WaterSource New Masthead

July 2009 

In This Issue
San Vicente Dam Raise Construction Begins
July 1 - Water Cutbacks
"WaterSmart" Awards at Water Conservation Summit
Water Authority Board Approves Budget
Recycled Water Projects Receive Stimulus Funds
All-American Canal Lining to Receive Award
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San Diego County Water Authority
 
 
 
 
July is
  Smart Irrigation Month
 Are you watering correctly?
  
 
Smart Irrigation Month - July
More than half of residential water use in San Diego County is for landscape irrigation.
Many homeowners tend to overwater their lawn or waste water through inefficient habits. Do your part to save water and find out how to water efficiently by
clicking here.  

 
 

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San Vicente Dam Raise Under Way

Largest Capital Project in Water Authority History

San V Shovels

Water Authority Board Secretary Tom Wornham, General Manager Maureen Stapleton, California Secretary for Natural Resources Mike Chrisman, San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders, Board Chairman
Claude A. "Bud" Lewis

Construction is under way for the San Vicente Dam Raise project - the tallest dam raise ever in the United States and a vital component of the San Diego County Water Authority's long-term plan to improve regional water reliability.

More than 150 local water and business leaders, along with California Secretary for Natural Resources Mike Chrisman, gathered today near the dam site in Lakeside to commemorate the start of construction of the $568 million project.   
 
Click here for more details.
 

July 1 Signals Beginning of Water Cutbacks
Water Authority reduces supply to local agencies by 8 percent
 

DroughtAlertbars

Effective July 1, the Water Authority is reducing water supply deliveries to its 24 member agencies by 8 percent. The Water Authority is taking this action as a response to reduced water supplies caused by regulatory restrictions on water deliveries from Northern California, lingering drought, and a 13 percent cutback from the Water Authority's largest water supplier, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.
 
In April 2009, to prepare for these cutbacks, the Water Authority declared a Level 2 "Drought Alert," enabling member agencies to implement local mandatory water restrictions. Restrictions will vary by member agency. To find out the restrictions in your area, click here.

For more information, click here.
 
Water Authority Gives First "WaterSmart" Awards to Local Firms
 
H.G. Fenton WaterSmart Award The Water Authority recognized two local firms for their outstanding efforts to conserve water.
 
H.G. Fenton company, one of the region's largest real estate development and investment management firms, received the "Outstanding WaterSmart Project" award for its Aquatera Apartment Community, located in Mission Valley. All units in the 254-unit multi-family community have high-efficiency toilets and high-efficiency clothes washers. The community's landscaping complies with strict design specifications that reduce outdoor water use by 50 percent compared to conventional practices. The landscaping includes a site-specific water budget, smart irrigation controllers, high-efficiency rotary nozzles, and native and drought-tolerant plants. 
 
Water2Save WaterSmart AwardWater2Save, an engineering firm based in Solana Beach, received the "Innovative WaterSmart Service" award. The firm provides irrigation management services that help property owners and landscape contractors achieve landscape water savings using a patented wireless technology. Outdoor water use is remotely monitored and watering schedules are adjusted based on site characteristics, weather forecasts, and other information. The high-tech tool is enabling Water2Save to deliver guaranteed water savings of at least 20 percent to its clients.
 
The third Annual Water Conservation Summit, held at Cuyamaca College on June 2, was a venue to discuss the future of water conservation for public agencies, local companies, and residents countywide. The Water Authority also unveiled its new 'WaterSmart' brand, which is designed to help foster long-term reductions in water use by growing public desire and demand for beautiful landscapes that require less water.
 
For more information on the Water Conservation Summit, including links to the presentations, click on: www.waterconservationsummit.com.
 
Water Authority Board Approves Budget for Fiscal Years 2010 and 2011
 
The San Diego County Water Authority Board of Directors approved a two-year budget at the June meeting. The $1.6 billion budget will fund water purchases, capital improvements, debt service and Water Authority operations through June 30, 2011. The total is 12.2 percent more than the prior two-year budget, primarily because of California's water supply challenges, which are signifcantly increasing the cost of imported water.
 
"Regulatory restrictions, drought conditions and other factors are making it much more expensive to provide the water needed by our region's 3 million residents and $171 billion economy," said Claude A. "Bud" Lewis, Water Authority board chair.
 
The board also adopted new rates and charges for water purchased by the Water Authority's 24 retail agencies. The cost of treated water to retail agencies will increase 18.1 percent. The new treated water rates equate to an increase of approximately $5.80 per month to an average household's water bill in the San Diego region (single-family home with four people using approximately 163,000 gallons a year).
 
For more details on the approved budget, click here.
 
 
Local Agencies Receive Funding for Recycled Water Projects
Bureau of Reclmation Awards money under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
 
Recycled Water Pipe
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar identified 27 California water reclamation and reuse projects that will share $134.3 million under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. These water projects - known as "Title XVI" projects for the title of Public Law that established the program - facilitate the reclamation and reuse of wastewater and naturally impaired ground and surface waters.
 
Helix Water District and Padre Dam Municipal Water District both were awarded funding for individual projects.  Helix WD will receive $375,000 for the El Monte Valley Groundwater Project and Padre Dam MWD will utilize approximately $1.2 million for an expansion of their existing recycling facility.
 
For a full list of projects, click here.
 
Click here for further details from the Department of the Interior.
 
 All-American Canal Lining Project to Receive Award
"Project of the Year Award" from American Public Works Association local chapter
 

AACLP

The-All American Canal lining project, will receive the "Project of the Year Award" from the San Diego and Imperial Counties chapter of the American Public Works Association. The 82-mile-long canal is located in the southeastern corner of California, conveying water from the Colorado River to California's Imperial Valley. Approximately 23 miles of parallel, concrete-lined canal has been constructed next to the existing canal to capture water lost due to seepage. The project, along with the lining of the Coachella Canal, will provide San Diego County with close to 80,000 acre-feet annually.
 
For more information on the project, click here.

The San Diego County Water Authority works through its 24 member agencies to provide a safe and reliable water supply to support the region's $171 billion economy and quality of life of 3 million residents.