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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPipeline 03 - Fall 2024T H E O T AY W ATER DISTRICT • P R OUDLY SERVING E A ST C OUNT Y AND TH E S OUTH B A Y SINC E 1956 A NE W SLETTE R FOR CUSTOMERS OF T HE O TAY WATER DISTRICT FALL 2024 Dedicated to Community Service FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE OTAY WATER DISTRICT CALL (619) 670-2222 OR GO TO OTAYWATER.GOV The Pipeline Newsletter is published quartely by the Otay Water District and can also be found online at otaywater.gov. Copywright ©2024 Otay Water District. All rights reserved. From Soldiers to Water WarriorsCareer Opportunities Await in the Water Industry We hope military members in the Otay Water District service area and beyond had a great Veterans Day! We extend our deepest gratitude for your service and sacrifices. Although Veterans Day was observed on Nov. 11, the District celebrates veterans every day! We are proud to welcome veterans and transitioning military to the public water and wastewater sector. Those who seek to transfer their skills and expertise can enjoy diverse career opportunities, a competitive salary and benefits, and excellent job stability. Aging infrastructure and workforce in the water industry, combined with more than 250,000 members leaving the military each year, prompted the District and the San Diego County Water Authority to cosponsor Assembly Bill 1588, which passed in 2019, to ensure that veterans transitioning into civilian water and wastewater operator occupations receive the appropriate crediting for experience and education gained during military service. If you are a veteran seeking a rewarding civilian career that utilizes your military- acquired certifications and experience, or if you know a veteran who might benefit, consider exploring or sharing opportunities in the water industry. There are various avenues available. Information and resources for veterans transitioning to the water industry are available at SanDiegoWaterWorks.org and bit.ly/VetRec. For current job listings at the District, visit otaywater.gov/job-opportunities. Keeping Your Water Flowing and Maximizing Efficiencies to Minimize Rates Delivering reliable water 24/7 is our top priority. To maintain and upgrade the District’s pipelines and facilities and to cover the increasing costs of purchasing water from the District’s wholesale water and energy providers, rate adjustments are necessary. Wholesale water, utility prices, and the cost of chemicals used in water operations have increased. This includes an overall average 14% rate increase in the price of water from the San Diego County Water Authority, a proposed 4.2% rate increase for recycled water from the City of San Diego, and an estimated 7% increase in energy prices from San Diego Gas & Electric. While these costs must be passed on, the District works hard to lessen the impact of higher rates on you by drawing from reserves, cutting costs, reducing staff, and prioritizing critical projects. As a nonprofit government agency, we only charge what it costs to provide water service. Your bill directly supports reliable service and infrastructure. Learn more at otaywater.gov/working-to-keep-rates-low. Delivering Millions in Savings Net Cumulative Savings: $78.5 Million Through staffing reductions and operational efficiencies, we’ve saved $78,469,000 since 2008. Reducing Water Loss and Saving Money Leak Detection & Repair Our program has reduced water loss by 38%, saving an average of $1.4 million annually. Leveraging Technology for Cost-Effectiveness Automated Meter Reading Our advanced technology boosts productivity by 300%, reducing costs and improving service. Optimizing Operations through Workforce Management Staff Reductions A 16.5% workforce reduction since 2007 has significantly contributed to cost savings. “Serving in the military fostered a sense of camaraderie with my fellow service members that I will always cherish. It instilled foundational principles like commitment, character, trust, and discipline. Choosing to continue my career in the public sector allowed me to extend that dedication to serving local communities, providing services that enrich and nurture lives,” said Michael Kerr, former U.S. Navy Machinist Mate and current District Information Technology Manager. REBA T E SPO T L I G H T Italian-Inspired Garden Wins WaterSmart Landscape Contest Chula Vista resident Shannon Nembach is Otay’s 2024 WaterSmart Landscape Contest winner for transforming her outdoor space into a lush garden with pea gravel walkways and water-wise features that attract native wildlife. As the original homeowner since 2002, she has made significant upgrades to the front, side, and back yards. Her front yard features a small riverbed and bright green water-wise plants. The side yard includes a retaining wall, a concrete patio with an entry gate, an outdoor fireplace, and a large canopy that wraps around a long dining table near the fireplace, where she hosts family dinners. In the backyard, a cascade waterfall flows down a sloped hill into a pond. Raised planters for growing vegetables are in the center near a sitting area, and low- water-use shrubs add color throughout the space. Rainwater provides enough water during winter and spring to leave the irrigation system off. As a result, her home’s water usage has decreased by about 42% when comparing the last 11 years to the first 11 years. Read her full story and see photos at bit.ly/ WSLC24. Rain Barrels and Cisterns Rain is a terrible thing to waste — harvest it with a rain barrel or cistern! Otay offers a $50 rebate on rain barrels and $300-$450 on cisterns. Collecting and reusing rainwater for your plants saves water and minimizes the amount of water flowing into storm drains, sewer systems, and local waterways. For details and to apply, visit otaywater.gov/conservation-programs. Water theft can result in significant fines and criminal or civil prosecution. Stealing from an Otay Water District fire hydrant, fire service, or blow off is essentially stealing from customers. Such actions can harm the District’s water distribution system and make hydrants and fire system components ineffective to firefighters. Penalties could include fines up to $5,000 and all costs associated with investigating, documenting the crime, and replacing damaged equipment. Customers found stealing water will also be charged for the amount used. See something, say something! Ending hydrant-tapping activities is crucial to safeguarding our resources. The District has the technology and procedures in place to identify water theft and appreciates the public’s help in reporting suspicious activities. If you are aware or suspicious of water theft occuring, please contact customer service at (619) 670-2222. Help Protect Our Water Report Water Theft Nan Sterman is a garden expert, author, designer, and educator. Nan leads international garden tours, is the author of several books, and hosts the show A Growing Passion on KPBS TV, waterwisegardener.com Nan StermanWaterwiseGardenerYou probably think of marigolds as sunny garden plants with bright orange, golden yellow, or bright yellow pom-pom flowers. These marigolds are annual plants that live their entire lives over one season; they sprout from seed in late spring, then grow, flower, and die by the end of summer. Annual marigolds are great in pollinator gardens and vegetable gardens, but sadly, once they finish blooming and the weather starts to cool, they disappear. If you weren’t ready to bid marigolds goodbye at the end of summer — and I hope you didn’t — consider adding perennial marigolds to your garden. These evergreen shrubs are native from the southwest down into South America. They are drought resilient, thrive in full sun, and bloom as the weather cools, perfect to cut for holiday buffets. And like their annual cousins, perennial marigolds support a host of pollinators. Three species of perennial marigolds to try in your garden include: 1) Tagetes lemmonii (Mexican Bush Marigold, MexicanMountain Marigold, Copper Canyon Marigold)Mexican bush marigold is a beautiful, gold-flowering perennial with feathery green leaves that releases a strong citrus/mint/spice fragrance when crushed. Upright branches sprout from the base and develop profuse clusters of sunny golden-yellow flowers at the tip. Bloom starts in late summer and peaks in fall. In milder winter gardens, plants continue to bloom on and off year-round, especially if you promptly remove faded flowers. This evergreen shrub grows 3 to 5 feet tall by 4 to 8 feet wide. 2)Tagetes lucida (Mexican Marigold, Mexican Tarragon)Mexican tarragon is not true tarragon but is nonetheless grownfor its beauty and splendid culinary uses. Crush the deep greenleaves, stems, or roots, and you’ll understand the reference totarragon. It isn’t identical to tarragon — more like strong tarragoncrossed with licorice and a touch of citrus — but close enough totarragon for most recipes, whether steeping tea, adding to bakedgoods, or mixing into savory dishes. Use a smaller quantity of themarigold than the tarragon a recipe calls for since the marigoldflavor compounds are far stronger than tarragon. At just 3 feet tall and wide, Mexican tarragon is excellent in a flower border. These plantshave upright branches densely clothed in green leaves. Starting in fall, every branch is topped in a small cluster of diminutive golden yellow flowers that peak in spring. While the flowers are pretty, they aren’t as large or as prolific as Mexican bush marigold or Mayan marigold flowers. 3)Tagetes nelsonii (Mayan Marigold, Citrus-Scented Marigold)Mayan marigold is a lanky, multi-stemmed shrub with long,arching branches that can reach 8 feet long, but bend, weep, androot where they touch the ground. A single plant can fill a space4 to 8 feet wide and at least 6 feet tall. When these plants look ragged, either cut the stems back to a branching point or cut them to just a few inches above the ground. They quickly resprout. Mayan marigold’s ability to root makes propagation easy. First, find a spot where a branch has rooted itself and tug gently (don’t pull it out) to ensure that the roots are well established. Then, clip the rooted stem on the side towards the mother plant. Leave the newly independent rooted plant in place for a month or two to allow for roots to expand and the plant to adjust to making its own food. After that, dig the little plant to pot up, replant it in your garden, or share it with a friend. Mayan marigold foliage’s fragrance is citrusy, cinnamon, and spicy, much like copper canyon marigold. Its golden yellow flowers are edible and make a gorgeous garnish. I cut long stems of Mayan marigolds to use in Thanksgiving flower arrangements. How to Grow Perennial MarigoldsAll these wonderful perennial marigolds grow best in full sun. Keep the soil damp (not wet) for the first year, after which water deeply but only occasionally. Inline drip irrigation is perfect for all perennial marigolds. To keep these shrubs from growing too leggy, pinch tips back early in the growing season, before flower buds develop. Later, you can remove spent flowers to promote new blooms. After flowering, cut branches back by a third. Few, if any, pests bother these plants - just another reason to grow perennial marigolds! Brighten Your Fall Garden with Perennial Marigolds Read more by Nan Sterman at otaywater.gov/waterwise-gardener FOLLOW OTAY WATER ON... / SIGA AL DISTRITO DE AGUA DE OTAY EN... OTAY WATER DISTRICT – Board of Directors The Board of Directors meets the first Wednesday of the month at 3:30 p.m. in the board meeting room at 2554 Sweetwater Springs Boulevard, Spring Valley, CA 91978. The public is encouraged to attend or watch the live stream at otaywater.gov. PresidentJose Lopez, Division 4jlopez@otaywater.gov TreasurerMark Robak, Division 5mrobak@otaywater.gov Board MemberFrancisco X. Rivera, Division 1frivera@otaywater.gov Board MemberDelfina Gonzalez, Division 2dgonzalez@otaywater.gov Board MemberGary Croucher, Division 3gcroucher@otaywater.gov FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE OTAY WATER DISTRICT CALL (619) 670-2222 OR GO TO OTAYWATER.GOV The Pipeline Newsletter is published quartely by the Otay Water District and can also be found online at otaywater.gov. Copywright ©2024 Otay Water District. All rights reserved. De soldados a guerreros del aguaOportunidades de trabajo en la industria del agua ¡Esperamos que los miembros del servicio militar en el área de servicio del Distrito de Agua de Otay y más allá hayan tenido un gran Día de los Veteranos! Nuestro más sincero agradecimiento por su servicio y sacrificios. Aunque el Día de los Veteranos se celebró el pasado 11 de noviembre, el Distrito celebra a los veteranos todos los días. Estamos orgullosos de dar la bienvenida a veteranos y militares en transición al sector público de agua y aguas residuales. Aquellos que buscan transferir sus habilidades y experiencia pueden tener acceso a diversas oportunidades profesionales, un salario y beneficios competitivos, y una excelente estabilidad laboral. El envejecimiento de la infraestructura y la fuerza laboral en la industria del agua, combinado con más de 250,000 miembros que abandonan el ejército cada año, impulsó al Distrito y la San Diego County Water Authority a copatrocinar el Proyecto de Ley 1588 de la Asamblea, que se aprobó en 2019, para garantizar que los veteranos que cambian a ocupaciones de operadores civiles de agua y aguas residuales reciban el crédito apropiado por la experiencia y la educación adquirida durante su servicio militar. Si usted es un veterano que busca una carrera gratificante como civil utilizando la certificación y la experiencia que adquirió en el ejército, considere las oportunidades que le brinda la industria del agua. Hay varias oportunidades disponibles. La información y los recursos para los veteranos que hacen la transición a la industria del agua están disponibles en SanDiegoWaterWorks.org y bit.ly/VetRec. Para ver la lista completa de trabajos disponibles en el Distrito, por favor visite otaywater.gov/job-opportunities. Mantener el flujo del agua y maximizar la eficiencia para reducir las tarifas Nuestra prioridad es proveer agua fiable las 24 horas del día, los 7 días de la semana. Para mantener y mejorar las tuberías e instalaciones, es necesario realizar ajustes de tarifas para cubrir los costos crecientes de comprar agua a los proveedores mayoristas de agua y energía del Distrito. El agua al mayoreo, los precios de los servicios públicos y el costo de los productos químicos que se utilizan en las operaciones de agua han aumentado. Esto incluye un incremento promedio general del 14 % en el precio del agua proveniente de la San Diego County Water Authority; un aumento propuesto del 4.2 % para el agua reciclada de la ciudad de San Diego; y un aumento estimado del 7 % en los precios de la energía de San Diego Gas & Electric. Si bien estos costos se deben trasladar, el Distrito trabaja arduamente para disminuir el impacto de las tarifas más altas en usted al recurrir a las reservas, recortar costos, reducir el personal y priorizar proyectos críticos. Como agencia gubernamental sin fines de lucro, solo cobramos lo que cuesta brindar el servicio de agua. Su factura respalda directamente un servicio e infraestructura confiables. Obtenga más información en otaywater.gov/manteniendo-las-tarifas-bajas. Ahorros millonariosAhorros netos acumulados: $78.5 millones Gracias a las reducciones de personal y a las eficiencias operativas hemos ahorrado $78,469,000 desde 2008. Reducción de la pérdida de agua y ahorro de dinero Detección y reparación de fugas Nuestro programa ha reducido la pérdida de agua en un 38%, un ahorro promedio de $1.4 million cada año. Impulsando la tecnología para lograr mayor rentabilidadLectura automática de medidoresNuestra tecnología avanzada aumenta la productividad en un 300%. Esto reduce los costos y mejora el servicio. Optimización de las operaciones mediante la gestión de la fuerza de trabajoReducciones de personalUna reducción del 16.5% de la fuerza de trabajo desde 2007 ha contribuido considerablemente a la reducción de costos. “Servir en el ejército fomentó un sentido de camaradería con mis compañeros de servicio que siempre apreciaré. Además, inculcó principios básicos como el compromiso, el carácter, la confianza y la disciplina. Al continuar mi carrera en el sector público pude extender esa dedicación al servicio de las comunidades locales, brindando servicios que enriquecen y mejoran vidas”, mencionó Michael Kerr, ex oficial de maquinista de la Marina de los Estados Unidos y gerente de tecnología de la información del Distrito.