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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPipeline 02 - Spring 2023T H E O TAY WATER 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 SLET TE R FOR CUSTOMERS OF T HE OTAY WATER DISTRICT SPRING 2023 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. May is Water Awareness Month! Although saving water every day is needed, this month raises awareness about the importance and value of conservation. It is a time to confirm and show appreciation for the water that fuels our economy and sustains our ecosystems. And even with the recent rainy season, we all need to make conservation a way of life. This is also a great time to inspect your irrigation system for leaks and ensure it is efficiently running as we head into the hotter months when over half of residential water is used for landscape irrigation. Simple conservation actions we take now will make a big difference for our community and the state. If you haven’t already, consider incorporating the following practices during Water Awareness Month and continue them throughout the year. •Run the dishwasher and clothes washer only when full. •Scrape dirty dishes instead of rinsing them before washing. •Install aerators with flow restrictors on kitchen and bathroom faucets. •Irrigate early morning or late at night to reduce evaporation. •Irrigate no more than three days a week. •Use a hose with a shut-off nozzle to irrigate. •Limit your sprinkler system to only 10 minutes per day. •Use a broom to sweep your paved surface areas such as your driveway or patio. •Turn off irrigation systems before rainstorms and leave them off for as long as possible. Water only after the top 1 inch of soil is dry. • Adjust sprinklers to prevent overspray and runoff. •Add 3 inches of mulch around trees and plants to reduce evaporation. •Install covers on pools and spas to reduce evaporation. •Repair any leaks around the pool and spa pumps. •Repair leaking hose bibs. •Take advantage of conservation resources and rebates offered through the District by visiting otaywater.gov/conservation. While recent storms have filled many of California’s reservoirs, much of the state is still in drought following the past three years of extreme drought. Rain or shine, residents and businesses should remain conscious of every drop. The District also encourages its customers to continue following the prohibited water-use practices listed at otaywater.gov/ drought. For more water-saving tips during Water Awareness Month, follow us on social media @otaywater. Drop by Drop Make a Difference During Water Awareness Month Register for classes and events at thegarden.org or call (619) 660-0614 x10 Become a Member Receive exclusive access, discounts, and amenities shared only by members. Enjoy a personalized garden experience when you choose one of four membership options – Basic, Wellness, Conservation Club, or President’s Club. Visit thegarden.org/ membership-2. Phone or Video Consultations Receive one-on-one advice for your landscape makeover project from professional landscape designers and landscape architects. Fee: $70 members; $85 non-members. Visit thegarden.org/consultations. Tour the Garden Docents guide groups through the Garden to foster an appreciation of the natural environment and inspire saving water and related natural resources. See a list of tour options at thegarden.org/garden-tours. Wellness Classes Drop in or purchase a membership to attend wellness classes such as yoga or cardio, strength, and core workouts at the Garden. Visit thegarden.org/weekly-classes. Virtual Field Trip from the Garden Ms. Smarty-Plants™ offers teachers real-time virtual field trips for students in grades K-6. Students will discover the magic of plants, the changing environment, and water capture. The program includes a prerecorded video, classroom instruction, and pre and post resource activities. Visit mssmartyplants.org/fun-field-trips. Apply for a FREE Water Use Survey Otay Water District customers can apply for a free water use survey through the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California’s Water Efficiency Survey program. In-person surveys are available for large commercial landscapes, and virtual or in-person indoor/outdoor surveys are available for residential properties. A certified landscape irrigation auditor will survey and provide written recommendations for improving the site’s irrigation efficiency, including system repairs, equipment updates, and irrigation scheduling. Learn more at otaywater.gov/watersurvey. New Rebates on Flow Monitors and Rain Barrels Available Otay offers residents rebates of $125 for qualifying flow monitor devices, which will monitor your home’s water use and can help detect leaks. Residents can also be prepared for the wetter season by applying for a $50 rebate on a rain barrel (maximum of 2) or a $300-$450 rebate on a cistern (maximum of 1). Using a rain barrel or cistern to collect and reuse rainwater for landscapes minimizes the amount of water flowing into the storm drains, sewer systems, and local waterways. For more information and a list of all available rebates for residential and commercial customers, visit otaywater.gov/conservation-programs. Spring Tree Care Checklist This season, take the necessary steps to improve the health and growth of your trees. For tips on care and maintenance, check out the five-step checklist at bit.ly/TreeChecklist. 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.com Nan StermanWaterwise Gardener Springtime is Garden Tour Time From Encinitas to Escondido to Mission Hills, this is garden tour season. This is when gardeners agree to open their gates and invite the public to enjoy the fruits (sometimes literally) of their labor. Touring gardens is one of my all-time favorite things to do. I love to meet the gardeners and celebrate their successes as much as I enjoy seeing the gardens themselves. Garden tours allow you to peek behind the gates and discover practical or clever solutions to use in your garden and be inspired by new plants, new approaches, beautiful art, and ways of using space that hadn’t occurred to you. Garden tours are also a fun way to spend a day with friends or that special family member who has a green thumb (even if your thumb is decidedly brown). My favorite garden tours are walking tours, but driving tours are great too, especially if you carpool. While being a garden tourist is great fun, it comes with responsibilities: DO:• Be respectful of the gardens. Tour gardens are private properties. • Before you purchase tickets, confirm the gardens’ suitabilities for small children or people with physical limitations. Private gardens are not required to follow the same access rules as public places. • Plan your day. Some tours include rest stops, lunch, and/or bathroom breaks. Others don’t. Do your homework and plan accordingly. • Be mindful about where you park. Hundreds of people visiting a neighborhood more than just a few hours can wreak havoc with parking and crowding. Be sensitive to the residents so they welcome tours in the future. • Shoot lots of photos and do take home lots of inspiration! — Bring your phone with a portable charger (just in case). — Bring a camera if you prefer to shoot that way. Remember your extra batteries. • Ask questions of the garden’s owner or designer. Gardeners love to talk about their gardens and their most recent fabulous plant finds. • Complement the gardener or garden owner. • Pay attention to the pace of visitors around you. If you like to move through slowly, make way for others passing you by. If you are on a tight schedule, be considerate as you pass through. • Follow directions, arrows, and requests from the tour volunteers. • Wear a hat, comfortable shoes, and sunscreen. Bring a water bottle. Valuable Tips: • Follow the tour map backwards. Everyone starts at the first garden listed, making it the most crowded. To avoid crowds, start with the last garden and make your way back to the first. • Turn around as you walk through a garden. You see the space the way you face it. Look in the opposite direction for a totally different and valuable perspective. DO NOT: • Criticize the garden or the gardener. • Bring your dog or other pet. Leave them home in your garden. • Pinch a plant cutting or take seeds from a garden (or anywhere else for that matter). If a gardener offers you a cutting, arrange to come back after the tour so other visitors don’t see you and think it is open season on that plant. • Step into a garden bed to take a photo. And don’t set up a tripod in a garden bed. • Return to the garden after the tour without an invitation. When the tour is over, it’s over. After the Tour: • Visit the website of the host organization to thank them publicly. • Review your photos. Scrap the blurry ones and label the good ones so you can find them later. • If the organization uses social media, post your best images, and tag the organization. • Garden owners appreciate being thanked as well. Thank them on the host organization’s website or social media. • Print a card of your favorite photo from each garden. Inscribe each card and mail it to the owner as a thank you. • Donate to the host organization. Most host organizations are nonprofits or other charitable organizations that support school gardens, scholarships, etc. Your contribution helps them do that work. It also helps them cover the costs of the day. • Volunteer to help with next year’s tour. It’s seed starting time! Please join me for my Easy Seed Starting Online Course. In this self-paced online course, I teach you step-by-step how to start vegetable, flower, and herb seeds. Join live coaching sessions every other week too. Learn more at waterwisegardener.com/seed-starting-workshop. 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. PresidentMark Robak, Division 5mrobak@otaywater.gov Vice PresidentJose Lopez, Division 4jlopez@otaywater.gov TreasurerRyan Keyes, Division 2rkeyes@otaywater.gov Board MemberTim Smith, Division 1tsmith@otaywater.gov Board MemberGary Croucher, Division 3gcroucher@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. ¡Mayo es el Mes de la Concientización del Agua! El ahorro de agua es necesario diariamente, sin embargo, en este mes creamos conciencia sobre la importancia y el valor de la conservación. Es un momento de mostrar aprecio por el agua que alimenta nuestra economía y sustenta nuestros ecosistemas. Incluso con la reciente temporada de lluvias, todos debemos hacer de la conservación una forma de vida. Este también es un buen momento para revisar sus sistemas de riego para buscar posibles fugas y asegurarse que los sistemas funcionen eficientemente a medida que nos acercamos a los meses más cálidos, que es cuando más de la mitad del agua residencial se utiliza para el riego de jardines. Las acciones sencillas de conservación que tomemos ahora harán una gran diferencia para nuestra comunidad y el estado. Si aún no lo ha hecho, considere incorporar las siguientes prácticas durante el Mes de la Concientización del Agua y continúe durante todo el año. • Prenda la lavadora de trastes y ropa sólo hasta que estén llenas. • Raspe los platos sucios en lugar de enjuagarlos antes de lavarlos. • Instale aireadores con limitadores de flujo de agua en los grifos de la cocina y el baño. • Riegue temprano en la mañana o tarde en la noche para reducir la evaporación. • Riegue tres días a la semana máximo. • Use una manguera con una boquilla de cierre para regar. • Limite su sistema de rociadores a 10 minutos por día. • Use una escoba para barrer las superficies pavimentadas, como la entrada de su casa o el patio. • Apague los sistemas de riego antes de las tormentas y déjelos apagados el mayor tiempo posible. Riegue nuevamente si la parte superior de la tierra está seca. • Ajuste los rociadores para evitar el exceso de rociado y la escorrentía. • Agregue 3 pulgadas de mantillo alrededor de árboles y plantas para reducir la evaporación. • Instale cubiertas en la piscina y el jacuzzi para reducir la evaporación. • Repare cualquier fuga alrededor de las bombas de la piscina y el jacuzzi. • Repare las llaves que tengan fugas de agua. • Aproveche los recursos de conservación y los reembolsos que ofrece el Distrito visitando otaywater.gov/conservacion. Si bien las tormentas recientes han llenado muchos de los reservorios de California, gran parte del estado todavía sufre sequía después de los últimos tres años de sequía extrema. Llueva o truene, los residentes y las empresas deben estar conscientes de cada gota de agua. El Distrito también invita a sus clientes a no olvidar las prácticas de uso de agua prohibidas que se indican en otaywater.gov/sequia. Para obtener más consejos sobre cómo ahorrar agua durante el Mes de Concientización del Agua, síganos en nuestras redes sociales @otaywater. Gota a gota Haga la diferencia durante el Mes de la Concientización del Agua