Tag Archive for: Water Reuse

Opinion: Pure Water Monterey Expansion Proposal Falls Short

/in , /by /Monterey Heraldby Fred Meurer, Bill Kampe, Norm Groot and Joe Gunter

The board of Monterey One Water recently voted not to certify a supplemental environmental impact report for an expansion of Pure Water Monterey. While the expansion was a technical concept that might provide additional water for the Peninsula, the Board action injected some much-needed clear thinking and foresight into a critical topic for the Monterey Peninsula. It’s not about desal versus expansion or public versus private ownership.  It’s about creating an adequate and reliable water supply for our future.

Initially, the expansion was described as a backup to the Monterey Peninsula Water Supply Project yet would provide substantially less water, still leaving the Peninsula with a constrained water supply.

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Rethinking (Waste)water and Conservation

/in , , /by /Phys Orgby Tess Eyrich

When it comes to water conservation in cities that depend on wastewater reuse, even the best intentions can have unintended consequences. That’s the main message to be gleaned from new findings from a team of water economists and engineers led by Kurt Schwabe, a professor of environmental economics and policy and the associate dean of the School of Public Policy at the University of California, Riverside.

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Opinion: Southern California Doesn’t Have Decades to Figure Out Water Recycling. We Need it Now

/in , , /by /Los Angeles Times

The great achievement of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is that few people ever give it much thought. You turn on the faucet and the water comes out. The stuff is reliably clean and safe, and always available.

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South Orange County Water Reservoir, Dam Project Still Moving Forward

/in , , /by /The Capistrano Dispatch (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.)by Collin Breaux

A water dam and reservoir under construction on land acquired from Rancho Mission Viejo has not been affected by the coronavirus pandemic, according to Santa Margarita Water District Deputy General Manager Don Bunts.

Recent rainfall, however, has affected the Trampas Canyon Dam and Reservoir project, which intends to store recycled water. Work on the project restarted on Monday, April 27, after being delayed for a few weeks, Bunts said.

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Treated Wastewater May be Safe for Aquaculture

/in , , /by /PHYS.orgby American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev

Although aquaculture in treated wastewater is practiced worldwide, there is scant scientific research concerning whether organic micropollutants are present at safe levels for consumption.

A new study in Aquaculture by researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev has determined that organic micropollutants in the water—trace elements of heavy metals, pharmaceuticals and personal care products as well as pesticides, solvents, and detergents—result in minimal accumulation in fish. Additionally, the wastewater does not appear to affect other commercially important traits of fish.

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Contractors Get Reprieve in Effort to Block San Diego’s Pure Water Recycling System

/in , /by /San Diego Union-Tribuneby David Garrick

SAN DIEGO — Legal wrangling over San Diego’s proposed Pure Water sewage recycling system continued Friday, when a judge gave a temporary reprieve to a group of local contractors fighting for the ability of non-union workers to help build the system.

Superior Court Judge Richard Strauss gave the contractors two weeks to strengthen their case, that construction of the system should be blocked because of a dispute over the use of non-union workers to build some of it.

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First Advanced Water Purification Facility in San Diego County is On the Map

/in , , /by /Water News Networkby Kristiene Gong Quoted: San Diego County Water Authority

City of Oceanside officials and regional water industry leaders gathered today to break ground on Pure Water Oceanside, the first advanced water purification facility in San Diego County. The $67 million project – scheduled to be completed in 2021 – will purify recycled water sourced from the San Luis Rey Water Reclamation Facility.

“Today, we put Pure Water Oceanside on the map and are one step closer to achieving the goal of greater water-independence for our city, residents and businesses,” said Cari Dale, Oceanside’s water utilities director. “This future-focused project will provide multiple benefits by reusing our water resources to their full potential.”

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Sweetwater Authority Eyes Recycled Water That Otay Water District Doesn’t Use

/in , , /by /San Diego Union-Tribuneby David Hernandez

Sweetwater Authority’s governing board has its eyes on recycled water — specifically, an excess of recycled water that a neighboring water agency, the Otay Water District, buys from the city of San Diego.

The governing boards of the two water agencies, which combined serve southern and eastern San Diego County, recently created a joint committee to explore a potential arrangement that would allow
Sweetwater to purchase recycled water from Otay.

The board presidents of both water agencies said the idea could benefit customers on both ends.

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San Diego Suing SDG&E for $35 Million Over Unpaid Undergrounding Expenses

/in , /by /Times of San Diegoby Ken Stone

The city is suing San Diego Gas & Electric for what officials call the utility’s refusal to honor promises made when it obtained exclusive rights to provide gas and electricity to San Diegans in 1971.

As the city moves forward with its Pure Water San Diego Program, which will reduce ocean pollution and increase San Diego’s water supply, SDG&E has failed to relocate at its own expense its underground infrastructure that obstructs the city project, which it is required to do under the terms of its contract with the city, said City Attorney Mara Elliott, who made the announcement Wednesday.
In June 2018, the city says, SDG&E refused to undertake design and relocation work for Phase 1 of the program unless the city fronted the money.

“It’s unfortunate that a lawsuit is needed to compel our longtime partner to honor the terms of its contract with the city,” Elliott said. “Pure Water is critical to protecting the ocean from pollution and increasing our water independence. This program cannot be compromised by further delays.”

SDG&E communications manager Wes Jones said: “While we generally do not comment on pending litigation, broadly speaking, SDG&E does not believe the relocation costs of this City of San Diego water project should be spread to customers in the other cities within our service area. We look forward to resolving this matter as quickly as possible.”

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Why San Diego Farmers Worry About Water

/in , /by /San Diego Readerby Sheila Pell Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

Valley Center farmers aren’t alone when it comes to the high cost of water. But it could get lonelier and costlier if two neighboring water districts unyoke from the Water Authority to get a fresh start in Riverside.

In December, the boards of the Fallbrook Public Utility District and the Rainbow Municipal Water District voted to begin detachment from the San Diego County Water Authority in order to join Riverside’s Eastern Municipal Water District.

Will those left behind pay more as others tap new supplies? Questions are flying in Valley Center, where farms are the main customers, even as avocado turf keeps shrinking

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