KPBS News has learned the California Air Board has been under-estimating greenhouse gases from San Diego County landfills. Landfills create methane gas – 21 times more potent as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions from S.D. Landfills Underestimated Apr 03, 2008

Based on gas capture rates KPBS obtained from county landfill operators, the real emissions were much higher than the estimates.

 

Year 1990 2004

Population 1,110,600 1,291,700 (16% I)

Avg. weekday VhMiTr

28,200,800 38,362,000 (35% I)

  GHG tons per year GHG tons per year

Waste 742,100 1,221,000 (63% I)

Trans 6,127,300 7,864,800 (28% I)

Energy 4,789,000 7,159,800 (49% I)

Total CO2 11,658,400 15,245,600 (30% I)

Water we doing? Water we doing? Bank Robbery!Bank Robbery!

Where does your water originate?Where does your water originate?

How much does it cost?How much does it cost?

What happens to it when you finish with What happens to it when you finish with it?it?

•It takes energy to move It takes energy to move and purify water. The and purify water. The California Energy California Energy Commission notes that Commission notes that ““moving water around the moving water around the state takes up to 40 % of state takes up to 40 % of the total electricity supplythe total electricity supply”” for the state of California. for the state of California.

MWD's net power use for 2006

MWD diverted 632 kaf of CRA water [200B gallons], and it used 1,230 GWh to divert this

amount of water at a total cost of $6.8M.

MWD took 1.51 maf of SWP water [500B gallons], used 4,500 GWh to transport this amount at a

total cost of $198M.

MWD used 80 GWh to distribute and treat the water at a total cost of $8.7M.

 

 Amy Chen, P.E.

MWD Program Chief San Diego County Water Authority

Metropolitan Water District (MWD)

•Water is pumped through Water is pumped through 2,890 miles of water lines 2,890 miles of water lines within the Citywithin the City

• 175 million gallons per day of 175 million gallons per day of wastewater is pumped to the wastewater is pumped to the Point Loma Wastewater Point Loma Wastewater Treatment Plant. Treatment Plant.

•This requires nearly 60% of the This requires nearly 60% of the City public workCity public work’’s electricity s electricity budget.budget.

MWD MWD ““The Pursuit of The Pursuit of BalanceBalance””

SF Bay Delta levees SF Bay Delta levees SuboptimizedSuboptimized

FREE VIDEO!

Metropolitan Water Districtof Southern California

• Wholesale water provider – 1928

• 2 MAF – 650 billion gallons : how about a 1 cent/gallon levee??????

½ annual regional demand• 26 Member Agencies• 18 million residents• 5,200 square miles

• The Point Loma outfall currently discharges effluent (treated sewage) five The Point Loma outfall currently discharges effluent (treated sewage) five miles offshore of San Diego; however, it has been treated only to advanced miles offshore of San Diego; however, it has been treated only to advanced primary levels. The CWA requires all cities in the United States to treat primary levels. The CWA requires all cities in the United States to treat their sewage to secondary levels before discharging it into rivers, lakes, their sewage to secondary levels before discharging it into rivers, lakes, etc. But for the last few years, San Diego has argued that these standards etc. But for the last few years, San Diego has argued that these standards are unreasonable for coastal cities with deep ocean outfalls far offshore.are unreasonable for coastal cities with deep ocean outfalls far offshore.

SAN DIEGO – The city of San Diego is the state's last holdout from a SAN DIEGO – The city of San Diego is the state's last holdout from a federal law (CWA) requiring secondary treatment for sewage federal law (CWA) requiring secondary treatment for sewage discharged into the ocean. discharged into the ocean.

San Diego gained that status after two Central Coast agencies San Diego gained that status after two Central Coast agencies recently committed to complying with the mandate. About 40 recently committed to complying with the mandate. About 40 sewage treatment plants statewide pump their effluent into the sewage treatment plants statewide pump their effluent into the Pacific Ocean.Pacific Ocean.

SAN DIEGO, CaliforniaSAN DIEGO, California, 2007 - The city of San Diego will spend , 2007 - The city of San Diego will spend over $1 billion to improve its aging sewer system and prevent over $1 billion to improve its aging sewer system and prevent future spills of raw, untreated sewage into local streams, the future spills of raw, untreated sewage into local streams, the ocean, and city streets," said the EPA assistant administrator for ocean, and city streets," said the EPA assistant administrator for enforcement and compliance assurance. enforcement and compliance assurance. "When this suit was initiated, the city was "When this suit was initiated, the city was averaging a sewage averaging a sewage spill a day and gaining national notorietyspill a day and gaining national notoriety for massive spills for massive spills like the 34 million gallon spill into Adobe Creek and the San Diego like the 34 million gallon spill into Adobe Creek and the San Diego River," said Coastkeeper Executive Director Bruce Reznik.River," said Coastkeeper Executive Director Bruce Reznik.

SeriousSerious Issues toIssues to PonderPonder How do decisions we make in California affect the environment How do decisions we make in California affect the environment

in other parts of the world?in other parts of the world? The impact of our public policy, business and individual The impact of our public policy, business and individual

decisions is profound.decisions is profound. The decision, for example, not to drill for oil off California's The decision, for example, not to drill for oil off California's

coastline has wide public support, for good reason. It allows coastline has wide public support, for good reason. It allows California to preserve its wondrously scenic coastal beauty.California to preserve its wondrously scenic coastal beauty.

But the demand for gasoline continues to increase in the state - But the demand for gasoline continues to increase in the state - California drivers use 42.6 million gallons a day. California drivers use 42.6 million gallons a day.

It has to come from somewhere!It has to come from somewhere! Your own ecological footprint can be calculated in acres on the Your own ecological footprint can be calculated in acres on the

Web site Web site www.myfootprint.org. The result of my wife and me living in a 2,000-square-foot home, driving only one car, one of us usually using public transportation (or bike) except to travel occasionally by air, and seldom eating meat is that we would still need 3.4 planets if everyone in the world lived this way.

http://www.sacbee.com/static/live/news/projects/denial/

1.Understand San Diego’s Climate and Geological Limitations.

2.Set Priority Uses for Water.

3.Correct the Myth That the Region Has an Unlimited Supply of Water.

• http:// www. sandiego.gov/ http:// www. sandiego.gov/ environmental- servicesenvironmental- services

• http://www. sandiego.gov/water/http://www. sandiego.gov/water/

• Linda Giannelli Pratt, ChiefLinda Giannelli Pratt, Chief Office of Environmental ProtectionOffice of Environmental Protection

– LPratt@sandiego.govLPratt@sandiego.gov

Do unto future Do unto future generations as generations as we would we would wantwant

them to do them to do unto usunto us