $35.9 million in rebate funds the regional wholesaler recently distributed to its 24-member agencies.
San Diego County Water Authority Operations and Maintenance staff recently completed a complex relining project on a section of Pipeline 3 in central San Diego, within Mission Trails Regional Park. Pipeline 3 traverses the western portion of the region from the Riverside County border in the north to Lower Otay Reservoir in the south. The proactive Pipeline 3 relining project is part of the asset management program to make preventative repairs to large-scale infrastructure.
San Diego County Water Authority Operations and Maintenance staff recently completed a complex relining project on a section of Pipeline 3 in central San Diego, within Mission Trails Regional Park. Pipeline 3 traverses the western portion of the region from the Riverside County border in the north to Lower Otay Reservoir in the south.
Large-diameter pipelines operated by the Water Authority and its 24 member agencies extend approximately 310 miles to convey water throughout the region.
By relining pipes ahead of time or conducting timely repairs, the Water Authority and its member agencies avoid pipeline failures and improve the reliability of future water supplies. The proactive Pipeline 3 relining project is part of the asset management program to make preventative repairs to large-scale infrastructure.
In June 2020, O&M staff performed an inspection of Pipelines 3 and 4 within Mission Trails Park during a routine shutdown. They inspected an area of Pipeline 4 that had previously been repaired, and the repairs were found to have held up successfully. Pipeline 3 has similar characteristics to Pipeline 4 in that area, and during the shutdown, staff inspected and found a 32-foot section of pipeline that had sustained lining damage. Between August and September 2021, staff completed the complex repairs on Pipeline 3.
“The project was challenging due to several geographical factors, including the distance of access structures from the damaged section and the steep grade of the hill that the section of pipeline traverses,” said David Hernandez, maintenance technician at the Water Authority. “Our asset management, facility maintenance, and mechanical maintenance teams collaborated closely to plan and execute the complex repairs.”
To begin the relining project, heavy concrete covers at access point structures were first removed to allow staff to access the pipeline. Piping and an air valve at the top and pumping well at the bottom of the hill were then removed to allow for safe access. Staff installed an atmospheric ventilation fan that moved fresh air into the pipeline. Once the piping and valves were removed, they were able to enter the pipeline.
Staff then hiked through the pipeline to perform a visual inspection and locate the damaged area. They located the broken lining section and loaded broken pieces into buckets and manually hauled the buckets to access structures. Then the metal pipeline was prepared for the application of new liner. Preparation of the pipe took several days – it involved carefully cutting out any remaining damaged liner, descaling rust from the metal, and cleaning up and wiping down the metal to prepare for new lining. O&M staff then mixed the new lining material – approximately 4,400 pounds of dry material was mixed and lifted over the course of the project. The new liner was then manually applied to the pipe, starting from the bottom half for traction and then applied up to the crown of the pipe. Finally, every inch of the new lining was carefully inspected.
The highly specialized work effort was performed in a safe and efficient manner due to careful planning and execution by the Water Authority’s O&M staff. Throughout the process, staff took multiple safety measures, including wearing personal protective equipment, having a confined space rescue team on standby, and tying hand and foot loops into a safety rope. The entire project took approximately one month. It will extend the lifetime of Pipeline 3, a crucial component to the region’s water supply.
November 2, 2021 – The San Diego County Water Authority has begun crafting its 2023 Water Facilities Master Plan Update and will advertise for professional service support in early November following an update last week to the Board of Directors. The plan, updated every 10 years, will lay out strategies to optimize Water Authority facilities to serve the region under a range of future conditions through the 2045 planning horizon.
Nine-thousand trees, mostly willows, are being planted in the 1,000 acre Managed Marsh wildlife habitat in northern Imperial County.
The planting is part of the final construction phase of the Managed Marsh, located off Highway 111 between the city of Calipatria and Niland.
It’s not March and there was no miracle.
A strong atmospheric river dumped record rain on Northern California last weekend and sent some modest showers to San Diego.
The downpours helped replenish the state’s dwindling reservoirs some, but not enough for Gov. Gavin Newsom to lift the drought emergency he expanded to the entire state last week.
San Diego County has been planning ways to increase its sustainable water supply and one of the planned methods is through turning wastewater into potable water. There are three sites planned in the county and the first one, Pure Water Oceanside, is set to open before the end of 2021.
Pure Water Oceanside should begin operations mid-December and initially will help produce 30% of Oceanside’s water supply. The city has a goal of creating 50% of the water supply locally by 2030, and this facility will help make that happen.
San Diego County has been planning ways to increase its sustainable water supply and one of the planned methods is through turning wastewater into drinking water.https://t.co/OzZS7cZxP0
— ABC 10News San Diego (@10News) October 30, 2021
Whenever California is pummeled by drought — as is still very much the case despite recent rain — a lot of people find themselves asking, “What if we got water from the ocean?”
In San Diego County, it’s already happening at a $1 billion facility by the beach.
Recently, as I reported on San Diego’s decades-long quest for water stability, I visited the Carlsbad Desalination Plant, the largest such facility in the country, to see how it works.
In support of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s water conservation efforts following California’s two record-dry years, the San Diego County Water Authority activated its “Level 1,” or Voluntary Conservation of its Water Shortage Contingency Plan.
“We’re trying to achieve a 15% to be consistent with the governor’s request of 15% voluntary conservation. It’s using what you have efficiently and not wasting,” said San Diego County Water Authority Water Resources Manager Jeff Stephenson.
San Diegans are urged to use less water💧 as the @sdcwa activated Level 1 of its #Water shortage contingency plan. We went to @cuyamacacollege to hear from The Water Conservation Garden Director of Horticulture Paul Redeker explain a water reduction tip🚿 @CBS8 pic.twitter.com/rU2ylw9Hjd
— Heather HOPE (@HopeNEWS8) October 30, 2021
Stories by national and regional media outlets highlighted the investments by the San Diego County Water Authority and its 24 member agencies to create a plentiful water supply for the region, helping to weather dry times like the current drought.
The New York Times, Spectrum News 1, The Wall Street Journal and Wired Magazine are among several news organizations that have reported on the region’s water supply projects, current and future, that ensure the 3.3 million residents of San Diego County won’t be left high and dry during times of drought. The news stories also recognize the successful efforts by the region’s residents to significantly reduce water-wasting practices by embracing a “conservation ethic” and be WaterSmartSD.
Following Gov. Gavin Newsom’s Oct. 19 extension of the statewide drought emergency to all counties in California, the San Diego County Water Authority Board of Directors voted unanimously to activate the agency’s Water Shortage Contingency Plan. That plan includes a call for increased voluntary conservation by San Diego residents. CBS 8 Reporter Heather Hope reported on the Board action and tips for how people can reduce water use.
San Diegans are urged to use less water💧 as the @sdcwa activated Level 1 of its #Water shortage contingency plan. We went to @cuyamacacollege to hear from The Water Conservation Garden Director of Horticulture Paul Redeker explain a water reduction tip🚿 @CBS8 pic.twitter.com/rU2ylw9Hjd
— Heather HOPE (@HopeNEWS8) October 30, 2021
Editor’s note: This story was updated on October 30. The Sweetwater Authority the City of San Diego, and the City of Oceanside are three of the San Diego County Water Authority’s 24 member agencies that deliver water across the metropolitan San Diego region.)
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