A daily compilation of significant news articles and comment
December 26, 2007
2. Supply
DEVELOPMENT ISSUES:
Water officials mull new fee for home builders - North County Times
State predicts water-supply cuts - North
WATER SUPPLY INFRASTRUCTURE:
Banning working on plan to pipe in water from Northern Calif. - San Bernardino Sun
Water supply outlook bright -
WATER RECYCLING:
Company's technology helps businesses refine, reuse water; Water redux - Ventura County Star
LANDSCAPING WATER SAVINGS:
Landscaping for
DEVELOPMENT ISSUES:
Water officials mull new fee for home builders
By Gig Conaughton, staff writer
Some
Proponents say
Opponents say it could add to the already high cost of housing and stymie development.
Proponents say the fee would offset new development's water use by generating money to for water conservation equipment such as low-flow shower heads and toilets, or by finding and buying "new" supplies, such as water recycling and seawater desalination.
"You could replace 5,000 toilets in existing developments," said Keith Lewinger, the Fallbrook Public Utility District official who proposed the idea at the San Diego County Water Authority's December meeting. "It (the fee) really primes the conservation pump."
But other water officials who oppose the idea said developers already pay expensive water meter fees to tap into existing water supplies.
They say a new fee would jack up housing prices, could create a de facto moratorium on home-building, and represented a knee-jerk reaction to the state's current water-supply worries.
Southern Californians are facing a possible 30 percent cut to their State Water Project supplies from
Water officials statewide have called for people to voluntarily cut their water use to stretch supplies next year. Meanwhile, many
Those actions have rankled some residents. They argue that if there were "real" water shortages, developers should be forced to stop building new homes.
Lewinger said those arguments prompted his proposal, which is expected to spark vigorous debate.
At the Water Authority's Dec. 6 board meeting, its Water Planning Committee, which includes Lewinger, voted to direct the agency's staff to talk with water agency general managers countywide, and return with possible "offset fee" proposals next year.
"I imagine this will take a minimum of six months to even come up with a straw man, a proposal," Lewinger said recently. "It (the proposal) just seemed like the right thing to do at the right time."
Two of the Water Authority board members who voted against talking about the fee idea were Mark Watton, general manager of
Both Watton and Barrett said a new fee would just mean more money for home buyers and home builders to pay.
"If you build a new house, when you go to the Otay Water District, you're already paying about $10,000 for a new (water) meter," Watton said.
Watton said water agencies needed to get people who already have homes to use water more wisely.
"Do existing homeowners need to be putting 80 inches of water onto their lawns each year?" he said. "That's more than the Amazon."
Barrett said Lewinger's fee idea could be the same as putting a moratorium on all new building. He said that was because the fee would force developers - who are in the business of building homes and not finding water supplies - to try to find "new" water to supplement
"If (new) water was real and obtainable, wouldn't we all be pursuing it now?" Barrett asked at the December meeting.
Barrett also said last week that the state's current water-supply problems could be a short-term situation, and did not warrant creating a long-term fee to tack on to development.
Barrett said state water officials and politicians could ultimately craft new pipeline and dam projects to address the delta's environmental problems.
But Lewinger said that even if the delta's problems disappeared,
Watton suggested that Lewinger was being overly sensitive to the complaints from growers in rural Fallbrook who have had to take 30 percent cuts. Watton, and others, said those growers and farmers voluntarily signed contracts to swallow the first water cuts in hard times in exchange for discounted water rates.
"I'm very sympathetic to the growers," Watton said, "but what gets lost in the story is that they made a business decision all those years ago to take discounted rates."
Others think Lewinger's fee proposal is a good one.
One of those was Water Authority Board Member Gary Arant, the longtime general manager of the Valley Center Municipal Water District - which also has many agricultural customers facing mandatory water cuts.
"I think it's an idea worth exploring," he said. "When you are facing a question about water supply, and asking existing customers to reduce usage, the question that keeps coming back to you is, 'How can you continue to allow new development to take place?' " #
http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/12/23/news/top_stories/18_07_0912_22_07.txt
State predicts water-supply cuts
State water officials said Monday that they may have to cut Southern California's supplies of rainfall and snowmelt from
However, no one will know exactly how much the region's 2008 supplies from
John Leahigh of
| |
Officials from Southern California's main water supplier, the Metropolitan Water District, has asked nearly 18 million people in six counties ---- including Riverside and San Diego counties ---- to voluntarily cut water use.
A federal court judge issued his final, written order Dec. 14 stating that the pumps that send
http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/12/25/news/sandiego/18_46_1912_24_07.txt
WATER SUPPLY INFRASTRUCTURE:
Banning working on plan to pipe in water from Northern Calif.
By Mona Shadia, staff writer
BANNING - It may take a few years, but plans are under way to tap water from
Since its inception, Banning has managed its own water, which is drawn from wells within the city. But as the city expands, concerns are rising over supply meeting demand.
But now the city is considering tapping into the California Aqueduct, a 444-mile long, concrete-lined channel that carries water from Northern California to
City officials are in the process of acquiring a piece of land on the east side of town to build a pipeline that hooks up with a state-owned line in
The city's proposal would have the pipeline run from
The project is in its initial stages and it's not clear how long the pipeline would run or how much it might cost at this point, but the distance between
"We want to ensure that we have enough supplies of water to meet our future needs," said Jim Earhart, Banning water director. "Banning is growing so much."
As the Pass Area continues to attract new homes and businesses, Banning is laying the ground work with the state and the San Gorgonio Pass Water Agency to increase its water supply.
Since the 1960s, a portion of the property taxes from Pass Area residents have helped pay to bring state water to the region. This water comes from Northern California and the Sacramento Delta, but only reaches the
"The eventual buildout of Banning does not work without state water," Hanna said. "This is an effort to move that process along. I think as a city council, we want to be prepared, so when the growth does occur, we will be able to handle it."
One of the most challenging parts of the Banning water proposal is getting it financed, Botts said.
"We have funded the initial contract for the design and as that goes along we need to look for funding sources to build the pipeline, and that's probably always the major challenge for any project in the city," he said. #
http://www.sbsun.com/news/ci_7807577
Water supply outlook bright
By Danny Bernardini, staff writer
When most people see a winter storm, they worry about getting wet, or perhaps the trouble of navigating through flooded streets.
But for those in the water storage and delivery business, a good rainstorm puts their mind at ease.
With the beginning of a new year just ahead it's customary to take a closer look at the water level in
According to the Solano County Water Agency, Berryessa is at 76 percent capacity with 1,221,114 acre-feet of water. An acre-foot of water is what a typical family of four consumes in a year.
While 76 percent may seem low to some people, SCWA Director David Okita said it's pretty much the norm for this time of year.
He said most of the rain so far this year has seeped into the ground and it's the rain in the coming months that will dictate how high the lake's level will rise.
"It could shoot up in January or February. Right now, we're dead on with average conditions," Okita said.
He added that there is plenty of time for rain to fill the lake.
"It's really no big deal we haven't seen the big increase," Okita said. "If the rains don't come, then we get concerned."
He said the lake is likely at it's lowest point of the year, even with the latest rains.
"That little storm (last week) should show an increase in run-off, but not a whole lot more," Okita said. "At some point we will hit the low point, but you're never sure until it starts going up."
Although the level is down from other times in the year, Okita said the amount of water SCWA provides throughout the county hasn't changed.
"In terms of water allocation, we still provide 100 percent," Okita said.
He said some cities may conserve their use this time of year and have the remainder of their allotted amount roll over to the next period. The risk, Okita said, is that if somehow an amazing level of rain should come down and cause an overflow, that rolled over amount is lost.
Also keeping an eye on the lake is the Solano Irrigation District. Water and Power Operations Manager Michael Messina said all his agency can do, however, is hope for a rainy year.
"I'm putting on my feathers and head dress right now,"
"I'm anticipating full deliveries,"
http://www.thereporter.com//ci_7810786?IADID=Search-www.thereporter.com-www.thereporter.com
WATER RECYCLING:
Company's technology helps businesses refine, reuse water; Water redux
By Allison Bruce, staff writer
The water from a household tap is good enough to drink, but not pure enough for electrical power plants, semiconductor manufacturers and pharmaceutical companies.
Those industries require water to be ultra pure, with dissolved minerals removed to avoid ruining the process or final product. For that level of water purification, Oxnard-based Puretec Industrial Water provides the equipment to get it done.
Puretec's main market for water purification is industrial use, including power applications, electronics, personal care, cosmetics and metal finishing. The company also provides other services, such as desalination systems to produce drinking water. Municipal power companies are the firm's largest clients.
Puretec provides water purification equipment that includes tightly wound filters to get the majority of impurities out of water, tanks for water softening, treatment that kills microbes, and tanks filled with resin beads with either a positive or negative charge to get out the tiniest things in water. Dissolved solids in the water cling to the charged beads and deionized water flows out of the tanks.
Puretec's systems, which often involve several technologies used in a series of steps, treat water at the client's location. The systems can be purchased or leased, often with a five- to 10-year service agreement. At the Puretec warehouse in
Plant Manager Jed Harris, son of owner and president Jim Harris, likens a tank full of beads to a battery. When the tank is exhausted, it's returned to have the beads emptied, cleaned and regenerated.
Puretec grew out of a family residential water purification business, operated by both the grandfather and father of Jim Harris.
In 1965, Jim Harris started Puretec with two employees. The company has since grown. In the past five years, business has doubled. And the company had 34 percent revenue growth in the past year.
Puretec now employs 87 people, with 70 of them in
One area of growth is in helping companies use reclaimed water — water that has already been used — by purifying it so that it can be used again.
Increasing reuse of water
Recent drought conditions and a push toward environmentally friendly business practices have emphasized that water is not an infinite resource. Businesses often are limited as to how much drinking water they can use — a limit that can curb company growth.
Plants and factories already have to purify drinking water to meet their purposes. That opens up an opportunity for the reuse of water. Companies can often get previously used "gray water" from local municipalities or possibly recycle their own. Gray water is household wastewater, generally the leftovers from washing dishes, laundry and bathing.
"The idea is to be able to allow these companies to grow and use water without impeding on the local water supply," said Jed Harris. He expects the approach will become more common as water becomes more scarce.
"There are a lot of businesses out there that can reuse a lot of water they have," he said. "It's a matter of using the right technology. It's a benefit for the environment and benefit for the business owner's bottom line."
Puretec has a showcase demineralizer system at Burbank Water and Power's Magnolia Plant, which was named 2005 Plant of the Year by Platt's Power Magazine. The system uses reclaimed water, saving 2 million gallons of fresh water a day. It also saves a significant amount of money, said Ira Joffee, assistant power production superintendent.
"Especially in this water crisis we're having, it's just better all the way around for everybody," he said. "We're utilizing a resource that otherwise would have been wasted."
Water shortages in Southland
Puretec provides all the equipment and maintains the system. It occasionally brings in prospective clients to see how the system works and discuss what can be done at their sites.
"As conservation becomes more and more important, especially in drought areas, more and more facilities are looking at the possibility of utilizing reclaimed water," Joffee said.
Home gray water use got a permissive nod from the state in 1995, but the practice really hasn't taken off.
"Even though we have serious problems, water shortages all across Southern California, so far we really haven't seen any great interest in recycling gray water," said Andrew Chang, director of the Center for Water Resources at the
Gray water faces quite a few hurdles when it comes to home use, not the least of which is the cost and effort that goes into retrofitting a home so that water from the shower or bathroom sink makes its way to the garden.
But Chang said there are other applications that make more sense and are gaining traction when it comes to water reuse, particularly the recycling of wastewater by a municipal treatment plant. That opens water up for many more uses than in someone's backyard.
The California Water Plan Update 2005 talks about the need to increase the use of recycled municipal water.
One application is purifying water for industrial uses, as companies do with Puretec's systems.
Puretec even reclaims and reuses a lot of water at its own plant. Computer-controlled equipment minimizes water usage and saves about 70,000 gallons a day, which represents a 42 percent reduction in what the company previously had to purchase from the city.
Puretec was originally located in
In
Jed Harris said the move to
"That was the best thing to do for our customers, for ourselves and for the community," he said.
Jim Harris expects growing interest in water reuse and desalinization will boost business for Puretec. The state has about 15 desalinization plants going through the permitting or construction process, according to Puretec.
"That's a great opportunity," he said. #
http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2007/dec/23/water-redux/
LANDSCAPING WATER SAVINGS:
Landscaping for
By Laura Dobbins, staff writer
Removing water-thirsty trees or plants does not really conserve water — that’s the consensus of some city officials.
The Indian Wells Valley Water District, however, disagrees with that opinion and that has spurred some debate between the city and water agency.
In 2006,
In the
“Conservation,” however, “is the cheapest,” choice says Water District Board President Don Cortichiato.
Landscapes
Xeriscape is one form of saving water. This type of landscape is usually made up of drought tolerant plants which use less water — one reason
Besides a lower utility bill, here’s other benefits, according to the City of San Diego Water Department:
- Water-friendly plants often are resistant to garden pests, thus reducing the need for pesticides and decreasing harmful runoff to waterways.
-
-
- Lower water usage can equate to lower water bills.
But
Excess water use is “only a problem in the Summer. There is no water shortage here,” City Planner Jim McCrea said.
Growth
Some
Water District officials say they are not attempting to stop growth — they have no authority to do so.
However, at a Dec. 11 Water District meeting, the Board of Directors asked their attorney to look into the possibility of refusing water service to new developments that to adhere to water-friendly landscaping.
A practice some city officials don’t appreciate.
“There are cities who see growth with thousands of new residential units a year. Our city isn’t growing at that speed so the impact on water supplies isn’t as much as the Water District says it is,” said one city planner.
Another
“If the Water District really wants to conserve water, it should raise rates. If people have to pay for their water use, they might use less,” City Planner Matthew Alexendar said. “Even if we planted hundreds of eucalyptus trees, we would not conserve that much water.”
Conservation
A new push for water conservation nation-wide, however, is spurring many people to reconsider their yard habits — which account for nearly 60 percent of their water usage.
Across the country, a growing population is putting stress on available water supplies, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
Between 1950 and 2000, the
“Americans now use an average of 100 gallons of water each day—enough to fill 1,600 drinking glasses. This increased demand has put additional stress on water supplies and distribution systems, threatening both human health and the environment,” said the agency in a press release.
There's a reason that water has become a national priority. A recent government survey showed at least 36 states are anticipating local, regional, or statewide water shortages by 2013.
Water conservation is something new for many. Breaking old habits isn’t easy.
Here’s a look at other places around the state and country:
No water shortages here — that’s what many in
When a relentless drought hit last yea water-saving recommendations in
In contrast,
It should be noted that
The Rancho California Water District will ring in 2008 with a conservation policy that could prove costly for customers who water without restraint.
Beginning Jan. 1, customers who use a high volume of water on landscaping and do not improve the efficiency of their irrigation systems or modify their practices will be charged increased rates.
Despite a plea from Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to conserve water, residents and businesses have failed to reach that mark, according to an Associated Press story. The next step could be to start enforcing an ordinance that restricts times for lawn sprinkling and other water uses.
City consumers used a little less than 1 percent more water from June through October than they did in the same period last year, according to records from the Department of Water and Power.
According to another AP report: A worsening water shortage forced the Pasadena City Council to impose a voluntary conservation plan.
The water shortage declaration Tuesday night could be the first step toward mandatory rationing if drought conditions persist. The city wants homeowners and business to cut water use by 10 percent.
There are many
Many homes in the past were not built to conserve water. Having lots of trees and nice lawns, along with swimming pools, seemed ideal for desert life. To do otherwise, in some instances, would be very expensive.
The future
Meantime, city officials are working with the water agency on a new proposed landscape ordinance mandated by law that will force people to design their yards differently — at least on new development.
But until city officials are forced to do so, it doesn’t appear they are going to change their landscaping practices.
Water friendly plants, no winter grass and stringent restrictions on landscapes for new development are rules that must be adhered to by 2010 under a new
Depending on what type of ordinances are enforced locally, people could get penalized for exceeding water budgets for their landscape.
But how the law will be enforced and by who in
One of the issues is that under state law, the city of
Since the Indian Wells Valley Water District has no authority to enforce the rules and the city doesn’t run the water agency, a compromise by both parties has been reached.
City Manager Harvey Rose said the Water District has asked that the city enforce the new rules and in return, the Water District will absorb the salary costs associated with this move.
City officials were prodded whether they would have changed their current rules if not forced to do so. City planners said nothing was in place and that they probably would not change their rules.
However, they did say that many of the new developers are already using more water-friendly landscaping on their own.
City Manager Harvey Rose said the city eventually would have changed landscaping ordinances had they been in charge of the water utility.
“Costs and not having control of the water agency,” are two reasons Rose said the city hasn’t moved toward updated landscape ordinances. #
http://www.ridgecrestca.com/articles/2007/12/21/news/news/news06.txt
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