Diapers, towels don’t go with the sewer flow, Placer County warns
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on November 25, 2009 at 5:48 amFrom the Auburn Journal:
“Diapers, wet wipes, towels and disposable dusts cloths are some of the enemies Placer County is putting on its “most unwanted” list when it comes to wastewater flows.
Whether mislabeled “flushable” or not, the county’s utilities division is targeting them in a new campaign to keep them out of sewer systems.
The county launched an education campaign in the summer to urge residents in the Dry Creek area of Western Placer County to stop flushing trash down the toilet. A total of 1,200 postcards were sent out and the impact was instant. Utility crews have been called to the Dry Creek lift station once since July for garbage-related problems and debris taken out is down 50 percent. … “
Read more from the Auburn Journal by clicking here.
Santa Clarita Valley voters elect candidate to water board who says she knows nothing about water: Winners’ strategy: Don’t campaign
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on November 5, 2009 at 12:52 pmAquafornia, as a rule, does not cover local water board elections, but I had to make an exception in this case. This one is from the Santa Clarita Signal:
“Newly elected Newhall County Water District board member Kathy Colley made a calculated decision when she chose not to campaign at all in her election bid.
Simply put, she knows nothing about running a water district.
“I didn’t need to boast about things I knew nothing about,” she said, explaining why she chose not to engage with voters before the election.
“I think I am a quick study. I am going into it with an open mind,” the registered nurse added.
Nevertheless, Santa Clarita Valley voters put the political novice in office by a clear margin. …”
Yay, voters!!! Read more from the Santa Clarita Signal by clicking here.
Local water leaders hear latest on crisis, efforts to find solutions; More than 130 attend two-day event in Lake Elsinore
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on October 9, 2009 at 7:23 amFrom the Association of California Water Agencies:
“Local water leaders are gathered today to hear the latest on California’s water challenges and discuss short- and long-term solutions to improve water supply reliability for cities, farms and businesses.
More than 130 public water agency representatives are attending the event sponsored by the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) and its Southern California members. Participants include local water leaders from Riverside, San Diego, Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino counties.
“We are facing unprecedented challenges to our water supply reliability, and the need for solutions has never been more urgent,” ACWA Executive Director Timothy Quinn said. “Understanding the issues and sharing perspectives is critical to finding solutions.”
California is facing a potential fourth year of drought, ongoing cutbacks in water deliveries to protect species, and the effects of climate change. At least 67 local water agencies have imposed some form of mandatory conservation, and hard-hit areas of the San Joaquin Valley have seen more than 500,000 acres of farmland idled due to water shortages.
State and local water leaders are working to develop a comprehensive solution that includes everything from expanded water recycling and conservation to improvements in the state’s water storage and delivery infrastructure.
The event at Lake Elsinore is one of many local and regional events held by ACWA in cooperation with its members to educate and share information on water issues. The program continues tomorrow with remarks from Assembly Member Kevin Jeffries (R-Riverside) and a tour of Lake Elsinore Valley water facilities.”
ACWA is a statewide association of public agencies whose 440 members are responsible for about 90% of the water delivered in California. For more information, contact ACWA at 916.441.4545 or visit www.acwa.com.
Commentary: Crescenta Valley Water District stepped up during Station Fire
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on September 14, 2009 at 7:45 amFrom the Glendale News Press, this commentary by Vasken Yardemian, president of the Crescenta Valley Water District Board of Directors, who explains what the water district did during the Station Fire to be ready for potential problems:
“I want to acknowledge the superb effort put forth by the employees of Crescenta Valley Water District during the Station fire. Quick action at the beginning of this event put the water district ahead and the continued focus on keeping our water system fully supplied served the community well.
When this fire flared up, and turned toward La Crescenta, the water district personnel responded to management call-in, and the district was fully staffed in a very short time. When water district officials realized the event would last several days, personnel responded to the deployment of a 24-hour operation without hesitation.
The visual presence of water district employees in the community gave reassurance to our customers that water would be available if and when it was needed by the firefighters. It was also comforting to those who remained behind in the evacuation areas to see our district trucks making regular inspection trips to the upper reservoirs. …”
Read more from the Glendale Press by clicking here.
Burbank: Stricter water limits take another step; Shift toward limiting residents’ irrigation of their lawns to 15 minutes a day 3 days a week awaits final OK
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on September 2, 2009 at 6:00 amFrom the Burbank Leader:
“Residents must limit outdoor irrigation to 15 minutes a day, per station, three days a week, according to restrictions approved Tuesday by the City Council.
The shift — which still awaits final approval — to the second stage of water restrictions would also limit irrigation to Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, but represented only a portion of what could have been a more restrictive policy. Consideration of the full second stage of the water conservation ordinance, which limits watering in the winter to one day per week, was postponed.
The new rationing measures were approved by the Burbank Water and Power Advisory Board as well as the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority. They also come after Glendale moved to a three-day irrigation schedule and Crescenta Valley and Los Angeles limited their customers to just two days.
Hand watering under the second stage is exempt, said Bill Mace, assistant general manager for Burbank Water and Power. …”
Read more from the Burbank Leader by clicking here.
Peter Kavounas: Got questions about water rates? Logical answers await
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on August 2, 2009 at 6:56 amFrom the Santa Clarita Signal, this commentary by Peter Kavounas, vice president of the Castaic Lake Water Agency Board of Directors and chairman of the Retail Operations Committee:
“There’s a natural series of reactions people have when they are told they will soon be asked to pay more for something. Their first reaction – understandably, especially in this economy – is to object. Why should I pay more than I’ve been paying all along? After that initial reaction, it’s only natural to become a little more analytical about it: What factors are causing this increase? Is it reasonable? How much will it really cost me?
After seeking and absorbing the answers to these questions, the customer then comes to some sort of conclusion about the increase and forms an opinion on whether it’s reasonable and warranted. …”
Read more from the Santa Clarita Signal by clicking here.
EBMUD first wastewater treatment plant in nation to turn post-consumer food waste into energy
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on July 21, 2009 at 2:41 pmFrom Water Online:
“With help from a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency grant, the East Bay Municipal Utility District is pioneering a method of generating renewable energy using food scraps. EBMUD takes food waste from San Francisco and Contra Costa County restaurants and commercial food processors and uses them to produce green renewable energy through anaerobic digestion. The innovative approach decreases food waste sent to landfills and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
In light of San Francisco’s recently signed mandatory composting law — the first in the nation — residents and businesses will begin increasing their composting efforts or finding new and unique ways to divert food scraps from being sent to the landfill. EBMUD’s anaerobic digester, in operation since 2004, is leading the way, and currently processes 90 tons per week of post-consumer food waste from restaurants and food processing facilities.”
Read more from Water Online by clicking here.
Doubling of water fees in largely blue-collar L.A. County area stirs uproar; agency says the money will go to projects that are cheaper to build during a recession, but client cities and agencies question the expenditures
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on July 18, 2009 at 12:06 pmFrom the Los Angeles Times:
A water district’s decision to double water fees has sparked outcry from largely working-class and impoverished areas of Los Angeles County.
The Central Basin Municipal Water District unanimously approved the charges June 25, despite objections from cities including Compton, Lynwood, Santa Fe Springs, Huntington Park, Bellflower, Norwalk and Lakewood. The fee hikes will be phased in, from $44 per acre-foot of water to $62 per acre-foot on July 1, then to $72 per acre-foot on Jan. 1, 2010, and $92 on July 1, 2010.
An average household in Lakewood, for example, can expect to pay about $88 more a year on water services, officials said.
Read more from the Los Angeles Times by clicking here.
Castaic Lake Water Agency considers tax hike: Declining property values may force an increase in property taxes on SCV homes
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on July 12, 2009 at 7:18 amFrom the Santa Clarita Valley Signal:
Castaic Lake Water Agency could be forced to raise property taxes so it can continue bringing water from the Sacramento Delta to Santa Clarita faucets. Declining property values could for the move, said Valerie Pryor, administrative services manager for the agency.
“We did a preliminary estimate to adjust our portion of the property tax revenues to 5 percent of every $100 of home valuation,” Pryor said last week. The current tax rate is 4 percent of every $100 of home valuation.
For a $400,000 Santa Clarita Valley home, the annual tax bill for state water amounts to $160. If Castaic Lake Water adopts a 5-cent tax on each $100 of home valuation, the bill jumps to $200.
The 1-percent hike is still a preliminary estimate, Pryor said. “Until we receive the county’s assessment, we can’t be sure how much taxes could go up,” she said.
Read more from the Santa Clarita Signal by clicking here.
Santa Clarita’s water rates could leap next year
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on July 9, 2009 at 6:34 amFrom the Santa Clarita Valley Signal:
Customers will inevitably feel the pinch if the local state water contractor decides to raise wholesale water rates. Castaic Lake Water Agency Finance Committee will begin a two-month study on wholesale water rates on July 14, said Dan Masnada, Castaic Lake Water Agency general manager.
Under the proposed rate increase, water agency wholesale rates could shoot from $295 per acre foot to $400 per acre foot, Masnada said. If approved, the proposed rate increase will begin in January 2010.
Masnada blames rate stabilization and the cost of operations as the culprit in the proposed increase. “The last three years we weren’t fully funding our operating budget through rates,” he said. Property taxes picked up the portion of operations costs not paid for by the rate structure.
Read more from the Santa Clarita Signal by clicking here.
State budget threatens local water agencies: State may snatch millions from Castaic Lake Water Agency
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on June 30, 2009 at 12:21 pmFrom the Santa Clarita Signal:
Water rates will spike and capital improvement project will be frozen if the state snatches $17 million in property tax from Castaic Lake Water Agency, a water official said. “Under the worse possible scenario, we would raise rates for retailers and we would indefinitely suspend some of our capital improvement projects,” said Dan Masnada, Castaic Lake Water Agency general manager.
The Water Agency sells state project water to the four water retailers in the Santa Clarita Valley.
While the state Legislature has not proposed using proposition 1A, which allows it to raid the coffers of special districts to help balance the state budget, the weakened state finances makes such a move possible, Masnada said. “There’s always the possibility,” Masnada said. “If the state doesn’t get its finances in order, we could be in jeopardy.”
Read more from the Santa Clarita Signal by clicking here.
Water districts sue fish agencies; Federal orders cutting water supplies failed to assess environmental damage
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on June 30, 2009 at 6:58 amFrom the California Farmer:
“Environmental laws apply equally to all,” says Tom Birmingham, General Manager of the Westlands Water District, in announcing a lawsuit aimed at the federal government’s latest plan for cutting back even further on California’s water supplies.
Westlands is joining with 29 other public water agencies who argue that the National Marine Fisheries Service should have prepared an environmental impact statement before adopting a salmon recovery plan that will divert hundreds of thousands of acre feet of California’s freshwater supplies into the ocean.
“Denying this much water to California is going to do obvious, serious and enduring damage to habitat, to wetlands, and to other endangered species. It will reduce water quality and drive up the costs of water treatment for millions of people. It will reduce the opportunities for recycling, conjunctive use, and water transfers, which are all vitally important to the state’s efforts to conserve water and improve efficiency. And it will put tens of thousands of people out of work, which affects public health and safety in myriad ways,” Birmingham said.
Read more from the California Farmer by clicking here.
Higher water rates in store for Fallbrook Public Utility District customers; Average customer will see 13 percent increase on monthly water bill starting in August
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on June 23, 2009 at 6:28 amFrom the North County Times:
The Fallbrook Public Utility District’s board of directors voted 4-0 Monday evening to raise water rates by roughly 13 percent in anticipation of wholesale water prices rising later this year. The increases, which will take effect July 1 and involve a variety of “levels” and “tiers,” will translate into an extra $13.80 on the monthly bills of average customers, defined as single-family residences that use 30,000 gallons of water every month.
The rate hike came as the board approved the utility district’s 2009-10 budget, which includes an anticipated $14.4 million in wholesale water costs, compared with $10.4 million for the current fiscal year, which ends June 30.
Before Monday’s meeting, finance director Marcie Eilers said the Metropolitan Water District is raising its rates by 18 percent on Sept. 1, and that the Fallbrook rate increase was due entirely to the higher prices that regional water distributors are preparing to charge. “By far, this is the largest increase in the cost of wholesale water that we’ve had to bear,” Eilers said. “One hundred percent of our increased rates are due to the increase in wholesale water prices.”
Read more from the North County Times by clicking here.
Water bills on the rise: Crescenta Valley district proposes a series of rate hikes to battle higher import costs
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on June 20, 2009 at 6:44 amFrom the Glendale News Press:
Foothill water officials on Tuesday called for a significant overhaul of the way consumers are billed in order to cope with major price increases for imported water. Customers can also expect to see higher bills as the Crescenta Valley Water District passes on at least a portion of the cost of more expensive water imports to residents, officials said.
The water district’s Board of Directors on Tuesday heard the bleak assessment as it worked to craft a new budget strategy for the upcoming fiscal year and beyond.
About 50% to 60% of the district’s water comes from local sources including wells and the Pickens Canyon tunnel. The rest is imported from the Foothill Metropolitan Water District, which acts as an intermediary to the larger Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.
Read more from the Glendale News Press by clicking here.
Santa Clara Valley Water District accused of being awash in cash while county and cities drown in red ink
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on June 18, 2009 at 7:10 amFrom the Silicon Valley Mercury News:
In a highly critical report Wednesday accusing the Santa Clara Valley Water District of overspending and poor financial management, a civil grand jury found that the agency lacks oversight, transparency and accountability.
“Given the pervasive nature of the lax attitude toward any kind of fiscal control, it will take much more time and leadership from the board of directors to make the needed impact on capital and operational spending,” the report states.
The Santa Clara County civil grand jury report titled “Santa Clara Valley Water District Awash in Cash as County and Cities Drown in Red Ink,” noted that previous audits, statewide reports and grand jury investigations pointed to “spending and ethics abuses by the district over many years.” The report further stated, “the district has been questioned on its spending for years and has made little to no effort to become cost effective.”
As a result, the grand jury called for more openness, an independent review committee to oversee the board, a 15-year-master plan on future spending and term limits for the board of directors. Earlier this spring, directors voted to place a term-limit measure on the November 2010 ballot.
“We accept the report in the spirit it’s provided, but it’s not unusual for a civil grand jury to look for more negatives,” said Sig Sanchez, chairman of the water board. “There are some areas where if they had gone into more depth, the recommendations may have been a little different.” He hopes to have a formal response in one month.
Read more from the Silicon Valley News by clicking here.
Carlsbad eyes major hikes in water rates
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on June 16, 2009 at 3:25 pmFrom the North County Times:
As many of you know, conservation rules and rate/service charges increase dramatically July 1 for Carlsbad residents. The City of Carlsbad is proposing these rates due to the increased cost of water and water supply limitations.
If you have not studied the fine print on the “Proposed Utility Rates” brochure mailed with your last water bill, you will be in for quite a shock come July, regardless of how much water you conserve.
The average single-family household can expect to pay 40 percent more for water and sewer even with the new conservation rules. For those of you with larger parcels, the new “tier rate” structure will significantly increase your water bill because it does not take into account property size, only water use.
Read more from the North County Times by clicking here.
Sunnyvale tracks water usage with radio readers
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on June 13, 2009 at 6:40 amFrom the Silicon Valley Mercury News:
Reading meters is getting easier for the three-person team that tracks the amount of water Sunnyvale’s customers use each month. The city is in the process of replacing its 24,000 residential meters with new technology that uses radio frequency waves to transmit meter reads. This means city employees can use a handheld device to record several meter reads from one location.
“The old way of doing it is you walk up to the meter, take the lid off and read the meter with your eyes,” says Tim Kirby, revenue systems supervisor.
With the new system, readers can record meter information in about 20 seconds with the push of a button. This will enable the three-person field water service team to dedicate more time to maintenance issues, Kirby added.
The advanced reading technology is also more accurate because it eliminates the possibility of human error, said Mike Thomason, who is part of the water service team.
Read more from the Silicon Valley Mercury News by clicking here.
South Coast Water District plans higher rates
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on June 13, 2009 at 6:12 amFrom the O.C. Register:
The general manager of the South Coast Water District outlined a 10-year plan Wednesday to become less reliant on imported water by decreasing imports to 35 percent of its total water supply and getting the rest from groundwater, recycled water and ocean desalination.
In the meantine, however, charges for annual service and monthly water use for the district’s customers will have to go up, SCWD officials said during two community forums.
If the rate increase is approved by the board of directors June 25, the average single-family home would pay $19 to $38 more on monthly water and sewage bills starting in July. SCWD serves 42,000 residential and commercial customers in Dana Point, South Laguna and areas of north San Clemente.
Read more from the O.C. Register by clicking here.
Water district trims budget and keeps rates flat for coming fiscal year
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on June 11, 2009 at 7:54 amFrom the Milpitas Post, this commentary by Richard Santos, District Three Santa Clara Valley Water District:
Times are tough right now for everyone. This is why I, along with the rest of the board members of the Santa Clara Valley Water District, unanimously passed a budget lower than last years and voted not to increase the groundwater production charges.
The district fiscal year 2009-10 budget is $305 million, reduced by $108 million from fiscal year 2008-09. While a significant amount of the reduction is due to completed capital projects, the water district staff worked long and hard to streamline the budget. The strategies employed to reduce the budget include, but aren’t limited to: reprioritizing work and repositioning of staff to address critical needs; eliminating or delaying lower-priority projects; eliminating 29 vacant positions; consolidating services and functions; cutting temporary staff, overtime and non-mandatory training; cutting services and supplies, including operating equipment, purchases and travel; reducing 25 fleet vehicles and replacing some with hybrids for fuel efficiency; and postponing planned computer upgrades.
Achieving these cost savings is a major accomplishment considering the fact that water district revenues are declining, while costs are rising significantly. Several examples of shrinking revenues and growing costs are explained below.
Read more of Richard’s commentary by clicking here.
San Luis Obispo’s water rate hikes need approval, says editorial
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on June 10, 2009 at 12:18 pmFrom the San Luis Obispo Tribune, this editorial:
Memories may be short, but we’re betting that many readers have vivid recollections of the “March Miracle” that ended a severe drought here 18 years ago. For those who weren’t in the area, here’s a recap: San Luis Obispo was at the height of an extended drought. Mandatory rationing was in effect, yet the city was still in danger of running out of water. Then the skies opened, and 13 inches of rain fell.
Happy end of story, but the epilogue is even better: After living through the drought, local leaders in several communities found the political will to pursue new sources of water — an insurance policy, if you will, to protect residents from future water emergencies. We now have that insurance in the form of the Nacimiento Water Project — and the time has come to pay for that policy.
On Thursday night, the San Luis Obispo City Council will hold a public hearing on proposed water- and sewer-rate increases that will, among other things, help pay the city’s share of the Nacimiento project. But if more than half of the ratepayers protest the fee increases, the city cannot adopt them.
We strongly urge residents not to oppose these increases.
Read more of this editorial from the San Luis Obispo Tribune by clicking here.
Corona to consider raising water rates
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on June 10, 2009 at 12:15 pmFrom the Riverside Press-Enterprise:
Residents’ water bills in Corona could go up multiple times over the next five years, starting with a possible increase in September.
The Corona City Council will vote July 15 whether to increase water rates to cover increased costs from Western Municipal Water District, which sells the city about 46 percent of its drinking water.
The city is also proposing to pass on higher costs at its Department of Water and Power to customers. The rate increases would be based on changes in the consumer price index and the cost of water.
Read more from the Press-Enterprise by clicking here.
Santa Ana water rates going up … again
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on June 3, 2009 at 3:26 pmFrom the O. C. Register:
Every shower, sprinkle and sip of water is about to cost a little more after city leaders voted this week to raise water rates for the third time in less than two years. The average homeowner can expect to pay nearly $8 more every month when the new water rates take effect in July.
The city’s rates – already higher than those in neighboring cities – have increased about 43 percent since 2007, records show. In other words, the same homeowner who was paying around $37.50 a month for water two years ago will soon be getting bills for about $53.50 a month.
City officials say there are limits to how much cheap water they can pump from the ground, especially after three years of dry weather. That has forced them to import more water from elsewhere – and pay much more for it.
Read more from the O. C. Register by clicking here.
No increase in water charges this year for Santa Clara Valley Water District
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on June 2, 2009 at 6:40 amFrom the Morgan Hill Times:
For the first time in eight years, water rates will not rise. The Santa Clara Valley Water District directors decided to keep groundwater charges at their current level for the upcoming year and adopted a budget that cuts more than $100 million in expenses. At the same time, they cautioned that another year of drought, a growing state budget deficit, and the deferral of some expensive local projects could lead to even higher costs for rate payers in the future.
The board of directors voted unanimously at a meeting Monday not to raise groundwater extraction charges for South County, North County and agricultural users. South County water retailers and well owners will continue to pay $275 per acre foot of water for the next year. Agricultural users will pay $16.50 per acre foot; and in the northern part of Santa Clara County, the charge will remain at $520 per acre foot. An acre foot is enough water to supply two families of five for one year.
Read more from the Morgan Hill Times by clicking here.
Whittier-area water utilities plan to hold rates steady despite increased costs
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on May 2, 2009 at 7:06 amFrom the Whittier Daily News:
Officials from local water agencies said they plan to hold the line on rates for now although their cost of getting water is going to jump astronomically.
The board of the Water Replenishment District Friday voted to increase its assessment for pumping ground water by nearly 19 percent, or from $153 to 181.85 per acre foot. And some Whittier-area water utilities also must deal with a recent 20-percent increase from Metropolitan Water District.
“It’s going to be a significant amount of money,” said Tom Coleman, general manager of Orchard Dale Water District that has 4,000 customers in unincorporated South Whittier. “But we have already spoken with the board and we will probably wait to do anything until January of next year. We’ll see how these costs hit us.”
Coleman said he expects an increase of more than $40,000 in its groundwater assessment and a $136,000 raise in the purchase of water from MWD.
Read more from the Whittier Daily News by clicking here.
Burbank water rates could spike: Possible 35% increase brought on by statewide drought emergency; Water district will vote at its April 14 meeting
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on March 18, 2009 at 6:44 amFrom the Burbank Leader:
City officials are bracing for a Metropolitan Water District of Southern California decision that could increase water rates by as much as 35% as the state continues to struggle with a drought emergency.
City executives are weighing in on the matter and hashing out a plan to inform residents of the pending spike in water rates before the water district board votes on the matter at its April 14 meeting. The City Council announced plans this week to send e-mail and letters alerting the public about the coming vote.
“The reason this is important is because we’re not talking a small charge,” Councilman David Gordon said. “We’re talking about upwards of 20% above and beyond any other rate increases that we’ve already sustained. This is going to come like a freight train down the tracks on April 14.”
The state’s critically low water supply, restrictions on water pumped from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and a significant increase in population since the last drought in 1991 have led to the water district seeking higher fees, said Bob Muir, a Metropolitan Water District of Southern California spokesman.
“There’s a great deal of fixed costs associated with the state water project,” said Bill Mace, assistant general manager for water systems at Burbank Water and Power. “[The district] is charged regardless of if it pumps one drop of water or a lot.”
Read more from the Burbank Leader by clicking here.
Westlands Water District files lawsuit on biological opinion
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on March 11, 2009 at 7:09 amFrom the Western Farm Press:
The Westlands Water District announced on March 4 that it is joining with other public water agencies in the San Luis Delta-Mendota Water Authority in filing a lawsuit to undo the latest round of cutbacks that federal authorities have ordered in California’s water supplies.
“We are in the midst of an emergency that Gov. Schwarzenegger has rightly pointed out will impose hardships on all Californians,” said Tom Birmingham, general manager of the Westlands Water District.
“In the Central Valley, communities are facing catastrophic consequences. The federal government has announced that farmers we serve will receive no water to grow their crops. And another set of federal authorities are demanding that we waste hundreds of thousands of acre feet of freshwater into the ocean on behalf of an endangered minnow that will not benefit in any way from the losses suffered by the people who rely on water supplied by the Central Valley Project,” Birmingham said.
The lawsuit asks the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California to enjoin the enforcement of a biological opinion by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) that has cut water supplies to two-thirds of California’s residents by approximately 30 percent.
“We are not trying to upset the Endangered Species Act,” said Birmingham. “We are trying to ensure that the Act is implemented in a manner consistent with its requirement that decisions be based on the basis of the best available science.”
Read more from the Western Farm Press by clicking here.
Water board should consider term limits, says columnist
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on March 10, 2009 at 4:29 amFrom the San Jose Mercury News, this column by Scott Herhold:
For a long time now, I’ve been convinced that the back sides of several members of the Santa Clara Valley Water District board are literally glued to their chairs. Flesh to wood, epoxy to cloth, pant leg to table leg.
I can’t explain their extraordinary longevity any other way. For the four senior members, the average tenure is more than 20 years.
Virtually everyone else in our political constellation has term limits — an eight-year term for San Jose council members, six years for assembly members, 12 years for county supervisors, 11 years or so for your dog. To the board members of the Golden Spigot, however, the notion of limiting service is as welcome as submitting to a barium enema.
Despite what they announced two weeks ago, the board today won’t vote on term limits. It’s been postponed until March 24. The stated reason is that they already have a package of good government measures on today’s agenda. Put another way, there’s just so much reform the board can take at any one time.
Before I explain, let me credit board members Patrick Kwok, Richard Santos and Rosemary Kamei, who, with prodding from Assemblyman Joe Coto, pushed the board two weeks ago to swallow what our reporter Paul Rogers described as a “castor oil” dose of reforms.
Read more of this column in the San Jose Mercury News by clicking here.
Fallbrook water manager appointed to serve on Metropolitan board
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on March 9, 2009 at 4:58 amFrom the North County Times:
As general manager of the Fallbrook Public Utility District, Keith Lewinger has weathered his share of crises, from pipeline closures to drought to budget disasters handed down by state lawmakers.
But the self-made water guru braced for a different kind of challenge last month, when he was appointed to serve on Southern California’s most powerful water board —- that of the Metropolitan Water District. “It’s a very challenging time to be walking into that board room,” Lewinger said last week. “They’re talking about 75 percent chance of mandatory cutbacks in July, and rate increases in the magnitude of 20 percent.”
Because Metropolitan delivers water to all of the region’s agencies —- including Fallbrook Public Utility —- those painful adjustments will trickle down to ratepayers throughout Southern California, including Fallbrook and all of North County. “Of course, I’m going to try to represent the best interests of San Diego County, and those things which benefit San Diego County will, by and large, benefit Fallbrook,” he said.
Specifically, Lewinger said he plans to represent the thousands of Southern California farmers whose needs often take a back seat to the demands of urban populations.
“I’m going to try to make sure the same kinds of incentives that are offered to urban customers are offered to agricultural customers,” he said, adding that perhaps only one or two other members of the Metropolitan board share his acute concern for the farming industry.
Read more from the North County Times by clicking here.
South Coast Water District readying water-use regulations; Imperial Beach declares water alert
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on February 21, 2009 at 6:12 amFrom the Dana Point Times:
Do you expect your waitress to serve you water without asking when you’re eating out? Do you run your sprinklers during the day? Do you hose down your patio, or wash your car in the street, or put off fixing a leaky pipe on your irrigation system?
In a few months all of these actions may be prohibited by a new water ordinance currently under development by the South Coast Water District, a move water officials hope will help lead the community through future water rationing which is likely coming as early as this summer. District general manager Mike Dunbar believes the ordinance will help educate residents and business owners in conservation and does not intend for his staff to become a police force.
“Policing is a dirty word around here,” he said. “I don’t want our staff to go out and become water cops. I’d much rather work on educating people. We have a very sophisticated clientele and, given the importance of water, I think people will do the right thing.”
Read more from the Dana Point Times by clicking here.
From the San Diego Union Tribune:
As water rates are set to increase in Imperial Beach, the city has declared a Stage 1 water emergency, calling on residents to voluntarily conserve.
While San Diego and other cities in the county and agencies have issued similar conservation requests, City Manager Gary Brown said the goal of Wednesday’s City Council decision is to educate residents.
“We hope to get the word out of a very likely drought condition come summer and what we’re asking residents to do,” Brown said.
Brown said the San Diego Regional Water Authority reports it would take six years of regular rainfall to bring the region’s reservoirs up to normal-season levels. Combine low dam levels, a drought and recent court orders prohibiting water delivery from the north, and that makes the situation worse, he said.
A 1990 city ordinance, which allows the city manager to declare a water emergency, outlines the various conservation levels. The Stage 1 “Water Watch” applies when the city’s water supplier, California-American Water Co., may not be able to meet the water demands of its customers.
More from the San Diego Union Tribune by clicking here.
Water rates could rise sharply for EBMUD customers
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on February 5, 2009 at 6:12 amFrom the San Jose Mercury News:
Customers of the East Bay’s largest water district are facing the likelihood of rate increases higher than the 4 percent forecast nearly two years ago. The decline in housing construction and a slide in revenues due to more efficient water use among East Bay Municipal Utility District customers are some of the factors pinching the district’s budget.
“It’s the economic situation and the drought,” said Carol Nishita, EBMUD’s director of administration.
The district’s board of directors was told recently that if nothing changes, customer rates would have to increase 21 percent. Nishita said that her staff came up with a list of ways lower that figure by increasing revenues, freezing new hires, and deferring construction and discretionary expenses.
Implementing all of those cuts would still leave the district’s customers looking at rate increases of 10 percent to 12 percent. The Oakland-based utility serves 1.3 million people in parts of Alameda and Contra Costa counties, extending along San Francisco Bay from Crockett south to San Lorenzo, east to Walnut Creek and south through the San Ramon Valley.
“If we do these things we might be able to get down to 12 percent,” Nishita said. “When we get there, we’ll look for other steps to get it down lower.”
Read more from the San Jose Mercury News by clicking here.
Eastern Municipal Water District passes mandatory use limits
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on February 5, 2009 at 5:34 amFrom Riverside’s Press-Enterprise:
One of the Inland area’s largest water agencies adopted mandatory water-use restrictions Wednesday as part of its efforts to deal with California’s worsening drought.
Starting March 1, customers served by Eastern Municipal Water District, including 130,000 households in Moreno Valley, Hemet and unincorporated areas, will be required to stop hosing down driveways, water lawns only at night or in the early morning, and prevent landscape irrigation from creating runoff.
“Our district is way ahead on this,” said Randy Record, a district governing board member. The vote for the restrictions was 4-0.
Residents who violate the rule against excess runoff will get two warnings and then face penalties of $25, $50 and $100 for third, fourth and fifth violations, respectively. The owners of institutional, commercial and industrial properties will get two warnings and heftier fines: $100 for a third violation, then $200 and $300. The penalties will be tacked onto water bills.
Read more from the Press-Enterprise by clicking here.
Ex-irrigation district worker charged in Truckee Carson Irrigation District case in Fallon dies
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on January 31, 2009 at 6:18 amFrom the San Jose Mercury News:
A former irrigation district worker facing federal charges that he conspired to defraud the U.S. government of water has died.
Shelby Cecil, who was suffering from lung cancer, was hospitalized a week ago with an infection and died from complications Thursday at Renown Medical Center, his lawyer and longtime family friend Don Evans said Friday. He was 65.
Cecil, of Fallon, was on oxygen when he appeared with three other Truckee Carson Irrigation District employees in U.S. District Court in Reno on Jan. 6 to be arraigned on charges of conspiracy to defraud the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation by allegedly falsifying records to secure extra water supplies.
“His family thanks all of the people in the community of Fallon who have expressed their support for Shelby and his co-defendants,” Evans said. “They are convinced—and I am too—that these false charges hastened his untimely death,” he told The Associated Press.
Lauren Horwood, a spokeswoman for the Justice Department, which is prosecuting the case, had no comment.
Read more from the San Jose Mercury News by clicking here.
New USBR area manager faces challenges — with fortitude
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on December 22, 2008 at 6:34 amFrom the Yuma Sun:
Jennifer McCloskey welcomes challenge. As the new manager for Reclamation’s Yuma Area Office, she has certainly found it.
“There isn’t a day I don’t learn something new,” she said during an interview Friday after having just returned from the annual Colorado River Water Users Association conference in Las Vegas. She had been promoted from acting area manager to area manager a short week before.
In the middle of her plate as area manager is a potential year-long pilot run of the 15-year-old Yuma Desalting plant that could start in the fall and operate at one-third capacity. In 2007, a smaller test demonstration was run to determine whether the long-mothballed plant could operate.
A follow-up and more extensive pilot run would help determine the plant’s operating costs, performance and water recovery it will achieve – all information that will go into deciding whether to run the plant on a permanent basis to create a new water source in the thirsty Southwest, McCloskey said.
But it involves more than flipping a switch. Permits have to be obtained to return the treated water to the Colorado River even though it will be close to potable water quality. Funding must be obtained through a collaboration of stakeholders. Environmental concerns must be dealt with and Mexico kept informed as the project will reduce agricultural runoff now flowing to the Cienega de Santa Clara wetland.
Read more from the Yuma Sun by clicking here.
South San Joaquin Irrigation District remains financially sound amid economic crisis
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on December 22, 2008 at 6:02 am
From the Manteca Bulletin:
Manteca Unified is looking to cut $14 million from its upcoming budget. The City of Manteca needs to reduce expenses by as much as $8 million for its 2009-10 spending plan. The State of California is facing a deficit that could balloon to $40 billion over the next 20 months. The story is the same with almost every other government agency in California. One of the exceptions is the South San Joaquin Irrigation District.
The SSJID board is meeting Tuesday at 9 p.m. at the district office, 11011 E. Highway 120 to consider adopting the operating budget for 2009.
The water agency expects to generate $28.8 million in revenues in 2009 against $24.6 million in expenses leaving them a $4.2 million cushion. The district is also under taking $20.2 million in capital improvements in 2009.
The SSJID even ‘gave up’ $1.5 million in water charges for farmers who were current on their bills. They haven’t imposed a property tax increase in 15 years. They are improving canals and installing a pressure system for drip-irrigation south of Manteca. Why are they doing so well? I’ll let you find out by reading it from the Manteca Bulletin – click here.
Truckee Carson Irrigation District water supply conditions
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on December 9, 2008 at 6:04 amFrom the Lahontan Valley News:
As of December 7, storage in Lahontan Reservoir was 27,352 acre-feet. Storage in Lahontan is expected to increase to about 37,200 acre-feet by the end of December.
The maximum Truckee Canal diversion allowed by the Bureau of Reclamation is 350 cfs, which is more than what is available of the Floriston Rates water that arrives at Derby Dam. For December the reduced Floriston Rate is 300 cfs, because Lake Tahoe is below elevation 6225.25.
On November 22 the Truckee Meadows Water Authority requested a further reduction in the Floriston Rates to 160 cfs pursuant to a supposedly never before used provision in the Truckee River Agreement. This provision allows Sierra Pacific to reduce Reduced Floriston Rates during the non-irrigation season not to exceed 6,000 acre-feet since the signing of the Truckee River Agreement in 1935. The Federal Water Master is not aware of this provision being used before.
The reasoning given by TMWA was that Floriston Rate water in Boca would be exhausted by about December 8. This change would extend the release of Floriston Rate water until about January 8.
Read more from the Lahontan Valley News by clicking here.
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