Helix Water District: Water budgets proposed for big lots
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on March 20, 2010 at 4:51 amFrom the San Diego Union Tribune:
“LA MESA — Customers of the Helix Water District who live on large lots could be placed on a water budget if officials get their way.
Instead of a simply paying higher prices for using more water, customers who live on lots larger than half an acre would be put on a water budget at the beginning of a season or a billing period. The amount would depend on a variety of factors, including the size of their property and the number of people in their household.
Customers would pay higher rates when they exceeded their allotted amount. Those on smaller lots would remain on the district’s three-tiered rate structure, paying more when they exceeded certain usage levels.
The Helix board voted unanimously Wednesday to develop the new rate structure. Helix General Manager Mark Weston said an analysis of the plan would take about a year before it would be implemented. … “
Continue reading this article from the San Diego Union Tribune by clicking here.
Water-use reduction is credited to rains; 12.6 percent drop in city last month
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on March 18, 2010 at 4:36 amFrom the San Diego Union Tribune:
“Rainy weather led to a significant decrease in water usage throughout the city of San Diego last month, bolstering Mayor Jerry Sanders’ push for conservation and allowing county reservoirs to rise.
The city consumed about 11,000 acre-feet of water in February, a 12.6 percent decrease from the same month a year ago. That’s a reversal from January figures, which showed a 1.5 percent increase that was attributed to businesses bouncing back from economic doldrums.
Sanders said the recent decrease is due to cutbacks by residents and less irrigation. “The more it rains, the less water we use for watering our lawns and other things,” he said. “I really want to thank San Diegans for making water conservation a part of their daily lives.” … “
Continue reading this article from the San Diego Union-Tribune by clicking here.
Protection for vernal pools OK’d by San Diego City Council
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on March 17, 2010 at 6:49 amFrom the San Diego Union Tribune:
“SAN DIEGO — A plan to protect shallow ponds and the species that inhabit them from future construction projects won San Diego City Council approval yesterday. The ponds, called vernal pools, have been the subject of a 12-year legal battle after environmental groups sued the city, alleging that the pools weren’t being adequately protected.
The city plans to use a $500,000 federal grant to create a new conservation plan for vernal-pool habitat.
If it receives court approval, the plan would allow 16 stalled projects, from churches to apartment complexes, to move forward. … “
Read more from the San Diego Union Tribune by clicking here.
Vernal pools hold waters of life: Seasonal habitat can host rare and endangered species
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on March 16, 2010 at 4:22 am
From the San Diego Union Tribune:
“At first blush, the shallow ponds that dot the Miramar plateau near state Route 163 seem like mere puddles. One formed when a piece of heavy equipment rolled off a dirt road and created a trough that filled with water during winter storms.
But these spots don’t dry up a few days after it rains. They can last several weeks, long enough to create habitat for dozens of species including shrimp, frogs, worms, insects and water-loving plants, some of which have nearly disappeared from California.
“It’s just its own little tiny universe,” said Katie Davis, a University of San Diego lab technician who studies seasonal wetlands. … “
Continue reading this article from the San Diego Union Tribune by clicking here.
San Diego allowed to continue ocean disposal of sewage
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on March 14, 2010 at 6:22 amFrom the Silicon Valley Mercury News:
“The California Coastal Commission agreed to alter the terms of San Diego’s sewage treatment permit, allowing the city to continue to pump 50 billion gallons of partly treated sewage deep into the Pacific Ocean each year.
The panel voted Friday that the city can avoid the recommendations made by a $2 million study of wastewater recycling options.
The amended permit also removes language that suggested San Diego’s disposal of sewage into the ocean could be creating environmental problems.
The city is operating its Point Loma Wastewater Treatment Plant under a waiver from the U.S. Clean Water Act granted by the Coastal Commission in October. It’s the third time the city has obtained a waiver from meeting federal standards for treatment of sewage. … “
Continue reading this article from the Silicon Valley Mercury News by clicking here.
San Diego’s storm water program proposal is shallow, says commentary
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on March 13, 2010 at 7:22 amFrom the San Diego News Network, this commentary by Jim Peugh, Conservation Chair of the San Diego Audubon Society:
“The city of San Diego has proposed the Master Storm Water System Maintenance Program (MSWSMP), which is meant to reduce flooding and improve storm water runoff through drainage channels by clearing them of soil and vegetation.
The project could cumulatively impact over 70 acres of wetlands plus 24 acres of natural stream bed, 20 acres of sensitive upland habitat and nine acres of disturbed upland habitat. Passage of the project, as proposed, would give the city a 20-year approval to clear storm drain channels of sediment and vegetation. Many of the targeted drainage channels contain valuable wetland habitat and all help to filter contaminants from urban runoff, which helps protect the water quality of our streams, bays, and beaches. Some help slow runoff that tends to protect downstream homes and streets from flooding. Some help retain water so that it is absorbed by the soil and eventually recharge our ground water resources. … “
Continue reading this commentary by clicking here.
Coastal panel sewage ruling hailed as ‘victory’
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on March 13, 2010 at 7:16 am
From the San Diego Union Tribune:
“Point Loma — San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders won a drawn-out battle yesterday when the California Coastal Commission agreed to alter the terms of the city’s permit for running its main sewage processing plant.
The new document makes it clear the city doesn’t have to follow through on any of the recommendations that come from its $2 million study of wastewater recycling options. It also removes language that suggests San Diego’s disposal of more than 50 billion gallons a year of partly treated sewage into the ocean could be creating environmental problems.
A spokesman for Sanders called the decision a “victory for all San Diegans.”
“It’s a very technical but very important issue,” said Alex Roth, who added that Sanders wasn’t available to discuss it. “We can’t get locked into agreeing to something when we don’t know what the conclusion is going to be. That would be irresponsible.” … “
Continue reading this article from the San Diego Union-Tribune by clicking here.
Commentary: Achieving water security by becoming water self-sufficient
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on March 13, 2010 at 7:14 amFrom the San Diego News Room, this guest commentary by Jim Bell, an “internationally-recognized expert on life support sustaining development”:
“Many experts are projecting gloomy scenarios of decreasing water supplies and increasing costs, yet the San Diego/Tijuana Region can easily become renewable water self-sufficient and even develop into a net water exporter.
Even if we assume the worst case scenario of zero precipitation and the complete cutoff of all imported water, the region could completely replace all the freshwater currently used by installing solar panels over 4.3 percent of roofs and parking lots. In 2015, 4.3 percent of our region’s roofs and parking lots will be about 9 sq. miles, or 4.5 sq. miles on each side of the border. … “
Continue reading this commentary at the San Diego News Room site by clicking here.
Coastkeeper hires water-pollution expert
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on March 9, 2010 at 7:53 amFrom the San Diego Union Tribune:
“One of the region’s largest environmental groups announced Friday that it had hired veteran water pollution expert Clay Clifton to expand its watershed monitoring efforts.
San Diego Coastkeeper conducts monthly sampling in nine out of 11 watersheds in the county and assesses some water bodies that no other organization tracks. A team of trained citizen volunteers collects the data according to state-approved quality control standards. … “
Continue reading this article from the San Diego Union-Tribune by clicking here.
Water meter use could be required; Plan calls for installation in new multifamily units
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on March 8, 2010 at 8:03 amFrom the San Diego Union Tribune:
“San Diego is poised to set a regional water conservation benchmark by forcing developers of new multifamily and mixed-use complexes to install water meters for each unit.
The City Council takes up a proposed ordinance tomorrow after months of fine-tuning. The proposal is widely expected to pass, creating what several water experts said would be a first in the county. It would require submetering for new complexes with three or more units and in cases when an entire interior drinking water system is replaced for a complex with three or more homes. Some exemptions apply.
“We wanted it to be good enough that others in the county use it and follow it,” said Alan Pentico, director of public affairs of the San Diego County Apartment Association. … “
Continue reading from the San Diego Union Tribune by clicking here.
Adobe Falls open space views from GrokSurf’s San Diego blog
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on March 7, 2010 at 7:09 amFrom GrokSurf’s San Diego:
“Fresh pictures from the area. My digital camera has 720p video, but only manual controls, so even on a tripod it is impossible to get smooth pans and zooms, so it looks pretty amateurish, but overall some nice shots anyway. Try the full-screen view. Enjoy.”
Click here to check out pictures of Adobe Falls.
Judge signs final decision; SDSU expansion may proceed along Alvarado Creek and Del Cerro
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on March 3, 2010 at 6:13 amFrom GrokSurf’s San Diego:
“The local news media dropped its coverage of this in 2007, perhaps thinking it was over then, but now it’s really done. San Diego State University has a green light to proceed with its strongly contested Master Plan which envisions a 120-room hotel near Alvarado Hospital and the development of a large complex of residential housing for SDSU faculty and staff in the open space area at scenic Adobe Falls on Alvarado Creek near Del Cerro.
The final decision on the long-standing lawsuits challenging SDSU’s 2007 Revised Master Plan Environmental Impact Report was made by Judge Thomas P. Nugent. He signed the final decision on Feb 11, 2010, finding the revised EIR valid. … “
Continue reading this post at GrokSurf’s San Diego by clicking here.
San Diego: Water shortage triggers search for new sources, but some say region not doing enough to diversify supply
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on March 1, 2010 at 6:43 amFrom the North County Times:
“Residents of Riverside and San Diego counties have embraced the call to conserve in the wake of drought and Northern California pumping restrictions, but many are tired of cutting back and wondering if the water supply will become more secure.
Barbara Hortman, who sells real estate and lives on 2 acres in rural North San Diego County, is one of them.
“I live up in Valley Center, where groves from which people make a living have been cut down,” Hortman said. “I have dead grass and dead landscaping because my husband and I have cut back. Things are dying all around us. Why can’t our politicians do something?”
Local water officials say they are doing something.
Officials with agencies that distribute most water in Riverside and San Diego counties say they are developing other sources, with the goal of making the area less dependent on Sierra Nevada snowmelt that flows through the environmentally sensitive Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. … “
Continue reading this article from the North County Times by clicking here.
The pipe logic of getting water to skyscrapers
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on February 26, 2010 at 5:47 amFrom the Voice of San Diego:
“As I wrote earlier this week, high rises would be exempt from the City Council’s proposed ordinance to require individual water meters in new apartments.
Wondering why?
It’s because of the way pipes are installed in skyscrapers. Instead of having a single pipe that delivers water to a single unit, a high rise might have one pipe that delivers water to every kitchen in the building and another pipe that sends water to every bathroom. The buildings are often designed with kitchens and bathrooms stacked atop one another, and the single pipe for each can stretch the length of the building. … “
Continue reading this article at the Voice of San Diego by clicking here.
San Diego: Persistent pollutant shuts down groundwater wells
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on February 25, 2010 at 6:25 amFrom San Diego’s Channel 10 News:
“A deep water monitoring well is being drilled this month in Chula Vista. When it is complete, it will tell us more about a water resource we’ve ignored for years: groundwater. Even though San Diego does not have a lot of groundwater, spending millions to find it and map it is now considered a high priority and an important investment.
“We’ll be able to develop concepts of what the geology looks like, how the layers of geology are structured, how the groundwater flows through those layers, where is the groundwater fresh, where is the groundwater saline,” said Wes Danskin, a research hydrologist with the United States Geological Survey.
Danskin hopes to finish up the groundwater research project in San Diego within a couple years. But finding the water is only half the battle. Making it drinkable is the other challenge. … “
Read more from San Diego’s Channel 10 by clicking here.
Proposed sub-metering ordinance would promote water conservation by apartment dwellers
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on February 25, 2010 at 6:13 amFrom GrokSurf’s San Diego blog:
“A proposed ordinance carried forward by San Diego City Councilperson Marti Emerald would require new apartments in San Diego to include water meters for each unit. The ordinance was first conceived in an ad-hoc committee of the Committee on Natural Resources and Culture (see Item 4, Oct 7, 2009 agenda) and passed through the Planning Commission (Jan 21, 2010 docket, item 11) before being scheduled for the Mar. 9 city council meeting.
Writing on the proposal, the Voice of San Diego’s Rob Davis added a personal perspective on individual apartment dwellers who currently have no way to gauge their own water usage. The Voice followed up with a “Fact Check” piece confirming Ms. Emerald’s estimate that apartment dwellers would use between 15 and 39 percent less water if they were responsible for paying their own water bills. … “
Read more from GrokSurf’s San Diego blog by clicking here.
San Diego’s sewer spills: declining
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on February 25, 2010 at 6:10 amFrom the Voice of San Diego:
“Ten years ago, the city of San Diego averaged a sewer spill a day. That’s dropped sharply. Last year, the city had 38 sewer spills — roughly one every 10 days.
The progress, highlighted by Mayor Jerry Sanders at a morning press conference, comes as the city invests $1 billion in replacing the oldest pipes in its 3,000-mile network of sewer pipes. The expenditure is required as part of a 2007 legal settlement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and two local environmental groups: San Diego Coastkeeper and the Surfrider Foundation.
To date, $500 million has been spent, said Ann Sasaki, the city’s assistant public utilities director. That’s replaced 300 miles of aging concrete pipe with new PVC pipe and has reduced the average age of San Diego’s sewer pipes from 45 years old to 32 years old, she said. … “
Continue reading this article from the Voice of San Diego by clicking here.
The enigma of a San Diego apartment’s water use
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on February 23, 2010 at 5:54 amFrom the Voice of San Diego:
“The landlord’s note taped to my apartment door brought news that made my stomach sink. My apartment complex’s water consumption is up 17 percent, it said. And no one’s been giving San Diego’s elected officials a harder time about their water consumption than me.
But before the mayor or City Council members start rubbing my nose in my water bill, here’s a huge caveat: It’s not necessarily my water consumption that’s up. I live in an apartment complex with seven other units. I’ve been conserving water. And I don’t even have a water bill for them to rub my nose in.
So maybe my consumption is up. But maybe someone else has a leaky toilet or faucet. Or started taking longer showers. Or decided to wash their car in the alley. … “
Read more from the Voice of San Diego by clicking here.
San Diego City Council to vote on recycled water pipeline
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on February 22, 2010 at 6:47 amFrom GrokSurf’s San Diego blog:
“The San Diego City Council will vote on Tuesday whether to adopt a resolution approving the plans and specifications for the Carmel Valley Recycled Water Pipeline Construction Project and to authorize advertising for bids on a construction contract. Up to $4,730,000 would be approved to pay for the project (see City Council Docket Item 100).
The pipeline would consist of approximately 10,000 linear feet of 8-inch to 12-inch diameter pipeline to provide an extension to serve recycled water from the North City Water Reclamation Plant to the Meadows Del Mar Golf Course, Palacio Del Mar Home Owners Association and future customers in the western portion of Carmel Valley.
The project is to assist the City in carrying out Phase II of the 2000 Water Reclamation Master Plan … “
Read more from GrokSurf’s San Diego blog by clicking here.
Cleanup scheduled to help protect the San Diego River estuary
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on February 13, 2010 at 6:39 amFrom KPBS:
“If you see canoes and kayaks in a protected area of the San Diego River on Saturday morning, don’t be alarmed. It’s part of a special cleanup effort.
The San Diego River Park Foundation and nearly 100 volunteers plan to cleanup the southern wildlife preserve located in the estuary of the San Diego River.
“That’s located between Interstate 8 and Sea World Drive,” said Rob Hutsel, Executive Director of the San Diego River Park Foundation. “It’s a three-mile long stretch of just gorgeous estuary, important wildlife area for birds in particular but also fish.”
He said the estuary is off-limits to people because it is a sensitive habitat area of the river and home to many species that are endangered or at risk of extinction. But the Foundation has special permission to enter the estuary preserve for 3 hours with up to 20 kayaks and canoes to remove trash and debris from the water. … “
Read more from KPBS by clicking here.
Mayor Sanders lowers his guard against San Diego’s indirect potable reuse study
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on February 12, 2010 at 7:22 amFrom GrokSurf’s San Diego:
“In 2007 Mayor Sanders vetoed the city council’s plan to conduct a feasibility study for indirect potable reuse (advanced purification of wastewater to potable standards). The city council overrode his veto, however, and project planning went forward. That project is now entering its Phase 2 stage.
Meanwhile in 2010, during an interview with the Voice of San Diego on Feb. 9, the mayor said he now supports the project. The San Diego County Taxpayer’s Association (SDCTA) posted this reaction … “
Continue reading this post from GrokSurf’s San Diego by clicking here.
Another view of San Diego’s water use
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on February 10, 2010 at 7:25 amFrom the Voice of San Diego:
“The water use statistics the city of San Diego released today tell us one thing: How conservation went in January 2010 compared to the same month last year.
That gives us a limited picture of the city’s conservation efforts. The campaign to cut consumption was already underway last January — Mayor Jerry Sanders had been urging residents to conserve for almost two years by then. So while conservation may have slackened this year — citywide use was up 1.5 percent this January compared to last — city residents are still using less water than they have historically.
The best way to understand last month’s numbers is by comparing them to the same months in 2005-2007. … “
Read more from the Voice of San Diego by clicking here.
PUC: Water now key to start of Sunrise Powerlink
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on February 6, 2010 at 7:01 amFrom the San Diego Union Tribune:
“A state official overseeing construction of the proposed Sunrise Powerlink has brushed aside concerns that East County residents didn’t have a chance to be heard about the impact of the power line after its route was changed to run through their communities.
But she said this week that San Diego Gas & Electric Co. can’t start construction until it better explains where it will get hundreds of thousands of gallons of water for the project and what impact that will have on the environment. “SDG&E is still researching this issue,” said Billie Blanchard, who manages California Public Utilities Commission’s oversight of the transmission line.
Her comments came in a letter to San Diego County Supervisor Dianne Jacob, who had complained about the PUC’s oversight of the big construction project.
Jacob said the letter indicates that SDG&E still has a lot of work to do before it begins construction of the 120-mile line connecting the Imperial Valley and San Diego.
The water issue is key, she said. … “
Read more from the San Diego Union Tribune by clicking here.
SDSU’s expansion project in Del Cerro’s Adobe Falls a step closer to reality
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on February 5, 2010 at 6:39 am
From GrokSurf’s San Diego blog:
“Last July I wrote an article in which I explored Alvarado Creek and its path from La Mesa to Adobe Falls in Del Cerro and on to the San Diego River. Adobe Falls was ultimately to become its own story, though, as I learned more about SDSU’s Master Plan project to build residential housing for faculty and staff in the Adobe Falls area and the ongoing legal challenges that ensued. The story was entitled Alvarado Creek and the future of Adobe Falls.
When I wrote that story there were still unresolved legal challenges to SDSU’s project, specifically the Environmental Impact Report (EIR), and I encountered ongoing obstacles in following the legal developments. Indeed, after writing the story, I wasn’t able to access the casefile any more. That process is documented in my Adobe Falls updates post.
I recommend reading both of those posts if you need detailed background information including links for the EIR, the Master Plan, and more.
Today, I finally made some progress. … “
Continue reading this post from GrokSurf’s San Diego blog by clicking here.
For San Diego’s mayor, it’s football first, water last
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on February 4, 2010 at 7:48 amFrom the San Diego Reader:
“In his State of the City speech on January 13, Mayor Jerry Sanders devoted 434 words to the possibility of taxpayers shelling out hundreds of millions of dollars for a subsidized Chargers stadium and 174 words to the idea of those taxpayers paying for an expansion of the convention center. But Sanders devoted only 114 words to the subject of water — far and away the most critical short-term and long-term problem facing San Diego. He devoted zero words to water conservation.
The day after the speech, a Sacramento County Superior Court judge knocked down critical parts of a 2003 agreement that, among many things, had cleared the way for San Diego to get water from the Imperial Valley. The San Diego County Water Authority pays a stiff price for that water, and it’s now fully 26 percent of the amount the county uses. Unless the Sacramento case is reversed on appeal, more woes lie ahead.
Most frighteningly, those woes include possible desertification of the Southwest — the drought of today leading to a dust bowl by the middle of the century. Some experts foresee that horror. … “
Read more from the San Diego Reader by clicking here.
Rancho Water discussing multiple water transfers; District looking at ways to strengthen its supply of water
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on February 3, 2010 at 7:54 amFrom the North County Times, which now seems to be called The Californian:
“The Rancho California Water District is looking to firm up its supply of water, a pressing concern despite the recent El Nino-related deluge, through a series of water transfers.
Board President Lisa Herman said she couldn’t discuss the particulars of a recent closed-session discussion related to the transfers, but she said the district is always looking to keep its options open. “Every district out there is scratching their heads, trying to figure out any options other than the obvious that are open to them,” she said.
A legislative body such as the water district, which provides water service to 120,000 residents in Temecula, Wine Country, De Luz and a sliver of Murrieta, can discuss in private the purchase, sale, exchange or lease of real property —- an unspecified amount of water in this case. … “
Read more from The Californian by clicking here.
Turning back the clock in south San Diego Bay: Restoring wetlands for habitat isn’t as easy as it may sound
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on January 31, 2010 at 7:53 amFrom the San Diego Union Tribune:
“A $7.7 million restoration project in south San Diego Bay highlights just how difficult it is to manipulate nature — even when the goal is to make the landscape look more like it did before development took over.
It’s part of a national debate about how to balance competing demands on highly altered terrain used by people and animals.
The federal dredging and grading process, which started last week, is the largest undertaking of its kind for the bay and marks the first step in a much bigger vision for turning back the clock on tideland development.
The setting is a sprawling network of shallow ponds that a company is using to draw bay water for making salt for road de-icing, cattle feed and other industrial purposes. The ponds have existed since the late 1800s and are an integral part of what’s widely recognized as one of the world’s most important shorebird areas. Tens of thousands of migratory birds visit the site each year. … “
Read more from the San Diego Union Tribune by clicking here.
Recent rains still making a splash: Succession of storms keeps regional waterfalls gurgling
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on January 30, 2010 at 6:36 am
From the San Diego Union Tribune:
“No one would confuse waterfalls in San Diego County with Niagara Falls, but more than a week of storms have made the region’s cascades of water run like they rarely do.
The show offers a reminder of the region’s natural diversity, said Rob Hutsel, executive director of the San Diego River Park Foundation. “From the ocean and the estuaries all the way to the deserts, our scenic vistas are just incredible,” he said.
While the local waterfalls don’t typically trump beaches on sightseeing lists, the recent rains offer a reason to go searching for ribbons of water splashing down the rocks.
“Probably the best opportunity to see waterfalls this year is in the next few days,” said Jerry Schad, author of the popular hiking guide “Afoot & Afield San Diego County.” It includes references to about three dozen waterfalls in the region. … “
Read more from the San Diego Union Tribune by clicking here.
San Diego County’s reservoirs are 49% full after rains
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on January 28, 2010 at 6:29 amFrom the San Diego Union Tribune:
“A storm system entered San Diego County yesterday afternoon, slickening the drive home for some commuters. The storm was predicted to drop one-half to one inch across the county before moving out today, the National Weather Service said. Snow could fall at elevations of 5,000 feet and above.
Rip currents are predicted for the beaches today, meteorologists said.
Last week’s storms deposited nearly 28,000 acre-feet of water in Southern California reservoirs that serve San Diego County. That’s enough to meet the needs of about 56,000 typical families for one year, but it’s not a major jump. … “
Read more from the San Diego Union Tribune by clicking here.
San Diego water use down 13 percent: Residents of Riverside, San Diego counties conserving beyond expectations
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on January 11, 2010 at 6:15 amFrom the North County Times:
“A half-year into the water-use restrictions that were triggered by Metropolitan Water District’s regional supply cuts, local providers in Riverside and San Diego counties are staying within allocations and are not in danger of being socked with fines that probably would be passed on to residents, officials say.
Metropolitan directed local providers throughout Southern California to take 10 percent less of the water it pipes in from Northern California and the Colorado River for the 12-month period that began July 1 than they did during the previous year.
And the giant Los Angeles-based agency has threatened to hammer providers with massive financial penalties if they take more than they are supposed to.
However, collectively, the region’s providers have ordered 13 percent less water than they could have by this time of the year and still be on track to stay within allocations, said Brandon Goshi, manager of resource analysis for Metropolitan.
“It looks good so far,” Goshi said in a telephone interview. … “
Read more from the North County Times by clicking here.
San Diego’s water pollution cop
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on January 9, 2010 at 7:22 amFrom the Voice of San Diego:
“Dave Gibson is the new chief of the San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board, the agency that’s responsible for enforcing federal and state clean water laws locally. He took over the top spot in November from John Robertus, who retired.
He’s in charge of the agency that monitors, regulates and occasionally fines those who discharge into local waterways — from sewage treatment plants to shipyards. Gibson, a former entomologist who’s worked at the board for a decade, is now the region’s top water pollution cop.
His agency is coordinating the long-stalled cleanup of toxic sediment in San Diego Bay, an effort that it recently scaled back, drawing criticism from those who’ve advocated for a thorough cleanup of the old pollution from industry and government. It’s also been involved in addressing one of the region’s longest-standing, largest pollution problems: the litter, dirt and sewage from Mexico that sweeps into the Tijuana River Valley with each winter rainfall, fouling the coastline from Imperial Beach to Coronado.
We sat down to talk about the health of the region’s waterways, bay and border pollution and whether he’d eat a fish caught in San Diego Bay. … “
Read more from the Voice of San Diego by clicking here.
Backing off on San Diego Bay cleanup; Deal narrows removal of tainted sediment
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on January 6, 2010 at 8:15 amFrom the San Diego Union Tribune:
“Nearly five years after regional water-pollution cops announced a landmark order to clean toxic muck in San Diego Bay, they’re back with a plan that would remove just 16 percent of the sediment targeted initially.
The latest strategy was crafted during months of confidential talks with groups on the hook for the work. It’s expected to cost about half of the
$96 million price tag from the original cleanup order, which the San Diego Regional Water Quality Control Board spent years developing so it could withstand courtroom challenges.
Critics contend that the new approach reflects a common tactic by industry: threatening litigation and stalling costly environmental projects until new, more business-friendly regulators take office. … “
Read more from the San Diego Union Tribune by clicking here.
Click here for the Groksurf San Diego blog’s post on this story.
Blog commentary: Water prices in San Diego – at least there’s water to pay for
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on January 5, 2010 at 4:28 pmFrom GrokSurf’s San Diego blog:
“We’ve known it was coming and now that January is here, the next water rate increase is taking effect. Every time we get an incremental water rate increase, the news media jumps on the story and before long the comments threads are alive with people complaining about being ripped off for using water or for conserving water. Sigh.
My 3-member family lives in a 2600 sq. ft home on a 14,700 sq. ft. landscaped lot near Lake Murray and we used 12 HCF in the last two-month period (to me it still seems too much but I think it compares well on the sparing side). The water used fee was $35.72 for those two months. There’s also a base fee for another $35.18 regardless how much water was used, but that’s money for fixed operating expenses. Compare that with our nonessential Cox Cable bill which is $108.67 per month for TV alone. From that perspective, even a doubling of the water used fee would not be a big deal, especially knowing it’s for a necessity of life. … “
Read more from Groksurf’s San Diego blog by clicking here.
Another increase in price of water: Sixth hike since ’07, more to come
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on January 4, 2010 at 7:54 amFrom the San Diego Union Tribune:
“The new year ushered in higher water rates for San Diegans, who joined residents countywide in paying more to cover the rising wholesale cost of water.
In November, the San Diego City Council approved a 7.75 percent rate increase for typical single-family homeowners after agreeing with a staff report that said the city had no choice but to recoup the additional money it is spending on water. The study estimated that higher wholesale rates amount to about $30 million more a year citywide.
The price increase is the sixth jump since 2007 for San Diego ratepayers, who are financing upgrades to the water system on top of buying more expensive water. … “
Read more from the San Diego Union Tribune by clicking here.
San Diego: Rebate program runs out of cash for businesses; Businesses can’t get help, but lots of money left for residents
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on January 1, 2010 at 8:04 amFrom the North County Times:
“A water conservation rebate program aimed at businesses is out of money early, but there’s plenty left for homeowners, the San Diego County Water Authority announced Wednesday.
The $4.6 million commercial program, which was run by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, allowed businesses to get money back after purchasing water-efficient equipment and appliances. The program was so popular that it ran out of money on Dec. 26, six months before the end of the fiscal year.
The $6 million residential program allows homeowners to get rebates on everything from cooling towers to drought-friendly toilets, but it’s barely been tapped —- the program still has $5.4 million left to distribute before June 30.
“The commercial program is a little more organized. A lot of plumbing contractors took advantage of it,” said Bill Rose, Water Conservation Program Executive for the San Diego County Water Authority. … “
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Recent Posts
- Saturday’s top of scroll: Science panel says Delta pumping restrictions are justified in California
- Senator Feinstein urges administration to respond to new National Academy of Sciences report on the Delta biological opinions; Calls for greater flexibility, robust adaptive management and integration of federal actions in the Delta
- Boxer statement on National Academy of Sciences’ review of Delta water issues
- Congressman Costa’s response to National Academy of Sciences review of Bay Delta water issues
- Score one for science, says SF Chronicle editorial on NAS findings
- Doug Obegi: National Academy of Sciences confirms that protections for endangered salmon and other species are “scientifically justified”
- Western Growers: 1st NAS Delta water study released, data lacking
- EarthJustice: Top scientists validate restoration plan for California salmon
- Remaining appointees to the Delta Stewardship Council named
- Hearings could set new course for Delta
- Barge-scale cleanup in the Delta
- Nunes on YouTube: “Water torture on Glenn Beck”
- Congresman Cardoza calls on government agencies to address predator fish that hurt Delta smelt and Valley agriculture
- PCL’s Green Roots blog: Californians ask “With 23,000 teachers receiving pink slips, how can we afford an $11.14 billion water bond?”
- Powerful state agency was weak when it came to the Delta
Aquafornia's Mission
Aquafornia's mission is to educate readers about the complex and often controversial issues surrounding water in California.
Aquafornia is affiliated with the Water Education Foundation, an impartial non-profit organization, whose mission is to create a better understanding of water issues and help resolve water resource problems through educational programs.
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