Archer Western Contractors has been selected by the Hartford, the bond company for the San Diego County Water Authority’s Moreno-Lakeside Pipeline, as the completion contractor for the construction project. Archer Western replaces Kenko, Inc., which departed the project in July.
The company is mobilizing personnel and equipment and will resume construction on the pipeline within the next two weeks. The project is expected to remain on schedule, with a winter 2004 completion date.
More than 600 people were on hand today as the San Diego County Water Authority dedicated the new Olivenhain Dam and Reservoir. San Diego Mayor Dick Murphy, County Supervisor Pam Slater and San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce board Chairman Doug Sawyer were among the dignitaries who participated in the program highlighted by a plume of water projecting out of dam’s inlet/outlet tower into the reservoir. Mayor Murphy officially proclaimed today “Olivenhain Dam Day.”
In a move to continue addressing the need for additional water treatment capacity for the San Diego region, the San Diego County Water Authority board of directors today authorized the continued planning of a new water treatment plant. As part of the overall planning process, the board approved a contract with Helix Environmental Planning, Inc. for up to $360,000 for environmental support services to ensure compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act.
The San Diego County Water Authority board of directors yesterday authorized staff to continue design of the Water Authority's first water treatment facility for up to a 100 million-gallon-per-day (MGD) plant at the Water Authority's Twin Oaks Valley Diversion Structure in San Marcos. Consideration of the Robert A. Weese treatment plant for the all or part of the 100 MGD plant was dropped at the recommendation of the City of Oceanside. The Weese plant will be studied for a short-term 5 MGD expansion, which could be operational by summer of 2004.
The San Diego County Water Authority board of directors yesterday approved a multiyear budget of $439.5 million and $461.1 million for fiscal years 2004 and 2005, respectively. The move to a multiyear budgeting process will give the Water Authority enhanced fiscal management of many multiyear projects and long-range planning. Revenue and other funding sources for the fiscal years are expected to total $441.8 million and $463.7 million, respectively. The Water Authority's fiscal year begins July 1.
At approximately 1:00 a.m. this morning the San Diego County Water Authority experienced a failure in an untreated water pipeline in Mission Trails Regional Park releasing a large quantity of water into the San Diego River. The failure occurred approximately one-third of a mile north of the intersection of Mission Gorge Road and Jackson Drive. Damage was limited to significant erosion within the park along the Water Authority patrol road and a natural drainage leading to the San Diego River and did not damage any structures.
Addressing the need to increase water conservation efforts as part of the region’s long-term water reliability strategy, the San Diego County Water Authority Board of Directors today approved the addition of $1,327,957 to its fiscal 2007 budget. The additional funds will increase the overall budget for conservation programs to $1,862,113. The Water Authority has projected that conservation will make-up 10 percent of its total water supply by 2020.
The San Diego County Water Authority board of directors today authorized the release of a "Notice of Preparation" for the Programmatic Environmental Impact Report on the draft Water Facilities Master Plan. The PEIR will examine the issues and options related to water facilities and supplies needed to serve San Diego County through 2030.
The San Diego County Water Authority will drain and inspect two Second Aqueduct untreated water pipelines November 10 to 21 as part of its Aqueduct Protection Program.
The pipelines scheduled for inspection provide untreated water to treatment plants operated by City of San Diego and Sweetwater Authority (National City/Chula Vista/Bonita) water agencies. During the shut down the agencies will use local water supplies held in reserve. Business and residential water customers should not be impacted by the shut down.