Ensuring the city of Santee complies with the Clean Water
Act requires a person with multiple talents and the ability to switch hats when
needed.
Cities are encouraged to increase the public’s awareness
about the vital role individuals play in preventing water-borne pollutants from
harming the watersheds that drains into the San Diego River. In her
role as teacher, Tipton has a strategy for making her message relevant.
“Tying our message to specific community interests (such as
fishing at nearby reservoirs and the San Diego River) is important,” she said.
“That way, you can get user buy-in; then it becomes important to them.”Making the connection between clean water and recreational fishing would be easy if everyone realized how cumulative acts such as littering or dumping soapy water into the storm drain can adversely impact water quality.
“The typical person doesn’t stop to think about the
different layers of how our water system works,” she said.
Beyond public education, Tipton also is required to be a
local water-quality cop. If she sees a construction site without proper erosion
controls, she must stop construction or take other measures to enforce the
state’s strict rules on preventing sediment transport.
The section of the river in Santee is currently listed by
the state as “impaired” due to excess sediment.
“With all the new development that’s going on in Santee,
that’s one of our biggest priorities,” she said. “We’re definitely paying a lot of
attention to that.”
In San Diego County, the state regulates stormwater under a
regional permit that requires all 18 cities and the county to coordinate and
standardize their local regulations. This requires Tipton to be a collaborator.
She developed these skills while she was employed for 8.5
years with the county’s Watershed Protection Program. She was hired by the county after graduating
from San Diego State University with a specialized Bachelor’s degree in
geology, environmental politics and technical writing.
This May, the stormwater manager job became more demanding
and complex when the state adopted new regulations requiring cities to increase
inspections in residential neighborhoods.
“Before we would respond to residential complaints (about illegal
dumping, etc.), but now we have to actually develop and implement a residential
compliance program,” she said.
Tipton, whose first day on the job was Dec. 9, said her
first weeks have been a flurry of activity.“The days go by fast, that’s for sure,” she said. “It’s been go, go, go.”
Editor's note: Tipton is a Santee resident
