After Wildfires Stop Burning, a Danger in the Drinking Water
Two months after a wildfire burned through Paradise, Calif., in 2018, Kevin Phillips, then a manager for town’s irrigation district, walked from one destroyed home to another.
Tag Archive for: Water Infrastructure
East County Water Supply Project Progresses Forward with Approval of Progressive Design‐Build Agreements
October 1, 2020 – A new water supply for East San Diego County is one step closer to becoming a reality today with the approval of two major Progressive Design Build Agreements for Packages 1 and 2 for the East County Advanced Water Purification Project (East County AWP). Approval of the agreements authorizes the Phase 1 work which includes key design and pre‐construction elements. Phase 1 work for both packages has been approved at a not‐to‐exceed amount of approximately $19.6 million.
Vallecitos Files $6.1M Suit Against San Diego County Water Authority
Whiskey is for drinking and water is for fighting, so goes the old saying.
And in San Marcos, the Vallecitos Water District has filed a lawsuit against the San Diego County Water Authority and is seeking $6.1 million in reimbursement regarding a dispute over a direct connection to desalinated water from the Carlsbad Desalination Plant.
CWA Defers Regional Conveyance System Study Vote Until November
The San Diego County Water Authority board vote on the regional conveyance system study was not expected to be unanimous but, when the motion was to defer action until November, the SDCWA board members voted unanimously for that postponement.
Utah asks US to Delay Decision on Tapping Colorado River
Facing opposition from six states that rely on the Colorado River for water for their cities and farms, Utah asked the federal government to delay a fast-track approval process for building an underground pipeline that would transport billions of gallons of water to the southwest part of the state.
Water Supply and Delivery Projects are the Pipeline for Economic Opportunity
While health and safety of our water supply remains our top priority, reliable water service is an enabling force for economic growth and improves the quality of life for families. According to a recent study by the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Value of Water, the United States needs to invest $109 billion per year in water infrastructure over the next 20 years to close the water infrastructure gap.
WIFIA Improvement Act Looks to Assist Public Water Projects
The WIFIA Improvement Act of 2020 was recently introduced as a means for helping provide support for public water projects. The bipartisan legislation would make changes to the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act of 2014. The amendments would make water projects eligible for low-interest federal loans from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Major Relining Project Honored by the American Public Works Association
The San Diego and Imperial Counties Chapter of the American Public Works Association recently recognized a San Diego County Water Authority pipeline relining project for its excellence as a public works project. The award commends the successful partnership between Water Authority staff, the contractor and local agencies working together to complete this critical repair to maintain the reliability of the regional water supply.
20-Mile Replacement Canal is Preferred Fix for the Sagging Friant-Kern Canal
A rapid-fire review of potential fixes to the Friant-Kern Canal favors building a replacement canal for 20 miles alongside the existing canal where land subsidence has caused it to sag, severely restricting water flow, according to final environmental documents released Friday.
Major Relining Project Honored by the American Public Works Association
The San Diego and Imperial Counties Chapter of the American Public Works Association recently recognized a San Diego County Water Authority pipeline relining project for its excellence as a public works project. The award commends the successful partnership between Water Authority staff, the contractor and local agencies working together to complete this critical repair to maintain the reliability of the regional water supply.
Relining project covers 12,300 feet
Pipeline 5 was relined from the point of delivery with the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California to Sage Road in the Fallbrook and Rainbow communities in north San Diego County. The $24.7 million project was completed in July 2019 and relined approximately 12,300 feet of Pipeline 5, a 96-inch large-diameter regional pipeline.
30-year pipeline relining program rehabilitates aging pipes
Relining is a cost-effective method to repair pipelines and extend their service life with less impacts to the community and environment than if a traditional pipe replacement is performed. The relining process avoids digging up miles of pipeline, which would take significantly more time and resources, as well as impact associated streets and driveways for a long period of time.
“The Water Authority’s asset management program used an acoustic fiber monitoring system to help perform evaluations of the pipeline and prioritize this portion for rehabilitation,” said Jerry Reed, director of engineering at the Water Authority. “Our staff collaborated with stakeholders in Fallbrook, San Marcos and Rainbow, including staff at our member agencies and nearby residents to ensure project success.”
The project work areas were surrounded by residential homes and farms, heavily traveled public streets and a local retirement community.
Close coordination with multiple agencies ensured there were no impacts to water deliveries. Open communications with local residents regarding project schedule ensured no incidents occurred with local traffic.
Proactive asset management program rehabilitates crucial water infrastructure
The relining project was part of the Water Authority’s proactive and innovative asset management program to rehabilitate and reline pre-stressed concrete cylinder pipe within the Water Authority’s conveyance system to ensure continued supply reliability.
The local APWA chapter chose the project based on criteria that included superb planning, efficient design and construction management techniques to complete the project on schedule, within a cost-effective budget and adherence to regulatory requirements. It was also judged on the degree it enhanced a public service or facility, the quality of community relations or actions to minimize public impacts, safety precautions taken to protect lives and property, environmental impact mitigation measures and other accomplishments under adverse conditions.
