Motivating more homeowners and businesses to install low-water-use landscapes, expanding incentives for purchasing "smart" irrigation controllers and other water-saving devices, and reducing overwatering via a sophisticated, web-based "water budget" program are cornerstones of the San Diego County Water Authority's new five-year Blueprint for Water Conservation.
Category Archives: Water Use
Boost Your Aqua IQ with the Water Authority’s Resources for Teachers and Students
As students return to class across the region, the San Diego County Water Authority is offering schools, teachers and students an array of water-themed resources, including several that are free. The Water Authority’s school education program has fostered an appreciation for the region’s most precious natural resource for more than 30 years. It has grown to include: three assembly shows; interactive exhibits in partnership with the Fleet Science Center and the San Diego County Office of Education; classroom posters and workbooks; and a scholarship challenge through the Greater San Diego Science & Engineering Fair. Details, including directions for participation, are […]
Water Authority urges region to turn off landscape watering systems for a week
The San Diego County Water Authority is urging residents and businesses to help the region conserve water by turning off their outdoor watering systems today and leaving them off for at least the next week as a storm system moves into the region starting tonight.
Water Authority urges early conservation planning as the days get longer and warmer
Spring has arrived and daylight savings time is just ahead. Despite all the rain this season, the San Diego County Water Authority reminds county residents that we live in a desert where water conservation is a way of life. Now is the time to begin water conservation efforts in preparation for more daylight and warmer weather.
Water Authority Voucher Program Provides Financial Incentives for Conservation
The Water Authority is tapping common sense and technology to improve water conservation efforts. The Water Authority’s new conservation program, Smart Landscape, enhances the health and beauty of commercial and residential landscapes. The new program provides financial incentives to residential customers for installing new, self-adjusting, weather-based irrigation controllers. Incentives are also available to commercial sites to upgrade irrigation hardware. Financial incentives are available in San Diego County by calling (800) 986-4538.
Water Authority urges region to turn off landscape watering in advance of storms
The San Diego County Water Authority is urging residents and businesses to help the region conserve water by turning off their outdoor watering systems today in advance of two storm systems moving into the region starting today.
National Weather Service forecasters predict light rain to begin as early as this afternoon, with beaches receiving up to a third of an inch of rain and mountain areas receiving up to 1 inch. North County areas are expected to see the largest amount of rain.
Live WaterSmart by Adjusting Irrigation Systems When it’s Time to ‘Fall Back’
When daylight saving time ends on Nov. 5, residents can take action to save water in the months ahead by remembering to adjust their irrigation systems when they adjust other clocks. “Adjusting irrigation is an easy way to Live WaterSmart, since landscapes need less water as the days get shorter and cooler,” said Dana Friehauf, a water resources manager for the San Diego County Water Authority. “Residents also should make sure their irrigation systems are working correctly and are free of broken sprinkler heads or other leaks that waste water.” About half of a typical California household’s water use goes […]
Water Authority Reports 9 Percent Reduction in Urban Water Use So Far in 2009
Cooler weather and residents and businesses heeding calls for increased water conservation led to a significant drop in region wide water use during the first half of this year, the San Diego County Water Authority reported today.äóÂäóÂ
Urban water use between January 2009 and June 2009 decreased by nearly 9 percent compared to the same six-month period in 2008, according to estimates Water Authority staff presented to the Board of Directors.
Award-Winning WaterSmart Landscape Makeover Program Holding Free Workshops in October
The San Diego County Water Authority, in partnership with its member agencies, will hold seven free workshops around the region in October to help homeowners learn the basics of transforming their yards into beautiful and sustainable WaterSmart landscapes. The workshops are led by local landscaping professionals and are part of the Water Authority’s award-winning WaterSmart Landscape Makeover Program. During the three-hour Landscape Design for Homeowners Workshops, participants will learn the basic principles of a WaterSmart landscape, including soil amendments, landscape design, turf removal, plant selection, planning, irrigation and rainwater catchment. Fall is an ideal time to plant in San Diego […]
Water Authority Extends Temporary Agricultural Water Rate Program for Two Years
Today the San Diego County Water Authority Board of Directors approved extending a temporary agricultural water rate program through January 1, 2015. The action provides the region’s agriculture industry with a measure of economic relief while providing urban water customers increased protection from water shortages.