Tag Archive for: workshops

Catherine and Bryan Binotti replaced the outdated and drab landscape of their charming and recently-historically-designated 1950 house in the Brier Patch neighborhood of La Mesa. Photo: Helix Water District landscape contest

Landscape Makeover Contest Open For 2025 Entries

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The popular WaterSmart Landscape Makeover annual competition is now open for 2025 entries. The contest highlights residential landscaping with grass areas that have been transformed into flourishing and colorful water-smart landscapes.

Contest judges look for winners who represent the best in landscaping makeover projects from 12 participating San Diego County water agencies.

Winning entrants feature unique approaches to their landscape projects. They demonstrate the wide range of options for creating lush, beautiful landscapes that rely more on native plants and less on large areas of thirty grass.

Jason and Taylor McAllister turned a tired Santee yard into a tropical landscape visited by pollinators and other wildlife. Photo: Padre Dam Municipal Water District

Jason and Taylor McAllister turned a tired Santee yard into a tropical landscape visited by pollinators and other wildlife. Photo: Padre Dam Municipal Water District

Entries are judged on overall attractiveness, efficient irrigation methods, design, and appropriate plant selection and maintenance. The creative results and personal stories help inform and inspire other homeowners to consider their own new yard designs.

“The cooler winter months are the ideal time to make changes to your landscaping,” said Water Authority Senior Water Resources Specialist Debby Dunn. “Take advantage of our ongoing educational programs and rebates to create your own water-wise wonderland.

“To help choose the plants that best fit your style and climate, check out the Water Authority’s Nifty 50 and Happy 100 plant lists. These lists can help everyone create  beautiful, lush, colorful, thriving landscapes filled with birds, bees, and butterflies.”

Which Agencies Are Participating In 2025?

Rain barrels help supplement the irrigation system. Photo: Vista Irrigation District

Rain barrels help supplement the irrigation system in this year’s Vista Irrigation District Landscape Makeover Contest winner. Photo: Vista Irrigation District

Participating agencies in 2025 include the cities of Escondido, and Oceanside, Helix Water District, Olivenhain Municipal Water District, Otay Water District, Padre Dam Municipal Water District, Rincon Del Diablo Water District, San Dieguito Water District, Sweetwater Authority, Vallecitos Water District, and Vista Irrigation District.

Each agency winner receives a $250 gift certificate and public recognition for their efforts. Homeowners may also be eligible for turf removal rebates and additional incentives, which can help defray project costs. Applications must be complete and approved prior to beginning your landscape work.

The winning Olivenhain Municipal Water District 2024 landscape contest design includes a seating area to let visitors sit and enjoy the space Photo: Olivenhain Municipal Water District

The winning Olivenhain Municipal Water District 2024 landscape contest design includes a seating area to let visitors sit and enjoy the space Photo: Olivenhain Municipal Water District

This year’s contest deadline for all participating agencies is Friday, May 9, 2025. Homeowners may submit their entry online or through their participating agency. This is where you pay your water bill. You must be a resident within agency boundaries to participate.

Find the application for your participating water agency here, or on your agency’s website.

WaterSmart Landscaping Saves Estimated 36 Million Gallons Annually

The Palmer family's winning entry in the 2024 City of Escondido Landscape Makeover Contest. Photo: City of Escondido

The Palmer family’s winning entry in the 2024 City of Escondido Landscape Makeover Contest. Photo: City of Escondido

Outdoor water use accounts for 62% of San Diego County’s water consumption, mainly for landscape irrigation. Yards with a lot of grass can greatly increase overall water consumption.

Conservation education efforts, including the WaterSmart Landscape Contest, provide ways to create landscapes customized for your favorite activities, incorporating the needs of children, pets, accessible areas, pollinators, and specialty gardens.

Free Landscape Makeover Classes Offered by Water Authority

The Water Authority offers free options to help homeowners plan their makeovers. Homeowners can get started by viewing step-by-step videos on the Water Authority website.  Additional online resources includes free video workshops.

Each winner will receive a $250 gift certificate and recognition in the appropriate agency’s newsletter, on their website, and other promotional materials.

 

Rain barrels can capture rainfall for irrigation in your garden. Photo: National Audubon Society rain barrel rebates

Rain Barrel Rebates Timed for Rainy Season

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With climatologists predicting the potential for above-average precipitation in the months ahead due to the El Niño weather phenomenon, it’s an ideal time to take advantage of the County of San Diego’s upcoming rainwater harvesting workshops and rain barrel rebates.

The County’s Waterscape Rebate Program will host free rainwater harvesting workshops in Fall and Winter 2023. Workshops help residents learn how to capture rainwater to supplement their irrigation needs, save money on water bills, and protect our region’s environment by preventing pollutants from spilling into regional watersheds.

The County of San Diego holds free rain barrel rebate workshops at different locations. Use the QR Code for the latest schedule. Photo: County of San Diego

The County of San Diego holds free rain barrel rebate workshops at different locations. Use the QR Code for the latest schedule. Photo: County of San Diego

The next scheduled workshop is Wednesday, November 8, at 1 p.m. at Tractor Supply, 27444 Valley Center Road. Future workshops will be listed on the County of San Diego Waterscape Rebate Program website.

At the end of the workshop, residents who live in unincorporated areas of San Diego County may be eligible to receive a free rain barrel. Participants in incorporated areas can check their rebate eligibility on the San Diego County website’s interactive map.

The County of San Diego Watershed Protection Program (WPP) partners with the San Diego County Water Authority and Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (through SoCal WaterSmart) and can assist residents in determining which program benefits are available.

Capture rainwater 

During San Diego County’s limited periods of rainfall, any rainwater captured from your roof and property saves money. It also helps the region maintain its water supplies.

Directing downspouts into water collecting features in your landscaping makes use of rainfall. Photo: County of San Diego rain barrel rebates

Directing downspouts into water-collecting features in your landscaping makes use of rainfall. Photo: County of San Diego

Workshops introduce residents to several beautiful, efficient ways to save rainwater. In addition to rain barrels, directing downspouts to fill containers lets you choose how to use the rainwater you capture. The overflow should empty onto your yard or a landscape feature to infiltrate the excess flow into the soil. Rain chains can assist with this.

Protecting water quality in watersheds

The Countyl of San Diego is committed to protecting the water quality in county creeks, streams, and coastal areas. Runoff from irrigation, storms, and even faulty septic systems can bring pollutants to county waterways and threaten public health.

When businesses and households make changes to reduce water use and use rainwater in their landscapes, it helps preserve healthy, safe waterways and more reliable water supplies.

How rain barrel rebates work

After buying rain-saving containers or other items eligible for rebates, and have installed them, residents can apply for rebates. Current rain barrel rebates are $35 and are limited to two per household for most San Diego County residents. Multiple projects are eligible. Details at: Socal WaterSmart.

Rain barrels conserve water for WaterSmart landscape maintenance

Making use of rain barrels is good for the environment and good for your household budget. Photo: National Audubon Society

Making use of rain barrels is good for the environment and good for your household budget. Photo: National Audubon Society

Whether or not El Niño results in increased rainfall, even light rain can provide enough water for later use. A roof with a 2,000-square-foot surface area can capture 300 gallons from only a quarter inch of rain.

Stored water can be released gradually into landscaping between winter rainstorms, building up the soil sponge and ensuring that native plants get adequate water during the winter months when they need it most. If additional water is needed in the summer, captured and stored water during the winter could be used as supplemental irrigation.

The Solana Center For Environmental Innovation website has additional information on rain barrels and rebate programs.

WaterSmart classes-landscapes-landscape-water conservation

Free WaterSmart Classes Help Residents Transform Landscapes

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The San Diego County Water Authority offers free WaterSmart classes, with both virtual and in-person options, taught by local landscape design professionals. Classes help participants understand landscape design and maintenance, soil identification and health, turf types and removal tips, plant selection, rainwater catchment, irrigation retrofits and project installation, whether completed as a DIY project or with contractor assistance.

Participants get the knowledge and skills they need to transform their yards into spaces that are water-efficient, sustainable, and beautiful year-round.  The workshops are typically offered in spring and in fall clusters, with fall classes scheduled for September through November.

Five topics are available to choose from, including:

  • Plan Ahead: Understanding Soil and Site Assessments
  • Design: Shape Your Space
  • Plants: Inspiring Choices for our Region
  • Water & Irrigation: Utilizing a Precious Resource
  • Installation and Maintenance: Protecting Your Investment
Plants in beautiful colors that attract pollinators highlight the plant palette. Photo: San Dieguito Water District

Residents will learn how to plan and design a landscape that is not only water-efficient, but also looks vibrant and attracts pollinators. Photo: San Dieguito Water District

Local professionals can help you create a customized plan

Participants who attend all five workshops and meet other program criteria can sign up to receive an in-home visit by a landscape professional who will help them create customized landscape transformation plans, through the Designer at Your Door service. For more information, visit sdcwa.org/your-water/conservation/classes.

“The workshops are designed to help residents create and maintain their own beautiful and water-efficient outdoor spaces,” said Debby Dunn, a water resources specialist for the Water Authority. “Most of our residential water use is outdoors in our landscapes. This is why learning how to create water-efficient spaces is a great way for San Diegans to continue doing their part to use water efficiently.”

Short videos offer an educational and entertaining experience

For people who prefer to learn at their own pace, the Water Authority offers short, entertaining and educational on-demand videos, with topics that mirror the workshops. To watch the videos go to sdcwa.org/your-water/conservation/classes and click on the videos link.

Low-water plants, improved irrigation technologies, and WaterSmart classes not only save water, but also reduce energy use, protect our natural resources, and create beautiful outdoor living spaces.

(Editor’s note: The “Thanks for Planting Me!” summer campaign offers gratitude to the hundreds of thousands of San Diegans who have transformed their landscapes using low-water and native plants as part of a larger effort to use water more efficiently.)

In-Person Workshops Return for 2023 Landscape Makeover Program

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

The San Diego County Water Authority’s free WaterSmart Landscape Makeover workshops have helped thousands of San Diego County homeowners successfully convert high-water-use lawn areas to WaterSmart landscapes.

For the first time since 2019, in-person landscape workshops return starting Saturday, March 18. Weekly sessions are from 9 a.m. to noon at The Water Conservation Garden, adjacent to Cuyamaca College in Rancho San Diego, and at the Helix Water District Operations Center in La Mesa. Virtual workshops are also offered on Wednesdays from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. with a new series beginning March 18. Virtual workshop registration is also open.

Participation is free with registration for in-person and virtual workshops required in advance through the workshop webpage. Enrollment is on a first-come, first-served basis.

Topics cover residential landscape design for the homeowner, plant palettes, healthy soil, irrigation retrofits and streamlined landscape maintenance, all with a “do-it-yourself” approach encouraging the use of low water use plants and personal design touches.

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In-person landscape workshop: This award winning landscape makeover in La Mesa shows a low water use design can be lush and colorful without turf.

In-Person Workshops Return for 2023 Landscape Makeover Program

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The San Diego County Water Authority’s free WaterSmart Landscape Makeover workshops have helped thousands of San Diego County homeowners successfully convert high-water-use lawn areas to WaterSmart landscapes.

For the first time since 2019, in-person landscape workshops return starting Saturday, March 18. Weekly sessions are from 9 a.m. to noon at The Water Conservation Garden, adjacent to Cuyamaca College in Rancho San Diego, and at the Helix Water District Operations Center in La Mesa. Virtual workshops are also offered on Wednesdays from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. with a new series beginning March 18. Virtual workshop registration is also open.

Participation is free with registration for in-person and virtual workshops required in advance through the workshop webpage. Enrollment is on a first-come, first-served basis.

Topics cover residential landscape design for the homeowner, plant palettes, healthy soil, irrigation retrofits and streamlined landscape maintenance, all with a “do-it-yourself” approach encouraging the use of low water use plants and personal design touches.

A wide variety of plant palettes and design templates suited to a variety of lifestyles have been updated for 2023.

New for 2023: design palettes suited to accomodate a wide variety of lifestyles and activities. Graphic: San Diego County Water Authority in-person workshops

New for 2023: design palettes suited to accommodate a wide variety of lifestyles and activities. Graphic: San Diego County Water Authority

“We are delighted to bring back our in-person workshops to give residents multiple options,” said Joni German, Water Authority water resources specialist. “People have different ways they prefer to learn new skills and different schedules. We want to help residents find the best way to achieve water savings with a beautiful new landscape that suits their lifestyle.”

Another free opportunity is the new “Designer At Your Door” service. Requirements include homes with a minimum-size living lawn, a working in-ground irrigation system, and a willingness by homeowners to install a more sustainable landscape. Attendance is required at a minimum of five three-hour workshops to qualify. Read more about the Designer At Your Door program and its requirements here.

Homeowners benefit from conservation gains plus rebates

There are new enhanced rebates for removing turf and replacing it with sustainable landscaping. Photo: Water Authority

There are new enhanced rebates for removing grass and replacing it with sustainable landscaping. Photo: San Diego County Water Authority

Landscape watering accounts for more than half of a typical household’s water use in California. The Water Authority’s workshops can help residents create a drought-tolerant, water-efficient landscape with a design that maximizes enjoyment of the outdoor space. Homeowners can also save the time and expense required for lawn maintenance.

In the last five years, 1,290 participants created new landscape plans through the Water Authority’s workshops. They committed to converting 1,479,180 sq. ft. of lawn with a documented 33% water savings equal to 36.5 million gallons per year.

San Diego County homeowners, businesses, and organizations such as homeowners’ associations can receive 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. Learn more at socalwatersmart.com

Some agencies offer additional funding, including the City of San Diego and the County of San Diego. Residents in unincorporated San Diego County may be eligible for additional incentives through the Waterscape Rebate Program.  

(Editor’s Note: The San Diego County Water Authority sustains a $268 billion regional economy and the quality of life for 3.3 million residents through a multi-decade water supply diversification plan, major infrastructure investments and forward-thinking policies that promote fiscal and environmental responsibility. The Water Authority delivers wholesale water supplies to 24 member agencies,  including cities, special districts and a military base.)

Public Workshops on California Water Conveyance Projects

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

The California Water Commission is holding public workshops as part of its efforts to assess a potential state role in financing conveyance projects that could help meet needs in a changing climate. A workshop in Southern California is scheduled for December 10 on Zoom.

The Commission’s goal with the workshops is to hear from diverse voices across the state. Participants from the region are encouraged to share their perspective on conveyance projects, conveyance infrastructure needs and priorities.

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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

Vallecitos Water District Employee Leads By Example With WaterSmart Landscaping Makeover

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Vallecitos Water District Development Services Coordinator Eileen Koonce transformed the front yard at her new home into a beautiful water-efficient design with help from the San Diego County Water Authority’s Landscape Makeover Program.

As a new homeowner, when Koonce received her first water bill, she decided to figure out a way to reduce her water bill and her water usage. She realized the thirsty lawn covering the front yard had to go.

“As an employee of the District, we are always talking to customers about how they can reduce water use in their landscape, and what better time to put that theme to use than in my own yard,” said Koonce.

The Vallecitos Water District was hosting the Water Authority’s WaterSmart Landscape Makeover Program at the time. After Koonce saw the great turnout, she decided she wanted to participate in the program.

Knowledgeable instructors guide participants

Homeowner Eileen Koonce discovered watersmart landscaping can be colorful and attractive. Photo: Vallecitos Water District example watersmart landscaping

Homeowner Eileen Koonce discovered watersmart landscaping can be colorful and attractive. Photo: Vallecitos Water District

Koonce said she enjoyed working with the instructors.

“They bring the language down to the do-it-yourselfers,” she said. “They walk you through every part of it and if you have questions, they can help you out. You feel empowered because you can understand the process.”

Koonce tackled most of the design work herself with the help of instructors, who are licensed landscape architects. They also helped Koonce pick out the plants and choose an irrigation system.

She also applied for a turf rebate through the Metropolitan Water District’s Turf Rebate Program. Koonce said the application process was easy for her to follow, and she met all the criteria for acceptance into the program.

Video tour of Eileen Koonce’s new landscaping

New landscape a pollinators’ paradise

Koonce wanted a garden that would attract butterflies and birds, especially hummingbirds. She says her top takeaway from the WaterSmart course is how many attractive landscape options exist. Many beautiful, flowering plants do not require a lot of water.

“The WaterSmart Landscape Makeover Series is a great way to gather the skills needed to make your front yard transformation happen,” said Michelle Landis, course instructor and Registered Landscape Architect. “The WaterSmart Landscape Makeover Series also teaches the skills needed to tap into the new, local turf removal rebates. We invite you to join us for one of the sessions above to transform your front yard into money-saving, WaterSmart design.”

Koonce said she realizes a $70 per month savings on her water bill since her landscape makeover. And no longer spends time mowing a lawn.

Register now for workshops and class series

Eileen Koonce says she was able to install her own landscaping with the help she received from instructors. Photo: Vallecitos Water District

Eileen Koonce says she was able to install her own landscaping with the help she received from instructors. Photo: Vallecitos Water District

The WaterSmart education program offers free three-hour workshops and a four-class landscaping makeover series. Three-hour workshops are scheduled on weeknights and Saturdays from March through October.

The four-class series is currently enrolling participants for March in Encinitas and in El Cajon. The series is also open in Oceanside and San Diego in April. Find participation requirements and register for the free series online at WaterSmartSD.org.