New ‘Guide’ Offers Tips, Tools and Inspiration for WaterSmart Living
October 18, 2013
San Diego County residents now have a versatile and comprehensive resource for indoor and outdoor water conservation available at their…
San Diego County residents now have a versatile and comprehensive resource for indoor and outdoor water conservation available at their fingertips wherever they go.
The San Diego County Water Authority on Friday published its “eGuide to a WaterSmart Lifestyle” to inspire, educate and empower homeowners to make water-efficient choices in their homes and gardens. The mobile, interactive guide is designed to reduce the obstacles between discovering interesting ideas – online, at a friend’s house or in a store – and turning them into reality.
The free, 140-page digital flipbook reflects San Diego County’s Mediterranean climate, along with its active, high-tech lifestyle. It is loaded with interactive features that allow users to share ideas on Facebook, electronically “pin” plant and garden photos for their followers, watch videos, and scroll through a library of eye-popping images. The online magazine includes plant finders, interactive maps, animated graphics, home and garden calculators, landscape design tools, and details about rebates and incentives. Each subject is fully linked to online resources, allowing users to quickly access additional information.
The “eGuide to a WaterSmart Lifestyle” covers a wide array of topics, including landscape design, water-efficient plants, outdoor rooms, finding and fixing leaks, healthy soil, smart buys on plumbing features, landscape maintenance and drought survival for gardens. It offers everything from design ideas for creating themed planting zones to strategies for using “graywater” at homes and irrigating efficiently.Features will be added regularly to reflect innovations and other developments.
“This guide will help our region make the most of our water supplies while maintaining the San Diego lifestyle we love,” said Thomas V. Wornham, chair of the Water Authority’s Board of Directors. “People who spend time with this flipbook will be motivated to improve how they use water. It’s a go-to resource for living water-smart.”
The digital magazine was designed for use on tablets as well as conventional computers so users can access it wherever they go – shopping, touring conservation gardens or just taking a walk through the neighborhood. It can be viewed at www.watersmartsd.org/residential-guide. It is one of many tools and resources featured at WaterSmartsd.org, the Water Authority’s conservation-themed website.
Everyone who subscribes to receive updates about new eGuide features and related events by November 30 will be entered into a drawing for a rain barrel valued at more than $150. Flipbook readers can register using the pop-up box when they open the eGuide, or they can sign up anytime by clicking the blue “subscribe” tab on the right side of each page.
Partial funding for the flipbook was provided by the Hans and Margaret Doe Charitable Trust. Nearly 50 specialists in plumbing, irrigation, gardening and other topics contributed their expertise to the project.
“This guide wouldn’t have come together without the generous and thoughtful contributions of these experts who are so passionate about helping San Diego County shine when it comes to water-use efficiency,” said Jason Foster, director of Public Outreach and Conservation for the Water Authority. “The ideas they have provided – both practical and inspirational – are relevant for properties big and small everywhere across the region.”