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Monday, July 17, 2006 Quote of the Week: "Blessed is the man, who having nothing to say, abstains from giving wordy evidence of the fact." George Eliot (Thanks to Patrick McNelly with the OCSD for this one.) Born on this Day: John Astor, James Cagney, Art Linkletter, Phyllis Diller, Pat McCormick, Donald Sutherland, Diahann Carroll, Lucie Arnaz, Phoebe Snow, David Hasselhoff, Regina Belle, and Alex Winter. On this Day in 1955: Disneyland opened in Anaheim, California. 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 Fresno: Professional Engineer City of Long Beach: Laboratory Analyst City of Coalinga: Public Works and Utilities Director OCWD: Recharge System Operator/Hydrographer City of Roseville: Senior Engineer Delta Diablo Sanitation District: Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator III California Water Service Company: Manager of Maintenance Engineering Dept. California Water Service Company: Electrical Mechanical Technician California Water Service Company: Associate Engineer - Electrical Group Want more? See all postings. Today's News —  Water Supply Tunnel-boring machine makes way for waterline (Riverside P/E, 7/17) "The future of a possible tunnel for commuters under the mountains between Corona and Irvine is still up in the air, but similar technology already is being used to burrow through the base of the San Bernardino Mountains roughly 30 miles away." The bottle-versus-the-tap debate (LA Times, 7/17) "Quenching thirst can be more complicated than taking a trip to the water fountain or turning on the kitchen tap." A future in water (Long Beach Press-Telegram, 7/17) OPINION. "Columnist Daniel Weintraub on the facing Comment page describes how an Orange County experiment with slant-drilling could bypass environmental worries and make it possible to desalinate sea water without harming sea creatures. The bigger problem, though, is cost." Water wasters could use some pressure (Monterey Herald, 7/17) EDITORIAL. "In places like Fresno and other large patches of California's interior, where the days are hot, the lawns are big and environmentalism never really took root, many homes have no water meters. That's right. No meters. Flat fee, no matter how much you use. No matter how much you waste." Yermo water off again, on again (Desert Dispatch, 7/15) "The YWC water pressure failed on July 3 and was restored two days later. But the water pressure again failed late Wednesday night, Cordeiro said, leaving residents without water to drink, water to fill their swamp coolers or water to shower and bathe in." San Diegans asked to conserve water this week (NC Times, 7/16) "San Diegans were asked to conserve water this week to avoid mandatory restrictions, a water authority official said Sunday." Water conservation called for as temps soar (Riverside P/E, 7/16) "Inland area water districts are urging residents to conserve water outdoors as temperatures soar into the triple digits." Local Paiute tribe challenges plan to export water (Reno Gazette-Journal, 7/14) "The Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe is challenging a plan to export water from Honey Lake Basin to support development in the North Valleys." —  Water Quality Study reports fouling Cherry Valley water (Riverside P/E, 7/15) "City and water officials say new studies confirm what they have suspected all along: Septic tanks north of the city, including in unincorporated Cherry Valley, are causing spikes in nitrate pollution found in some water wells serving the area." Clarke Prize Award Ceremony highlights DBPs (NWRI, 7/16) NEWS RELEASE. "The critical need to improve the ability to study, regulate, and implement better management strategies to control the formation of disinfection byproducts (DBPs) in drinking water was highlighted at the Thirteenth Annual Clarke Prize Award Ceremony and Lecture, held by the National Water Research Institute (NWRI) of Fountain Valley, California, on Thursday, July 13, 2006." —  Levees Levee bond measure poised to spring a leak (Contra Costa Times, 7/17) "State lawmakers are betting that voters eager to avoid a Katrina-style disaster in California will rally behind a $4.1 billion bond on the November ballot to shore up the state's fragile levees." How the levee bond measure works (Contra Costa Times, 7/17) "California voters will be asked to approve a $4.1 billion levee bond in November. The figure represents a compromise between Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who had sought about $6.5 billion, and Democratic lawmakers, who had wanted to spend about half that." Repairs crucial to Yolo County (Daily Democrat, 7/16) "While state officials continue to stump for a $4 billion bond on the November ballot, a much-smaller first step is already racing toward completion." —  Surface Water Stricter Santa Monica Bay standards postponed (LA Times, 7/15) "State officials will miss a key deadline today to impose tougher enforcement of clean-water standards to protect swimmers and surfers at popular Santa Monica Bay beaches." Final Upper San Joaquin River Basin Storage Investigation environmental documents available (Bureau of Rec., 7/14) NEWS RELEASE. "The Bureau of Reclamation has made available the Final Environmental Assessment (EA) and Final Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the Geologic Drilling and Aggregate Sampling Program (Program) for the Upper San Joaquin River Basin Storage Investigation (Investigation)." —  The Plumbing Why we're flush with success (LA Times, 7/16) OPINION. "It's difficult to plumb the depths of the debt the civilized world owes to the brains behind our drains." —  The Nukes New nuclear plants safer - in theory (Associated Press, 7/16) "It might seem a mere tangle of pipes and instruments to the untrained eye. To nuclear engineer Jose Reyes, it's a sign of a coming nuclear-power plant revival in the United States - with electricity produced more safely and for less money than the atomic behemoths built in the 20th century." —  Meetings MWD of O.C. sponsors watershed group (MWDOC, 7/16) Aug. 1. "The Municipal Water District of Orange County Please sponsors watershed group: The Politics of Funding Water Infrastructure - The Critical Role that Water Leaders Play in Developing Legislative Policy." —  Local/Agency News Lincoln sewer rate increases approved (Sacramento Bee, 7/16) "Lincoln residents' monthly sewer bills will increase for the first time in a decade, beginning Sept. 1. The City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a five-year hike in wastewater rates, raising monthly bills by 30 percent, from $17.50 to $22.75 in the first year." Poway's water, sewer rates may rise (SD Union Tribune, 7/15) "Poway residents should get ready to pay more for their water – again. On Tuesday, the Poway City Council is expected to approve an increase of about 5.8 percent in combined water and sewer rates for 2007." —  Global Warming Climate changes puts national parks at risk (Billings Gazette, 7/17) "Global warming is erasing the glaciers from Glacier National Park and the Joshua trees from Joshua Tree National Park, and may turn the Everglades into the Neverglades." Warming world brings water trouble (Voice of San Diego, 7/17) "In search of the most dramatic rides -- the frothy rapids that make trips to Yosemite and Idaho worthwhile -- Van Schoik copes with icy water and frigid weather. A wetsuit, splash protector and neoprene boots are common. Sometimes, Van Schoik said, he rushes down water that was frozen just a day earlier." —  Everything Else Spending bills boost USDA water projects budget (WaterWeek, 7/16) "The US Department of Agriculture's rural water and waste program would see its FY2007 budget rise under House and Senate spending bills that will be reconciled later this year." 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