A daily compilation of significant news articles and comment
April 14, 2009
2. Supply –
Water is going down the drain
The San Francisco Chronicle
Desalination plant deemed a success in Santa Cruz
The
East Bay drought draws to close, rates headed sharply higher
The Contra Costa Times
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Water is going down the drain
State Sen. Dave Cogdill, former Senate Republican Leader, represents the 14th Senate District, which includes part or all of Fresno, Madera, Mariposa, San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Tuolumne counties.
A brewing perfect "storm" will exacerbate
The water crisis we are facing is more complex than just not enough rainfall, and the consequences of inaction literally could result in no water coming out of the tap.
Our state's broken water delivery system - originally built more than 30 years ago to accommodate a state of 18 million people - now must supply this precious resource to more than 36 million people. By 2020,
Yet, despite the fact that the state is trying to allocate less water to more users, the state does not efficiently capture the precipitation we do receive. Water is literally going down the drain. In 2005, enough water to supply 13 million families for a year went out to sea and was lost because there was nowhere to store it.
My multipronged proposal, Senate Bill 371, invests $10 billion in our state's aging water infrastructure - focusing on storage, conservation and environmental protections. The measure includes $3 billion for the public benefit portion of environmentally responsible water storage. These funds would be used to build new facilities and expand existing sites to ensure excess water from wet years is available to use in dry years.
In addition, this investment will allow the state to leverage more than $20 billion in matching funds from other sources. While increasing storage will help reduce shortages in the future, my plan also includes building water supply in the short term through $520 million in water conservation and water-use efficiency programs. The bond also contains more than $2 billion to preserve the delta and other fragile ecosystems - including restoration projects for rivers, the ocean and fish barriers.
A reliable water supply impacts all Californians. It doesn't matter whether you're a Democrat or Republican, home or business owner, white or blue collar worker - we all expect there to be water when we turn on the tap. Unfortunately, without vital reforms,
The lack of a reliable and safe water supply threatens
Time and time again, I am asked why I believe this is the year we will find a comprehensive solution to the state's water problems. The reality is: We cannot afford to wait any longer. Simply put, nothing is more detrimental to the quality of life for all Californians and our state's overall economic health than the lack of a reliable supply of clean water. #
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/04/14/EDE0171L89.DTL
Desalination plant deemed a success in Santa Cruz
The
By Genevieve Bookwalter
Time is up for the yearlong pilot project commissioned by the
So much so, Kocher said, that the quality of desalinated water provided by the small treatment plant justifies moving toward a larger, permanent plant that, at its peak, could churn out 2.5 million gallons of fresh water per day.
"It worked like a charm," Kocher said. "Nothing came at us that was even a challenge."
Over the past year, the $4 million pilot desalination plant has transformed ocean water to water fresh enough for an office cooler at a rate of 72,000 gallons per day. The plant used reverse osmosis, "slow sand" and other techniques in an attempt to find the right filter for the job. Reverse osmosis pushed the water through sets of membranes to separate salt from liquid. The "slow sand" technique filtered ocean water by letting it sink slowly through small silos of sand, which caught and held the salt.
The project is a partnership between the two water districts as both search for ways to replenish their water supplies.
The pilot desalination plant was required by the state before a permanent plant can be considered. The tests are required by any community considering desalination, as ocean characteristics differ up and down the coast. The plant was paid for with a $2 million grant from the state Department of Water Resources, and $1 million from each of the water districts involved.
However, Kocher said, the upcoming studies and potential political fight could be tougher than making sure desalination actually works. He expects to spend the next three years examining the energy efficiency, environmental safety and other aspects of a full-scale plant. In addition, some in the community question if the plant could help fuel
"People can't think that," Kocher said. If the belief that a desalination plant will spur growth takes hold, he fears, public sentiment could "kill it. And it's too important to have that happen."
Santa Cruz Mayor Cynthia Mathews said she is optimistic that the project will move forward.
The pilot "was a terrific opportunity and it gave us the kind of direction that we need to choose a path and proceed," Mathews said.
Construction of a permanent plant could begin in 2012 and last three years. The cost has not been estimated, Kocher said, as upcoming studies will narrow down the details of what must be done. #
http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/localnews/ci_12129753
East Bay drought draws to close, rates headed sharply higher
The Contra Costa Times – 4/14/09
By Mike Taugher
Water rationing plans are being drawn up across
The East Bay Municipal Utility District is planning to end water rationing in either July or October, thanks to near-normal snowfall in the central Sierra watershed it depends on.
That's the good news.
The bad news is the district's 1.3 million customers are facing sharp rate increases averaging 7.5 percent this year and again next year.
Homeowners will have slightly higher rate increases than businesses because the district did a study that showed that they were not paying their fair share of the district's costs. The rate increase this year for single family residences is likely to be about 8.7 percent.
The Oakland-based water district is being hit in the budget by several factors, including the fact that conservation-minded customers are using less water -- cutting the district's revenue.
That is costing the district about $10 million to $12 million, and the slowdown in construction is costing another $18 million in connection fees, said district finance director Gary Breaux.
The district may opt to keep higher drought rates in place through the summer. If the drought rates are dropped and customers continue to conserve, the district "will collect less revenue than the amount budgeted," district budgeting officials said in a staff report.
Another consideration is that the district's
For the average single family residence that uses 1,100 cubic feet of water per month, the water bill would go from $33.07 per month this year, not counting the drought surcharges in effect, to $35.95 next year and to $38.66 per month beginning July 2010, Breaux said.
New rates will go into effect July 1. The district's board of directors is conducting two workshops Tuesday to consider ending the water rationing plan and to discuss the budget. The drought program workshop is scheduled at 8:30 a.m. The budget and rates workshop is at 9:30 a.m. Both are in the training resources room at the district's headquarters at 375 11th. St.,
While many parts of the state are faced with water shortages and rationing this summer, the East Bay Municipal Utility District owns and operates its own water system that is highly dependent on the
One dry year can put the district into a severe shortage, and last year's record-dry spring did just that, forcing the district to prohibit some wasteful water practices. It asked customers to reduce their use of water, and it charged more for water to make up for the shortfall.
Near-normal snow and rain in the central Sierra just as quickly get the district out of drought.
Many parts of the state, however, are dependent on larger state and federal water projects that store water in the northern Sierra and deliver it through the Delta.
The Contra Costa Water District is asking for voluntary conservation because the federal agency that manages its water supply is promising only half its contracted water supply.
State water contractors, including the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, are expecting 20 percent of their contracted amounts this year.
A combination of three dry years in a row has depleted reserves in several of the largest reservoirs, including
In addition, populations of Delta smelt, salmon, steelhead and other fish species are severely depressed, and that has forced water managers to set aside water to maintain fish habitat.#
http://www.contracostatimes.com/news/ci_12133961?source=rss
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DWR’s California Water News is distributed to California Department of Water Resources management and staff, for information purposes, by the DWR Public Affairs Office. For reader’s services, including new subscriptions, temporary cancellations and address changes, please use the online page: http://listhost2.water.ca.gov/mailman/listinfo/water_news . DWR operates and maintains the State Water Project, provides dam safety and flood control and inspection services, assists local water districts in water management and water conservation planning, and plans for future statewide water needs. Inclusion of materials is not to be construed as an endorsement of any programs, projects, or viewpoints by the Department or the State of
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