By Don Zdeba Accomplishing the objectives of the 2014 Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) presents significant and sometimes unique challenges. According to the State Department of Water Resources (DWR) Bulletin 118, the Indian Well Valley Basin is one of twenty-one basins characterized as being a “high priority basin in critical overdraft.” Indian Wells Valley presents… Continue Reading “Searching for Solutions”
By Don Zdeba Much like the title of the 2009 film starring Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin, and Steve Martin, the groundwater situation in the Indian Wells Valley can be summed up in two words…” it’s complicated.” As one of the 21 basins determined by the California Department of Water Resources (“DWR”) to be in critical… Continue Reading “It’s Complicated”
DISTRICT INITIATES LAWSUIT TO DETERMINE WATER RIGHTS The Indian Wells Valley Water District (“District”) is initiating a water rights lawsuit to resolve the long-standing conditions in the Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Basin (“Basin”) where water use has exceeded groundwater supply for years. This lawsuit is referred to as a “comprehensive adjudication” and should determine… Continue Reading PRESS RELEASE – June 16, 2021
By Don Zdeba By now you will have received the initial bill from the Water District (“District”) that includes a line entitled “GA Fees”. Due to limited spacing available on our bill, the total listed includes the Groundwater Extraction, or “Pumping”, Fee, and the Replenishment Fee. The Groundwater Extraction Fee, adopted by the Indian Wells… Continue Reading “Achieving Water Sustainability Comes at a Cost”
By Don Zdeba The subject of my columns has always focused on water-related issues. However, as I began to write this, the Governor announced a large part of our state would be subjected to another shutdown order that could last through the holidays impacting an array of activities in areas facing critical care shortages. Eleven… Continue Reading “2020 – A Year Like No Other”
By Don Zdeba The Indian Wells Valley Groundwater Authority (“Authority”) has taken actions recently with regards to fees that will affect customers of the Indian Wells Valley Water District (“District”). These are pass-through fees implemented by the Authority. Though they will appear on your water bill, the money collected goes to the Authority and not… Continue Reading “Impact of IWVGA Fees on District Customers”
By Don Zdeba There is a quote attributed to renowned management theorist Peter Drucker to the effect that “what gets measured gets managed.” That is the foundation of the automated metering infrastructure (AMI) project Indian Wells Valley Water District has recently completed and the companion WaterSmart® customer platform being rolled out this month. By now,… Continue Reading “Water Wise with WaterSmart”
January 3, 2020 There has been some misinformation pertaining to the proposed water use targets set by Senate Bill 606 (Hertzberg) and Assembly Bill 1668 (Friedman). The Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) has issued a news release addressing some of the incorrect information. Click here to read the post.
By Don Zdeba “It’s always something” are words Gilda Radner made famous with her character of Roseanne Roseannadanna on Saturday Night Live in the late 70’s. The same can be said for the regulatory world when it comes to water in California. While the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, or “SGMA”, has been the hot topic… Continue Reading “It’s Always Something”
By Don Zdeba “I Feel the Earth Move” is a song written and recorded by Carole King. Carole felt it move for a different reason (“I feel my heart start to trembling whenever you’re around”) than we recently did. It has been over two months since our community “felt the earth move” from the significant… Continue Reading “I Feel the Earth Move”