Brown and Caldwell About this Newsletter Reader Kudos Archives (All) Past Week Dec. 17, 2003 Dec. 18, 2003 Dec. 19, 2003 Dec. 29, 2003 Dec. 30, 2003 EPA's Water Infrastructure Security Upcoming Meetings   Latest California Infrastructure Brief from CalRAC Agency Links Other Links Your Editors: Ken Harlow, Crusty Editor Jennifer Finley, Managing Editor E-mail Ken or Jennifer Download Acrobat Reader

December 31, 2003 Quote of the Day "Punctuality is the virtue of the bored." Evelyn Waugh Today is the birthday of Anthony Hopkins, Andy Summers, Ben Kingsley, Donna Summer, Val Kilmer, and  Joe McIntyre.  On this day in 1955, General Motors became the first U.S. corporation to earn more than one billion dollars in a single year. Happy New Year! We will catch up with you in 2004. Until then enjoy the news! Pic Of The Week Drippy the Water Drop (Photo by Donna Powers, public information specialist of the Rancho California Water District.) "Western Municipal Water District's Drippy the Water Drop hops on a Harley at Quaid Harley Davidson in Temecula, California! He was delivering a water conservation rebate check for the purchase of pressurized water brooms as part of the Metropolitan Water District's Save Water, Save a Buck incentive program for businesses to encourage the use of water-efficient appliances and fixtures," according to Michele  Underwood, Public Affairs, Western Municipal Water District. Sent to over 12,000 readers nationwide! Latest postings: City of Torrance: Administrative Services Manager Three Valleys MWD: Operations Supervisor West Basin & Central Basin MWD: Water Resources Planner Murrieta County Water District: Operations & Maintenance Manager Brown and Caldwell: Financial Analyst III Vallecitos Water District: Capital Facilities Coordinator Vallecitos Water District: Director of Human Resources Monterey Peninsula Water Management District: General Manager City of Port Hueneme: Wastewater Maintenance I Metropolitan Water District: Assistant Resource Specialist Want more? See all postings. Today's News —  Water Security News USEPA releases water security guidance (WaterWeek, 12/30) "Against a holiday backdrop of elevated terrorist threat alerts from the White House, USEPA has released an extensive package of interim guidance documents designed to help water utilities plan and respond to intentional acts of contamination." U.S. boosts security for New Year's Eve (Contra Costa Times, 12/31) "Revelers can expect hovering helicopters and bomb-sniffing dogs with their champagne and confetti as cities hunker down for their most heavily guarded New Year's Eve in memory." —  Water Supply News Encina Wastewater Authority reclaimed water project flowing  (NC Times, 12/30) "With work well under way, officials are hoping to throw open the valves to a new, $40 million water reclamation system in 2005." Could a Rio Grande water truce be on tap? (Water Tech Online, 12/30) "The fight between the US and Mexico over Rio Grande water would be over soon, if one governor had his way, The Associated Press said in an article reported by the Star-Telegram." —  Stormwater News Upvalley saturated by pounding rains: creeks, river rise (Napa News, 12/30) "The coffee-colored waters of the Napa River and its tributaries rose to near dangerous levels Monday, as a storm left about four inches of rain throughout the county. The storm caused minor damage and flooding, especially Upvalley."  Flash floods possible as heavy rains likely to return (Santa Rosa Press Democrat, 12/31) "A flash flood watch has been issued for the North Coast as heavy rain is expected to return late today and drench the area throughout the night and New Year's Day." Winter rages (Stockton Record, 12/31) "It will be months before the state's water gurus can determine if it's been a wet winter, but at least things are off to a strong start. Officials said Monday the state's snowpack is 122 percent of normal this year, and in the northern Sierra, the picture is even brighter." —  MTBE News ACWA celebrates arrival of MTBE ban deadline (ACWA News Release, 12/30) Thanks to reader Janie Ramirez for this one: "The Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) is celebrating the arrival of the MTBE ban deadline on January 1, 2004. MTBE, or methyl tertiary butyl ether, has contaminated scores of drinking water sources throughout California. In 1999, Governor Davis ordered the gasoline additive banned as of 2003. This date was later moved to 2004 due to logistical problems experienced by oil companies." MTBE to flow no more from state's gas pumps (Contra Costa Times, 12/31) "The era of a controversial gasoline additive blamed for contaminating drinking water supplies from Lake Tahoe to Los Angeles ends in California and two eastern states today." —  Mercury News Pair to push for Delta warning signs (Sacramento Bee, 12/30) "Two state lawmakers said Monday they will introduce legislation requiring the California Environmental Protection Agency to post warning signs along waters where the state has issued fishing advisories for mercury and other toxic substances." —  Lakes and Watersheds Court says Alaska can't add fish to protected lake (ENN.com, 12/31) "A U.S. federal appeals court said that national wildlife rules bar the stocking of salmon in a protected Alaskan lake, even if little harm comes from multiplying the fish." A critical year for Freshwater, Elk watersheds (Eureka Times Standard, 12/31) "The New Year will not be happy for residents of Freshwater and Elk. Maxxam PL's imported helicopter and falling crews are poised to finish off the few remaining uncut acres in these watersheds in short order, sealing our fates for the foreseeable future. In Freshwater, prime salmon spawning habitat is vulnerable." —  Dam and Quarry Update Agency fights clean-up order (LA Daily News, 12/31) "The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is fighting a mandate to remove all 5,150 cubic yards of concrete, soil and debris it illegally dumped at the Hansen Dam lakes in 2002, officials said Tuesday." Sunol group keeps quarry plan tied up (Chico ER, 12/31) "A patch of former farmland next to Sunol's Willis Polk Water Temple won't become a rock quarry any time soon. Opponents of the quarry have hired an Oakland-based law firm that specializes in environmental issues to take their case to the California Court of Appeal." —  Lodi Lawsuit News Lodi officials to take up pollution suit questions (Lodi Sentinel, 12/30) "Lodi City Council members are set to ask tough questions today about a controversial and expensive pollution lawsuit -- and a federal judge's stinging rebuke of the city's legal team." —  Runoff News Runoff muddies creeks by Wilton (Sacramento Bee, 12/31) "Rainstorms over the past two weeks have turned part of a 1,200-acre luxury home development under construction in Wilton into a muddy mess." Agency misses checks of dairy storm runoff (Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, 12/31) "The state's fiscal problems are leaving the office charged with monitoring water quality at the region's dairies woefully understaffed." —  Sewer and Spills Poway sewage spill prompts waterway warning (SD Union Tribune, 12/30) "A spill of about 200 gallons of sewage prompted a pollution alert today along a North County waterway." Aging Orange County sewer lines to be replaced (LA Times, 12/31) "The Orange County Sanitation District will begin construction in mid-January on two projects costing more than $2 million to update sewer operations on the city's northeast side."  —  Meetings Butte County Water Commission meets next week (Chico ER, 12/31) "The Butte County Water Commission will meet at 1:30 p.m. Jan. 6 at the Board of Supervisors Chambers, 25 County Center Drive in Oroville." —  Local/Agency News Board votes down resolution for new assessment district (The Desert Sun, 12/30) "The Mission Springs Water District board of directors unanimously voted Monday to rescind a resolution that stated its intention to form an assessment district." —  Everything Else China water poisoner gets life in prison (Water Tech Online, 12/30) "A man who admitted dumping pesticide into a reservoir in central China in order to boost sales of the water purifiers he sold has been sentenced to life in prison, the Chinese state press reported."   About the California Water News The California Water News is a weekday e-mail with links to current news stories in the California water resources industry.  Subscription is free to qualified persons!  Please go to our subscription page to subscribe.  For more information, you can also see some frequently asked questions. Referrals to new subscribers are welcome, as are suggestions for new links, news stories, opinion pieces, and your agency's press releases.   Any documents you e-mail me may be published on our web site and linked to from the News, subject to editorial discretion. Ken Harlow Brown and Caldwell 400 Exchange, Suite 100 Irvine, CA 92602 714-689-4852