After two years of above-average rainfall, the reservoirs in San Diego are at near capacity. San Vicente’s reservoir waterfalls are spilling in to help raise the water level, but what does that mean as we head into the Summer months?
South Orange County is heavily reliant on imported water, with the price of that water continuing to rise. Without readily available water to help the area through emergency situations, water districts serving South Orange County residents such as South Coast Water District and Moulton Niguel Water District are looking to diversify their water supplies with ocean water desalination and direct potable reuse.
A Lake San Marcos homeowners association successfully upgraded its community landscape to achieve water savings and cost savings with assistance from a joint program offered through a partnership between the San Diego County Water Authority and the County of San Diego.
The original Fairways HOA landscaping included large areas of unused grass. Photo: Vallecitos Water District
The Landscape Optimization Service (LOS) offered through the Waterscape Rebate Program is a technical assistance program for large-scale landscaping projects in the unincorporated areas of San Diego County. The program helps applicants with large landscapes, such as HOAs, parks, and commercial properties, to navigate the requirements, overcome any barriers, and maximize their rebate eligibility.
Members of the Fairways Homeowners Association (HOA) in Lake San Marcos within the Vallecitos Water District recently took advantage of this program to facilitate a water-saving landscape makeover project. Upgrades replaced large grass areas with attractive low-water-use plants inside the property. Drip irrigation was upgraded, and swales act as a water retention feature.
Fairways HOA president Terry Brown said her community was introduced to the program about 18 months ago.
“We removed 23,000 square feet, and then we got three dollars for each square foot that we removed, plus we got 40 cents for the drip irrigation system. We’re going to receive one dollar per square foot for at least 10,000 square feet of California native plants. So, we did all of that. And we’re pleased with everything that has happened,” said Brown.
New landscaping includes low-water use plants, decorative dry riverbeds, and low-water use plants along small areas of grass for walkers and pet owners. Photo: Vallecitos Water District
While rebates defrayed the initial costs, the real savings will be realized in the years ahead on one of the HOA’s major expenses. “Within ten years, we’ll save $40,000 on water,” said Brown.
Maggie Knol, chairperson of the Landscape Committee, is also a Master Gardener. She understood the need to balance the needs of everyone in the community while planning their landscape makeover.
“We saw certain areas that weren’t really being used where we could definitely have some waterscape landscaping,” said Knol. Now, irrigation water is better managed and used only where needed.
“We have no water in the gutters. That makes us feel better about what we’re doing for our environment,” said Knol. “I would encourage any subdivision or any area to go ahead with it. It’s a wonderful program.
Grass can still be a useful part of a low-water-use landscape. Photo: Vallecitos Water District
Makeovers don’t require eliminating all grass. Instead, grass is retained where it is most useful and practical. For the Fairways HOA board members, this meant accommodating the many residents who like to walk their dogs in the neighborhood and wanted to retain some grassy spaces for them to enjoy with their pets.
“We have tried to be sensitive to the dog owners in the neighborhood because we have a lot of dogs,” said Knol. “When we mapped this out, we left certain areas that could be definitely used as little rest spots for the dogs and the owners as they walk around. They all realize that the water crisis is going to continue and not get better.”
“This project is an ideal example of balancing community needs to create a thoughtful landscape design that saves water but allows room for retaining grass areas when there’s a practical purpose for them,” said Vallecitos Water District Conservation Supervisor Chris Robbins.
The completed Fairways HOA landscape makeover in Lake San Marcos retains some turf mixed with low-water use plants for substantial water savings. Photo: Vallecitos Water District
As part of the program, LOS staff analyzes estimated water and cost savings, which helps decision-makers justify the investment with an understanding of how quickly the project will pay for itself. The program also offers discounted designs to participants.
The enhanced incentives include rebates for turf replacement, smart controller stations, rain barrels, and cisterns. In addition to offering technical assistance to upgrade larger landscapes on multifamily and commercial properties, a cost-share is available for agricultural growers to make water-saving upgrades.
More information on the Landscape Optimization Service can be found here, or contact your member water agency for details. The program is actively recruiting new participants.
It takes a lot of pipelines to get water to all of San Diego County’s nearly three-and-a-half-million people. This story is about large-diameter pipelines. Three hundred eight miles of those big pipes run all through the county, delivering water to the San Diego County Water Authority and its 23 member agencies.
Many Californians could soon be required to cut back on their water use, but some question if it will go far enough. In a marathon eight-hour workshop Wednesday, the state’s Water Resources Control Board gave the public a chance to weigh in on its new strategy to increase water supplies statewide to protect against future drought conditions.
Last fall, all seven states sharing the Colorado River — Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming — came together and agreed on a short-term fix to alleviate pressing concerns caused by prolonged drought.
When Catalina Schultz and her husband, Steve, bought their National City home in 2011, the front yard was basically just lawn. And Catalina, a self-described housewife, had no interest in mowing it.
A CWA board vote Thursday, Feb. 22, approved the recommendation of the CWA’s Finance Planning Workgroup. The calendar year 2025 changes include apportioning 40% of the transportation charge as a Transportation Fixed Rate allocated to member agencies by a seven-year rolling average with the current volume-based Transportation Rate designed to recover the remaining 60% of the forecasted annual revenue requirement.
Amid rising costs and decreasing sales, San Diego County Water Authority (SDCWA) is navigating the complexities of water management by considering the sale of its costly desalinated water, while simultaneously exploring options for the expansion of its desalination capabilities.
The San Diego County Water Authority issued its Fiscal Year 2023 Annual Report, recapping the agency’s efforts to adapt, engage, and transform in ways that ensure a safe and resilient regional water system today and for future generations.
The annual report can be accessed on the Water Authority website.
The San Diego County Water Authority issued its FY23 annual report, part of its effort to ensure transparency. Photo: San Diego County Water Authority
The Water Authority is committed to informing residents and businesses about key issues, projects, and programs that impact the regional water supply. The Annual Report is part of this effort.
Each year, Board members and staff make presentations to more than 100 business, community, and civic groups.
In communities with active or proposed construction projects, the Water Authority conducts proactive outreach to ensure awareness about neighborhood impacts. In addition, the agency participates in numerous civic organizations that strengthen the community, and it creates periodic outreach and education campaigns about critical issues.
With the help of a federal loan, the Water Authority invested in environmental upgrades to the Claude “Bud” Lewis Carlsbad Desalination Plant, saving ratepayers tens of millions of dollars. Photo: San Diego County Water Authority
Managing water in a hot, dry climate like requires continual innovation, collaboration, conservation, and strategic investments. The FY23 Annual Report recaps the Water Authority’s multiple initiatives to pursue further collaboration on river management, as well as its successful advocacy for new legislation that would give the state more tools to deal with extreme weather.
Of importance to ratepayers, strategic actions were taken to address inflationary pressures and decreased water sales to keep water rates as low as possible. With the help of a federal loan, the Water Authority invested in environmental upgrades to the Claude “Bud” Lewis Carlsbad Desalination Plant, saving ratepayers tens of millions of dollars.
The Water Authority also obtained grant funds to install free water-saving devices in underrepresented communities, and it helped secure federal financial aid for low-income water customers in the region to cover overdue residential water and wastewater bills.
The Water Authority seeks to maintain the lowest possible rates while working to ensure that everyone in the region has access to safe and reliable water supplies. Water affordability requires coordinated efforts by all levels of government – federal, state, wholesale, and retail.
The timely rehabilitation of the First Aqueduct is part of the Water Authority’s proactive asset management program. Photo: San Diego County Water Authority
Finally, the Water Authority completed one of its biggest maintenance operations in more than 75 years. The work was part of a proactive asset management program to maintain and rehabilitate its 308 miles of large-diameter pipelines, which deliver water to millions of San Diegans. This transformational work was critical in ensuring the reliability of the region’s water delivery system. The program promotes water affordability by avoiding costly unplanned disruptions in service.
With decades of strategic investments, the Water Authority has emerged as a model for statewide efforts to develop diversified water supply portfolios that can adapt to the changing climate. These assets provide water supply reliability for the region’s economy and 3.3 million residents. Over the past year, the Water Authority continued to prepare the region for an uncertain future.
From helping customers lower their water bills to protecting ratepayers from rate increases, the Water Authority is always looking for ways to support San Diego County’s long-term welfare. Though challenges persist, the agency strives to continue making a positive impact by advocating for initiatives that move the region and state toward water affordability and reliability.
