Tag Archive for: Water Conservation

WateReuse Award-Olivenhain Municipal Water District-Primary

Olivenhain Municipal Water District Receives Recycled Water Award

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The Olivenhain Municipal Water District received the WateReuse Association of California’s 2022 award for Recycled Water Community Outreach. The award was presented at WateReuse’s annual conference in San Francisco.

OMWD’s community outreach campaigns are intended to educate customers on the importance of water use efficiency, new supply development, and water reuse as a means to address future water supply challenges. To this end, recycled water is a focal point for OMWD’s public outreach campaigns. The recycled water award is another recognition of Olivenhain’s collaborative efforts to increase local, sustainable water supply sources in the region.

Reducing imported water

“Every drop of recycled water used on our landscapes replaces a drop of imported drinking water,” said OMWD Board Secretary Bob Topolavac. “With the state now in its third consecutive dry year, it is more critical than ever to be promoting the benefits of recycled water to new potential users to expand the use of this sustainable water supply.”

WateReuse previously recognized OMWD as California’s Agency of the Year in 2005 and again in 2019. Since that time, OMWD has expanded its recycled water distribution system such that it now meets 14 percent of its demands with recycled water.

Water Reuse Coalition

Beyond its borders, OMWD encourages a regional approach to recycled water infrastructure. It is the lead agency of the North San Diego Water Reuse Coalition, a group of nine North County agencies that coordinate across jurisdictional boundaries to connect recycled water sources with demands. By working together on the North County Regional Recycled Water Project, these agencies expect to reduce potable water use by nearly 11 billion gallons per year by 2035.

Formed in 1990, the WateReuse Association is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to advance the beneficial and efficient uses of high quality, locally produced, sustainable water sources for the betterment of society and the environment through advocacy, education and outreach, research, and membership.

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

Otay Poster Contest Winners Demonstrate the Value of Water Conservation

/in , , /by /Water News Network

Five students from Chula Vista and El Cajon schools have been selected from 123 submissions as the winners of Otay Water District’s 2022 Water is Life Student Poster Contest.

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They Wanted Their Drought-Tolerant Yard to Spark Conversations. But Not on Nextdoor

/in , , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Lisa Boone

Susan and Steve Matloff are doing what they do most days when they are at home: spending time in their front yard with their kids, talking with neighbors, playing with their dog Blue and passing home-grown onions to random passersby.

When they installed raised vegetable beds alongside the sidewalk, they fantasized about living off the land despite warnings from friends that people might steal their produce.

“If someone wants to take a bell pepper, good on them,” says Steve, 49. “My office overlooks the garden, and every day I see people stop and look at our garden. Sometimes I run out there and talk to them. Our daughter Isabelle has been known to pull out a carrot and hand it to people walking by. The conversations start there. It’s part of what we wanted for our yard: to be a statement and community builder.”

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First place, high school: Michael Armenion, eleventh grade, Otay Ranch High School. Photo: Otay Water District Otay Poster Contest

Otay Poster Contest Winners Demonstrate the Value of Water Conservation

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Five students from Chula Vista and El Cajon schools have been selected from 123 submissions as the winners of Otay Water District’s 2022 Water is Life Student Poster Contest. The annual contest helps to promote water-use efficiency through student art programs. The winners were selected based on their creativity and awareness of the importance of using water wisely every day and in times of drought.

The Otay Water District’s educational program invites K-12 grade students in its service area each year to enter the contest by illustrating the theme “Water is Life.”  Entrants are encouraged to reflect on the importance of water conservation and stewardship and learn about this in the classroom prior to creating their posters.

“We are proud to see a young generation of students share their awareness about water conservation and stewardship when it matters most,” said contest coordinator Eileen Salmeron. “As California faces a drought, we hope students and their families understand that making small changes at home or school to conserve can make a big difference in building resiliency against drought.”

First- and second-place winners were selected from elementary and middle school categories. One winner was chosen in the high school category. The District’s board of directors recognized the winners at its September 7 meeting. Winners received prizes including a gift card, a certificate of recognition, an art kit, and a goody bag.

Otay Poster Contest Winners for 2022

 

First place, high school: Michael Armenion, eleventh grade, Otay Ranch High School. Photo: Otay Water District Otay Poster Contest

First place, high school: Michael Armenion, eleventh grade, Otay Ranch High School. Photo: Otay Water District

 

First place, middle school: Khilee Haull, seventh grade, Hillsdale Middle School. Otay poster contest

First place, middle school: Khilee Haull, seventh grade, Hillsdale Middle School. Photo: Otay Water District

 

Second place, middle school: Fatima Altai, seventh grade, Hillsdale Middle School. Photo: Otay Water District

Second place, middle school: Fatima Altai, seventh grade, Hillsdale Middle School. Photo: Otay Water District

 

First place, elementary school: Angie Zhong, sixth grade, Thurgood Marshall Elementary School. Photo: Otay Water District

First place, elementary school: Angie Zhong, sixth grade, Thurgood Marshall Elementary School. Photo: Otay Water District

 

Second place, elementary school: Christian-Kealoha Rogacion, fifth grade, Thurgood Marshall Elementary School. Photo: Otay Water District

Second place, elementary school: Christian-Kealoha Rogacion, fifth grade, Thurgood Marshall Elementary School. Photo: Otay Water District

The Otay Poster Contest winners compete for regional awards in the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California’s annual student poster contest. Thirty-six posters are chosen from participating Southern California water agencies for inclusion in the 2023 MWD Water is Life calendar. This year, MWD selected Khilee Haull and Christian-Kealoha Rogacion to represent Otay Water District in MWD’s 2023 calendar.

(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 metropolitan San Diego region.)

WaterSmart Living Landscapes Come in Many Styles

/in , , /by /Water News Network

Using water efficiently is a way of life and an important responsibility in a beautiful, Mediterranean climate like San Diego County. WaterSmart landscaping is all about rethinking the way limited water resources are applied and making smart choices to reduce outdoor water use.

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WaterSmart-The Bucks' winning landscape design includes beautiful outdoor living areas. Photo: OMWD

WaterSmart Living Landscapes Come in Many Styles

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Using water efficiently is a way of life and an important responsibility in a beautiful, Mediterranean climate like San Diego County. WaterSmart landscaping is all about rethinking the way limited water resources are applied and making smart choices to reduce outdoor water use.

Saving water isn’t the only reason for a WaterSmart garden. WaterSmart landscapes are attractive and in balance with our environment and climate. They incorporate elements of sustainable landscaping such as healthy, living soils, climate-appropriate plants, high-efficiency irrigation and rainwater harvesting, and generate many environmental and community benefits.

Working within the WaterSmart Matrix, you have lots of flexibility when selecting the combination of plants and irrigation to meet your water efficiency goals. Whether you want to create space for entertaining, limit landscape maintenance, or maintain some turf for children and pets, you can reach your water-saving goals and create an outdoor space to live in without resorting to gravel, concrete, or artificial turf.

These three models can help you get started. You can swap plants within the same usage categories, as long as the percentage mix of low, moderate, and high water use plants remain the same.

Mediterranean Effect: Low to Moderate Water Use Planting

The Bucks' winning landscape design includes beautiful outdoor living areas. Photo: OMWD

The Bucks’ winning landscape design includes beautiful outdoor living areas. Photo: Olivenhain Municipal Water District

Low water-use plants: 45%.

Moderate water-use plants: 45%

High water-use plants: 10%

In this style, small areas of turf in the high water use category are balanced by beautiful trees, flowering shrubs, and groundcover choices which thrive in our San Diego-style Mediterranean climate. This is a landscape perfect for outdoor entertaining.

Contemporary Effect: Low Water Use Planting

Turf rebates-after-November 2020-fall planting

This homeowner took advantage of turf rebates to transform the front yard with climate-appropriate plants. Photo: San Diego County Water Authority.

Low water-use plants: 90%.

High water-use plants: 10%

For even greater water savings, shrubs that thrive in our San Diego-style Mediterranean climate take center stage along with smart choices of drought-tolerant trees and minimal turf for a lush landscape look full of texture and color.

Native Garden Effect: Very Low Water Use Planting

Native plants-drought-City of Escondido-Landscape Makeover

The Everetts’ winning landscape provides a native habitat and saves water. Photo: City of Escondido

Very low water-use plants: 50%.

Low water-use plants: 50%

California native plants and succulents thrive in our environments. They have adapted over thousands of years to survive on limited natural rainfall. Using natives to create natural habitat is the ultimate accomplishment in WaterSmart landscaping design.

Refer to the plant lists in A Homeowner’s Guide to a WaterSmart Landscape, or ask a local nursery professional for help choosing your landscape plants from the appropriate categories.

WaterSmart landscapes are an upgrade, not a compromise. Creating a yard that loves San Diego as much as you do also creates a sustainable habitat that also preserves our native environment. It can save you maintenance time and costs and conserves our most valuable community resource: water.

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WaterSmart Living-Logo-San Diego County Water Authority

(Editor’s Note: The San Diego County Water Authority and its 24 member agencies offer programs, resources, and incentives to improve water-use efficiency for residential, commercial, and agricultural users. WaterSmart choices are a way of life in the region. Stay WaterSmart San Diego! For more water-use efficiency resources, go to WaterSmart.SD.org.)

Coachella Valley Water Use Continued to Tick Downwards in July, More Conservation Needed

/in , , /by /Palm Springs Desert Sunby Erin Rode

Water use in the Coachella Valley continued to tick downwards in July, but conservation is still falling short of the state’s goal of a 15% reduction compared to 2020, according to data released by the State Water Resources Control Board this week.

But the July water use numbers do continue a trend of reduced water use that began in June, a marked shift from May and other previous months in which local water districts actually increased — rather than decreased — water use compared to 2020 baseline numbers.

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Water Use Drops 10% in July as California Deals With Drought

/in , , /by /AP Newsby Don Thompson

Californians stepped up their water conservation in July, using 10.4% less than two years ago as the state struggles with a years-long drought, state water officials said Wednesday.

July marks the first full month that new conservation rules like a ban on watering decorative grass were in effect, which state water officials said helped make a difference. Water use started to trend down in June after a bump in April and May.

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Carlsbad Desalination Plant Cuts Energy Demand to Help Avoid Blackouts

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Poseidon Resources (Channelside) LP and the San Diego County Water Authority are temporarily reducing water production at the Claude “Bud” Lewis Carlsbad Desalination Plant to support statewide emergency energy conservation efforts during the extreme heat wave.

While the plant accounts for less than 1% of peak energy demand in San Diego Gas & Electric’s service territory, Channelside and the Water Authority are committed to supporting electrical reliability while ensuring continued delivery of safe and reliable water supplies. The partners reduced water production at the plant by about 20% for three days over the Labor day holiday weekend. Regular water deliveries were made from other sources. The reduced production helps decrease energy demand during the statewide emergency.

“The partnership by the Water Authority and Channelside is another reminder of the value our investments in cutting-edge technology and water supply reliability,” said Sandra L. Kerl, general manager of the Water Authority.  “Desal plant operations are nimble, so production can be ramped up and down in response to local needs. This flexibility underscores the value of regional water supply planning, which allows us to activate solutions during challenging times.”

The Carlsbad Desalination Plant is the largest, most technologically advanced and energy-efficient desalination plant in the nation. The plant has produced more than 90 billion gallons of drinking water for San Diego County since operations began in December 2015. Starting Sunday, Sept. 4, the plant ramped down operations, making an additional 9 megawatts of power available for other uses.

Flex Alert-Lake Hodges Pumped Storage-Energy demand

The Water Authority is running its Lake Hodges Pumped Storage Facilities to generate 20 megawatts of on-demand power, helping meet peak demands. Photo: San Diego County Water Authority

Lake Hodges Pumped Storage Facility generates on-demand power

The Water Authority also is running its Lake Hodges Pumped Storage Facilities to generate 20 megawatts of on-demand power, helping meet peak demands.

Pumped energy storage

In addition, the Water Authority and the City of San Diego are collaboratively advancing the proposed San Vicente Energy Storage Facility in East County, one of the most promising pumped energy storage solutions in California. Pumped energy storage projects are designed to store excess renewable energy from solar and wind during the day, and then discharge that energy when energy use spikes or renewable energy is not available. As proposed, the project could store 4,000 megawatt-hours per day of energy (500 megawatts of capacity for eight hours), which is enough energy to provide approximately 135,000 homes with power.

Energy demand-Flex Alert-desalination-pumped storage

The Claude “Bud” Lewis Carlsbad Desalination Plant uses energy recovery devices that save an estimated 146 million kilowatt-hours and reduce carbon emissions by 42,000 metric tons every year. Photo: San Diego County Water Authority

Energy reliability, water reliability

The Carlsbad Desalination Plant eliminates the need to transport water from Northern California to the San Diego region, offsetting approximately 190,000 megawatt-hours of electricity and 68,000 tons of carbon emissions each year. The plant also uses energy recovery devices that save an estimated 146 million kilowatt-hours and reduce carbon emissions by 42,000 metric tons every year.

“This is an example of how desalination plants can help contribute to energy reliability, in addition to water reliability, by taking appropriate action to increase the available energy capacity during the extreme heat event,” said Channelside President, Sachin Chawla. “We’re proud to do whatever we can to help our region address the current energy shortage.”

Carlsbad Desalination Plant Cuts Energy Demand to Help Avoid Blackouts

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Carlsbad, Calif. (Sept. 4, 2022) – Poseidon Resources (Channelside) LP and the San Diego County Water Authority are temporarily reducing water production at the Claude “Bud” Lewis Carlsbad Desalination Plant to support statewide emergency energy conservation efforts during the extreme heat wave.

While the plant accounts for less than 1% of peak energy demand in San Diego Gas & Electric’s service territory, Channelside and the Water Authority are committed to supporting electrical reliability while ensuring continued delivery of safe and reliable water supplies. The partners are reducing water production at the plant by about 20% for three days over the holiday weekend; regular water deliveries will be made from other sources.

“The partnership by the Water Authority and Channelside is another reminder of the value our investments in cutting-edge technology and water supply reliability,” said Sandra L. Kerl, general manager of the Water Authority.  “Desal plant operations are nimble, so production can be ramped up and down in response to local needs. This flexibility underscores the value of regional water supply planning, which allows us to activate solutions during challenging times.”

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