September 27, 2016
Mark Muir (left) and Jim Madaffer (right) congratulate outgoing Board Chair Mark Weston (center).
Mark Muir Elected Chair of Water Authority Board of Directors
 
The next two years of leadership on the Water Authority's Board of Directors were cemented with the election of the agency's Board officers, whose terms will begin Oct. 1.

Mark Muir, who represents the San Dieguito Water District on the Water Authority's Board and has served as the Board's vice chair for two years, was elected the new Board chair. Jim Madaffer, secretary of the Board for the past two years as a representative from the City of San Diego, will serve as vice chair. Incoming Secretary Gary Croucher is a Board representative from the Otay Water District.
 
Water Authority-Sponsored Bills Advance Water Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Governor Jerry Brown recently signed two Water Authority-sponsored bills into law.

The first, AB 2515, was authored by Assemblymember Shirley Weber and aligns the triennial update of the state's Model Water-Efficient Landscape Ordinance with the California Green Building Standards Code update. AB 2515, signed on Sept. 24, synchronizes the updates to ensure that landscape professionals, plumbing professionals, and local governments are able to integrate advancements and improvements in landscape and irrigation technologies, systems and practices into the body of rules that govern installation, rehabilitation, overhaul and updates of outdoor landscapes. Click here to read more.

The second, AB 33, was authored by Assemblymember Bill Quirk and requires the Public Utilities Commission to evaluate and analyze the potential for all types of long-duration bulk energy storage resources to help integrate renewable generation into the electrical grid. AB 33, signed on Sept. 26, also declares legislative findings that pumped hydroelectric storage, when constructed in a sufficiently large scale, could meet the electrical grid's need for rapid ramping capability and the capacity to utilize over-generation from renewable energy resources. Click here to read more. 
San Vicente Reservoir Reopened

The San Vicente Reservoir reopened for public access and recreation on Sept. 22. The reservoir, owned by the city of San Diego, has been closed since 2008 while the Water Authority completed the largest dam raise of its kind in the U.S. to more than double the storage capacity of the reservoir. This project added 152,000 acre-feet of water storage, enough to serve more than 300,000 homes for a year. The water is saved for dry years and emergencies.

The Water Authority project included a number of improvements designed to enhance recreational operations, including a new marina with an expanded boat ramp, more vehicle parking spaces, and picnic areas.  
 
State Board Issues Report on Direct Potable Reuse

The State Water Resources Control Board has released a draft report on the feasibility of developing uniform water recycling criteria for direct potable reuse. The 45-day public comment period ends Oct. 25.

The report is a result of Senate Bill 322, sponsored by the Water Authority and signed by Gov. Jerry Brown in October 2013. The bill's goal was to expedite a transparent and rigorous scientific assessment of direct potable reuse as a potential water source. 
 
Did you see?

Voice of San Diego published an opinion piece by Water Authority Board Chair Mark Weston about the agency's efforts to assess energy storage on behalf of the region's water ratepayers.

"We should encourage public agencies to think big and consider innovative solutions. While not every idea will come to fruition, it's only through visionary thinking and carefully exploring possibilities that we can best shape our region's future," Weston said.

Click here to read more.
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Homeowners can request a no-obligation assessment to help them identify potential water-saving measures. WaterSmart Checkups include free, site-specific water-saving recommendations from certified irrigation professionals. Single-family home checkups include indoor and outdoor assessments.
Click here for more information and to schedule a free WaterSmart checkup.
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