Tag Archive for: Water Conservation

EPA WaterSense-Vallecitos Water District-Videos

Vallecitos Videos Win National EPA WaterSense Award

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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has honored the Vallecitos Water District with a WaterSense Partner of the Year Award for its video series promoting WaterSense and water efficiency in 2022. Vallecitos was one of nine Partner of the Year Award winners across the U.S. Awards were presented at the American Water Works Association Water Smart Innovations event in Las Vegas on October 5.

The Vallecitos Water District was one of nine Partner of the Year Award winners across the U.S. Awards were presented at the American Water Works Association Water Smart Innovations event in Las Vegas on October 5, 2023. Photo: Vallecitos Water District WaterSense Awards

The Vallecitos Water District was one of nine Partner of the Year Award winners across the U.S. Awards were presented at the American Water Works Association Water Smart Innovations event in Las Vegas on October 5. Photo: Vallecitos Water District

WaterSense is a voluntary partnership program sponsored by the EPA. It identifies and labels water-efficient products, programs, and homes to help consumers learn ways to save water. More than 2,100 manufacturers, builders, retailers, utilities, government, and nonprofit organizations partner with WaterSense to promote water-efficient products, homes, and programs.

Vallecitos produced twelve videos released monthly in 2022, based on the EPA’s monthly feature topics. Each video focused on educating consumers about creating a WaterSense home. Among the topics covered by the 12 videos in the series are bathroom water consumption, efficient energy use, and one of the favorites, the “Shower With Power” video released in September 2022.

The video series produced by the Vallecitos Water District public affairs team was distributed by the U.S. EPA WaterSense program to help educate the public about water conservation nationwide. The videos can be downloaded for free on the EPA WaterSense partner platform.

Consumers turn to video for water education

The Vallecitos Water District has embraced video as an important communication tool with its customers. Photo: Vallecitos Water DIstrict

The Vallecitos Water District has embraced video as an important communication tool with its customers. Photo: Vallecitos Water District

Vallecitos began using video in 2019 to document the district’s workforce and infrastructure improvements on its social media platforms and has also engaged the public with discussions of critically important water management issues. It has won multiple awards for its work.

“We rely on video as a powerful communication tool at the Vallecitos Water District,” said Chris Robbins, Vallecitos Water District Public Information/Conservation Supervisor. “It’s how people like to consume information today,”  “We invest a great deal of effort to make sure each video is an effective resource. This award from the EPA affirms we’re taking the right approach.”

Vallecitos Public Information Representative Alicia Yerman collaborated with Beth Livingston and Veronica Blette of the EPA on the productions including scripting, storyboards, and visual elements. Vallecitos also offers live video of its board meetings and other public discussions on its YouTube channel.

San Dieguito Water District recognized as Excellence Winner

The EPA also recognized 25 Excellence Award winners for their support of WaterSense and water efficiency in 2022, including the San Dieguito Water District and the San Diego County Water Authority. Collectively, the Excellence Award winners contributed to annual savings nationwide of 1.1 trillion gallons of water.

WaterSense and its more than 2,000 utility, manufacturer, retail, builder, and other organizational partners make it possible for consumers and businesses to save water, energy, and money by producing and promoting water-efficient products, homes, and programs. Since 2006, WaterSense partners have helped save 7.5 trillion gallons of water and $171 billion on consumer utility bills.

WaterSense encourages everyday water efficiency

Each video focused on educating consumers about creating a WaterSense home. “Shower With Power” is one of the favorites, released in September 2022. Photo: Vallecitos Water District

Each video focused on educating consumers about creating a WaterSense home. “Shower With Power” is one of the favorites, released in September 2022. Photo: Vallecitos Water District

WaterSense is a program sponsored by the EPA, designed to encourage water efficiency in the U.S. through the use of a special label on consumer products. The goal of the program is to protect the future of the nation’s water supply by encouraging a nationwide ethic of water efficiency to conserve water resources for future generations and reduce infrastructure costs.

The WaterSense label makes it simple to find water-efficient products, new homes, and programs meeting the EPA’s criteria for efficiency and performance. WaterSense-labeled products and services are certified to use at least 20% less water, save energy, and perform as well as or better than regular models.

(Editor’s note: The Vallecitos Water District and the San Dieguito Water District are two of the San Diego County Water Authority’s 24 member agencies that deliver water across the metropolitan San Diego region.)

WaterSmart Moves Pay Off for Fallbrook Avocado Farm

/in , , /by /Water News Networkby Ed Joyce Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

Josh Kane didn’t know a lot about avocado farming 10 years ago, but he does now.

In 2001, Kane’s mother bought a 60-acre avocado farm, the Rice Canyon Ranch, in Fallbrook, thinking it would be a good investment. But, some not-so-good advice, and the 2014 drought, had the business in a nosedive. Rice Canyon took a long-term investment perspective and invested in innovative measures, including tree stumping and grafting. Those strategies, along with smart irrigation, helped turn the farm around.

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Making Water Conservation a ‘California Way of Life’: Controversial State Rules Could Cost $13 Billion

/in , , /by /Cal Mattersby Rachel Becker

Saying the targets to cut water use in cities and towns will be costly and difficult to achieve, water agencies throughout California have raised concerns about an ambitious state proposal that would require more water conservation statewide beginning in 2025.

 

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East County Advanced Water Purification Program Awarded $2M Grant from San Diego River Conservancy

/in , /by /Times of San Diego by Debbie L. Sklar

The East County Advanced Water Purification Program has been awarded a $2 million grant from the San Diego River Conservancy.

The California State Budget (FY 2022-23) appropriated the $2 million grant to the San Diego River Conservancy for the benefit of the East County AWP Joint Powers Authority.

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California Water Board Urged to Ditch Reporting Aspect of Conservation Plan

/in , , /by /Courthouse News Service by Alan Riquelmy

Several speakers pleaded with the State Water Resources Control Board on Wednesday to rethink proposed regulations intended to reduce Californians’ water use in the face of climate change.

“Making Conservation a California Way of Life” is a series of proposed regulations that stems from two laws passed in 2018. Those laws require the state water board to implement efficiency standards and performance levels for local agencies’ water use.

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Marin Water Agency Objects to State’s Proposed Conservation Rules

/in , /by /Marin Independent Journalby Will Houston

The North Marin Water District is pushing back on the state’s proposal for permanent water conservation measures regardless of drought conditions.

The proposal, known as “Making Conservation a California Way of Life,” would require hundreds of large urban water suppliers to set and meet new conservation targets beginning in 2025. Agencies also would be required to submit more detailed information to the state on how their water is being used.

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Colorado River Officials to Expand Troubled Water Conservation Program in 2024

/in , , /by /Colorado Newslineby Robert Davis

Colorado River officials plan to expand a conservation program next year that pays farmers and ranchers to use less water. But questions remain about some of the proposed ideas and the program’s overall efficacy.

The state initially launched the System Conservation Pilot Program in 2015 as a part of a multistate effort to conserve water from the Colorado River, which provides water for millions of residents throughout seven states as well as Mexico. The effort was designed to see if conservation efforts could stabilize the water levels in critical reservoirs along the river, like Lake Powell.

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San Diego County Water Authority And its 24 Member Agencies

Reliable Water Supplies Make San Diego Region Well-Prepared for 2024

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October 2, 2023 – Thanks to a decades-long supply diversification strategy and continued efficient use of water across the region, the San Diego County Water Authority announced today that the region has reliable supplies to meet demands in Water Year 2024, which started Oct. 1.

Hydrologists use Oct. 1 to begin measuring the snow and rain that will help carry water users through dry summer months the following calendar year. This fall, El Niño conditions continue to strengthen and could bring above-average precipitation to Southern California. In a recent El Niño forecast by NOAA, there is a greater than 95% chance that El Niño continues across the Northern Hemisphere through the winter into 2024. The chance of a “strong” El Niño is 71%.

“San Diego County continues to have the water necessary to support our $268 billion economy and quality of life for 3.3 million residents,” said Mel Katz, chair of the Water Authority Board of Directors. “We are grateful for the reprieve from drought – but we recognize that dry times will return, probably sooner than later. We are ready when they do.”

Despite significant rain and snow over the past 12 months, longer-term trends indicate a hotter, drier Southwest climate. Across the arid Southwest, water agencies are spending billions of dollars to increase water supply reliability as they balance the costs of investments against the costs of not having enough water for homes and businesses.

Long-term investments and water-use efficiency sustain region

Since the early 1990s, the Water Authority and its 24 member agencies have made major investments in supply reliability, including in the landmark conservation-based 2003 Quantification Settlement Agreement, which provides over half of the region’s water, the building of the nation’s largest seawater desalination plant, and in the maintaining and upgrading of water infrastructure. That strategy has paid off during dry times. Just one year ago, the situation was dramatically different in other parts of Southern California, as millions of residents were reduced to health and safety water rations – though regional investments meant the San Diego region was spared.

Compared to recent years, the new water year begins with improved supply conditions at the Water Authority’s two imported water sources – the Colorado River and the Sierra Nevada. On the Colorado River, a good water year and conservation efforts raised storage levels, prompting the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to declare that California will not face supply restrictions through 2024.

Meanwhile, in Northern California, Lake Oroville and San Luis Reservoir – two key State Water Project reservoirs – had 2.76 million more acre-feet in storage combined at the end of August 2023 compared to the prior August. (An acre-foot is approximately 325,900 gallons, or enough water to meet the annual needs of three typical single-family households.)

In the San Diego region, water users also benefit from the Claude “Bud” Lewis Carlsbad Desalination Plant, as well as increased water storage levels in many local reservoirs. At the end of August 2023, member agency local storage was up 137,400 acre-feet, or 80%, compared to the same time in 2022. Meanwhile, the Water Authority had approximately 100,000 acre-feet available in emergency and carryover storage. This represents emergency storage for up to six-months and carryover storage to minimize or avoid potential supply cutbacks during periods of drought or other supply shortage events.

For information on water-efficient programs and rebates, go to: www.sdcwa.org/your-water/conservation/.

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Colorado River’s Upper Basin Will Re-Up a Plan That Pays Farmers and Ranchers to Use Less Water

/in , , /by /KUNCby Alex Hager

Some states in the arid West are looking to invest more money in water conservation. Colorado, Wyoming, Utah and New Mexico have agreed to re-up a water conservation program designed to reduce strain on the Colorado River. Those states, which represent the river’s Upper Basin, will use money from the Inflation Reduction Act to pay farmers and ranchers to use less water.

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Evolution of Drought Response and Resilience in California’s Cities

/in , , /by /California WaterBlog by Erik Porse

Drought is a regular event in California. In recent decades, California has experienced five prolonged drought periods (1976-77, 1987-1992, 2007-09, 2011-16, 2020-22). Urban water agencies have responded with investments in supply and demand management measures, which have made California’s cities more resilient to drought effects. What motivated these investments?

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