Sources of San Diego Water

by Zack Ray

San Diego 's water comes from primarily three sources. 10% comes from the yearly rainfall, and the other 90% comes from an aquaduct from Colorado , Lake Havasu , the California Water Project that releases into natural rivers.

Water is treated by one of three treatment plants I San Diego. South San Diego gets water from the Otay Treatment plant, Central San Diego gets water from Alvarado treatment plan in Lake murray , and North County gets water from the Miramar treatment plant. To test water, the Water Department' Water Quality Laoratory uses the latest technology to make sure people get the best water. They are also always testing out the latest technology to ensure the best water.

Desalination, by Rodric S.

Desalination is the removal of salt or other chemicals from something such as water. There are different kinds of desalination and ways to do it. Desalination is one of the many possible effective means to meet our local water crisis. Being that the ocean is so close to us, desalination would be very convienent. Currently there are plans locally to construct a desalination plant in San Diego County.

There are both positive and negatives to the desalination approach. One of the obvious positive effects is the fact that we would be able to produce and distribute our drinking water on a local level and would not have to rely on an out of state distributor and provider. We would also have a near infinite resource of water, being that the ocean is vast and takes up most of the surface area of the earth. One of the negatives is that the construction of the plant would decimate the surrounding wildlife, and small amounts of fish would be killed due to being sucked up into the plant.

Desalination, by Zach Ray

     The worlds water consumption rate is doubling every 20 years, outputting by 2 times the rate of population growth. It is projected that by 2025 water demand will exceed supply by 50% due to persistent regional drought, shifting of the population to urban coastal cities, and water needed for industrial growth. The supply of fresh water is on the decrease. Water demand for food, industry and people is on the rise.

Federal and State Efforts to Conserve Water, by Gisela

The Coastal Commission administers the management of the California coast. San FRancisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission and California State Conservation administer the Calfironai Coastal Management Program (CCMP). The CCMP incorporates a lot of the Coastal Commmion's authority under the Coastal Act. The California Coastal Commission is one of thirty-four federally-approved coastal management programs. The California Coastal Commission is a member of the Coastal States Organizaiton (CSO). The California Coastal Comission is a participant on various CSO subcommittees.

California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, by Jaime

The California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 was established to get cost-effective reductions of greenhouse gases. This act calls for us to publicly report greenhouse gas. There are a lot of states that are teh directors of their organizaitons. CRIS is our voluntary reporting registry. CRIS also reports internationally according to the Kyoto Greenhouse Goals. CRIS proves that California is trying hard to improve.

The San Diego Water Department, by Joselyn

The Water Conservation program educates San Diego on water conservation by providing hte residential water survey program. This program is free to single families and multi family units who pay their water bills to the City of San Diego. The water conservfation representative tours the property and points out the leaks and water saving opportunities. The representative also provides water-saving equipment and information. This program doesn't only reduce the importance of reducing the property's usage of water, but it also educates the society on the importance of water conservation.

Other local governments have the opportunity to take action to reduce global warming. There are examples of local governmnet actions:

• United States Conference of mayors
• Climate Change Protection center
• STrategies and Best practices Guide.
• Cool Cities Program

All over America, communities are taking action to help global warming. Local governmnets are moving forward with innovative energy solutions save taxpayer dollars and create healthier cities. The local leaders are moving America toward a safer and more secure future.

Hydrogen Vehicles: The Future of Transportation

 

What is hydrogen and where does it come from? Hydrogen is the simplest and most plentiful element in existence. It is composed of one proton and one electron revolving around that proton. In hydrogen's gas state it is colorless, odorless, tasteless, non-toxic, and invisible when it burns. It's not necessarily a fuel but a energy carrier. Hydrogen is found in the atmosphere due to it being lighter than air and in all biomass.

 

What is a fuel cell? A fuel cell is able to generate electricity from a catalyst facilitated chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen ion with in a cell. Every fuel cell has two electrodes, one positive and negative ion. Each fuel cell also has an electrolyte, which carries electrically charged particles from the anode to the cathode, and a catalyst which speeds up the process. Fuel cells also require a fuel, in this case oxygen. The great allure of hydrogen is that it is able to generate electricity with a very small amount of pollution. Much of the hydrogen and oxygen atoms used in generating the electricity fuse and become the harmless byproduct we know as water.

 

How does fuel cells work? Hydrogen atoms enter at the anode where a chemical reaction takes place and strips the atoms of their electrons. The hydrogen atoms have now become ionized and carry a positive charge. The negatively charged electrons now provide the current. If AC is required, then the DC output must be put through a device called an inverter.

 

Hydrogen in vehicles: As of now there is around 400 to 500 hydrogen fueled vehicles in the U.S. Most of these vehicles are in California and are buses and other automobiles powered by electric motors. These vehicles carry either hydrogen gas or liquid and convert it into electricity for the motor using fuel cells. Only a small percentage of hydrogen vehicles burn the hydrogen directly. Currently the cost of producing fuel cells holds back mass adoption of hydrogen in vehicles. But as more companies invest in the technology for it's many benefits the price will fall enough for it to be in the hands of the consumer in a matter of years.

 

http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/energyfacts/sources/IntermediateHydrogen.html

http://www.consumerenergycenter.org/transportation/fuelcell/index.html

 

http://www.consumerenergycenter.org/transportation/fuelcell/index.html

Zack Ray

 

San Diego 's water comes from primarily three sources. 10% comes from the yearly rainfall, and the other 90% comes from an aquaduct from Colorado , lake havasu , the ‘CA water project that r releases in to natural rivers.

 

Water is treated by one of three treatment plants I San Diego. South San Diego gets water from the Otay Treatment plant, Central san diego grets water from Alvarado treatment plan in lLake murray , and North gets water from the Miramar treatment plant.

 

To test water, the Water Department' Water Quality Laoratory uses the latest technology to make sure people get the best water.

 

E are also always testgifuring out newthe latest technology to ensure the bets water.

 

Our water supply has a small amount of fluoride naturally.and we also began adding more fluoride to water in 2007l. Lead is not a problem in San Deigo. Lead pipes are not used in any of the City's water supply systems.

Uagga mussels rapidly multiply and clog pips and pumping machinery. They spread so much that is causes way too many problems. I t was once thrught that they were only a problem in the Great Lakes, but the mussel larvae clings to the bottom of boats and has spread to San Vicente in San Diego.

 

 

San Diego BAykeeper by Garrett Hill

 

San Dieg Baykeeper ‘s purpose is to combat chronic pollution of Sa Diego Bay. The once thriving ecosystem is now a highly toxic water body.

 

Sewage spills decreased by 70% and beach closures by 60^ in recent years. Regulations are now considered best practice for California . 29000 San Diegans removed over 140000 pounds of debris through bBaykeepsers. 3000 vollunteers gather critical data. Annually 0000school ages students measure water quality and pollution write pollutin prevention essays.

 

 

Joselyn C: Desalination

 

Desalination is the removal of salt, especially from sea water. Desalination plants are factories generally dependant upon unsustainable energy sources.

 

Neena: Reservoirs:

 

Our lakes are a source for our drinking water. They are water supply reservoirs. They are part of the overall drinking water system. The reservoirs are operated by the Water Department ‘s Water Operations Division. Their topip priority is tto ensure the safety of San Diego 's pulbic water supply.

Garrett Hill: Pathogenic Contamination Project.

 

It's rrare to have an outbreak of water borne pathogens, organism that live in and thrive in water. When they happen tmmmmcan bebe devastating. The 93 Milwaukee Wisonsin suffred an outbreakof cryphsporidium, and over 900,000 got sick and 100 died. Pathogenic contamination Project aims to avoid this problem Funded by the US Environmental Protection Agency and the Public Entity, Risk Institute. The pppp titles “Protecting our Wtaer: a Proposal for Preventing Pathogenic Contamination of Drinking Water Sources” is a major outcome of the project which describes how pathogens spread, how to spot them, and how to prevent them . It also includes six case studies about how communities take action to prent this.

 

Jose Corrales: Reservoirs and Recreation Programs

 

A place for recreational funis a source for our drinking wter. Lakes are water supply reservoirs which are part of the overall drinking water system . The reservoirs and the recreation rpogrmas are operated by the water departments Water Operations Division The top priority is to ensure the safety of San Diego 's pulic water supply. They cCity has offered recreation at its reservoirs since 1913 and is recognized as a leader in the multiple use of water supply reservoirs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

TheBaykeeper dates back to a 19 th Century English tradition. Riverkeepers were wardens of private streams assuring water was healthy, stocked with no poachers.

In 1982 fishermen started water keeper programs in the US . They saw polluters as modern poachers, and they work to progetct public resources.

 

BAykeepers has reduced 70% of beach closures and 70% of sewage spills, removed 70 ons of debris and gathered much more critical and useful data.