EMWD, Rep. Calvert Celebrate Historic Advancement of Quail Valley Sewer Project
PERRIS — Eastern Municipal Water District (EMWD) and Congressman Ken Calvert celebrated the groundbreaking of a new project on Wednesday that will expand sewer service in the Quail Valley community of Menifee.
The event marked a long-term effort to advance the Goetz Road Sewer Project, which will help protect public and environmental health in the region. The project will install nearly 4,000 feet of new sewer pipeline on Goetz Road, between Rock Canyon Drive and Avenida Robles. The project should be completed in mid-2027.
“This project will greatly benefit the residents of Quail Valley by protecting public and environmental health,” EMWD Board President Stephen Corona said. “We are incredibly appreciative of Congressman Calvert, who provided his full support for this project and was critical to helping to secure the necessary grant funding.”
Calvert (CA-41) remains a steadfast advocate for the Quail Valley community, having secured a total of $10 million in federal Community Project Funding to date. He successfully secured $5 million in the FY 2026 Transportation-Housing and Urban Development bill for this project. This builds upon appropriations he secured in both FY 2022 and FY 2023 for $2.5 million each through the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (USEPA) State and Tribal Assistance Grant Program.
“This project highlights the importance of partnerships to construct infrastructure in underserved communities,” Calvert said. “EMWD has been an advocate for bringing sewer service to Quail Valley. Together, we are proud to advance this important project that will enhance the economic vitality of the community, and quality of life for so many.”
Quail Valley was once a rural enclave that was largely a vacation community. As the region developed and became home to more full-time residents, the septic systems in the area began to fail. When they did, wastewater would leach into the groundwater and surface waters of nearby Canyon Lake, which is a tributary to the Santa Ana River.
For two decades, EMWD has been working to advance a long-term solution to bring sewer service to Quail Valley, which qualifies as an economically disadvantaged community. Because it cannot ask its other ratepayers to subsidize the project, EMWD is dependent on grant funding to construct the necessary infrastructure.
“We at EPA are thrilled to be supporters of this critical infrastructure improvement, which will bring tangible benefits to the residents of Menifee,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Deputy Regional Administrator Cheree Peterson. “Progress toward more modern wastewater systems, that protect human health and our vital groundwater resources, is cause for celebration.”
The sewer line on Goetz Road is a vital piece of the long-term effort to expand sewer service to additional areas of Quail Valley. In 2019, it completed work on the first phase of sewer service in the community. That project, which was focused on the southern portion of Quail Valley known as Subarea 9, converted 149 homes from septic to sewer and extended sewer access to 66 undeveloped parcels. It was funded through significant grant funding from the State Water Resources Control Board ($8 million), the Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority ($1.93 million), and the Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board ($455,000).
“Today marks a major milestone for the Quail Valley community and for water quality protection in the Santa Ana Watershed – local groundwater, the San Jacinto River, and ultimately Canyon Lake,” said Eric Lindberg, Executive Officer of the State Water Resources Control Board.
EMWD is seeking additional grant funding opportunities to bring service to Subarea 4, a densely populated area in the northern portion of Quail Valley that is under a septic moratorium put in place by the Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board preventing the development of vacant parcels with new septic systems.
# # #
Eastern Municipal Water District is the water, wastewater service and recycled water provider to more than one million people living and working within a 682-square mile service area in western Riverside County and northern San Diego County. It is California’s sixth-largest retail water agency, and its mission is “To deliver value to our diverse customers and the communities we serve by providing safe, reliable, economical and environmentally sustainable water, wastewater and recycled water services.” More information can be found at www.emwd.org.
YLWD Hosts Congresswoman Young Kim for Well 23 Project Tour
On April 6th, 2026, the Yorba Linda Water District (YLWD/District) welcomed Congresswoman Young Kim and her staff for an on-site tour of the future location of the District’s Well 23 Groundwater Well Project, an important step forward in strengthening local water reliability. YLWD Board President Gene Hernandez and Vice President Wayne R. Scott hosted the visit which included leadership from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Brigadier General John Lloyd from the South Pacific Division and Colonel Andrew Baker from the Los Angeles District. The visit provided a valuable opportunity to bring key project partners together and highlight the collaborative effort behind this critical infrastructure project. The group began at YLWD headquarters before traveling a short distance to the future well site near Warner Basin, located within the Orange County Water District (OCWD) recharge basins. Seeing the project location firsthand not only helped bring the vision for Well 23 to life, but also showcased the strategic importance of the site and underscored its value to the community. During the tour, General Manager Mark Toy led a concise yet thorough project briefing, offering Congresswoman Kim and attendees a deeper understanding of YLWD’s operations and the significance of the Well 23 project. Topics discussed included:- Where YLWD gets its water
- The District’s service area and operations
- How OCWD operates its recharge basins
- The current status of federal funding for the project
- Key design specifications of Well 23
Customers Go Behind the Bill to See YLWD’s Water & Sewer System in Action
YORBA LINDA – As a part of the Yorba Linda Water District’s (YLWD/District) rate study outreach efforts, the District hosted three “Behind the Bill Tours,” to provide customers a behind-the-scenes experience designed to help them understand water and sewer rates and see how their investment is put to work. Each tour began with a brief presentation on the recent rate study, key district accomplishments, and planned capital improvement projects (CIP) set to take place over the next five years. Participants then visited several essential YLWD facilities in need of rehabilitation or replacement, including a well, a reservoir, a waterline and sewer line project, a booster pump station, and a sewer lift station. Attendees also visited the future project site of a new well.
Seeing these key facilities that are part of the District’s 5-year CIP plan helps customers see firsthand how rate dollars support water and sewer infrastructure, operations, and long-term reliability. In total, 28 YLWD customers attended the tours, with each tour lasting approximately 3 hours.
Tour #1
On Tuesday, March 3, YLWD held its first “Behind the Bill Tour.” The tour opened with an overview of YLWD operations from the General Manager, Finance Manager, and Public Affairs Officer.
“Each speaker had different in-depth knowledge and nice personalities. I learned a lot! I’m so pleased to have been able to register for this tour,” said a tour attendee.
Tour #2
A week later, on Tuesday, March 10, YLWD held its second “Behind the Bill Tour.” Tour attendees were greeted by Vice President Wayne R. Scott, Director Trudi DesRoches, and General Manager Mark Toy before they learned about the current rate study, upcoming capital improvement projects, and more.
“All staff were friendly, professional, and very knowledgeable. I feel like you are on the side of your customers. Thank you,” said a tour attendee via feedback survey.
Tour #3
The final “Behind the Bill Tour” was held on March 24, and welcomed 11 customers who were eager to learn more about the rate study and YLWD.
“Terrific staff! Most professional, intelligent, and engaging staff throughout the presentation and on the tour. Starting with the welcoming smiles… A lot of sincere dedication and proud of their workplace,” said another tour attendee.
“All three tours were highly successful with excellent engagement with our community,” commented Mark Toy, YLWD General Manager. “Our tour participants asked a lot of great questions, and I’m proud of our team’s ability to answer every inquiry.”
The YLWD Team extends their sincere thanks to our customers who took time out of their day to visit the District and gain a behind-the-scenes look at the infrastructure and effort that goes into delivering safe, reliable drinking water to the community. The District also thanks its dedicated staff for sharing their expertise, answering questions, and helping create an informative and engaging experience for all who attended.
A virtual version of YLWD’s Behind the Bill Tour is available on the District’s website and YouTube channel. Watch the full presentation and tour highlights from each location, featuring questions from the first and second tour groups. For more information on the District’s rate study process, visit www.ylwd.com/ratestudy.
IRWD Wins Collection System of the Year Award
Mostly underground and out of sight, IRWD’s sewer system doesn’t get much notice in the community — but in industry circles, it’s gold.
The California Water Environment Association recently presented IRWD with its first-place Gold Award as the Collection System of the Year for the Santa Ana River Basin Section. The District took second place for its size at the state level.
The Gold Award was based on the District’s outstanding record of safety, regulatory compliance, preventive maintenance, training and data management.
Key accomplishments contributing to the award included:
- No accidents or injuries reported in the past year
- Exceptional regulatory compliance
- An impressive root, vermin and odor control program
- A data-driven asset management system and CCTV inspection program
- A corrective maintenance program supported by continual updates to IRWD’s sewer master plan
- Real-time odor control using remote telemetry
- Extensive training for employees
“This award acknowledges the hard work of our team, and we are very honored to receive it,” said Collection Systems Manager William Kleinau. “It takes a lot of coordination to maintain our 1,536 miles of sewer pipeline, 18 lift stations and other infrastructure needed to serve a daytime population of more than 600,000 people.”
Most people don’t think about sewers when flushing their toilet or running the dishwasher.
But the people who keep these systems flowing are unsung heroes: maintaining critical infrastructure that protects public health and the environment.
April 2026 Priority Issues Update Now Available
The April 2026 Priority Issues Update is now available online to members.
The update is a summary of the latest developments on issues of interest to ACWA members. This issue contains information on ACWA’s sponsored bills, AB 35, federal funding and more.
The new and previous Priority Issues Updates can be found here.
OCWD and OC San Unveil GWRS Brew Made with Purified Recycled Water
The Orange County Water District (OCWD) and the Orange County Sanitation District (OC San) unveiled a commemorative, limited-edition beer made with purified recycled water from the Groundwater Replenishment System (GWRS) during the 2026 WateReuse Symposium in Los Angeles. The beer, called GWRS Brew, was produced by Anaheim-based Brewery X and sponsored by H2O Innovations.
“GWRS Brew is a creative way to highlight the innovation behind the Groundwater Replenishment System,” said OCWD Board President Denis R. Bilodeau, P.E. “For nearly two decades, GWRS has helped establish the global roadmap for potable reuse, from engineering and operations to public outreach. As the industry leader, we remain committed to advancing water recycling and strengthening reliable local water supplies.”
Online since 2008, GWRS is the world’s largest water purification system for indirect potable reuse. Developed through a partnership between OCWD and OC San, the system recycles 100% of OC San’s reclaimable wastewater and produces up to 130 million gallons of high-quality water each day through an advanced, multi-step treatment process. The purified water replenishes the Orange County Groundwater Basin, the primary drinking water supply for 2.5 million people in north and central Orange County.
“The GWRS demonstrates how strong partnerships and advanced infrastructure can transform wastewater into a reliable, drought-resilient water supply,” said OC San Board Chairperson Ryan Gallagher. “This collaboration between OC San and OCWD continues to serve as a model for communities worldwide working to secure their water future through reuse.”
GWRS Brew also highlights the project’s legacy of innovation and public engagement. OCWD leads GWRS operations and outreach and has welcomed more than 60,000 visitors from around the world to see the purification process firsthand. Since its inception, GWRS has produced more than 500 billion gallons of water and earned nearly 100 state, national and international awards.
The GWRS Brew tagline, The First True Pure Water, pays tribute to Orange County’s pioneering leadership in water recycling. The phrase recognizes the legacy of the GWRS and its predecessor, Water Factory 21, a groundbreaking project launched in the 1970s that helped lay the foundation for modern potable reuse. OCWD and OC San regularly host delegations from around the world and water industry professionals from across the United States, sharing technical expertise and lessons learned to help guide future potable reuse projects.
For more information about the GWRS or to schedule a facility tour, visit www.ocwd.com/gwrs.
Dry March Leaves No Measurable Snow for April Survey
SACRAMENTO – The Department of Water Resources (DWR) today conducted the critical April snow survey at Phillips Station and found no measurable snow, a stark indicator of how record‑hot March temperatures and high‑elevation rain have erased the Sierra Nevada snowpack months ahead of schedule. The combination of warm storms and unusually hot temperatures rapidly melted what remained of this year’s already sparse snowpack. Statewide, the snowpack is now just 18 percent of average for this date, according to the automated snow sensor network.
Today’s results are the second lowest April measurement on record for Phillips Station, largely because there was still some visible snow on the ground. By contrast, the lowest April reading occurred in 2015 when no snow was present at the site. Although DWR and its partners in the California Cooperative Snow Surveys Program are completing additional surveys across the Sierra Nevada, preliminary data indicates this year’s April 1 snowpack is the second lowest on record.
The April measurement is a critical marker for water managers across the state, as it is typically when the snowpack reaches its maximum volume and begins to melt. However, this year’s extremely hot and dry conditions throughout the month of March, along with a warm atmospheric river system in late February, initiated snowmelt several weeks ahead of schedule. According to automated sensors across the Sierra Nevada, this year’s statewide snowpack likely reached its peak on or near February 24.
“It feels like we skipped spring this year and dropped straight into a summer heatwave,” said DWR Director Karla Nemeth. “What should be gradual snowmelt happened suddenly weeks ago. To me, this is another reminder that aging water systems need to be retrofit for more volatile precipitation patterns. We’re seeing fewer, warmer storms and shorter wet seasons. Future water supplies will depend upon our ability to capture water when it’s available and manage it more efficiently.”
DWR’s water supply forecasts use data from the April 1 snowpack to calculate how much snowmelt runoff will eventually make its way into California’s rivers and reservoirs. This information is critical for reservoir managers, who must balance flood control and water supply goals through the winter and depend on snowmelt to slowly refill reservoirs as demand increases during the dry season.
Given the unprecedented heatwave across the West in March, DWR and its partners expanded monitoring efforts to better track this year’s rapid snowmelt, including 100 additional mid-month snow surveys across 18 critical watersheds. The California Cooperative Snow Surveys Program has also been working closely with partner agencies to monitor the snowmelt and ensure water managers have the information they need to make informed water management decisions.
DWR has focused efforts over the past five years to understand and track how snowpack accumulation and melt translates into water supply, which has aided efforts to forecast runoff in new extreme climate conditions. New snow hydrology modeling in key watersheds gives DWR better insights into the changing physical state of the snowpack. Expanding data collection efforts with Airborne Snow Observatories Inc. and academic research partners, including UC Berkeley’s Central Sierra Snow Lab, now also allow DWR to consider factors like changes in soil moisture and snowpack temperature in its runoff forecasts.
“What makes this year stand out is the disconnect between precipitation and snowpack,” said Andy Reising, manager of DWR’s Snow Surveys and Water Supply Forecasting Unit. “We received near-average precipitation in many parts of the state, but much of it fell as rain instead of snow. That led to one of the lowest April snowpacks on record and one of the earliest peaks we’ve seen in decades — conditions that make forecasting runoff more complex.”
Although some additional snow is forecasted to arrive in the coming days, it is not likely to make up for the rapid snowmelt and hot dry March. In the Northern Sierra Nevada, where the state’s largest water supply reservoirs are located, the snowpack is just 6 percent of average.
DWR conducts four or five snow surveys at Phillips Station each winter near the first of each month, January through April and, if necessary, May.
For California’s current hydrological conditions, visit https://cww.water.ca.gov
Mojave Water Agency hosts Pathfinder Day
APPLE VALLEY — Mojave Water Agency (MWA) recently welcomed local high school students to its Operations Center for a special Pathfinder Day, an interactive career exploration event designed to introduce students to the many career opportunities available in the water industry. Held in partnership with Tomorrow’s Talent, Pathfinder Day gave students a behind-the-scenes look at how Mojave Water Agency works to protect and manage water resources in the High Desert. The half-day event was designed to expose students to real-world careers in science, technology, operations, public service, and water resource management through both presentations and hands-on learning experiences. Students participated in a variety of activities throughout the day, including:- Learning where the High Desert’s water comes from and how MWA helps manage that supply
- Touring the Agency’s Operations Center, including the SCADA control room and hydropower plant
- Exploring the nearby Mojave River
- Taking part in hands-on demonstrations related to water monitoring and field operations
Helix Water District Builds Model EV Charging Hub
EL CAJON — Helix Water District has transformed its operations center in San Diego’s east county suburbs into one of California’s most advanced electric fleet charging hubs. The $11 million project, funded almost entirely by grants, features 87 high‑capacity chargers and nearly six megawatts of power. Designed to meet state vehicle emission mandates and maintain 24/7 emergency readiness, the project is a model for public‑sector fleet electrification across California.
The project positions Helix as one of the first public agencies in California to fully build out charging infrastructure in response to the California Air Resources Board’s Advanced Clean Fleets Regulation. The regulation requires local and state public agencies to replace medium- and heavy-duty trucks and equipment with zero emissions models. By 2030, all new vehicle purchases must be zero emissions.
Twenty-eight counties, cities, water districts and other public agencies came to Helix’s Nat L. Eggert Operations Center on March 27 to see what compliance with the Advanced Clean Fleets Regulation looks like. The trade show following the ribbon cutting offered the opportunity to tour the facility and charging infrastructure, talk with the Helix project team and each of the companies involved in construction, and check out the electric, medium- and heavy-duty trucks and equipment manufacturers now have available.
According to the California Air Resources Board, trucks make up just 6% of vehicles on California roads but generate more than 35% of nitrogen oxide emissions and 25% of on‑road greenhouse gas emissions.[AW1.1]
While the regulation mandates fleet conversion, it does not provide funding for the necessary charging infrastructure.
“When we evaluated the regulation, we discovered that finding available vehicles wasn’t the only challenge—the infrastructure was, too,” said Helix Water District Board President Kathleen Coates Hedberg. “We had to protect our water rates and the 279,000 people we serve while figuring out how to comply.”
Collaboration Reduced Costs
Helix decided its best option was to be the first local agency in California to build charging infrastructure and reach out to stakeholders – the government agencies responsible for clean air in California and the companies with the expertise to build charging infrastructure.
The San Diego County Air Pollution Control District, San Diego Gas and Electric and the California Energy Commission provided more than $10.2 million in grants and rebates, ensuring the project would have minimal impact on water rates.
The grant funding enabled Helix to build the full charging system upfront, which is less expensive than a phased approach. Additional savings will come from shared use of the charging system by neighboring cities and public agencies, with software automatically tracking, allocating and recovering costs.
Helix also expects to see continued cost savings from a zero emissions fleet.
“The data from our current fleet show that fuel costs for an electric vehicle are one-fifth the fuel costs of a gas or diesel vehicle,” said Helix Water District Operations Director Kevin Miller.
The Charging Infrastructure is Designed for 24/7 Operations
Helix operates a fleet of 100 light-, medium- and heavy-duty vehicles, from Toyota Prius to
Ford F-150 to F-750 pickups and platforms, International crew cabs, 3-axle dump trucks, backhoes and skip loaders.
The charging infrastructure is designed and engineered around four core operational requirements common to many public agencies:
• 24/7 emergency response – Helix responds 24/7 to water main breaks, natural disasters and mutual aid requests. Every class of vehicle must be charged and ready at all hours.
• Power take-offs – Charging and batteries must support power take-offs, which convert a truck engine’s power to drive external tools like pumps, winches and pneumatic tools.
• No additional vehicles – Helix stipulated that it would not add vehicles or staff to compensate for vehicle charging times.
• Limited charging during peak hours – Helix reduces operations costs by prioritizing [mc3.1]pumping water in off-peak hours when electricity rates are lower. It applied the same rule to vehicle charging.
The infrastructure includes 87 chargers, from 40 to 640 kilowatts, manufactured by Heliox and Autel. Most are installed overhead. This allowed crews to build the new infrastructure without interrupting daily operations. Overhead chargers and conduit also minimize trenching and construction costs and build flexibility into daily operations and parking.
The 5.9 megawatt system has the capacity to power3,000 to 5,000 homes. Autel’s 640 kilowatt MaxiCharger can recharge medium- and heavy-duty trucks in an hour. BetterFleet software recognizes each vehicle and optimizes charging.
“The software will prioritize which vehicle to charge first and when it is most cost effective to do so based on time-of-use electricity rates. It adapts to a dynamic schedule,” said Miller. [MU4.1]
A Blueprint for Statewide Adoption
The collaborative approach that worked well for Helix – seeking partners and outside funding, identifying construction strategies to minimize disruption of daily operations, and sharing charging infrastructure with neighboring agencies– are a roadmap for other public agencies planning their own compliance with the Advanced Clean Fleets Regulation. The design and construction of the district’s charging infrastructure also provide insights for reducing construction costs and building a user-friendly system employees will embrace.
“We’re not just meeting the mandate,” said Miller. “We’re helping define how public‑sector electrification can be done statewide.”
About Helix Water District
Helix provides water treatment for 500,000 people in San Diego’s east county suburbs and distributes drinking water to 279,000 people in the cities of La Mesa, El Cajon and Lemon Grove and the Spring Valley, Mt. Helix and Lakeside communities.
“At Helix, we like to say that fiscal responsibility and sustainability go hand in hand,” said Hedberg.
From 2009 to 2019, the district reduced its electricity use by 15% and its greenhouse gas emissions by 40%. The Climate Registry recognized Helix Water District as a Water-Energy Leader Gold organization in 2023 and the district was named a Certified Green Business by the Green Business Network in 2025.
Helix buys electricity from San Diego-based Calpine Energy Solutions. The district has seen double-digit cost savings as high as 18% on electricity commodity costs and has secured the renewable energy supply it needs through 2030.
Bay Area Public Water and Wastewater Utilities Build Advanced Radar Network
SAN FRANCISCO — The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC), along with a coalition of other Bay Area water, wastewater, and flood control agencies, is taking action to put new weather radar technology to use, bringing advanced precipitation observations and forecasts to California. This advanced network works like a magnifying glass, giving agencies and the communities they serve a clearer, real-time view of atmospheric rivers and rainfall intensity. It helps show where the heaviest rain will fall. This improved data enables public agencies and communities to prepare and respond when dangerous storms approach the coast. And, in our drought-prone state, it provides water agencies pinpointed data to maximize water supply reservoir storage.
This system, known as Advanced Quantitative Precipitation Information, or AQPI, was developed through a decade-long local, state, and federal agency collaboration working with key researchers to improve monitoring of extreme weather events within the Bay Area’s complex terrain. In areas shaped by hills, valleys and coastal mountains, traditional weather radar can miss critical details where heavy rain is developing.
The San Francisco Bay Area AQPI Network uses five X-band radar installations positioned around the region to provide a much sharper picture of where rain is falling with updates every one to two minutes. This means the system can focus much closer to the ground and capture fine-scale rainfall details that broader, long-range radar systems miss. The X-band radar installations are in Contra Costa, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, and Sonoma counties. Critical funding for the radar installations was provided by the California Department of Water Resources in the form of a $19.7 million grant.
This AQPI network also includes a larger C-band radar placed on Mount Barnabe in western Marin County, facing the Pacific Ocean. This radar helps track storms as they approach the coast and complements the X-band radars by providing a broader view of incoming systems before they move inland.
The AQPI radar systems were built, deployed and are currently operated by the Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere (CIRA) at Colorado State University. CIRA is a NOAA Cooperative Institute, a key partner in the AQPI project, and produces AQPI radar products that support decisions by Bay Area agencies.
“Critical infrastructure like our water and emergency response systems keep San Francisco running every day,” said Mayor Daniel Lurie. “This regional radar system will give the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission the tools they need to make timely decisions, manage San Francisco’s stormwater effectively, and keep San Francisco neighborhoods and families safe during a storm.”
“Our sewer system is at the forefront protecting public health and the environment, and 2.7 million people in the Bay Area also depend on us to deliver high-quality drinking water around the clock,” said Dennis Herrera, SFPUC General Manager. “This advanced radar system gives us more precise, real-time storm data so we can better manage stormwater and our reservoirs before and during major storms. Earlier and more accurate information helps us make critical operational decisions that strengthen reliability for the communities we serve.”
“This work started with a question about how advances in science can better support people making decisions during dangerous storms,” said Marty Ralph, Director of the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes at UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography. “AQPI represents years of research coming together in a regional radar system designed for the Bay Area’s unique topography, capturing details that standard radar often misses and turning that research into practical forecasts for water and emergency agencies.”
“AQPI represents the successful transition of cutting-edge atmospheric research into operational capability,” said NOAA Acting Chief Scientist Steven Thur, the Assistant Administrator for NOAA Oceanic and Atmospheric Research. “It demonstrates how sustained scientific innovation can directly improve hazard preparedness, water management, and community resilience.”
“This is a regional approach to water management understanding that we have to get the most out of each storm that comes across California,” said Mike Anderson, State Climatologist with the California Department of Water Resources. “Having the right information at the right time enables the opportunity to maximize benefit while mitigating hazard. The AQPI collaboration delivers key information to the Bay Area for this purpose.”
“People rely on accurate forecasts to make decisions about staying safe during extreme weather,” said Mark Tamayo, KTVU meteorologist. “AQPI gives weather experts a clearer picture of what’s happening in your community and helps meteorologists share more timely, useful information that supports you and your family’s safety.”
“In the Russian River watershed, we’ve seen storms turn streets into rivers within hours,” said Sonoma County 2nd District Supervisor David Rabbitt. “We have to keep improving how we track and understand these storms, and AQPI is an important step toward giving local agencies and emergency responders the information they need to prepare.”
AQPI is a regional project funded by the California Department of Water Resources and developed in collaboration with local, state and federal partners. Participating agencies include water utilities, flood control districts, and research institutions. The system also integrates a radar installation in Santa Cruz County.
Participating agencies include:
Alameda County Flood Control District; Alameda County Water District; Contra Costa County Flood Control District; East Bay Dischargers Authority, San Lorenzo; East Bay Municipal Utility District; Marin County Public Works; San Francisco Public Utilities Commission; Santa Clara Valley Water; Sonoma County Water Agency; Zone 7 Water Agency, Livermore.
Project partners include:
California Department of Water Resources (DWR); Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere (CIRA); National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA); University of California San Diego, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes (CW3E).
About the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission is a department of the City and County of San Francisco. It delivers drinking water to 2.7 million people in the San Francisco Bay Area, collects and treats wastewater for the City and County of San Francisco, and meets 75% of the electricity demand in San Francisco with clean energy. The SFPUC’s mission is to provide customers with high-quality, efficient and reliable water, power, and sewer services in a manner that values environmental and community interests, and sustains the resources entrusted to the agency’s care. Learn more at sfpuc.gov.