East County AWP Program Makes Significant Construction Progress

SANTEE – The East County Advanced Water Purification Program (East County AWP) has made significant progress since breaking ground on construction nearly two years ago. The Program will create a local, clean, safe and drought-proof drinking water supply using state-of-the-art technology to purify East San Diego County’s recycled water. It will produce up to 30 percent of East County’s drinking water supply once the Program goes online in 2026.

“Construction to build the East County AWP is well underway and the Program is poised to finish construction and deliver water to Lake Jennings by 2026 which will meet or exceed all federal and state drinking water standards,” said Mark Niemiec, Director of the East County Advanced Water Purification Program. “The Program also received some great news last month. The State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Drinking Water conditionally accepted the Program’s Title 22 Engineering Report which explains the project’s plan for safely treating recycled water and placing it into Lake Jennings to comply with state regulations.”

Project construction involves several elements including building the water treatment facilities and 30 miles of wastewater and purified water pipelines. The heart of the Program is located just north of Santee Lakes. Here, the treatment facilities are being built and more than 60 percent of the concrete work is complete. More than 32,000 cubic yards of concrete has been poured for building slabs, process tanks and basins – enough concrete to fill more than nine Olympic-sized pools.

After the water is purified at the East County AWP Facility, the water will travel 10 miles to Lake Jennings taking approximately 2.3 hours to arrive at the lake and flowing at a rate of six feet per second. This purified water pipeline is more than 30 percent complete with work underway in Santee and Lakeside. Three miles of open cut installation of wastewater pipelines are also under construction and are nearly 60 percent complete.

The Program is partnering with the City of San Diego to create a 17-mile pipeline for regional brine and wastewater. This pipeline is scheduled to begin construction in 2025, traveling on Mission Gorge Road, from the Highway 52/Mission Gorge Road on-ramp to near I-15 on Friars Road.

In addition to creating a local source of drinking water, the East County Advanced Water Purification Program will create its own power. By harnessing the gas created while treating wastewater, the Program is expected to create three megawatts of clean energy each year which will reduce the facility’s fossil fuel needs, improve energy resiliency and cut costs. This is anticipated to provide approximately 60 percent of the energy needs for operating the treatment facilities on site.

How the Program Works
The Program’s water purification cycle begins with wastewater from homes and businesses. From there, it will travel to a water recycling facility and is treated to create recycled water. This recycled water will then head to the East County AWP Facility to be purified by undergoing four water purification steps. Next, this purified water will be piped to Lake Jennings, then treated at the R.M. Levy Water Treatment Plant. Finally, this clean, safe, high-quality drinking water will be distributed to customers in East San Diego County.

Funding
The Program has secured over $169 million in grant funding and $766 million in low interest loans. The East County AWP Program is a collaborative partnership between Padre Dam, the City of El Cajon,
County of San Diego and Helix Water District. The City of San Diego is also a partner for the regional brine wastewater pipeline portion of the Program. The overall cost for the work currently in construction is approximately $950 million.

Background
The East County AWP will create a reliable and sustainable drinking water source which will reduce dependence on imported water. In addition, it will significantly decrease ocean discharge of our wastewater to the Pacific Ocean. The Program will create up to 11.5 million gallons of purified water per day and have the capability to serve an estimated 400,000 people in East County beginning in 2026. The Program is estimated to create 2,500 jobs in the region.

For more information about the East County Advanced Water Purification Program, please visit www.eastcountyawp.com or find us on social media @eastcountyawp.

The East County AWP Program will deliver water to the faucets of customers in Padre Dam Municipal Water District, Helix Water District, Lakeside Water District service areas and the northern portion of the Otay Water District service area.

IID Granted $7 Million to Construct Largest Reservoir in District History

The Imperial Irrigation District has been awarded $7 million in grant funds from the Department of the Interior in support of the district’s proposed Upstream Operational Reservoir Project, which would be the largest reservoir ever constructed in the Imperial Valley during IID’s 113-year history as an irrigation district.

The announcement was recently made by the Interior Department, with funds coming from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to increase water supply reliability. This latest grant award to IID is in addition to a $9.5 million grant previously awarded to the district for a total of $16.5 million in federal funding for the Upstream Operational Reservoir Project.

“We all have been working very hard for a long time to maximize water management efficiency in the Imperial Valley and this will help us do that on a large scale,” said IID Board President Alex Cardenas, who congratulated the district’s Water Department for their grant writing skill and cooperation with federal officials. “These funds will help us get one step closer to getting this very important project completed,” he added.

IID Director Karin Eugenio, whose Division 5 includes eastern Imperial County, saluted the federal government’s continued cooperation with IID, offering a “shoutout” to U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Touton for her support and unwavering commitment to recognize the importance of these projects.

“We very much appreciate the ongoing collaboration with our federal partners, particularly Commissioner Touton,” said Director Eugenio. “She continues to work with IID and its water users to make important projects like this reservoir happen.”

The district has been working on the Upstream Operational Reservoir Project for about eight years, and a number of tasks remain to be completed, including design, engineering, site and inlet structure locations, etc. “As part of the process, staff is working on the environmental process,” said IID General Manager Jamie Asbury, “and we appreciate the community’s help and engagement to help see this project through.”

The new reservoir would have a 2,100 acre-feet capacity, which is twice as large as the district’s off-line storage system and four times larger than the biggest in-Valley reservoir with a goal of accommodating short water orders downstream in the eastern Imperial Valley, managing up to 365,000-acre feet of water annually and conserving up to 15,000 acre-feet of water per year.

With the intent to maximize the district’s water management efficiency, plans are for the new reservoir, which would be IID’s 12th, to be located upstream in the southeastern region of the Imperial Valley near the All-American and East Highline Canals. It’s proposed basin area would cover up to 440 acres.

IID constructed its latest reservoir in 2023 – the Lloyd Allen Water Conservation Operational Reservoir, located east of Calipatria, which works to conserve up to 400 acre-feet per year as part of the district’s system conservation program.

About IID’s Operational Reservoirs:

IID operates 11 main canal scheduling areas supported by 11 raw water, operational storage reservoirs with a combined capacity of 4,623 acre-feet. The main canal reservoirs vary in size from 200 acre-feet to 1,251 acre-feet in capacity. The Lloyd Allen Reservoir was the first of a series of smaller mid-lateral reservoirs prioritized to be constructed by IID and has an approximate 42 acre-feet capacity.

IID’s existing operational reservoirs manage and regulate approximately 15 to 25 percent of IID’s total annual flow. The reservoirs allow increased delivery flexibility, improved system efficiency and provide for conservation opportunities within the IID water service area. Efficient and timely operational coordination together with use of IID’s various regulating reservoirs allow IID to provide delivery flexibility to farmers and minimize operational discharge even though Colorado River diversions at Imperial Dam remain fixed for 24-hour periods.

EDWA Report: Upper American River Watershed Working Landscape is Worth Our Investment

EL DORADO HILLS — The El Dorado Water Agency (EDWA) released a report on the valuation of ecosystem goods and services in the upper American River watershed (UARW). The report found that the working landscapes (including working and natural lands) within the watershed are an incredibly valuable asset worth more than $1.6 trillion over a 100-year period. This valuation proves the importance of a healthy watershed and provides opportunities to bring more investments to managing landscapes to keep them healthy.

The watershed’s working landscapes include agricultural lands, forests, and ranchlands and natural lands such as conservation lands, shrublands, wetlands, greenspace, open water, rivers, and lakes. The working and natural lands are natural capital assets that produce valuable ecosystem goods and services including food, water, clean air, hydroelectric power, beauty, drought and fire risk reduction, habitat, recreation, and more.

“All of the lands within the upper American River watershed provide critical environmental, community, and economic benefits,” said Rebecca Guo, General Manager of EDWA. “Understanding the value that these ecosystem goods and services provide to people will help inform watershed management and investment decisions.”

When looking at land cover types (forest, shrublands, grassland, agriculture, open water, wetlands, and developed/open space) within the watershed and the associated goods and services each provides, the annual economic value of the upper American River watershed is $14.9 billion/year. Each land cover type provides different ecosystem goods and services and plays an important role to society and the environment. In this watershed, forests provide the highest per acre benefit and also cover the largest land acreage. Yet, this forested landscape is highly susceptible to natural disasters such as wildfires that take decades to recover from.

EDWA also conducted an analysis specifically evaluating the economic value of outdoor recreation in the UARW. This study found that outdoor recreation generates $607 million in economic output from visitor spending and $660 million in non-market benefits beyond direct spending. The watershed is enjoyed by both local residents and tourists throughout the globe; in 2022 there were approximately 7 million recreation visits to the UARW.

“Investing in the upper American River watershed’s outdoor spaces is important not just to preserve its natural beauty, but every dollar invested in recreational lands supports good health for people of all abilities, ages, and socio‐economic backgrounds, and stimulates and strengthens our regional economy,” added El Dorado County Supervisor and EDWA Board Chair, Lori Parlin.

In the past, natural assets have not been valued in a way that can be easily compared to traditional economic analyses for investment decisions. As a result, there has been underinvestment in maintaining the health of working and natural lands. Understanding the economic value of the watershed will help local, state, and federal agencies, Tribes, non-profits, businesses, and interested parties better coordinate, prioritize, and justify investments in watershed projects as well as develop sustainable water management practices while meeting the needs of adjacent communities.

To learn more please visit El Dorado Water Agency.

Soquel Creek Water District Appoints Melanie Mow Schumacher as Next General Manager

At its March 19, 2024 meeting, the Soquel Creek Water District Board of Directors unanimously selected Melanie Mow Schumacher to become the District’s next General Manager. Schumacher, currently the District’s Special Projects-Communications Manager/Assistant General Manager, will assume her new duties on October 1, 2024, upon the retirement of current General Manager Ron Duncan.

“Over her many years with the District, Melanie has more than proven herself to the Board, to District staff, to our customers, and to professionals throughout the water industry,” said Dr. Bruce Jaffe, President of the District Board of Directors. “Her expertise and tireless dedication to the goals of the District — particularly in bringing the Pure Water Soquel project to fruition — have shown us that she is the ideal leader to take the District into the future.”

Schumacher received a civil engineering degree from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, and is a registered civil engineer in California. She received her master’s degree in public administration from Golden Gate University, San Francisco, and her capstone project focused on strategic planning and organizational excellence through the Appreciative Inquiry process.

Soquel Creek Water District, a small water agency 100% reliant on local groundwater to serve over 40,000 residents in Santa Cruz County, hired Ms. Schumacher in 1995 as a junior engineer. Since then, she has shown constant professional growth and development at the District, with continuously increasing duties and responsibilities.

“I’m honored and grateful to our Board for their confidence and trust in appointing me as General Manager,” said Ms. Schumacher. “It’s my privilege and passion to be part of the District, and I’m very proud to work alongside so many talented and dedicated colleagues. I look forward to focusing on service, sustainability, and stewardship.”

Throughout her career, Schumacher has exhibited strong leadership, strategic, and interpersonal skills and developed key relationships at the Board, staff, community, and industry/partner levels that have greatly contributed to the District’s operations and achievements.

Her work guiding the District through the planning, environmental study, funding, design, and construction of Pure Water Soquel has resulted in this crucial water supply project, now set to become operational later this year, poised to provide a new, safe, drought-proof water source and protection from seawater contamination of the groundwater. Schumacher was a driving force in the efforts to achieve considerable levels of funding assistance for Pure Water Soquel (especially for a small agency), totaling approximately $100 million in State and Federal grants in addition to numerous low-interest loans. In 2023, she was recognized as Recycled Water Staff Person of the Year by the California WateReuse Association.

Seeing her strengths and the value she brings; the District Board of Directors had the foresight in 2022 to promote Schumacher to Assistant General Manager. Since being promoted, Schumacher has worked alongside current General Manager Ron Duncan, effectively taking an increasing leadership role. With her appointment as General Manager, Schumacher ensures a high level of continuity in the District’s leadership structure. General Manager Ron Duncan notes, “Melanie has been the heart and soul of the Pure Water Soquel program, demonstrating exceptional leadership qualities. She is the best choice to lead the District into the future.”

Ms. Schumacher is a past president of the Monterey Bay Water Works Association and a founding member of the WateReuse Communications Collaborative group. She has participated in dozens of water reuse conferences, panels, and webinars, served on a National Water Research Institute expert panel, and been active in helping the region work toward meeting the goals of the State mandate that the Santa Cruz Mid-County groundwater basin be made sustainable by 2040. In her personal life, Ms. Schumacher enjoys running, hiking, dancing, and adventuring with her family.

Rancho Water Receives $9.1 Million from US Bureau of Reclamation

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Community’s Abundant Water Supply Bolstered with Mesa Water’s Two New Wells

COSTA MESA — Mesa Water District (Mesa Water®) bolstered its abundant water supply with the completion of two new potable (drinking) water wells that increase local groundwater production capacity and keep Mesa Water drought-resilient. Croddy Well No. 14 and Chandler Well No. 12 are now Mesa Water’s largest producing wells – each pumping approximately 4,000 gallons per minute of local, clean, safe water, and adding more than 50% to the community’s water supply. The district now has nine wells to pump water to serve the community.

“Mesa Water has a perpetual agency philosophy – we’re committed to investing in our infrastructure to ensure water reliability,” says Mesa Water Board President, Shawn Dewane. “Increased production from the wells allows Mesa Water to meet peak water demand now and for future generations.”

A new 4,500 foot pipeline connects the two 1,000-foot deep wells to Mesa Water’s distribution system, which pumps, treats and delivers nearly five billion gallons of high-quality drinking water to residential and business customers each year.

The construction of Croddy Well No. 14 was partially funded by a $1.6 million grant to help improve regional water supply reliability. The funds were part of a California Department of Water Resources $55 million multi-year grant, awarded to several water agencies.

About Mesa Water

Mesa Water District (Mesa Water®), a local independent special district, manages its finances and water infrastructure, and advocates water policy, while reliably providing an abundance of clean, safe water to benefit the public’s quality of life. Founded on January 1, 1960 and governed by a publicly-elected, five-member Board of Directors, Mesa Water provides 100% local groundwater to 110,000 residents in an 18-square-mile service area that includes most of the City of Costa Mesa, parts of Newport Beach, and unincorporated Orange County including John Wayne Airport. Follow @MesaWater on Facebook, Instagram. Visit MesaWater.org and Mesa Water Reliability Facility to learn more. For questions, email info@MesaWater.org or call 949.631.1200.

WVWD Leverages Technology for Enhanced Customer Communication & Water Conservation

In a proactive effort to enhance customer communication and promote water conservation, Walnut Valley Water District announced the launch of a new text message alert system aimed at promptly notifying customers about potential water leaks on their properties. This initiative reflects the district’s commitment to supporting California’s statewide initiative to “Make Conservation a Way of Life.”

Water conservation is a critical aspect of sustainable resource management, especially in regions like California, which often face water scarcity challenges. Recognizing the importance of water conservation and customer engagement, Walnut Valley Water District has implemented innovative measures to empower its customers in managing their water usage effectively.

The new text message alert system utilizes advanced technology to detect and notify customers of potential water leaks on their properties. Upon detection, customers will receive real-time notifications via text message, allowing them to take immediate action to address the issue. This proactive approach not only helps customers minimize water waste but also contributes to reducing monthly water bills and conserving precious water resources.

“We are excited to launch this new initiative as part of our ongoing commitment to excellence in customer service and environmental stewardship,” said Lily Lopez, External Affairs & Sustainability Director, at Walnut Valley Water District. “By leveraging technology to enhance communication and promote water conservation, we aim to empower our customers to play an active role in preserving our water resources for future generations.”

In addition to providing timely alerts, Walnut Valley Water District will also offer guidance and support to customers in addressing water leaks, including recommendations for repairing minor leaks and facilitating assistance for severe leaks exceeding 1 gallon per minute.

Furthermore, Walnut Valley Water District emphasizes that while they are facilitating communication and assistance, the responsibility for repairing leaks ultimately lies with the homeowner or business owner. The district’s jurisdiction typically extends up to the service line, beyond which property owners are responsible for maintenance and repairs.

This initiative aligns with California’s statewide efforts to promote water conservation and make it an integral part of daily life. By embracing technology and proactive communication, Walnut Valley Water District reaffirms its commitment to sustainable water management practices and serving the community’s needs effectively.

For more information about Walnut Valley Water District and its conservation initiatives, please visit walnutvalleywater.gov.

Mojave Water Agency Imports Historic Amount of Water

APPLE VALLEY — After more than a decade of drought, California saw a significant amount of rainfall in 2023, allowing Mojave Water Agency to import a record amount of water last year.

All water supplied to businesses, homes and farms throughout the High Desert is pumped from local groundwater aquifers. This groundwater is replenished, or “recharged,” by two main sources: natural runoff from the local mountains, and water imported from the State Water Project (SWP). The SWP is a water storage and delivery system of reservoirs, aqueducts, pumping plants, and power plants owned and operated by the State of California and managed by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR).

As one of 29 State Water Contractors, Mojave Water Agency is eligible to deliver up to 89,800-acre-feet of water per year from the aqueduct which is also known as its “Table A” water. The amount of Table A water actually delivered each year varies as DWR sets allocation limits based on how much water is available in the State Water Project system.

Due to the atmospheric rivers in 2023, DWR allocated 100% of State Water Contractors’ Table A water for delivery. A 100% Table A allocation is a rare opportunity as the long-term average delivery capability of the State Water Project is only 56%.

“The last time we were allocated 100% of our Table A water was in 2006,” noted Mojave Water Agency Board President, Kimberly Cox. “The Board was committed to taking as much water as possible to help refill our desert aquifers after more than a decade of drought conditions. As a major component of the Board-approved drought mitigation strategy we knew we needed to take full advantage of this allocation. At a cost of $23,780,013, the move was critical to ensure we are sustainable.”

As a result, MWA imported 59,996-acre-feet of Table A and 4,095-acre-feet of water previously stored in San Luis Reservoir.  DWR also made available surplus water in the system known as “Article 21” water, of which, MWA imported 35,465-acre-feet. In addition, MWA delivered 25,000-acre-feet of Table A to a neighboring State Water Contractor to fulfill a water transfer agreement. All totaled, the Agency moved nearly 125,000-acre-feet of water in 2023; a record amount of water delivery for MWA.

Water has been seen in the Mojave Riverbed for more than a year now, often flowing past Rock Springs  Road and under the bridge at Bear Valley Road. Until a few months ago, this was water imported from the State Water Project by the Agency. However, MWA stopped delivering State Water Project Water in December and current river flows are coming from the natural runoff from the local mountains. If you follow the Mojave River from its headwaters in the San Bernardino Mountains downstream you would observe the amount of water flowing in the river slowly decreasing until the riverbed is past Barstow.  This is because the surface water flow percolates into the ground, recharging local groundwater supplies.

“This doesn’t mean the drought is over. The groundwater basins in our service area are far from full,” cautioned Tony Winkel, Hydrogeologist and Director of Water Resources. “With a desert water cycle that averages roughly 10 years of dry for every one to two years of precipitation, conservation is key to our region’s long-term sustainability. This year’s abundance of water should not be wasted or taken for granted.”

Mojave Water Agency doesn’t deliver water directly to homes. Its mission is to collectively manage groundwater basins sustainably, import water responsibly, and address risks proactively using sound science. The Agency recently completed installing several weather stations to help measure rainfall, precipitation and more. This data is public and can be found on the data and maps tab of the Agency’s website at  www.MojaveWater.org.

The Mojave Water Agency Board of Directors meets the second and fourth Thursday of each month at 9:30 a.m. at Agency Headquarters, 13846 Conference Center Drive. Meetings are open to the public and participation is encouraged. For more information, visit the Agency’s website at www.mojavewater.org or follow us on social media @mojavewater.

Creative Vehicle Wrap Contest Highlights Water Education

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Crowfoot to Deliver Spring Conference Welcoming Keynote

ACWA has announced that California Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot will deliver the Wednesday welcoming keynote address during the ACWA 2024 Spring Conference & Expo May 7-9 in Sacramento.

Crowfoot has served as Secretary since 2019 and advises Gov. Gavin Newsom as a member of his cabinet. He leads an agency of over 25,000 employees spread across 26 departments, commissions, and conservancies.

Overall, the agency is charged with stewarding California’s forests and natural lands, rivers and water supplies, and coast and ocean. It also protects natural places, wildlife and biodiversity, and helps oversee the state’s world-leading clean energy transition.

ACWA conferences are the premier destination for water industry professionals to learn and connect. In addition to Crowfoot’s Wednesday address, Thursday will feature a keynote address from Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) President and CEO Tani Cantil-Sakauye.

Cantil-Sakauye was selected to lead the PPIC at the beginning of 2023. Previously, she served 12 years as the 28th Chief Justice of California, where she led the state’s highest court as its first person of color and second woman to occupy the Chief Justice position.

As PPIC President and CEO, Cantil-Sakauye oversees a nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank that works to improve public policy in California through independent, objective, nonpartisan research. A significant part of that work includes a highly influential role as the premier source of research and analysis within the California water space.

Advance registration for conference is available online until April 19. To register or view a conference brochure with program information, visit  www.acwa.com/events.