Six students from schools in the Otay Water District are the winners of the annual Student Poster Contest. More than 53 students submitted entries from schools in Chula Vista, El Cajon, and Spring Valley. The poster art depicts the value of water and using water wisely.
Six students from schools in the Otay Water District are the winners of the annual Student Poster Contest. More than 53 students submitted entries from schools in Chula Vista, El Cajon, and Spring Valley. The poster art depicts the value of water and using water wisely.
Students in all grades were asked to create and submit a poster illustrating the theme “Being water wise is…” The District selected winners for the elementary and middle school categories. No high school entries were submitted.
“We are impressed by the representation of water conservation and stewardship in each participant’s artwork,” said Eileen Salmeron, communications assistant and contest coordinator. “Through this program, we find confidence that the young generations have a great awareness of the importance of taking good care of our most precious resource for the future needs of our region.”
First place: Sophia Garvida, seventh grade, Bonita Vista Middle School. Photo: Otay Water District
Second place: Andrian Oraha, sixth grade, Hillsdale Middle School. Photo: Otay Water District
Third place: Alyssa Burkard, sixth grade, Hillsdale Middle School. Photo: Otay Water District
First place: Elias Mendoza, fifth grade, Thurgood Marshall Elementary School. Photo: Otay Water District
Second place: Katherine Soehn, sixth grade, Thurgood Marshall Elementary School. Photo: Otay Water District
Third place: Sofia Cardenas Loera, fifth grade, STEAM Academy. Photo: Otay Water District
The six winners will be honored at the Otay Water District monthly Board of Directors meeting on Wednesday, August 2. Each winner will receive a gift card, certificate, art kit, and goody bag.
In addition, the winning posters are entered in the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California’s annual student poster contest. MWD selects posters from participating water agencies across Southern California to feature in its 2024 regional student art calendar.
Otay Water District students have an impressive record of being selected.
Two students from the Otay Water District had their artwork featured in the 2023 MWD calendar. Khilee Haull is a seventh grader at Hillsdale Middle School and won first place in the middle school contest. Christian-Kealoha Rogacion is in the fifth grade at Thurgood Marshall Elementary School and won second place in the elementary school category. Sisters Lucia Perez Valles and Sofia Perez Valles had their work featured in the 2021 MWD calendar.
To learn more about the District’s contest and other education programs, visit otaywater.gov/education-programs.
(Editor’s note: The Otay Water District is one of the San Diego County Water Authority’s 24 member agencies that deliver water across the San Diego County region.)
Lois Scott transformed her El Cajon home’s green front lawn with rose bushes into a colorful water-wise landscape with a little help from her friends. Now called “Nana’s Garden,” it is this year’s Otay Water District Landscape Makeover Contest winner.
Lois Scott transformed her El Cajon home’s green front lawn with rose bushes into a colorful water-wise landscape with a little help from her friends. Now called “Nana’s Garden,” it is this year’s Otay Water District Landscape Makeover Contest winner.
Nana’s Garden is in Otay Water District’s division 5, which is represented by Board President Mark Robak.
Before and after photos of Lois Scott’s winning landscape makeover. Photo: Otay Water District
Scott, who worked as a registered nurse for 42 years before retiring, decided to change her landscaping after years of facing high water usage, lack of rain, and rabbits invading her yard. In 2020, she applied for a rebate through the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California Landscape Transformation Program. She received a rebate amount of $4,161 for 1,387 square feet of turf removed.
Lois Scott exchanged grass for colorful nature and low water use plants. Photo: Otay Water District
Scott participated in the San Diego County Water Authority’s WaterSmart Landscape Makeover Program in 2021. The free classes helped her come up with a plan to upgrade her yard.
“I fell in love with all the different plants I was learning about in the class,” said Scott. “With all the colors and textures, I couldn’t just limit my garden to a few plants. I call my garden Nana’s Garden, full of lots of variation, just like my grandchildren.”
The winning landscape features boulders and rocks Lois Scott dug up or found in online ads. Photo: Otay Water District
With the help of kids from the neighborhood, Scott dug up dirt and rocks to create a pathway with decomposed granite and stepping stones. Three large boulders she found on Craigslist became the new focal point of her succulent garden.
“This 64-year-old grandma sure did bring many wheelbarrows of rocks in,” said Scott.
Existing irrigation was converted to a low water use drip system. Photo: Otay Water District
Scott’s best friend is a succulent fan who helped her plant natives and succulents. She engaged a professional gardener to convert her irrigation system from sprinklers to drip. She capped 17 of 19 existing spray sprinkler heads causing water runoff across sidewalks, leaving two for a drip retrofit. She uses a drip line to primarily feed the trees and succulents, while a separate line and a rain barrel water the rest of the plants.
Scott’s new landscape has allowed an overall water use reduction of an average of approximately 41% compared to the years before upgrading.
Bright blooms attract pollinators like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Photo: Otay Water District
Scott says she enjoys seeing her garden grow. Some plants are soft, fussy, slick, and smooth, while others are prickly. She is amazed by the richness of the purple in the lavender and the bright fluorescent of the honeysuckle.
“The fun part now is to sit back and enjoy the gentle breeze while watching the honeybees, butterflies, and hummingbirds have their feast in my garden,” said Scott. “I am loving the lower water bill and knowing that I am helping the environment by saving water.”
El Cajon resident Lois Scott’s completed landscape makeover. Photo: Otay Water District
“The winner’s landscape will demonstrate to other residents the great benefits of installing waterwise yards and hopefully encourage them to change how they use water outdoors,” said Robak. “The District makes it a priority to provide resources for residential and commercial customers who are considering ways to make water-use efficiency a way of life.”
Otay will honor Scott at its July board meeting with a certificate of recognition, a gift certificate to a local nursery of her choice, a yard sign, and other promotional items.
WaterSmart Landscape Content details here and for information on water conservation rebates and programs for residents, businesses and agriculture in San Diego County, go to: www.sdcwa.org/your-water/conservation/.
(Editor’s note: The Otay Water District is one of the San Diego County Water Authority’s 24 member agencies that deliver water across the San Diego County region.)
A retired grandmother in East County built an award-winning water-wise landscape with some help from the kids in her neighborhood.
Lois Scott, who once worked as a registered nurse, decided to address years of high-water usage, a lack of rain and “rabbit-yard invaders” by converting her once green front lawn into a water-wise landscape she now calls “Nana’s Garden.”
Instead of rose bushes and grass, Lois turned to native California plants like succulents which require less water to maintain. With help from her best friend and young neighbors, Lois gradually made the transition.
The Otay Water District calls on student artists in its service area to unleash their creativity in its annual Student Poster Contest. All students in district schools from kindergarten to 12th grade are invited to illustrate a new theme for the 2023 contest – “Being water wise is …”
The Otay Water District calls on student artists in its service area to unleash their creativity in its annual Student Poster Contest. All students in district schools from kindergarten to 12th grade are invited to illustrate a new theme for the 2023 contest – “Being water wise is …”
Otay Water District’s annual educational program encourages students to create a poster demonstrating their water awareness. Water conservation or stewardship should be reflected in the artwork.
First place in 2022 in the high school category: Michael Armenion, eleventh grade, Otay Ranch High School. Photo: Otay Water District
Suggested examples include turning off the water while brushing your teeth, taking short showers, protecting water from pollution, or collecting rainwater in buckets and reusing it to water plants.
“This year’s theme ‘Being water wise is…’ invites students to share the many ways they can use water efficiently inside and outside their homes or schools,” said Eileen Salmeron, communications assistant and poster contest coordinator for the Otay Water District.
“Because our region and the state have faced many droughts, it is vital that younger generations start making water efficiency their way of life.”
The contest features three categories: elementary, middle, and high school. First- and second-place winners from each category will win a $50-$75 gift card, certificate, art kit, and goodie bag. The District will also feature the winners in promotional materials and hold a recognition event at a monthly board meeting later this summer.
Selected posters will also be entered in a second contest held by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. MWD will select artwork to feature in its 2024 student art calendar.
First place, middle school: Khilee Haull, seventh grade, Hillsdale Middle School. Photo: Otay Water District
Two students from the Otay Water District have their artwork featured in the 2023 MWD calendar. Seventh grader Khilee Haull at Hillsdale Middle School won first place in the 2022 Otay Water District contest.
Second place, elementary school: Christian-Kealoha Rogacion, fifth grade, Thurgood Marshall Elementary School. Photo: Otay Water District
Fifth grader Christian-Kealoha Rogacion at Thurgood Marshall Elementary School won second place in the 2022 Otay WD elementary school category.
The deadline to enter Otay’s contest is Friday, June 2, 2023. Hard-copy or digital entries are eligible.
Participants must attend a school within the water district’s service area and follow the contest guidelines at otaywater.gov/poster-contest.
Spring Valley, Calif. – Students in kindergarten through 12th grade are invited to unleash their creativity in the Otay Water District’s annual Student Poster Contest. This year’s theme is “being water wise is…”
Otay’s annual educational program encourages students to create a poster demonstrating their water awareness. Water conservation or stewardship should be reflected in the artwork. Some examples include turning off the water while brushing your teeth, taking short showers, protecting water from pollution, or collecting rainwater in buckets and reusing it to water plants.
“This year’s theme ‘being water wise is…’ invites students to share the many ways they can use water efficiently inside and outside their homes or schools,” said Eileen Salmeron, communications assistant and poster contest coordinator for the Otay Water District. “Because our region and the state has faced many droughts, it is vital that younger generations start making water efficiency their way of life.”
The Otay Water District has launched its annual WaterSmart Landscape Contest as part of a continuing effort to encourage water conservation. Outdoor watering accounts for more than half of residential water use. The resident judged to have the most attractive, drought-toleranat garden receives a nursery gift card, among other prizes, and the title “Best in District.”
The Otay Water District has launched its annual WaterSmart Landscape Contest as part of a continuing effort to encourage water conservation. Outdoor watering accounts for more than half of residential water use. The resident judged to have the most attractive, drought-toleranat garden receives a nursery gift card, among other prizes, and the title “Best in District.” The deadline to enter is Friday, May 12.
“This contest recognizes the outdoor conservation efforts our residential customers have made during a time when it matters most,” said Otay Water District Board President Mark Robak. “Previous winners of this program have proven that it is possible to create low-water and low-maintenance landscapes with curb appeal.”
The Feibers used beautiful low-water use plants to replace more than 2,000 square feet of turf. Photo: Otay Water District
To participate, residents must fill out an application and submit before and after photos of their landscape, a plant list, and a description of their landscape’s transformation. Nominations are also welcome. Front, back, and side yards are eligible.
Recent winners include the transformation of a gopher-ridden lawn at an El Cajon home into an outdoor room design that is wheelchair accessible; a La Mesa makeover incorporating creative elements including a hand-built waterfall made from an old truck ladder rack and other solid materials otherwise destined to become trash in a landfill; and a drought tolerant Chula Vista landscape which beautifies an entire neighborhood with native habitat.
The beautiful, wheelchair accessible garden inspired by Patricia Wood’s daughter Kimberly is the 2020 Otay Water District Landscape Contest winner. Photo: Otay Water District
The 2023 regional WaterSmart Landscape Makeover competition seeks the best in landscaping makeover projects from 12 participating San Diego County water agencies. The annual competition is intended to showcase residential water-saving landscaping projects. Winning examples help inform and inspire other homeowners to consider replacing their water-guzzling grass yards.
“We’re encouraged by the enthusiastic participation by San Diego County homeowners who are moving away from lawn-intensive landscaping as the default choice,” said Joni German, Water Resources Specialist with the San Diego County Water Authority. “Homeowners are creating lush, colorful, thriving landscapes which are water-efficient and beautiful at the same time.”
Patricia Wood’s landscape design has broad paths to accomodate a wheelchair. Photo: Otay Water DIstrict
Along with the Otay Water District, participating agencies in 2023 include: California American Water, the cities of Escondido and Oceanside, Helix Water District, Olivenhain Municipal Water District, Padre Dam Municipal Water District, Rincon Del Diablo Water District, San Dieguito Water District, Sweetwater Authority, Vallecitos Water District, and the Vista Irrigation District.
Each agency winner receives a $250 gift certificate and public recognition for their efforts. Homeowners may also be eligible for grass removal rebates and additional incentives.
This year’s contest deadline for all participating agencies is Friday, May 12. Homeowners may submit their entry online through their participating agency.
(Editor’s Note: The Otay Water District, the cities of Escondido and Oceanside, Helix Water District, Olivenhain Municipal Water District, Padre Dam Municipal Water District, Rincon Del Diablo Water District, San Dieguito Water District, Sweetwater Authority, Vallecitos Water District, and the Vista Irrigation District are 11 of the San Diego County Water Authority’s 24 member agencies that deliver water across the San Diego region.)
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