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Wednesday, August 16, 2006 Quote of the Day: "You must be the change you want to see in the world." Mahatma Ghandi (Thanks to Robert Adams with EMWD.) Born on this Day: Fess Parker, Ann Blyth, Lois Nettleton, Frank Gifford, Eydie Gorme, Julie Newmar, Billy Joe Shaver, Lesley Ann Warren, Kathie Lee Gifford, Angela Bassett, Madonna Louise Ciccone, Belinda Carlisle, Timothy Hutton, Emily Robinson, and Vanessa Carlton. On this Day in 1948: Babe Ruth died at the age of 53. Sent to more than 25,000 readers nationwide... and thousands more via our lineup of online ads like the one above that appears on watertechonline.com Latest postings: City of Tustin: Management Analyst Mesa Water: Customer Service Supervisor American Water: Engineer, Desal. Pilot Plan Project American Water: CAD Design Drafter American Water: Water Treatment Operator III American Water: Field Serviceperson Want more? See all postings. Pic of the Week City of Vallejo's Fleming Hill Treatment Plant "This photo was taken after a winter storm, looking west toward Richardson Bay. Early morning scud covers Marin County's Mt. Tamalipias amd obscures San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge," says Glenn Galtere, Sr. TPO, Vallejo Water Division. Do you have a photo you'd like to submit? Send us an e-mail.   Today's News —  Water San Diego County contaminations not linked (NC Times, 8/16) "County health officials said Tuesday a recent rash of water contamination cases were just coincidence and not an indication of a rampant, growing problem." Water official seeks probe on nitrate (Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, 8/16) "District assistant general manager Charles Smith said nitrate levels in the water never posed a threat to the public, and he stated that the citation was the result of a misfiled notice of violation, an incompliant employee and glitches in the electronic data transfer system to the DHS." Ventura community to use reclaimed water (Ventura County Star, 8/15) "Leisure Village in Camarillo will become one of the few Ventura County communities to save thousands of dollars in water costs by using reclaimed water for all landscaping in two to three years, officials said Monday."   New Nipomo homes to save water (SLO Tribune, 8/15) "All new homes in the Nipomo area will have to have sink faucets with automatic shutoffs, drip-line irrigation for landscaping and no more than 1,500 square feet of irrigated landscaping – of which only 20 percent can be lawn." Nevadans don't want to gamble with water (Washington Post, 8/15) Thanks to Julio Guerra for this one. "Las Vegas is a parched desert city in a four-year drought, with new residents pouring in at a rate of at least 5,000 per month. So water officials plan to tap a great system of aquifers that form underground lakes in a swath across Nevada, some of them hundreds of miles away." AWWA: Coordinate aldicarb risk assessment (WaterWeek, 8/15) NEWS RELEASE. "In recent comments to USEPA, AWWA called on the agency's Office of Pesticide Programs and Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water to ensure that their separate actions to assess the health risks of aldicarb and its metabolites are 'scientifically consistent.'" —  Across the Globe Water shortage 'a global problem' (BBC, 8/16) "Rich countries face increasing water shortages, a report by conservation organization WWF warns." Sunken tank will provide Glasgow water (The Herald, 8/16) "A massive architectural achievement which created an 80 million litre underground water tank to provide Glasgow's supply was unveiled yesterday. " Irish pollution study blames farms, industry (RTE News, 8/16) "A new report from the Environmental Protection Agency has blamed agricultural run-off and industrial spillages for ongoing contamination in Irish rivers, lakes and groundwater." Indonesia's river water quality declining (Antara News, 8/15) "The quality of water of the rivers in Indonesia has been declining due to contamination, so that water supply became limited, an official said."  —  Surface Water Toxic algae blooms line lakes (Redding Record Searchlight, 8/15) "An outbreak of algae has turned parts of reservoirs along the Klamath River in far Northern California the color of pea soup."  Water board mulls waste in coastal waters (Monterey Herald, 8/16) "It's been against state law for 36 years to discharge 'waste' into coastal waters considered Areas of Special Biological Significance. But what is 'waste,' how much is a discharge, and can the state realistically expect coastal cities and counties to comply with what many see as a zero tolerance policy?" Officials take on Santa Margarita River pollution (Riverside P/E, 8/16) "Concerns over the Santa Margarita River have prompted state officials to monitor worrisome pollution levels in the 744-square-mile region that feeds the historic waterway that runs from Temecula to the ocean." Sanctuaries for fish (San Francisco Chronicle, 8/16) "State wildlife officials voted Tuesday to create a network of fish refuges from Half Moon Bay to Santa Barbara, forging the most ambitious marine-conservation program in the nation." —  Stormwater Storm surge from Katrina is flood, judge says (Washington Post, 8/16) "A federal judge sided with the insurance industry yesterday and against water-battered victims of Hurricane Katrina by ruling that storm-induced surges are floods and therefore not covered by standard homeowner policies." Funding brings Richgrove project to life (Fresno Bee, 8/16) "It's been nearly two decades since officials started plans to build a storm-water system for the small community of Richgrove in southern Tulare County." Report warns of more frequent coastal flooding (YubaNet, 8/15) "The California Climate Action Team has released a summary report of 17 scientific studies examining the potential impacts of climate change on California." St. Helena flood plan bogs down (Napa News, 8/15) "St. Helena city officials are finding themselves in court, again, over the city's flood project." —  Wastewater Sludge dispute grows; L.A. sues Kern County (LA Daily News, 8/16) "To protect its $45 million investment in its sewage-treatment system, Los Angeles filed suit Tuesday against Kern County, where voters have banned the import of sludge on a city-owned farm." Hollister sewer meeting probes options (Hollister Free Lance, 8/15) "A group led by San Benito County Supervisor Jaime De La Cruz presented concerned city residents with alternatives to a $120 million sewer project, but project officials said Monday night they have exhausted all other possibilities, garnering more support for the project."  —  The Nukes Old reactor at Onofre leaked; no danger seen (SD Union Tribune, 8/15) "The San Onofre nuclear power plant's retired reactor has leaked several thousand gallons of radioactive water containing tritium over an unknown period of time, its operator confirmed yesterday." —  Local/Agency News Waade rounds out new MWD management team (MWD, 8/15) NEWS RELEASE. "Rounding out a new executive management team at the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, government and community affairs expert Linda Waade has joined the agency to lead its external affairs and outreach efforts." Water cost vexes some in Dixon (The Reporter, 8/15) "A request for rate increases has been filed by Cal Water, which services part of Dixon, with the PUC to reflect higher costs and water system upgrades for years 2007 through 2010." —  Everything Else Air pollution rapidly killing Joshua trees (The Desert Sun, 8/15) "Writhing stands of Joshua trees like the ones that mesmerize visitors to Joshua Tree National Park have survived thousands of years in the notoriously inhospitable climate just north of the Coachella Valley." AWWA and AWWARF offers report: "Formation of Hydrazine as a Chloramine By-Product" (AWWA, 8/15) NEWS RELEASE. "This report presents results of a study done to evaluate the formation of hydrazine during the chloramination of water and wastewater. Hydrazine is the product of the reaction between chloramine and free ammonia and is classified by the EPA as a “probable human carcinogen” with a 10-6 cancer risk level of 10 ng/L in drinking water. Model simulations were performed to predict hydrazine formation under a variety of water and wastewater treatment and distribution conditions."   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