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Pipeline 02 - Spring 2022
T H E O TA Y W A TER DISTRICT • P R OUDLY SERVING E A ST C OUNT Y AND TH E S OUTH B AY SINC E 1956 A NEWSLE T TER FOR CUS T O M E R S OF THE OTAY WATER DISTRICT SPRING 2022 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. The Value of Water – Your Water Bill at Work Water is essential and in need of investments daily. It keeps our communities healthy and running and economy growing. Customers do not always know who their water agency is or what exactly it does. They may think, “I pay my bill, but what does it go towards?” Few people realize what it takes to treat, protect, and transport the water to their faucets to drink, wash dishes and clothes, shower, flush toilets, irrigate landscapes, and more. Many may not fully comprehend how wastewater is cleaned to be safely reused or returned to the environment. It is important to know that when customers pay their bills, the value it provides is vital. Although the District aims to minimize rate increases as much as possible, they are necessary to continue providing the infrastructure that supports potable water, recycled water, and sewer services. As a “revenue neutral” public agency, each end-user pays only their fair share of the District’s costs of acquiring, treating, transporting, operating, and maintaining public water and/or sewer facilities. The District proudly serves the potable water needs of its customers by purchasing treated and desalinated water from the San Diego County Water Authority and treated water from the Helix Water District. Otay also owns and operates a wastewater collection system providing public sewer service within the Jamacha drainage basin. In addition, it owns and operates the Ralph W. Chapman Water Reclamation Facility, which produces up to 1.21 million gallons of recycled water per day. The City of San Diego’s South Bay Water Reclamation Plant provides an additional recycled water source. Recycled water is used to irrigate golf courses, playing fields, public parks, roadside landscapes, and open spaces in eastern Chula Vista. To ensure efficient operations of its water system, the District must regularly invest in capital improvement projects, preserving the structures that store and transport water. It must also maintain the technology that supports and allows these structures to function efficiently and effectively. With this, the District can provide safe, reliable water service to more than 226,000 customers. Without these investments, the quality and safety of its water supply could be jeopardized. Although customers may experience rate increases, they save money over time when routine maintenance is performed regularly. The District makes every effort to streamline its operations. However, it must pass through to customers the higher costs for water, energy, and supplies it pays its wholesalers in the form of water rates. As wholesale suppliers develop new projects to supply water to the region, the price they charge to the District may increase. To address rate hikes, the District reviews day-to-day operational needs, invests in system maintenance, and upgrades infrastructure. Also, investments in innovative technology continue to increase productivity and reduce costs. Drawing down on reserves, reprioritizing capital improvement costs, and reducing staff are also major factors in cutting costs. To learn more about how the District saves money and lessens the impact of higher costs on ratepayers, visit otaywater.gov/working- to-keep-rates-low. Replacement of an altitude valve and appurtenance as part of the District’s potable system. The District must regularly replace parts like these to provide a reliable water supply. BEFORE AFTER Do Your Part to Save Water During Drought Help maintain our region’s water supplies for future dry years. Here are simple changes you can do to help make every drop count: ESTIMATED WATER SAVINGS — Source: San Diego County Water Authority and Otay Water District • Don’t use the toilet as a wastebasket. 1.6 gallons/flush • Run the dishwasher only when full. 2–4.5 gallons/load • Wash only full loads of clothes. 5–50 gallons/load • Fix leaky toilets. 30–50 gallons/day/toilet • Fix leaky faucets. 15–20 gallons/day/leak • Install aerators with flow restrictors on faucets. 4.7 gallons/day • Install a water-efficient dishwasher. 4.25 gallons/cycle • Replace older, inefficient clothes washers. 20–30 gallons/load • Upgrade to high-efficiency toilets. 0.3–3.8 gallons/flush • Water only in the late evening or early morning. 20–25 gallons/day • Use a self-closing hose nozzle when washing a car. 8–18 gallons/minute • Install covers on pools and spas to reduce evaporation. 30 gallons/day • Install water-efficient drip irrigation system. 20–25 gallons/day • Upgrade to a weather-based irrigation controller. 40 gallons/day • Add 3” of mulch around trees & plants. 10–30 gallons/day/1,000 sq. ft. • Adjust sprinklers to prevent overspray and runoff. 15–25 gallons/day • Adjust your pressure reducer to 40–65 PSI. Varies • Fix leaky meters. Up to 1000s of gallons • Repair any leaks around pool and spa pumps. 20 gallons/day/leak • Repair leaking hose bibs. 15–20 gallons/day/leak • Repair leaks and broken sprinkler nozzles. 10 gallons/minute/leak For rebates, visit otaywater.gov/conservation-programs. Free Classes Teach Customers How to Create a WaterSmart Landscape Create a water-saving landscape that loves the San Diego region as much as you do with the FREE WaterSmart Landscape Makeover Program. Choose from three-hour workshops or a personalized four-class series. Landscape Makeover videos that take you step-by-step through the process are also available. FUN FACT: previous participants of the program have entered the annual WaterSmart Landscape Contest and won! For details, visit watersmartsd.org. For landscaping rebates of up to $4 per square foot, apply for the Turf Replacement Program at socalwatersmart.com. Instagrammers Share Ways to Save Water During Drought One Otay customer and three San Diego County residents won Otay’s New Year Instagram Photo Contest for demonstrating ways to use water wisely. The contest invited Instagrammers to make New Year’s resolutions to save more water during the state’s drought and upload their photos reflecting how. To view the winning photos, visit otaywater.gov/ ig-contest-winners-2022. “In 2022, we’re conserving water by fixing our dripping sinks!” Photo by first-place winner Emily Tutor. 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 Essential Garden Tools Part I Register for classes and events at thegarden.org or call (619) 660-0614 x10 Spring is a great time to inventory your garden tools. Weed out what’s broken or simply doesn’t do its intended job. Replace those tools with higher-quality versions. With tools, like with anything else, you get what you pay for. Good quality tools should last 10 years or longer, especially if maintained properly. Spend a little more and take a little time to get a lot more use and life out of your tools. Here are my favorite cutting and watering tools to get you started. CUTTING TOOLS:• Bypass hand pruners are the number one tool for your garden toolbelt. Use pruners to remove smaller branches on trees and shrubs, to deadhead flowering perennials, and to cut back ornamental grasses and dried-out bulb leaves. Harvest your fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Don’t bother with cheap hand pruners. Felco and Corona brand pruners are in most professionals’ toolbelts. Each offers several assorted styles and sizes - the larger the pruner, the larger diameter it can cut. Before you buy, handle the pruner to find the best fit, feel, and function. • Bypass loppers are like bypass pruners on stilts. The cutting head sits atop 15- to 30-inches-long handles, depending on the lopper. Their length helps you reach overhead or deep into the center of a shrub or tree. It also gives you leverage for cutting thick branches. Like with hand pruners, some are heavy and some are light. Although the blades, not the weight, have the greatest bearing on functionality. While Corona and Felco both make excellent loppers, my favorite is a purple-handled Dramm lopper that I’ve had forever. • Sharp blades are essential for pruners and loppers. Dull tools shred branches and damage plants. The Corona 5-inch carbide file fits the pocket and my garden apron, keeping it close at hand. A few quick swipes of the file on the right surface and in the right direction keeps these tools sharp and ready. • Use a hand saw to cut away branches that are too thick for pruners and loppers. Don’t use a hack saw or a carpenter’s saw. Only pruning saws are designed for cutting branches. These saws are typically curved to increase cutting power and many fold to make them easy to carry. When you work with pruning and cutting tools, they must be cleaned once you finish with one plant and before you move on to the next. Dirty pruners and saws can transmit viruses, bacteria, etc., from one plant to another. If a plant is infected, you can infect others by failing to clean your tools. To clean, spray the cutting blades with bathroom disinfectant. Allow it to sit for about a minute before wiping the blades with a clean rag. Next, lubricate any moving parts with household lubricant or mineral oil. Work it into the mechanisms, then wipe away the excess with a clean rag. Here’s a nice tutorial on cleaning pruning and cutting tools: www.youtube.com/watch?v=vROuLbOuYq0 WATERING TOOLS:• Dramm Colorstorm hoses come in a rainbow of colors, but more importantly, these tough, durable, no-kink hoses outlast all others. I prefer the 3/4 inches in diameter professional hoses, but the 5/8 inches in diameter hoses are just as good. Hoses come in lengths from 25- to 100-feet-long. Keep in mind that the longer the hose, the heavier the hose. • Dramm One-Touch Rain Wand is THE BEST hose-end watering wand on the market. Forget spray guns with five or six spray settings. They are designed to wash cars and hose down sidewalks, not water plants. They blast plants out of the ground and blast them into smithereens. Dramm’s One-Touch Rain Wand is easy to hold, easy to use, and makes a gentle, full-shower rain that waters beautifully without destroying. Use your thumb to switch the water on and off. It’s effective and efficient. • Sometimes, a plant needs a little extra water, like when you install a new plant into a bed of established plants. Rather than overwater established plants, attach a Gilmour stationary sprinkler to the end of your hose and let the water run for a deep soak. These small, inexpensive metal sprinklers do a excellent job of providing a temporary drink. Choose the best spray pattern for your garden. Free Day Fridays On the second Friday of the month, the Garden offers free admission to all. To receive free admission any day, become a member. Membership includes free admission to more than 300 botanical gardens worldwide and other benefits. Visit thegarden.org/ membership-2. Consultations Receive a one-on-one phone or video consultation on how to set up, retrofit, and maintain your irrigation or landscape. 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 water-use efficiency. See a list of tour options at thegarden.org/ garden-tours. Butterfly Experience Visit the Garden’s outdoor Butterfly Pavilion and native Habitat Garden on Saturdays to release a butterfly to nectar on nearby flowers. Family Butterfly Bundle option is available. Fee: $10-$115. Visit thegarden.org/butterfly- experience. 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 seed packets. Visit mssmartyplants.org/fun-field-trips. Storytime with Ms. Smarty-Plants™ 2022 On the third Wednesday of the month, join Ms. Smarty-Plants™ for a reading followed by a craft. Free with Garden admission. Register at thegarden.org/storytime-with-ms-smarty- plants-2022 FOLLOW OTAY WATER ON... / SIGA AL DISTRITO DE AGUA DE OTAY EN... OTAY WATER DISTRICT – Board of Directors The Board of Directors meets on the first Wednesday of the month at 3:30 p.m. in the Board meeting room. The public is encouraged to attend at 2554 Sweetwater Springs Boulevard, Spring Valley, CA 919178, or watch the live stream at otaywater.gov. PresidentTim Smith, Division 1tsmith@otaywater.gov Vice PresidentMark Robak, Division 5mrobak@otaywater.gov TreasurerJose Lopez, Division 4jlopez@otaywater.gov Board MemberRyan Keyes, Division 2rkeyes@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. El valor del agua: Su factura de agua trabajando para usted El agua es esencial, pero necesita inversiones todos los días. El agua mantiene nuestras comunidades sanas y funcionando, y hace que la economía siga en crecimiento. Los clientes no siempre saben quién es su agencia de agua o qué hace exactamente. La pregunta siempre es: “Yo pago mi factura, pero ¿a qué se destina?”. Pocas personas se dan cuenta de lo que se necesita para tratar, proteger y llevar el agua a las llaves para beber, para lavar platos y ropa, ducharse, descargar inodoros, regar jardines y más. Es posible que muchos no comprendan completamente cómo se limpian las aguas residuales para reutilizarlas de manera segura o regresarlas al medio ambiente. Es importante saber que cuando los clientes pagan sus facturas de agua, el valor que proporcionan es vital. Si bien el Distrito tiene como objetivo minimizar los aumentos de tarifas tanto como sea posible, estos son necesarios para continuar brindando la infraestructura que respalda los servicios de agua potable, agua reciclada y alcantarillado. Como agencia pública neustra en cuanto a ingresos, cada usuario final paga solo la parte que le corresponde de los costos del Distrito al momento de adquirir, tratar, transportar, operar y mantener las instalaciones públicas de agua o alcantarillado. El Distrito atiende con orgullo las necesidades de agua potable de sus clientes al comprar agua tratada y desalinizada de la San Diego County Water Authority, y agua tratada del Distrito de Agua Helix. Otay también posee y opera un sistema de drenaje que brinda servicio público de alcantarillado dentro de la cuenca de drenaje Jamacha. Además, posee y opera la planta de reciclaje de agua Ralph W. Chapman. Esta planta produce hasta 1.21 millones de galones de agua reciclada por día. La planta de reciclaje de agua de South Bay de la ciudad de San Diego proporciona una fuente adicional de agua reciclada. El agua reciclada se usa para regar campos de golf, campos de juego, parques públicos, jardines en las orillas de las carreteras y espacios abiertos en el este de Chula Vista. El Distrito debe invertir en proyectos de mejora de capital constantemente para asegurar que su sistema de agua opere de manera eficiente, preservando las estructuras que almacenan y transportan agua. También debe mantener la tecnología de apoyo y permitir que estas estructuras funcionen de manera eficiente. Con todo esto, el Distrito puede brindar un servicio de agua seguro y confiable a más de sus 226,000 clientes. Sin estas inversiones, la calidad y seguridad de su suministro de agua podría verse comprometida. Aunque los clientes pueden experimentar aumentos en las tarifas, a largo plazo ahorran dinero cuando el mantenimiento de rutina se realiza con constancia. El Distrito hace todo lo posible para optimizar sus operaciones. Sin embargo, debe pasar a los clientes los mayores costos de agua, energía y suministros que paga a sus mayoristas en forma de tarifas de agua. A medida que los proveedores mayoristas desarrollan nuevos proyectos para suministrar agua a la región, el precio que cobran al Distrito puede aumentar. Para enfrentar los aumentos de tarifas, el Distrito revisa sus necesidades operativas diarias, invierte en el mantenimiento del sistema y actualiza la infraestructura. Además, las inversiones en tecnología innovadora continúan aumentando la productividad y reduciendo los costos. Reducir las reservas, volver a priorizar los costos de mejoras de capital y reducir el personal también son factores importantes para reducir los costos. Para obtener más información sobre cómo el Distrito ahorra dinero y reduce el impacto de costos más altos para los contribuyentes, por favor visite otaywater.gov/manteniendo-las-tarifas-bajas. Reemplazo de una válvula de altitud y accesorios que forman parte del sistema de agua potable del Distrito. El Distrito debe reemplazar regularmente piezas como estas para proporcionar un suministro de agua fiable. ANTES DESPUÉS