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Opinion: Your Tap is the Safest Source of Water During this Pandemic

As we Americans face these unprecedented times, many are rushing to the store to stock up on bottled water and other supplies. At Helix Water District, we want to remind you that your tap water is still safe and reliable.

While it’s always advisable to have a reasonable amount of emergency water on hand, the coronavirus outbreak is not a situation that will require a stockpile of bottled water. You will still have access to safe, clean water from your tap, as always.

There is no evidence that COVID-19 is transmitted through tap water. The illness primarily transfers from person to person through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

Tap water is safe, reliable

At Helix Water District, we work diligently 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to ensure your tap water is safe to drink, meeting all state and federal quality regulations. We collect and analyze 200 water samples a day to ensure our treatment process is effective. Our water treatment process includes disinfecting the water with ozone to chemically deactivate and physically remove viruses, bacteria and other organisms.

We also work around the clock to ensure water reaches your home. Such an operation requires an immense system and continuous upkeep. That is why the district prioritizes preventive maintenance and scheduled improvements. It is also the reason that when you turn on a faucet — day or night — you don’t have to worry about whether the water will be there.

Some customers don’t realize that because Helix Water District is a public agency, it cannot make a profit. Beyond that, all Helix staff undergo thorough emergency preparedness training. We’re ready to support our community through any crisis, whether it’s a global pandemic or wildfire. We are here for you.

Even now Helix Water District employees are treating, monitoring and delivering your tap water, making sure you have water when and how you need it. We will do so throughout the duration of this emergency and beyond when things return to normal.

Helix will continue to monitor the evolving public health emergency, just as we’re sure you are, and we will update our website and social media with important information about your water delivery. In an abundance of caution, we are closed to the public and we recommend paying online or over the phone at 855-276-8053. We may have closed our lobbies, but not our operations.

At Helix Water District, we have always been committed to operational excellence and maximum efficiency. We want to make sure our customers have the safe, reliable water they need, whenever they need it, and we will do whatever we can to make that happen.

102- Member Chamber Delegation Heading to Sacramento to Lobby for San Diego

The San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce will lead a delegation of 102 business, community and civic leaders to Sacramento Tuesday to lobby for legislation benefiting local business and job creation.

The two-day “Leadership Delegation to Sacramento” will be the largest such delegation the chamber has sent to the Capitol.

Jerry Sanders, President and CEO of the chamber, said that the delegation hopes to meet with policymakers from all over the state for the benefit of San Diego’s business community.

$1.5 Million Grant to Help Oceanside Conserve Water, Monitor Water Use

A $1.5 million federal grant from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation will help the city of Oceanside complete its $4.5 million project to replace more than 11,000 water meters to help conserve water and better monitor usage, it was announced Monday.

According to the city’s water utilities department, the upgrades will save 784 acre-feet of water or more than 255 million gallons. It will also reduce Oceanside’s dependence on imported drinking water, 85% of which comes from the Sacramento Bay Delta and the Colorado River, hundreds of miles away.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions in San Diego Down 24% Over Past Decade

San Diego has cut greenhouse gas emissions by residents, businesses and government by 24 percent over the past decade — far surpassing the official 2020 goal of 15 percent.

Encinitas Launches Website To Keep Residents Informed Of Climate Action Efforts

The city of Encinitas has launched a revamped “climate dashboard” website measuring the city’s efforts to implement its Climate Action Plan.

The online platform is designed with community members in mind and is a place where residents can explore the city’s CAP goals and find answers to their questions about the city’s current progress on climate action.

The climate dashboard features key components of the Climate Action Plan such as building efficiency, clean and efficient transportation, off-road equipment (i.e. leaf blowers), renewable energy, carbon sequestration, water efficiency and zero waste.

Poway Reports 400,000 Water Bottles Available Amid Continuing Supply Contamination

The precautionary boil-water advisory for the City of Poway continued into it’s third day on Monday afternoon, with the city reporting it has 400,000 bottles of water available for residents.

“The City of Poway is continuing to take corrective action, performing water quality monitoring, and working toward getting this advisory lifted,” the city said in a statement on its website at 11 a.m.

The advisory was issued at approximately 6 p.m. on Saturday after a day of reports of discolored water. The County of San Diego separately ordered restaurants and produce shelves to be closed.

Storm Beginning Tuesday Night Will Be Early Taste of Winter for San Diego

The first rain storm of the season is expected to move into the region Tuesday, bringing significant rainfall throughout San Diego County along with the possibility of snow in the mountains.

A low pressure system to the south will make its way north and meet a colder, low pressure system that is making its way down the coast, National Weather Service meteorologist Miguel Miller said.

These conditions are expected to produce rain starting Tuesday evening and continuing through Thursday night, with the heaviest rainfall expected on Wednesday, Miller said.

Carlsbad-Based Seacoast Science Awarded $300,000 by EPA

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Monday that it awarded $300,000 to Carlsbad-based Seacoast Science Inc. for the company’s efforts to develop environmentally sound technology.

The EPA awarded a total of $2.7 million to nine small businesses in six states, including three in California, as part of its Small Business Innovation Research program. The EPA previously awarded phase one grants of up to $100,000 to small businesses, including San Diego’s 2W iTech LLC, last July. Those recipients were also allowed to apply for the phase two funding announced Monday.

 

New California Law Creates Path To Water And Wastewater Industry For Military Vets

State legislation co-sponsored by the San Diego County Water Authority and the Otay Water District has been signed into law, making it possible for veterans to receive credit for their military education and experience when applying for civilian water and wastewater system operator certifications in California.

State legislators, water industry leaders, veteran advocates and business and community organizations gathered at the Veterans Museum in Balboa Park today to celebrate Gov. Gavin Newsom’s signing of Assembly Bill 1588 by Assemblymembers Todd Gloria (San Diego) and Adam Gray (Merced), and co-authored by several state legislators, including Assemblymember Tasha Boerner Horvath (Oceanside).

UCLA Forecast: Strong California Economy Faces Slowdown By End Of 2020

California’s economy is continuing to outperform the nation as a whole, but thanks to anticipated economic slowing in the United States and globally, the state will likely start seeing some negative impacts by the end of next year, according to a UCLA Anderson Forecast released Wednesday.

In his report on the state, UCLA Anderson Forecast Director Jerry Nickelsburg wrote that California’s unemployment rates remain “extremely low,” particularly in the largest job markets. And while the U.S. gross domestic product has slowed, California’s has been growing at a 4% annual rate.