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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPipeline 01 - Winter 2026T H E O T AY W ATER DISTRICT • P R OUDLY SERVING E A ST C OUNT Y AND TH E S OUTH B A Y SINC E 1956 A NE W SLETTE R FOR CUSTOMERS OF T HE O TAY WATER DISTRICT WINTER 2026 Dedicated to Community Service FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE OTAY WATER DISTRICT CALL (619) 670-2222 OR GO TO OTAYWATER.GOV The Pipeline Newsletter is published quartely by the Otay Water District and can also be found online at otaywater.gov. Copywright ©2021 Otay Water District. All rights reserved. Otay Turns 70! This year, the Otay Water District proudly celebrates 70 years of dedicated service to our community. Throughout the year, we will commemorate the District’s longevity, reaffirming our commitment to providing reliable and fiscally responsible water service. Follow us on social media for updates. Thank you for being a valued customer! Watering Schedule Basics Water schedules are not a one- size-fits-all. It’s best to tailor your landscape’s watering schedule to its design layout, irrigation method, soil type, and plant needs. A helpful starting point for determining the correct watering schedule is using the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California’s online watering calculator, which estimates the amount of irrigation water needed under typical weather conditions. Visit bewaterwise.com/ calculator.html. Another effective tool is installing a weather-based irrigation controller. These ensure plants receive the right amount by automatically adjusting irrigation to changing weather conditions and soil characteristics. For available rebates on smart controllers, visit otaywater.gov/rebates. Selecting the proper irrigation equipment also improves outdoor water-use efficiency and reduces runoff. Rotors are ideal for large landscapes. They release water in a slow, single stream, allowing the soil time to absorb the water more effectively. Rotary nozzles work best for lawns and groundcovers by delivering multiple streams of larger, wind-resistant drops. Drip irrigation is best for plants and trees, as it applies water slowly and directly to the root zone. For more information about these devices, visit sdcwa.org/conservation/resources and scroll down to “Irrigation.” Resolve to Save Water in 2026 Practice water-use efficiency throughout 2026 with these simple tips and seasonal reminders: January through March: Visit otaywater.gov/fix-a-leak-week to check for leaks and prevent water waste. April through June: Complete a walk-through of your irrigation system or schedule a certified professional water survey at otaywater.gov/watersurvey to spruce up your sprinklers before summer. July through September: Irrigate in the early mornings before 10 a.m. or evenings after sunset, especially in the summer, when temperatures are cooler to reduce evaporation. October through December: When hosting holiday gatherings, scrape food into the trash can instead of using the garbage disposal and run the dishwasher only when full. Happy New Year! Free Workshops at the Water Conservation Garden The County of San Diego’s Watershed Protection Program has partnered with the Water Conservation Garden to offer free workshops on water-wise landscaping. To be notified when these classes and other events are added, sign up for the Garden’s e-newsletter. Visit thegarden.org/weekly-classes/workshops, scroll to the bottom of the page, and enter your information under “Sign up for Updates!” Register for classes and events at thegarden.org or call (619) 660-0614 x16 Otay’s Customer Service Team is Here to Help! For inquiries or assistance with your water bill, contact the District’s Customer Service Department at (619) 670-2222 or customerservice@otaywater.gov. Commonly asked customer service questions: • Why is my water bill higher than usual? If your bill is higher than normal, consider the following: – A longer billing period compared to the previous month may result in a higher bill. – Irrigation settings may reset and lead to increased watering times. – Otay typically increases rates in January and the City of Chula Vista usually increases its sewer rates in July. – You may have hidden leaks (especially toilets), appliance issues, or increased water use from guests, holidays, seasonal changes, pools, or outdoor watering. Learn how to check for leaks at otaywater.gov/ how-to-check-for-leaks. • Does the District offer online BillPay? – Yes. Make one-time payments using a credit card or bank account. With one username and password, view multiple accounts, set up automatic payments (deducted on your due date), and receive your bill summary via email. View and print current or past bills online, 24/7. • How do I update my contact information? – Update your account if your address, phone number, or email has changed by calling (619) 670-2222, emailing customerservice@otaywater.gov, or visiting otaywater.gov/update- your-info. Conservation Spotlight: Premium High-Efficiency Toilets Did you know that toilets account for about 30% of indoor water use in most homes? Upgrading to a premium high-efficiency toilet can significantly reduce water consumption, as these models use 1.1 gallons per flush or less. Residential and commercial customers may be eligible for a $40 rebate on qualifying water-saving toilets. Learn more at otaywater.gov/rebates. Host Your Next Event at The Garden Looking for the right venue to host a special event? Choose the Water Conservation Garden for your next celebration. With a natural, sophisticated elegance, the Garden provides a memorable setting for any event — weddings, engagement parties, bridal or baby showers, anniversaries, quinceañeras, corporate/teambuilding events, reunions, charity galas, picnics, and social gatherings. Learn more at thegarden.org/yourevent. Nan StermanWaterwise Gardener Tiny Invaders – Garden Pests to Watch For Invasive pests are on my mind this month. After years of Agave snout weevil destroying agaves, South American palm weevils flat-topping palms, and olive fruit flies making mush of olive fruits, you’d think we’d get a break. Sadly, there are more invasive pests in our homes and gardens. Here are three to watch for and how to manage them. Aedes Mosquitoes Are your ankles and lower legs covered in itchy mosquito bites, yet you haven’t noticed the mosquitoes? Congratulations, you’ve met Aedes mosquitoes. These tiny, hard-to-see critters are native to parts of Africa and Asia, where they have spread the Zika virus, dengue virus, yellow fever virus, and more. Fortunately, we haven’t had large outbreaks in our region, but as their numbers grow, so do the risks. “Aedes mosquito” is a catchall name for three mosquito species: Aedes aegypti, Aedes albopictus, and Aedes notoscriptus. These ankle-biters are most fond of human legs and ankles, which, unlike the larger, more familiar native mosquitoes, they attack during the day. Why do mosquitoes bite? They are hungry! Mosquito mouthparts pierce your skin and suck up your blood. The mouth parts simultaneously inject saliva into your skin. Your body detects the proteins in their saliva as “invaders,” so it releases histamines to the injection spot. That is why you get an itchy bump at the bite. If the mosquito is infected with a virus, the virus passes to you in its saliva. Aedes mosquitoes lay eggs in standing water and moist areas such as the surface of potting soil, water drops in a cup or bottle, wet toys, clogged rain gutters, the drip tray under your coffee maker, pet water bowls, etc. The best protection is to make your home and garden inhospitable to the tiny critters. Empty anything that holds even a few drops of water, clean rain gutters, etc. Apply Mosquito Bits to house plants; this product contains a bacterium that kills mosquito larvae. As a bonus, Mosquito Bits kill fungus gnats, too! Eucalyptus Tortoise Beetle The Eucalyptus tortoise beetle (aka eucalyptus leaf beetle) is the common name for two different beetles: Trachymela sloanie and Chrysophtharta m-fuscum, both in Southern California. These small beetles are native to Australia, as are all but one of the 700+ species of eucalyptus (yes, there are that many species of eucalyptus). While destructive, the raisin-sized beetles look kind of adorable. They resemble ladybugs in scale, and because their fold-up wings are covered in hard, beautifully colored outer “shells.” While ladybug shells are red and black, tortoise beetle shells are pale tan, cream, or even green gold, with bright red to brown speckles, stripes, and other patterns. Off the trees, these beetles are easy to see, but on eucalyptus leaves, they blend right in. While cute, eucalyptus tortoise beetles are a big problem for eucalyptus trees. They lay bright orange eggs under the outer bark. When the eggs hatch, caterpillar-like brown larvae chew on the leaves, as do adult beetles, all under the cover of darkness. You’ll notice their presence as leaves with semicircular holes or ragged edges. There is no treatment for eucalyptus tortoise beetles, but to help your eucalyptus survive the beetles: • Prevent drought stress. Deep water to penetrate one foot or deeper, using in-line drip irrigation (not overhead spray) in summer and fall. Let the soil dry out completely between waterings. • Prune eucalyptus trees only in December and January. • Don’t fertilize eucalyptus trees. • Avoid pesticides. They have little effect on the beetles and insteadkill beneficial insects that keep other garden pests in check. Hammerhead Worms I find hammerhead worms (Bipalium species) to be a bit terrifying. These worms resemble earthworms in their color and girth, but where earthworms are cylindrical, hammerheads are flatworms, meaning their bodies, which can grow up to a foot long, are literally flat. Hammerhead worms are striped, brown on brown and look slimy or mucousy. Their common name, “hammerhead,” comes from their hammer or spade-shaped heads. Hammerhead worms have been in California since the 1940s, but concern grows as their numbers grow. Why? These are Southeast Asian natives are carnivorous and eat earthworms. Since earthworms are critically important to soil health, as the hammerhead populations grow, they threaten the populations of native earthworms and indirectly destroy our soils. Add to that, hammerheads’ mucous coating contains neurotoxins, secreted to incapacitate their prey. These neurotoxins also have the potential to irritate human skin and can be dangerous to pets that eat the worms. Watch for hammerhead worms in warm, damp spots in your garden: under mulch, pieces of wood or rocks, in potted plants, in garden beds, in compost bins, and everywhere else earthworms thrive. If you see a hammerhead worm: • DO NOT pick it up. • DO NOT cut it up or try to squish it – each piece regenerates into anew worm, so you multiply the problem. • DO wear gloves and a hand trowel to gently pick up the worm andseal it in a plastic bag with salt or vinegar. Alternatively, set thesealed bag in bright sun for several hours to “cook” the worm. • DO put the bag into the trash once the worm is dead. Do not placeit in the green waste. • DO wash your hands thoroughly with soap when you finish. Nan Sterman is a garden expert, author, designer, and educator. Nan leads international garden tours, is the author of several books, and hosts the show A Growing Passion on KPBS TV, waterwisegardener.comRead more by Nan Sterman at otaywater.gov/waterwise-gardener FOLLOW OTAY WATER ON... / SIGA AL DISTRITO DE AGUA DE OTAY EN... OTAY WATER DISTRICT – Board of Directors The Board of Directors meets the first Wednesday of the month at 3:30 p.m. in the board meeting room at 2554 Sweetwater Springs Boulevard, Spring Valley, CA 91978. The public is encouraged to attend or watch the live stream at otaywater.gov. PresidentFrancisco X. Rivera, Division 1frivera@otaywater.gov Vice PresidentMark Robak, Division 5mrobak@otaywater.gov TreasurerDelfina Gonzalez, Division 2dgonzalez@otaywater.gov Board MemberGary Croucher, Division 3gcroucher@otaywater.gov Board MemberJose Lopez, Division 4jlopez@otaywater.gov FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE OTAY WATER DISTRICT CALL (619) 670-2222 OR GO TO OTAYWATER.GOV The Pipeline Newsletter is published quartely by the Otay Water District and can also be found online at otaywater.gov. Copywright ©2021 Otay Water District. All rights reserved. ¡Otay cumple 70 años! Este año, el Distrito de Agua de Otay celebra con orgullo 70 años de servicio a la comunidad. A lo largo del año vamos a celebrar la trayectoria del Distrito, siempre reafirmando nuestro compromiso de brindar un servicio de agua confiable y fiscalmente responsable. Síganos en las redes sociales para mantenerse informado. ¡Gracias por ser nuestro cliente! Información básica sobre los horarios de riego Los horarios de riego no son iguales para todos. Lo ideal es adaptar el horario de riego del jardín a su diseño, método de riego, tipo de suelo y necesidades de sus plantas. Un buen punto de partida para determinar el horario de riego adecuado es utilizar la calculadora en línea del Distrito Metropolitano de Agua del Sur de California. Esta calculadora calcula la cantidad de agua de riego necesaria en condiciones climáticas normales. Visite bewaterwise.com/calculator.html. Otra herramienta eficaz es instalar un controlador de riego basado en el clima. Estos dispositivos garantizan que las plantas reciben la cantidad adecuada de agua al ajustar automáticamente el riego según las condiciones climáticas cambiantes y las características del suelo. Para obtener información sobre los reembolsos disponibles para controladores inteligentes, por favor visite otaywater.gov/reembolsos. Seleccionar el equipo de riego adecuado también mejora la eficiencia del uso del agua en exteriores y reduce la escorrentía. Los rotores son ideales para jardines grandes ya que liberan el agua en un chorro lento y continuo, lo que permite que el suelo la absorba de manera más eficiente. Las boquillas rotativas son las más adecuadas para el césped y la cobertura vegetal ya que emiten múltiples chorros de gotas más grandes y resistentes al viento. El riego por goteo es ideal para plantas y árboles, ya que aplica el agua lentamente y de manera directa a las raíces. Para obtener más información sobre estos dispositivos, por favor visite sdcwa.org/conservation/resources y desplácese hacia abajo hasta la sección de “Irrigation”. Ahorre agua en este 2026 Practique el uso eficiente del agua durante todo el 2026 con estos consejos sencillos y recordatorios por temporada: De enero a marzo: Visite otaywater.gov/semana-para-arreglar-fugas para detectar fugas y evitar el desperdicio de agua. De abril a junio: Revise su sistema de riego o programe una inspección profesional certificada en otaywater.gov/estudio-consumo-de-agua y para optimizar sus aspersores antes del verano. De julio a septiembre: Riegue temprano por la mañana, antes de las 10 a. m., o por la noche, después de la puesta del sol, especialmente durante el verano cuando las temperaturas son más frescas para reducir la evaporación. De octubre a diciembre: Cuando organice reuniones durante las fiestas, deseche los restos de comida en el bote de basura en lugar de usar el triturador de basura y utilice su lavavajillas solo cuando esté lleno. ¡Feliz Año Nuevo!