Tag Archive for: Water Conservation

How San Diego County’s Water Conservation Efforts Have Prepared Them for Severe Drought Conditions

/in , , /by /ABC 7 Los Angeles by Reporter: Phillip Palmer and Videographer Darryl Kim Quoted: San Diego County Water Authority

California will soak up some much needed rain this week on the heels of a sobering decision from the state to drastically reduce water distribution to the Los Angeles area due to our ongoing drought.

Meanwhile, the San Diego County Water Authority gets less than 1% of its water from the state, a remarkable difference from the 95% the agency received from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California in the early 1990s. Conservation became a way of life in San Diego. Water use per day has been reduced by 50% since 1990 and remains consistent with levels seen during our last drought between 2012 and 2016.

Conservation a way of life in San Diego County

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Make the Most of Rainfall

/in , , /by /Water News Network

On the rare and welcome occasions when San Diego County gets rainfall, the water runoff from hard surfaces around the home such as roofs and patios should be re-directed to your permeable landscaping. By capturing as much rainwater as possible in the soil, it is possible to build an ecosystem that can last through the summer months with minimal additional irrigation.

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Californians Cut Water Use 13% in October; Still Behind Goal

/in , , /by /AP Newsby Kathleen Ronayne

Californians stepped up their water conservation in October, a move made easier by a massive storm that dumped record rain in some parts of the state but still wasn’t enough to combat the drought.

Collectively, people reduced their water use by 13.2% compared to last October, a major jump from prior months when water conservation lagged. Still, total water usage is down just 6% since July compared to the same period last year, far short of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s 15% goal.

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California Considers $500 Fines for Water Wasters as Drought Worsens, Conservation Lags

/in , , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Hayley Smith

As California descends deeper into drought, officials are growing increasingly troubled by dwindling water supplies and the public’s lackluster response to calls for conservation, with residents in recent months falling short of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s request for a voluntary 15% reduction in usage.

Now, as the West tips toward crisis, state water regulators are considering adopting emergency regulations that will prohibit certain actions in an attempt to curtail water waste and help conserve supplies.

If approved, the proposal could usher in a wave of water regulations that hearken back to previous droughts while underscoring the seriousness of the current one.

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More Rain On the Way for San Diego

/in , /by /KPBS-FM/TVby Leslie Gonzalez

San Diego County got some precipitation Tuesday morning, and more rain is expected Thursday. But it’s a drop in the bucket since the county’s last storm in October.

National Weather Service meteorologist Alex Tardy said San Diego County is expected to receive .01 to .05 inches of rain Tuesday, and heavier rainfall, approximately .25 to .50 inches, on Thursday over Valley Center and Alpine.

“There will be no major storm. We can expect Pacific storms to bring in colder weather, which will replace the dry air and reduce fuel weather (fires),” he said.

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Opinion: Desalination Plant Company Not Shy About Asking for Government Handouts

/in , /by /Los Angeles Timesby Steve Lopez

We all know we’re in the midst of a terrible drought in California.

And we all know we’ve got an 1,100-mile coastline.

Is desalination the answer to our problems?

No. It comes after water conservation and recycling, and is just one tool among many that might prevent the state from going dry.

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Four San Diego County Student Artists Featured in 2022 Calendar

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

Four talented San Diego County student artists from the region’s schools are among the 37 Southern California students whose artwork will appear in the 2022 “Water Is Life” Student Art Calendar.

Produced by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, the “Water is Life” Student Art Calendar showcases student artwork with imaginative water conservation and water resource stewardship messages. Student artists from the Helix Water District, Otay Water District, Padre Dam Municipal Water District and the Sweetwater Authority are featured in the 2022 calendar.

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California Drought: Wasting Water? You Could Be Hit With a $500 Fine

/in , , /by /The Mercury Newsby Paul Rogers

Hosing off the driveway. Watering lawns within 48 hours of a rainstorm. Washing a car without a shut-off nozzle.

Any of those wasteful practices could soon be illegal in drought-stricken California, with fines of up to $500 for violators.

Seven months after Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a drought emergency for most counties in California, his administration is moving forward with something water conservation experts said should have happened long ago — crafting statewide rules to ban the egregious wasting of water.

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Off-Season Irrigation Could Pause as Reclamation ‘Pays Back’ PacifiCorp Reservoirs

/in , /by /Klamath Falls Herald and Newsby Alex Schwartz

After a summer spent drying up, Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge finally began receiving a measurable flow of water, thanks to the start of the winter irrigation season on December 1. The refuge can receive up to 11,000 acre-feet of water between December and February depending on how Upper Klamath Lake is filling.

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Olivenhain Municipal Water District Logo landscape design workshops

OMWD Offers Low-Cost Rain Barrels to Help Customers Save Water

/in , /by

Encinitas, Calif. — Olivenhain Municipal Water District has partnered with neighboring water districts—San Dieguito Water District, Santa Fe Irrigation District, and Carlsbad Municipal Water District—to offer discounted rain barrels to area residents this winter.

Rain barrels ordered by January 31, 2022 will be available for pick up at Solana Center for Environmental Innovation located at 137 North El Camino Real in Encinitas.

Fifty-gallon barrels are on sale for $97, with a final cost of $62 after a $35 rebate from water wholesaler Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. Rebates on rain barrels and other water-saving measures are available at www.socalwatersmart.com.

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