Tag Archive for: Water Conservation

Scholarships were issued to local students by the Vallecitos Water District to help them continue their higher education. (L to R): Board Vice President Tiffany Boyd-Hodgson, scholarship winners Phlavia Oyrem, Caitlyn Hansen, and Julianna Stipica-Kelecic, Board President Jim Hernandez, scholarship winners Daniel Baza, Evan Fox, and Board Member Erik A. Groset. Not pictured: Board Members Craig Elitharp and Jim Pennock, scholarship winner Brook Sannella. Photo: Vallecitos Water District

Students Recognized For Conservation Art, Scholarship Excellence by Vallecitos Water District

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The Vallecitos Water District Board of Directors recognized students from district area schools for their excellence in the classroom in two separate contests: poster art for fourth graders and an essay competition for scholarships.

Students who compete for a scholarship must complete an essay and provide a personal statement related to their background and/or goals. The annual contest is open to students living or attending schools within the Vallecitos Water District service area and is intended to increase the knowledge and awareness of water-related issues affecting the region.

Six students were selected to receive $1,000 college scholarship: Phlavia Oyrem, La Jolla High School, who plans to attend Palomar College; Brook Sannella, San Marcos High School, who plans to attend UCSD; Daniel Baza, Evan Fox, and Caitlyn Hansen, who all attend Palomar College; and Julianna Stipica-Kelecic, who attends Cal State San Marcos and Palomar College.

Baza, Fox, Hansen, and Oyrem all plan to pursue water studies and water industry careers. Fox completed a Spring 2023 Internship with Vallecitos Water District while attending Palomar College.

Oyrem was selected as the Fall 2023 Intern with Vallecitos when she attends Palomar this fall.

Fourth graders promote water conservation through art

Double Peak K-8 fourth-grade student Natalie Clark of San Marcos win first place in the Vallecitos District’s 2023 Water Awareness Poster Contest. Photo: Vallecitos Water District student recognized

Double Peak K-8 fourth-grade student Natalie Clark of San Marcos win first place in the Vallecitos District’s 2023 Water Awareness Poster Contest. Photo: Vallecitos Water District

Love Water, Save Water

In addition, three fourth-grade students from the local community were named winners of the district’s annual student poster art contest. The poster contest, which focuses on students in the fourth grade, is designed to promote understanding of water issues in elementary schools.

This year’s theme was “Love Water, Save Water.”  The three winning posters were selected from all entries based on their depiction of the theme, artwork, originality, and poster design. The winning posters will appear in the 2024 Water Awareness Calendar, available for free at the district’s office starting in December 2023.

First Place: Natalie Clark of San Marcos. Photo: Vallecitos Water District students recognized

First Place: Natalie Clark of San Marcos. Photo: Vallecitos Water District

Double Peak K-8 fourth-grade student Natalie Clark of San Marcos, age 10, received first place in the Vallecitos District’s 2023 Water Awareness Poster Contest. Her teacher is Abby Lyon. Natalie wrote about her entry, “I love water because we can’t live without it, and when I touch, see, smell the water, I feel connected.”

Mikaela Fuentes, second place. Photo: Vallecitos Water District student recognized

Mikaela Fuentes, second place. Photo: Vallecitos Water District

Mikaela Fuentes of Baypoint Academy, age 9, received second-place. Mikaela wrote about water: “It keeps us alive and is the source of all living things and animals.”

Grant Neum, third place. Photo: Vallecitos Water DIstrict students recognized

Grant Neum, third place. Photo: Vallecitos Water District

Grant Neum, also from Baypoint Academy, age 9, placed third. Grant wrote he loves water “Because water helps the world grow.”

(Editor’s note: The Vallecitos Water District is one of the San Diego County Water Authority’s 24 member agencies that deliver water across the San Diego County region.) 

Change on Water Rate Structure Seen to ‘Encourage Conservation’ and ‘Allow PWP to Reach Goals’

/in , /by /Pasadena Nowby Keith Calayag

Pasadena is expected to change how water bills are calculated, leading to higher bills for some customers. The new rate structure and rates to be determined soon will allow the utility to meet its revenue requirement.

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Expensive Water Bill? Expert Gives Tips on Ways to Cut Your Home Use and Save Money

/in , , /by /ABC7 by John Gregory

Water bills can be a big expense for many people, so we spoke with a water efficiency expert about ways to cut down on your water use in every part of your home.

Krista Guerrero with the Metropolitan Water District says the first thing you should do is to check for leaks in your home.

Leaks can be a major drain on your bank account and officials say the first place to look is inside your bathroom. Guerrero said the top water-wasting culprit is your toilet but there’s a simple way to check for a leak.

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Free Landscape Workshops Convenient for Vallecitos Customers

/in , , /by /Water News Network Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

In partnership with the San Diego County Water Authority, the Vallecitos Water District offers a series of five WaterSmart landscape design workshops in August and September to help its customers redesign and install new water-saving, sustainable landscapes at a convenient North County location.

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Inspired by the San Diego County Water Authority's free landscape workshops, Vallecitos Water District employee Eileen Koonce transformed her own landscaping. Photo: Vallecitos Water District example watersmart landscaping

Free Landscape Workshops Convenient for Vallecitos Customers

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In partnership with the San Diego County Water Authority and the City of San Marcos, the Vallecitos Water District offers a series of five WaterSmart landscape design workshops in August and September to help its customers redesign and install new water-saving, sustainable landscapes at a convenient North County location.

Classes take place every other Wednesday evening from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. starting August 2 at the Vallecitos Water District, 201 Vallecitos De Oro in San Marcos. The series is now open for registration at www.sdcwa.org/your-water/conservation/classes/. Scroll down to find the in-person course schedule or use the QR Code below. Prior registration is required.

Use the QR Code to access landscape design workshop information and to register. free landscape workshops

Use the QR Code to access landscape design workshop information and to register.

Plan ahead during summer months for fall installation

Summer is an ideal time to begin the workshop series. Participants who complete all five workshops receive a free visit to their home by a professional landscape architect to help them put a plan in place for installation during the cooler fall and winter months.

The Delaplanes received first place due to the addition of a working bioswale. Photo: Vallecitos Water District free landscape workshops

The Delaplanes received first place in the 2022 Vallecitos Water District landscape makeover contest due to the addition of a working bioswale. Photo: Vallecitos Water District

Residents in San Diego County have used the know-how from the free workshops to convert more than 1.5 million square feet of grass into beautiful, sustainable landscapes. They use less water and provide a lifestyle-friendly yard ideal for San Diego’s climate. New landscapes installed through the program have been proven to reduce water use by up to 37%.

Webinar topics cover residential landscape design for the homeowner, plant palettes, healthy soil, irrigation retrofits, and streamlined landscape maintenance. More than 8,000 San Diego County residents have taken these courses to date.

Low-water use plants, improved irrigation technologies, and WaterSmart classes reduce energy use, protect natural resources, and create beautiful outdoor living spaces as well as save water.

Save water, and save money with rebates

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The Chens transformed their love for succulents into an award-winning landscape makeover. Photo: Vallecitos Water District

Landscape watering accounts for more than half of a typical household’s water use in California. WaterSmart workshops help residents create a drought-tolerant, water-efficient landscape with a design that maximizes enjoyment of the outdoor space. In addition, homeowners can save the time and expense required for ongoing maintenance of turf.

San Diego County homeowners may be eligible for between $2 and $4 per square foot to remove grass and replace it with low water-use plants better suited to our region’s hotter, drier weather. All customers are eligible for the base rebate of $2 per square foot. Residents in unincorporated San Diego County may be eligible for additional incentives through the Waterscape Rebate Program.

(Editor’s note: The Vallecitos Water District is one of the San Diego County Water Authority’s 24 member agencies that deliver water across the San Diego County region.) 

Metropolitan Water District Launches Turf Replacement Program for Sustainable Landscaping

/in , /by /WestsideToday.comby Dolores Quintana

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California’s Turf Replacement program aims to update homeowners’ landscaping practices by encouraging the removal of existing grass and replacing it with organic, drought-tolerant alternatives. With a focus on water conservation and sustainability, the program seeks to combat the effects of water scarcity and promote responsible water usage among residents.

It is essential to note that synthetic turf is not an approved option for conversion under this program. Instead, the emphasis is on promoting organic and eco-friendly landscaping solutions that align with the city’s environmental goals.

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Vista Irrigation District Announces WaterSmart Landscape Contest Winner

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Vista, Calif. — The Vista Irrigation District board of directors recognized Diane Krupnak as the district’s 2023 WaterSmart
Landscape Contest winner. The annual contest recognizes outstanding water-wise residential landscapes based on the criteria of overall attractiveness, appropriate plant selection, design, appropriate maintenance, and efficient methods of irrigation.

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Vista Irrigation District Landscape Winner Complements Home Design

/in , , /by /Water News Network Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

Vista Homeowner Diane Krupnak redesigned her front yard to save water and won the 2023 Vista Irrigation District WaterSmart Landscape Contest.

The annual contest recognizes outstanding watersmart residential landscapes based on the criteria of overall attractiveness, appropriate plant selection, design, appropriate maintenance, and efficient irrigation methods.

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SoCal Water Recycling Program Gets $80M From State

/in , , /by /KFI Am 640by City News Service

State officials Wednesday presented an $80 million check to advance Pure Water Southern California, a large-scale, regional water recycling program intended to create a new source of water to benefit 19 million people amid changing climate and weather whiplash.

Assemblywoman Lisa Calderon, D-Whittier, Joaquin Esquivel, chair of the State Water Resources Control Board, and Carson Mayor Pro Tem Jawane Hilton joined water district officials during Wednesday’s event at the Pure Water demonstration facility.

“The climate crisis has strained our region’s water supply,” Calderon said in a statement. “It’s imperative we continue investing in our projects focused on addressing our water needs.”

Pure Water will take cleaned wastewater that is currently sent to the ocean and purify it to produce high-quality drinking water, officials said.

Project partners Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and Los Angeles County Sanitation District received funding from the state’s 2022-23 budget to accelerate the project’s design and construction, with the potential to begin construction as early as 2025 and have water deliveries start in 2032.

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Arizona Cities Offering Money Incentives to Residents in Bid to Reduce Water Use: Here’s What to Know

/in , , /by /Fox 10 Phoenix by Lauren Clark and Kenneth Wong

From $800 to $1,000, and even $5,000, some Valley cities are dangling money incentives to residents, in the hope they will cut their water use amid the state’s ongoing crisis.

The programs are a direct result of cities grappling with a future of less water from the Colorado River.

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