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Thursday, June 1, 2006 Quote of the Day: "Skiing combines outdoor fun with knocking down trees with your face." Dave Barry Born on this Day: Brigham Young, Nelson Riddle, Andy Griffith, Marilyn Monroe, Pat Boone, Morgan Freeman, Rene Auberjonois, Ron Wood, Ronnie Dunn, Lisa Hartman Black, Mike Joyce, Jason Donovan, and Alanis Morissette. On this Day in 1938: Superman, the world's first super hero, appeared in the first issue of Action Comics. Sent to more than 24,000 readers nationwide... and thousands more via our lineup of online ads like the one above that appears on watertechonline.com Latest postings: City of Huntington Beach: SCADA Technician Encina Wastewater Authority: Support Specialist Cucamonga Valley Water District: Information Technology Specialist I Cucamonga Valley Water District: Accounting Officer Cucamonga Valley Water District: Controls Analyst City of Pittsburg: Water Plant Operator City of Pittsburg: Water Plant Supervisor MWD of So. Calif.: Water Treatment Operator I Eastern Municipal Water District: Environmental Compliance Analyst II Contra Costa Water District: Associate Engineer - Engineering Dept. Want more? See all postings. BC Water News Exclusive Survival Guide: Scientists, engineers push to get Gulf Coast restoration plan off the treadmill Scientists and engineers are making a big push to jump-start a $14 billion, 30-year Gulf Coast restoration plan; a select group is reconvening tomorrow in New Orleans only a month after a three-day symposium that outlined the stark reality and hefty challenges ahead for the storm-battered shoreline. They realize all too well that something has to be done — and fast. Today's News —  Water Supply Judge again faults Rohnert Park water study (Santa Rosa Press Democrat, 6/1) "A Sonoma County judge sent the city of Rohnert Park back to the drawing board Wednesday, affirming his ruling that the city didn't adequately assess whether there is enough water for 3,600 new eastside homes." California Water questions answered at open house (Thousand Oaks Acorn, 6/1) "Alan and Rose Jeffery attended California Water Service's open house in Thousand Oaks last week to learn more about how water is delivered. They wanted to understand the treatment process and why the taste of water changes from time to time." No-flush urinals thwarted in Los Angeles (Bloomberg, 6/1) "Every time someone flushes the urinal in his office men's room, multimillionaire Marc Nathanson gets peeved. The gallon or more of water lost is a reminder that parched Los Angeles still prohibits waterless urinals made by his Falcon Waterfree Technologies LLC." Three water bills need to stay afloat (Merced Sun Star, 6/1) OPINION. "In the cycle of political life, this week represents one of quiet counting in the California Legislature. This week, bills live or die." Teleconference: Permits not needed for transfers (EPA, 5/31) NEWS RELEASE. "Teleconference to discuss the proposed rule that permits will not be needed for water transfers, and how this benefits communities. The proposal will clarify unresolved questions from several legal cases, including one decided by the U.S. Supreme Court." —  Water Quality Purity of water, backflow at issue (Modesto Bee, 6/1) "Foster Farms is suing Livingston over how to protect the city's water supply from possible contamination by the poultry plant." Bad water sickens 19,000 in Eastern Pakistan (ENN, 6/1) "Nine people died and more than 19,000 others were sickened after an eastern Pakistani city's water system was contaminated by sewage, officials said Thursday." —  Mercury EPA holds course on utility mercury rules (Reuters, 6/1) "The Bush administration on Wednesday reaffirmed contentious rules that aim to cut toxic mercury emissions from coal-fired utilities by 70 percent by 2018 by letting plants swap pollution rights." —  Levees and Flood Control Bill would retool board guiding flood protection (Fresno Bee, 5/31) "The state Senate passed a bill on Tuesday that would remake the state board charged with overseeing flood protection in the Central Valley." New Orleans sinking faster than thought (Associated Press, 6/1) "Everyone has known New Orleans is a sinking city. Now new research suggests parts of the city are sinking even faster than many scientists imagined - more than an inch a year." Levee deadline threatens Inland pocketbooks (Riverside P/E, 6/1) "Tens of thousands of Riverside County homeowners could be required by lenders to buy costly flood insurance if the county cannot certify the safety of its levees by June 22, the county's top engineer said Wednesday." —  Logging Supervisor candidates support tighter logging rules (Santa Cruz Sentinel, 6/1) "Two of three candidates for 3rd District supervisor support tighter logging regulations if a case before the state Supreme Court puts the standards under local control." —  Wastewater and Spills Imperial Beach contest postponed due to sewage (SD Union Tribune, 6/1) "A body boarding contest is rescheduled for Saturday after sewage kept beachgoers out of the water last weekend." Cargill fined over toxic spill (San Jose Mercury, 6/1) "State water officials have fined Cargill Salt $71,000 after the Newark firm spilled thousands of gallons of toxic brine last year along the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay." —  Local/Agency News Zone 7 board election is all about water (Inside Bay Area, 6/1) "We drink it, bathe in it and spray it on our lawns , yet how we obtain and treat water rarely crosses our minds." California American water rate hike expected soon (Thousand Oaks Acorn, 6/1) "California American Water, a private firm that serves 18,600 customers in Newbury Park and some areas of Thousand Oaks, has filed a request for a rate increase with the California Public Utilities Commission." The joy of water-wise gardens (San Bernardino Sun, 6/1) "A handful of Inland Valley schools are in full bloom due to the Garden in Every School program sponsored by local water agencies." Oceanside starts process to fill city manager post (SD Union Tribune, 6/1) "The City Council is expected to talk about replacing City Manager Steve Jepsen when it meets Wednesday." Candidates vie for water board seats (Contra Costa Times, 6/1) "Four incumbents and two challengers are running for four open seats on the Livermore-Amador Valley's Zone 7 Water Agency board -- an agency most candidates say could benefit from a higher public profile." MWD teams with local agencies on sprinkler swap (MWD, 5/31) NEWS RELEASE. "Residents in Pomona Valley, Walnut Valley and eastern San Gabriel Valley may be eligible to receive a free “smart” controller for their landscape sprinkler systems through a unique program created to introduce the latest in water-savings technology." Mesa employees support armed forces (Mesa, 5/31) NEWS RELEASE. "Mesa Consolidated Water District’s (Mesa) Board of Directors and employees are showing their support for the brave men and women overseas by personally donating much needed items and money for shipping." —  Everything Else AWWA announces the publication of a new edition of a manual: Installation, Field Testing and Maintenance of Fire Hydrants, 4th Edition (M17) (AWWA, 5/31) "Updated from the 1989 edition, this new edition provides the latest information distribution operators need to have about fire hydrants: design, installation, and maintenance practices. Using the easy-to-follow flow-testing procedures included, one can quickly obtain valuable distribution system information." 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 us 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 92702 714-689-4852