A daily compilation of significant news articles and comment
January 18, 2008
2. Supply
WATER FOR DEVELOPMENT:
Vineyards lacks water; Drinking water shortage stalls subdivision - Redding Record Searchlight
CITY ANNEXTION:
Water worries spur Pismo annexation denial; An agency’s vote stalls—and possibly destroys — plans to build a school, senior center and homes - San Luis Obispo Tribune
WATER CONSERVATION PLANNING:
Council OKs plan for water conservation - Antelope Valley Press
LAKE PERRIS LEVELS:
Agencies focus on improving lake - Desert Sun
WATER CONSERVATION MESSAGE:
Hemet Spotlight: Student's water conservation posters on display - Riverside Press Enterprise
WATER EFFICIENCY CONFERENCE:
WaterSmart Innovations Conference and Exposition to be world’s largest focusing on water-efficiency practices, programs and policies - News Release –
WATER FOR DEVELOPMENT:
Vineyards lacks water; Drinking water shortage stalls subdivision
Redding Record Searchlight – 1/18/08
By David Benda, staff writer
Sandy Sanderson of Sanderson Communities in
The lack of drinking water also has Sanderson at odds with two builders that he sold 20 lots to within his development, which sits above the
The builders, Bergstrom Enterprises of Redding and Vernon C. Palmer Inc. of
Ironically, one of the homes has a pool with a waterfall flowing into it.
"It's tough to sell homes" when youdon't have drinking water, said Leonard Bandell, manager of
Sanderson is embroiled in a legal battle with Bergstrom Enterprises and Vernon Palmer. Neither party will talk about the civil suit, which is scheduled for a hearing Tuesday in Shasta County Superior Court.
Anderson City Manager Scott Morgan said The Vineyards is unique because it sits outside the city's main water-pressure zone, the first such home project in his nearly 11-year stint as city manager.
Nevertheless, in mid-2006,
Morgan expects a drinking water system to be in place by summer. The system will get water from booster pumps off the Anderson Heights Reservoir and is expected to cost more than $1 million. Meantime, water from a construction well within The Vineyards is being used to supply irrigation water for landscaping.
The water will serve the 243 approved Vineyards lots and the 173-lot Pleasant Hills subdivision, the Robert Loring development that sits below The Vineyards on
Loring didn't return a phone message left Thursday.
Sanderson and Loring will pay for the water system, Sanderson said. Morgan couldn't confirm that an agreement between Sanderson and Loring has been reached.
Meanwhile, Sanderson is seeking about a $65 million construction loan for his project. Sanderson wouldn't say what the money is for or whether he's run out of money for The Vineyards.
Sanderson is a fifth-generation Californian who moved to central
In
Wilms also has an interest in The Vineyards, where his development company, Two Sassy Sisters LLC, owns 22 lots. Anderson City Councilman Keith Webster said Thursday that the money needed to put in a water system in The Vineyards probably exceeded Sanderson's finances. Blame some of that on the tanking housing market.
"I think their timing has been very poor," said Webster, who met with Morgan and Sanderson last month to talk about the project. "Obviously the economy has been very weak; the housing market has not been strong."
Bill Nagel,
"In addition to having recorded lots, before we will issue permits, you have to have most of the improvements completed, including a water system, curbs, sidewalks, gutters," Nagel said.
Shasta Association of Realtors President Greg Lloyd said his colleagues have forgotten about The Vineyards, which when unveiled in 2005 was ballyhooed as having the potential to alter south
"Everybody took a look at it in the early stages, then it kind of went on the back burner because nothing is going on," Lloyd said.
It's a shame the project is on hold, Lloyd says, because so much has been invested.
"You wonder why it went that far along with all the building ... all the roads and sidewalks? How did it get that far along without that (no drinking water) coming to light?"
Anderson Councilman Webster said there's a lesson to be taken away from The Vineyards.
"I think if the situation pops up again, we would be very much aware ... be more cautious about it," Webster said. #
http://www.redding.com/news/2008/jan/18/vineyards-lacks-water/
CITY ANNEXTION:
Water worries spur Pismo annexation denial; An agency’s vote stalls—and possibly destroys — plans to build a school, senior center and homes
By Bob Cuddy, staff writer
After a daylong hearing attended by more than 200 people, an obscure county government body that decides on city annexations tentatively told Pismo Beach leaders Wednesday that the city cannot annex 182 acres north of the city limits known as Los Robles del Mar.
There isn’t enough water there for present and future city needs, the Local Agency Formation Commission said.
The annexation would have opened the door for
However,
In addition, the city of
On a 6-1 vote, LAFCO said the underground aquifer does not have enough water for Los Robles del Mar and the other uses, as well as future water demands that cannot be predicted.
Under LAFCO rules, a water supply “has to be adequate, reliable and sustainable,” before it can permit an annexation, said Commissioner David Brooks.
Developers of Los Robles del Mar said they will have to regroup before planning their next move. Lance Tullis, principal of
Nonetheless, commissioners suggested they sit down with government leaders from the county,
One alternative would be to extend the Nacimiento pipeline to the site, suggested Allen Settle,
Whatever the source,
Achadjian urged school leaders to work through the county government to get its school built. The property is governed by county land-use rules.
“We’ll help you every which way we can,” Achadjian said. All the commissioners expressed regret that their vote stopped the school, at least temporarily, and praised the youngsters who came to testify.
The hearing drew partisans from every side: Homeowners who live near the land and draw their water from the aquifer that would be tapped; school supporters who have been waiting more than a decade to develop the campus; the elderly seeking new senior housing;
Observers spilled out of the chamber and into the hallways of the
Listeners heard a highly technical discussion on hydro-geology and land use, larded with terms such as “supplemental EIR” and “impact assessment.”
When residents’ turns to speak came, they kept it more down to earth.
Many of those using the water underneath the site said their wells may already be drying up.
Gabriel Ross of the Oak called the Pismo Beach annexation plan “water mining,” —taking out more water than comes back in. “That’s a way not to have a future,” he said.
The vote was especially disappointing for the school, which owns 28 acres and has been waiting for years to build a new campus.
And several senior citizens said more housing for them is “desperately needed.” Achadjian agreed but said he preferred to see it closer to shopping and other amenities.
Commissioners stressed that they were not there to make decisions on land use. Their role, they said, was to determine whether the annexation would have adequate services, including water.
In addition to Achadjian, Settle, Brooks and Gibson, commissioners Barbara Mann and Richard Roberts opposed the annexation. Duane Picanco voted “no” on the denial, saying he wanted to find a compromise. He did not elaborate.
Each of
http://www.sanluisobispo.com/428/story/249867.html
WATER CONSERVATION PLANNING:
Council OKs plan for water conservation
By Bob Wilson, staff writer
PALMDALE - A regional plan for conserving the
The council's approval is one of 11 needed for local representatives to seek state grant funding to implement some of the conservation efforts identified in the Integrated Regional Water Plan/Groundwater Management Plan for the
"This is a strategic plan for the subject of water resources and making sure we have reliable and adequate resources in the
Without water-conservation efforts, users will be demanding an estimated 274,000 acre-feet of water annually by 2010 when only about 200,000 acre-feet will be available, Swain said.
That shortfall is expected to grow as demand increases, he said, noting that the
"It's really an issue of long-term sustainability," Swain said.
Councilman Steve Hofbauer called the regional plan "an incredible amount of work and an incredible amount of information on an incredibly complex subject that is so important to this community - whether we grow or don't grow."
Mayor Jim Ledford, who previously raised concerns about provisions in the plan for injecting treated sewage-water into the area's underground water to bolster its supply of drinking water, said those concerns were allayed by information he received during a special water-related workshop Jan. 10.
"I got to ask every question I could possibly think of" during that workshop, Ledford said, apologizing to his colleagues for the amount of time that took.
Because of the answers he received, "I think the plan meets my expectations," he said.
Adoption of the plan will represent the culmination of about 16 years of discussions about water, Mayor Pro Tem Steve Knight noted.
Because of concentrated efforts during the past 20 months, "I believe we've gotten to a point where I believe everybody is going to adopt this (plan), and it is going to be the playbook to move us forward," Knight said. "We've got to start correcting this."
City Manager Steve Williams, who helped initiate those water talks 16 years ago, noted that a change in perspectives helped bring those in need of water together at this time.
In prior years, "There were some agricultural interests in the Valley that simply were not willing to talk about the subject," Williams said.
"Also, there was a lawsuit that was filed" in 1999 by growers concerning their rights to the water under the land they used to grow crops, the city manager noted.
"I think at that point, a lot of the (water) entities that came to be involved in this (planning) process became concerned about the impact of the lawsuit on their own (operational) viability, and they just kind of withdrew from further discussions" as the battle over water moved into the courts for regional adjudication, he said.
As the court proceedings stretched out over the years and the area's water supply dwindled, the issue developed into a crisis situation, Williams said.
"As the crisis has gotten worse and worse, I think it's brought people together" in an effort to solve the problem without waiting for the courts to issue a ruling, he said. "I'm glad to see (that the resulting plan) is where it is."
Councilman Tom Lackey said the workshop "really did bring home the point that, No. 1, there is a water crisis that's pending; and No. 2, we as policymakers and elected officials need to … share with the public there are emergent circumstances … and to balance these water demands versus the other demands that we face on a routine basis."
Before casting his ballot, Councilman Mike Dispenza thanked Swain for his work in putting the plan together.
Among comments from the public on the matter were those from Palmdale resident Joseph Yore.
Yore said Palmdale should use its power of eminent domain to confiscate some of the state-owned water that flows in the California Aqueduct.
The water would be subject to eminent domain because it passes through the city, Yore said.
"There's a lot of wasted water going down that aqueduct, and if there is some way you could measure it, some of it belongs to the city," he said.
In the report prepared for Wednesday's council meeting, city staff noted that adopting the plan "does not legally bind the city of Palmdale to approve or perform any implementation or project" in the document.
"Furthermore, any approval of any project suggested in this plan including but not limited to the use of recycled water for direct groundwater recharge will require regulatory approvals and full environmental and public review," the report showed. #
http://www.avpress.com/n/18/0118_s3.hts
LAKE PERRIS LEVELS:
Agencies focus on improving lake
Desert Sun – 1/18/08
By Katie Ruark, staff writer
You won't see an increase in your water bill to improve recreation at
Raising the water level at
The
According to the state departments, it is the responsibility of the water agencies that lowered the water level years ago for safety issues.
But representatives of the agencies said they will not ask their rate payers to pay to improve recreation at the lake. #
http://www.mydesert.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008801180323
WATER CONSERVATION MESSAGE:
Hemet
Riverside Press
By Diane Rhodes, staff writer
Colorful posters with messages that make us think about conserving water are on display at the Diamond Valley Lake Visitor's Center through Sunday.
The
The creative competition is sponsored by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. Its 20 member and retail agencies are asked to participate in the annual event that is more than 20 years old.
For the past several years, the original posters have been framed and displayed during a traveling art show that makes stops at each water agency that falls under Metropolitan's umbrella.
The district's principal water education specialist, Charlotte Golden, said this year's inclusion of 20 water districts is the most they have had.
The final drawings are culled from local contests held in each water agency's service area. The process starts in January when announcements are sent out.
Participating agencies can accept entries from elementary or secondary schools or students from both.
"The local winners are chosen in the month of May, which is Water Awareness Month," said Golden. The top five or 10 are then forwarded to Golden's office where overall winners are selected.
"We had 136 entries (in 2007)," she said. "Our team looked at all of them and selected 38 to be featured in the calendar."
Golden said note cards, student folders and other promotional items also use students' artwork.
Much of the
Jayleen Goldsmith from Fruitvale Elementary in
Aaron Azucena, a 5th-grader from Skyview Elementary in Perris, was chosen from Eastern's finalists for placement in MWD's calendar, and his original poster is part of the traveling art show.
All entries must be drawn horizontal on official poster paper provided by the water agency. The framed compositions measure about 14 inches by 21 inches. Artists can use colored pencils, markers, crayons, ink, cut paper or watercolors to produce their posters. Artwork must be original, and a short message about water must be included.
Each water agency will host the student art exhibit for about a week at its facilities. Rancho California Water District will be one of its final stops in June.
A poster by Brady Lee, a 5th-grader from Helen Hunt Jackson Elementary in Temecula, is one of those featured in the show.
The Visitor's Center is at
http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_H_hspot18.2f8cb4a.html
WATER EFFICIENCY CONFERENCE:
WaterSmart Innovations Conference and Exposition to be world’s largest focusing on water-efficiency practices, programs and policies
News Release – Southern Nevada Water Agency – 1/18/08
Contact: Tom Bradley Jr. (702) 822-8365
LAS VEGAS (Oct. 8) – In what is expected to be the largest urban water-efficiency and conservation conference of its kind in the world, the inaugural WaterSmart Innovations Conference and Exposition, hosted by the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA), is slated for Oct. 8-10, 2008, in Las Vegas.
The SNWA is hosting WaterSmart Innovations in partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) WaterSense program and other leading national and international organizations. More information about the conference is available at www.WaterSmartInnovations.com.
At WaterSmart Innovations, a wide range of professional sessions, workshops and technical tours – along with an extensive exhibition featuring water-saving technologies and programs from around the world – will connect attendees with the resources they need in an atmosphere of networking, collaboration and learning, said SNWA General Manager Pat Mulroy.
“Water agencies alone cannot address all of today’s water challenges,” Mulroy said. “In reality, water efficiency decisions permeate dozens of professions. This will be the premier conference for diverse disciplines to come together to enhance understanding of water efficiency policies, programs and products.”
With the growing momentum of green building and the international focus on water issues, WaterSmart Innovations meets the emerging need for a comprehensive water efficiency conference, said Benjamin H. Grumbles, assistant administrator of the EPA’s Office of Water.
At the same time, an acute need for increased water efficiency has emerged in both arid and non-arid regions throughout the world. “WaterSmart Innovations will foster dialog among water efficiency experts and professionals from across the
The SNWA is anticipating approximately 1,000 attendees and 125 exhibitors for WaterSmart Innovations, to be held at the South Point Hotel & Casino. The conference will include continuing education seminars, an exhibit hall and technical tours of water recycling and treatment plants.
The SNWA in recent years has earned regional and international recognition for its numerous programs geared toward water conservation and efficient water use. These include incentive programs that encourage residents to replace grass with water-efficient landscaping, rebates applicable for the purpose of water-saving pool covers and water-saving irrigation products, and programs geared specifically to help local businesses save water.
Thanks also to community compliance with mandatory watering restrictions, in concert with the various rebate programs,
In 2006, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency honored the SNWA for its innovative water conservation programs and commitment to comprehensive regional water resource management with the first Water Efficiency Leader (WEL) Award for the Utilities/Water Districts category.
The award recognized the SNWA’s leadership and innovation in water efficient products and practices. The EPA’s WEL awards also help foster a nationwide ethic of water efficiency, as well as to inspire, motivate and recognize efforts to improve water efficiency.
Also partnering with the SNWA on WaterSmart Innovations are the Alliance for Water Efficiency, Audubon International, Las Vegas Springs Preserve, California Urban Water Conservation Council, Irrigation Association, the California-Nevada Section of the American Water Works Association, American Society of Irrigation Consultants, International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials and the Water Conservation Coalition.
Event sponsors to date include Caroma Industries Ltd., Rain Bird Corp., Ewing Irrigation, Black & Veatch Corp., Las Vegas Springs Preserve, AECOM and TCB|AECOM.
The SNWA is a regional entity that manages water conservation, water quality and water resource issues for
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