Water Wednesday

Join EBMUD’s Water Wednesday webinar for a deep dive into the critical issues of sea level rise, climate change, nutrient removal, and the urgent need to upgrade aging wastewater infrastructure. This informative session will feature EBMUD’s staff sharing their insights on how these factors intersect, impacting you and the future of wastewater management. Don't miss this opportunity to learn about EBMUD’s plan to ensure a resilient future, protecting public health and the San Francisco Bay.

Join us on November 15, 2023 at 6 p.m. Register for the free Zoom webinar here.

If you’ve ever been in the middle of a water main break, you know it’s no joke. Main breaks are dangerous, difficult, and dirty. They can significantly affect the water supply for whole neighborhoods for hours. Crews must respond quickly, working through mud, debris, and fast-flowing water to discover the source and make the repair.  Join us to find out how EBMUD crews repair main breaks, the planning that goes into preventing breaks, and how a single glass bottle can stop extreme water pressure.

With drought constantly looming in California, EBMUD has to consider every option. In the next episode of Water Wednesday, we focus on, what for some countries, is the answer to drought - recycled water. We will have experts from the WateReuse Association, EBMUD and Central Contra Costa Sanitary District, to discuss how recycled water is used around the world, in California and the East Bay.

Lafayette Reservoir sees more than a million visitors each year. Loved for its natural beauty, the Reservoir has an interesting past, a great present, and a fun-filled future. 

The wet winter gave us a relief from the drought, making now a great time to reevaluate your landscape and plan for the future. Did you know that water use spikes in the summer because many residents use 50% of their water outdoors? 

Rain and snow may fall freely from the sky, but getting water to you is not a simple proposition. What goes into bringing water to 1.4 million people 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year? As we have for 100 years, EBMUD is finding new and better ways to improve our pipes, pumps, and other facilities to ensure we provide you with reliable water and wastewater services. During this webinar, we  explain how we do what we do and what it costs. 

After nearly three years of drought, the East Bay received an historic amount of snowfall and rainfall. EBMUD experts provided a water supply update and discussed how we are preparing and managing the weather extremes. 

Water is a vital necessity that touches every facet of our lives. But just how valuable is this precious natural resource and the infrastructure that supports it? And how can utilities like EBMUD balance society’s thirst for water with the resources needed to deliver it, especially in the face of growing government regulations, affordability concerns and a changing climate?

This Water Wednesday webinar features David Sedlak, professor at UC Berkeley’s College of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Director of the Berkeley Water Center, Laurel Firestone, board member of the California State Water Resources Control Board, Sophia Skoda, EBMUD Director of Finance, and EBMUD General Manager Clifford Chan, who moderated the conversation. 

EBMUD Water Wednesday webinars feature expert discussions about drought, water supply, water quality, conservation, low-water gardening, and much more. 

Learn about the rich history of the Orinda Water Treatment Plant as well as future improvements as we plan for the next 100 years.

Watch previous Water Wednesdays on YouTube.

Water Wednesday: Seeking the Source

EBMUD's drinking water makes an incredible journey to arrive at our taps.  As drought and climate change generate renewed interest in where our water comes from some people are taking extraordinary steps to seek the source.

Join the conversation with local “water walkers” John Silva and Nina Gordon-Kirsch as we learn about their recent 200 plus mile adventure tracing the entire length of the Mokelumne River to call attention and raise awareness to the value of our water supplies.

EBMUD’s Casey Del Rey, a Supervising Fisheries & Wildlife Biologist, joins the discussion to share what proactive measures EBMUD is taking to protect our watershed and the surrounding natural environment. 

Water Wednesday: Demystifying Desal

“Water, water, everywhere, Nor any drop to drink”- poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge  

In areas surrounded by water, why are water agencies still scrambling during drought years? Desalination, “desal,” seems like the panacea for areas where ocean water is abundant and yet many coastal water agencies are not currently pursuing this technology.  

Find out in EBMUD’s next Water Wednesday where desal fits into our long-term water supply goals from Senior Civil Engineer, Hasan Abdullah; and hear from leading experts in the future of desal technology, Meagan Mauter, Ph.D., Stanford; and Jenn Stokes-Draut Ph.D., Lawrence Berkeley Lab, about desal’s challenges and possible solutions.  

WATCH: "Demystifying Desal" Water Wednesday on YouTube.

Water Wednesday: Fire fight

It is the "hottest" topic in California… Fire. As we face what are now annual wildfires throughout the Golden State, find out what East Bay MUD and East Bay Regional Park District are doing to prevent fires in our watershed and learn how we ensure a reliable water supply during times of high fire risk. Vegetation Management is the key to reducing fuel for these wildfires that can affect our water supplies and the region's wellbeing.

WATCH: "Fire Fight" Water Wednesday on YouTube.