All Features

Behind-the-scenes stories about regional water issues, projects, and people.

Hagekhalil-Water Authority-MWD-Come Together

MWD GM Hagekhalil: “We Need to Work Together”

The San Diego County Water Authority Board of Directors welcomed new Metropolitan Water District of Southern California General Manager Adel Hagekhalil at its June 24 meeting. Hagekhalil was greeted with applause and smiles during the meeting and at a reception at the Water Authority’s San Diego headquarters. Board Chair Gary Croucher called Hagekhalil’s appointment a […]

Sweetwater Authority-Landscape Makeover-Native Plants-Drought

Native Plants Highlight Sweetwater Landscape Contest Winner

Chula Vista resident Paul Rodriguez gave up struggling to maintain his thirsty green lawn in favor of a new landscape design featuring California native plants and shrubs. The Sweetwater Authority Board of Directors selected Rodriguez’s makeover as its 2021 Landscape Makeover winner. The WaterSmart Landscape Contest is an opportunity for homeowners to showcase landscape designs […]

Rosalie Dosik-Helix Water District-Landscape Contest-WaterSmart

Unused Pool Transformed into Helix Water District 2021 Landscape Contest Winner

Mount Helix homeowner Rosalie Dosik turned her unused pool into a waterwise backyard oasis and the winning project in the Helix Water District 2021 WaterSmart Landscape Contest. The annual competition recognizes outstanding water-wise residential landscapes based on overall attractiveness, design, efficient irrigation, and appropriate plant selection and maintenance. Dosik’s bright and textured landscape represents years […]

Hydrozones-Conservation Corner-landscaping

Know the Hydrozone Game Rules

Hydrozones are the different areas of your landscaping where plants with similar irrigation needs are grouped together.  This allows you to apply water as efficiently as possible through rainwater catchment, supplemented by irrigation, while avoiding unnecessary and wasteful overwatering. Sun exposure, slopes, and plant root depths need to be taken into consideration along with plant […]

Gary Croucher-Board Chair-San Diego County Water Authority-Primary

San Diego Region is Drought-Safe This Summer

Statewide drought conditions are highlighting the value of regionally and locally controlled water supplies in San Diego County, where the Water Authority announced June 21 that the region is protected from drought impacts this summer, and through 2045, despite continued hot and dry conditions. No shortages or regional water-use mandates are in the forecast – […]

Water Is Life-poster contest-Helix Water District

Helix Water District “Water is Life” Student Poster Contest Winners

The Helix Water District Board of Directors June 16, honored East County student artists for their winning “Water Is Life” posters in an online awards ceremony. Southern California students in kindergarten through eighth grade are invited to participate in their regional water agency’s Student Poster Art Contest to increase awareness about water conservation. This year, […]

Everett’s California Fuchhia is an example of a plant that doesn't like to have wet feet, meaning roots sitting in water. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Get Down to the Roots Of Your Landscaping

Plants don’t literally have feet to take them on a walk, but landscapers often refer to a plant’s “feet,” or their roots. Plants like – and need – water on their roots to thrive. While plants absorb water through their leaves, it’s not very efficient due to evaporation. Roots absorb the bulk of water a […]

Gary Croucher-Board Chair-San Diego County Water Authority-Primary

Controlling the Budget and Water Rates in a Challenging Era

As we head into summer, we look forward to the continued retreat of COVID-19 and a full return to baseball games, barbeques, and graduation celebrations. We also take a moment to remember that those things we cherish about San Diego County are all based on a reliable supply of water. It is the foundation of […]

Gracie Chillag of Heritage Charter School placed second in the 2021 Student Poster Contest. Photo: City of Escondido Water awareness Artwork

Water Awareness Artwork Wins Escondido Student Poster Contest

Twelve winning student artists from Escondido area elementary schools follow in a long tradition of fourth-graders entering the annual City of Escondido Student Poster Contest. Students were asked to depict the 2021 contest theme “Love Water, Save Water” to illustrate the value of water resources through creative, hand-drawn art. The winning students and their teachers […]

Grouping plants together by water needs by matching microcliimates creates efficient irrigation. Photo: Water Authority

Microclimate Matching in Your Landscaping Plan

Earlier in our Conservation Corner series, we described how to map the different types of microclimates present in your landscaping. Using this information helps homeowners arrange plants in a new sustainable landscape. For the most efficient water use, plants should be grouped together with similar water needs according to their preferred microclimate. In nature, plants […]

Metropolitan Water District of Southern California-Adel Hagekhalil-GM

Water Authority Congratulates New MWD GM Adel Hagekhalil

On June 8, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California Board of Directors voted to approve Adel Hagekhalil as the next General Manager replacing Jeff Kightlinger, who announced his retirement. Hagekhalil is scheduled to meet with the San Diego County Water Authority’s Board of Directors at its June 24 board meeting.  The San Diego County […]

Learn to match plant choices to your microclimate map. Photo: Charlie Neuman, Water Authority

How to Choose Plants for Landscape Microclimates

Every garden has completely different cultivation characteristics, even those located in the same general climate zone. For example, there will be areas where plants will flourish. Numerous features affect your growing conditions. Structures, walls, fences, and other plants can affect the amount of sun and shade in a garden. There can be hills and hollows […]

Attract pollinators to your watersmart landscaping with native plants such as milkweed. Photo: Erin Lindley

Attracting Pollinators to Your Garden

Flowering plants rely on insects, birds, and other creators for pollination. In turn, plants attracting pollinators feed and house beneficial insects like bees and butterflies, and nectar-loving birds like hummingbirds. Some bugs eat too much, destroying their plant hosts and spreading disease. Other beneficial insects fight off the destructive species, eating them or disrupting their […]

An employee looks into a section of pipeline. One of the projects receiving an award.

Water Authority Wins Four Awards for Outstanding Projects

The American Public Works Association and American Society of Civil Engineers recently presented the San Diego County Water Authority with four awards for construction projects that exemplified outstanding skill, dedication and collaboration from staff in many departments. All of the projects were underway or completed during the COVID-19 pandemic, and project teams navigated shutdowns, adapted […]

Student poster contest winner Emaline Kennedy illustrated her entry with low water use plants. Photo: Vista Irrigation District Contests

Vista Irrigation District Contests Award Student Scholarships, Art Prizes

Eight North San Diego County high school seniors and three fourth-grade students were the winners of two separate Vista Irrigation District sponsored contests. Kulpreet Chhoker from Mission Vista High School, Kylie Konyn from St. Joseph Academy, and Delanee Haskins from North County Trade Tech High School each received $2,000 as winners of the Vista Irrigation […]