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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPipeline 03 - Summer 2012T H E O TA Y W A TER DISTRICT • P R OUDLY SERVING E A ST C OUNT Y A ND TH E S OUTH B A Y SINC E 1956 A NE W SLE T T E R FOR CUS T O M E R S OF T HE O T AY W ATER DISTRICT FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE OTAY WATER DISTRICT CALL 619.670.2222 OR GO TO WWW.OTAYWATER.GOV The Pipeline Newsletter is published quarterly by the Otay Water District and can also be found online at www.otaywater.gov. Copyright © 2012 Otay Water District. All rights reserved. summer 2012 Keep Your SprinKler SYStem up to Date Summer is a great time to update your sprinkler system. According to US EPA WaterSense website, up to 70 percent of California’s residential water use is used outdoors and nearly half of this water may be wasted through overwatering, runoff and evaporation. With smart, simple choices about sprinklers and maintenance, you can reduce your water bill and have a healthier landscape. Here are some easy tips to update your sprinkler system. • Install a smart sprinkler timer that will automatically adjust to changing conditions • Set your sprinklers to run in the early morning or evening when the sun is down and winds are calm to reduce evaporation • Use rotating sprinkler nozzles for lawn and groundcovers; they apply water more slowly and uniformly, using 20 percent less water than conventional spray heads • Convert from spray watering to drip, bubblers and microsprays for your shrub and flower beds • Install a pressure regulator if your sprinklers create mist that quickly evaporates • Repair sprinkler leaks and adjust for blocked spray and runoff to avoid water waste • Keep a 2-inch to 3-inch layer of mulch in planting beds to limit evaporation and help control weeds Visit www.otaywater.gov and click on Conservation to create a custom watering schedule and learn about cost-saving rebates mantenga Su SiStema De rociaDoreS actualizaDo El verano es un buen momento para actualizar su sistema de rociadores. De acuerdo con el programa WaterSense de la Agencia de Protección Ambiental de Estados Unidos (EPA, por sus siglas en ingles) hasta el setenta por ciento del uso de agua residencial de California se usa al aire libre, y casi la mitad de esta agua es desperdiciada por el exceso de agua, la escorrentía y la evaporación. Con decisiones inteligentes y sencillas acerca de aspersores y mantenimiento, usted puede reducir su factura de agua y tener un paisaje más saludable. Estos son algunos consejos fáciles para actualizar su sistema de riego. • Instale un programador de riego inteligente que se ajusta automáticamente a las condiciones cambiantes • Ajuste los aspersores para que funcionen en la mañana o al atardecer cuando ya baje el sol y no haya viento para así reducir la evaporación • Utilice boquillas rotativas de riego para el césped y las cubiertas vegetales; estas aplican el agua lentamente y de manera uniforme, usando veinte por ciento menos de agua que los difusores convencionales • Cambie de riego por aspersión a riego de gotero inundador o microaspersión para sus arbustos y flores • Instale un regulador de presión si los aspersores crean niebla que rápidamente se evapora • Repare las fugas de riego por aspersión al igual que ajustar cualquier bloqueo de agua y escorrentía para evitar el desperdicio del agua • Mantenga una capa de dos a tres pulgadas de mantillo en las camas de siembra para limitar la evaporación y ayudar a controlar las malas hierbas Visite www.otaywater.gov para crear calendarios personalizados de riego y aprender cómo ahorrar a través de descuentos disponibles Your california Friendly garden: Jardines adaptables al clima y condiciones de california: otay will Keep Board agendas public Despite the state of California suspending a requirement for public agencies to publish Board agendas, Otay Water District will continue to keep agendas public. The District is committed to open and transparent government and feels strongly that the Ralph M. Brown Act protects the public’s right to view, hear and participate in the open meetings of public agencies. As reported by the media, the state Legislature recently suspended the Brown Act related mandate that local jurisdictions — cities, counties, school districts and special districts — post meeting agendas for the public. The State has not reimbursed many public agencies, including the District, for abiding by Brown Act requirements since 2003 as a cost-saving measure. Nonetheless, Otay has always abided by all of its provisions. The District adheres to the Brown Act because it encourages the public to be actively involved in the decision making that affects their daily lives. otay mantendrá públicas las agendas de la Junta Directiva El Estado no ha reembolsado a muchos organismos públicos, incluyendo al Distrito, por adherirse al requisito del Brown Act, el Distrito de Agua de Otay mantendrá sus agendas públicas. El Distrito está comprometido a un gobierno abierto y transparente y está convencido de que el Ralph M. Brown Act protege el derecho del público para ver, escuchar y participar en las reuniones de los organismos públicos. Según lo divulgado por los medios de comunicación, la Legislatura estatal suspendió recientemente el mandato del Brown Act relacionado a jurisdicciones locales - ciudades, condados, distritos escolares y distritos especiales – que requieren la publicación de agendas para el público. Otay siempre ha cumplido con el Brown Act, a pesar de que no ha sido reembolsado por el Estado desde el año 2003. El Distrito se adhiere al Brown Act, ya que invita al público a participar activamente en la toma de decisiones que afectan sus vidas diarias. Copyright © Nan Sterman 2012. All rights reserved. Nan Sterman’sPlant Soup Inc. Otay Water District – Board of Directors The Board of Directors meets on the first Wednesday of the month at 3:30 pm in the Board meeting room. The public is encouraged to attend at 2554 Sweetwater Spring Bvd., Spring Valley, CA. PresidentJose Lopez, Division 4jlopez@otaywater.gov Vice PresidentDavid Gonzalez, Division 1dgonzalez@otaywater.gov TreasurerGary Croucher, Division 3gcroucher@otaywater.gov Board MemberMitch Thomson, Division 2mthompson@otaywater.gov Board MemberMark Robak, Division 5OtayWater@cox.net otay Water District recognized for annual Financial report The Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting has been awarded to Otay Water District by the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada for its comprehensive annual financial report (CAFR). The Certificate of Achievement is the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting and its attainment represents a significant accomplishment in a government and its management. The GFOA is a nonprofit professional association serving approximately 17,500 government financial professionals in the United States and Canada. automated meter reading in Your neighborhood Residential water meters in the District’s service area are now automated. Automated Meter Reading meters (AMR) transmit water use data via a one-way radio signal from the meter to a meter reader up to a half mile away. Instead of lifting the cover and visually inspecting each meter every month, data is transmitted electronically to a specially equipped vehicle driving through your neighborhood. As part of its AMR program, the District replaced more than 49,000 water meters. The District replaced the meters in phases according to meter reading routes, which minimized the cost to the District and allowed the implementation of a quality control process to ensure the accuracy of each new meter. This well-proven and cost-effective technology increases worker efficiency and productivity, reduces labor costs, and improves customer service. For more class information and prices visit www.thegarden.org Hunte parkway Water pipeline to Break ground In September, Otay will begin the installation of a new potable water pipeline on Hunte Parkway in Chula Vista. The Hunte Parkway Pipeline project involves the installation of a new half mile-long, 30-inch diam- eter drinking water pipeline from District reser- voirs located near the Salt Creek Golf Club south to Proctor Valley Road. The new pipeline will increase total water delivery capacity to sections of eastern Chula Vista and will reduce pressure losses during periods of high demand. It will also increase total water delivery capacity in the event of an emergency such as a wildfire. Installation of the new pipeline requires 6 to 7 months to complete. For more information about the Hunte Parkway Pipeline or any of the Otay Water District’s other capital improvement projects, please visit www. otaywater.gov and click on Engineering. WaterSmart Plant Fairs @ Home Depot Stop by the following Home Depot events between 8am and Noon to save up to 50% on low-water-use plants and learn more about how to use them in your garden. Sept. 29 – 298 Fletcher Pkwy, El Cajon, 92020 • Oct. 6 – 1320 Eastlake Pkwy, Chula Vista, 91915 Oct. 13 – 355 Marketplace Ave, San Diego, 92113 For plant lists and other details on these events visit www.watersmartsd.org Grow a Garden in a Pot If you don’t have room for a whole garden but you have a few square feet of outdoor space you can still grow a garden; just grow it in a pot. Or, if you are dedicated to low water planting (as we hope you are) but long for a fuchsia or hibiscus, growing them in a pot allows you to pour on the water without wasting it on the rest of your garden. Planting pots is fun, and there are countless options. You can plant a pot with a single specimen plant, or with a combination of annuals, perennials, shrubs, grasses, and so on. If you go for a combination, try a tall narrow plant surrounded by a wide, leafy plant, both underplanted with a trailing plant to spill over the edges. Whether you chose the pot first or the plants, first doesn’t matter. What matters are how well they go together. When it comes to container gardening, size matters. Young plants are small but like people, they don’t stay that way. Know what size the plant will grow to, and choose a pot to fit. Low water plants do best in unglazed pots since their porous surfaces “breathe” well. Moisture loving plants do best in glazed ceramic or plastic pots since they hold water longer. All pots need large drainage holes in the bottom. As you match pots to plants, consider their colors and textures. Gray-green leaves, for example, look stunning in terra cotta or burgundy pots, but they look sickly against a green glaze. A tall plant looks and grows best in a tall container to balance its proportions; smaller plants fit smaller containers better. With potting mixes, you truly do get what you pay for. Skip the cheap ones in favor of better quality mixes. Use a cactus and succulent mix for cactus, succulents and low water plants. For vegetables, all all-purpose mix holds water longer . Remember that no potted plant is permanent. After a year or two, some plants will poop out; others will overgrow the neighboring plants or outgrow the pot. Refresh the potting mix every few years as well. Watch one of my videos about planting pots at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cx_TGnAOKcY Planting How-To’s What you’ll need... Pot, Plants, Potting Mix, Scrap of Fiberglass Window Screen, Worm Castings, Tarp, Cement Mixing Tray (available at the hardware store), Scissors, Hand Trowel, Water 1. Spread the tarp to create a work surface. Assemble supplies atop the tarp. 2. Cut a piece of fiberglass window screen to cover the holes in the bottom of the pot. Screen allows water to flow through, keeps soil in, and keeps critters out. 3. Fill the mixing tray with potting mix and a few handfuls of worm castings. Dampen the mixture thoroughly. 4. Remove the largest plant from its pot and look at the size of the rootball. Your goal is to fill the pot with enough soil so that rootball sits slightly below the lip of the pot. Add soil until you reach that point, then place the plant in the pot and pack more potting mix around the rootball. 5. Continue to add the rest of the plants as you add potting mix. Remember to set each plant only as deep as it was in its nursery container. Once all the plants are in place, add enough potting mix to fill the pot to within an inch or two of the rim. 6. Water the pot gently but thoroughly to settle the potting mix around all the roots. Add more potting mix if necessary. 7. Top the surface of the potting mix with an inch or two layer of rounded gravel. The gravel holds in moisture, keep weeds out, deter cats, and prevents soil from splashing out when you water. It also gives the pot a finished look. Saturday, Sept. 15 – 10:00 am – 12:00 pm The Toss the Turf ClassLess Grass, More Beauty! A short course in turf removal, tips for soil evaluation, tuning up your irrigation system and low water use plants. Members $20, Non-members $28. Reservations required, 619-660-0614. Otay customers who mention reference code WCG-OWD when they call to RSVP will receive $10.00 off the price of the class. Copyright © Nan Sterman 2012. All rights reserved. Nan Sterman’sPlant Soup Inc. Otay Water District – Board of Directors The Board of Directors meets on the first Wednesday of the month at 3:30 pm in the Board meeting room. The public is encouraged to attend at 2554 Sweetwater Spring Bvd., Spring Valley, CA. PresidentJose Lopez, Division 4jlopez@otaywater.gov Vice PresidentDavid Gonzalez, Division 1dgonzalez@otaywater.gov TreasurerGary Croucher, Division 3gcroucher@otaywater.gov Board MemberMitch Thomson, Division 2mthompson@otaywater.gov Board MemberMark Robak, Division 5OtayWater@cox.net otay Water District recognized for annual Financial report The Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting has been awarded to Otay Water District by the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada for its comprehensive annual financial report (CAFR). The Certificate of Achievement is the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting and its attainment represents a significant accomplishment in a government and its management. The GFOA is a nonprofit professional association serving approximately 17,500 government financial professionals in the United States and Canada. automated meter reading in Your neighborhood Residential water meters in the District’s service area are now automated. Automated Meter Reading meters (AMR) transmit water use data via a one-way radio signal from the meter to a meter reader up to a half mile away. Instead of lifting the cover and visually inspecting each meter every month, data is transmitted electronically to a specially equipped vehicle driving through your neighborhood. As part of its AMR program, the District replaced more than 49,000 water meters. The District replaced the meters in phases according to meter reading routes, which minimized the cost to the District and allowed the implementation of a quality control process to ensure the accuracy of each new meter. This well-proven and cost-effective technology increases worker efficiency and productivity, reduces labor costs, and improves customer service. For more class information and prices visit www.thegarden.org Hunte parkway Water pipeline to Break ground In September, Otay will begin the installation of a new potable water pipeline on Hunte Parkway in Chula Vista. The Hunte Parkway Pipeline project involves the installation of a new half mile-long, 30-inch diam- eter drinking water pipeline from District reser- voirs located near the Salt Creek Golf Club south to Proctor Valley Road. The new pipeline will increase total water delivery capacity to sections of eastern Chula Vista and will reduce pressure losses during periods of high demand. It will also increase total water delivery capacity in the event of an emergency such as a wildfire. Installation of the new pipeline requires 6 to 7 months to complete. For more information about the Hunte Parkway Pipeline or any of the Otay Water District’s other capital improvement projects, please visit www. otaywater.gov and click on Engineering. WaterSmart Plant Fairs @ Home Depot Stop by the following Home Depot events between 8am and Noon to save up to 50% on low-water-use plants and learn more about how to use them in your garden. Sept. 29 – 298 Fletcher Pkwy, El Cajon, 92020 • Oct. 6 – 1320 Eastlake Pkwy, Chula Vista, 91915 Oct. 13 – 355 Marketplace Ave, San Diego, 92113 For plant lists and other details on these events visit www.watersmartsd.org Grow a Garden in a Pot If you don’t have room for a whole garden but you have a few square feet of outdoor space you can still grow a garden; just grow it in a pot. Or, if you are dedicated to low water planting (as we hope you are) but long for a fuchsia or hibiscus, growing them in a pot allows you to pour on the water without wasting it on the rest of your garden. Planting pots is fun, and there are countless options. You can plant a pot with a single specimen plant, or with a combination of annuals, perennials, shrubs, grasses, and so on. If you go for a combination, try a tall narrow plant surrounded by a wide, leafy plant, both underplanted with a trailing plant to spill over the edges. Whether you chose the pot first or the plants, first doesn’t matter. What matters are how well they go together. When it comes to container gardening, size matters. Young plants are small but like people, they don’t stay that way. Know what size the plant will grow to, and choose a pot to fit. Low water plants do best in unglazed pots since their porous surfaces “breathe” well. Moisture loving plants do best in glazed ceramic or plastic pots since they hold water longer. All pots need large drainage holes in the bottom. As you match pots to plants, consider their colors and textures. Gray-green leaves, for example, look stunning in terra cotta or burgundy pots, but they look sickly against a green glaze. A tall plant looks and grows best in a tall container to balance its proportions; smaller plants fit smaller containers better. With potting mixes, you truly do get what you pay for. Skip the cheap ones in favor of better quality mixes. Use a cactus and succulent mix for cactus, succulents and low water plants. For vegetables, all all-purpose mix holds water longer . Remember that no potted plant is permanent. After a year or two, some plants will poop out; others will overgrow the neighboring plants or outgrow the pot. Refresh the potting mix every few years as well. Watch one of my videos about planting pots at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cx_TGnAOKcY Planting How-To’s What you’ll need... Pot, Plants, Potting Mix, Scrap of Fiberglass Window Screen, Worm Castings, Tarp, Cement Mixing Tray (available at the hardware store), Scissors, Hand Trowel, Water 1. Spread the tarp to create a work surface. Assemble supplies atop the tarp. 2. Cut a piece of fiberglass window screen to cover the holes in the bottom of the pot. Screen allows water to flow through, keeps soil in, and keeps critters out. 3. Fill the mixing tray with potting mix and a few handfuls of worm castings. Dampen the mixture thoroughly. 4. Remove the largest plant from its pot and look at the size of the rootball. Your goal is to fill the pot with enough soil so that rootball sits slightly below the lip of the pot. Add soil until you reach that point, then place the plant in the pot and pack more potting mix around the rootball. 5. Continue to add the rest of the plants as you add potting mix. Remember to set each plant only as deep as it was in its nursery container. Once all the plants are in place, add enough potting mix to fill the pot to within an inch or two of the rim. 6. Water the pot gently but thoroughly to settle the potting mix around all the roots. Add more potting mix if necessary. 7. Top the surface of the potting mix with an inch or two layer of rounded gravel. The gravel holds in moisture, keep weeds out, deter cats, and prevents soil from splashing out when you water. It also gives the pot a finished look. Saturday, Sept. 15 – 10:00 am – 12:00 pm The Toss the Turf ClassLess Grass, More Beauty! A short course in turf removal, tips for soil evaluation, tuning up your irrigation system and low water use plants. Members $20, Non-members $28. Reservations required, 619-660-0614. Otay customers who mention reference code WCG-OWD when they call to RSVP will receive $10.00 off the price of the class. T H E O T AY W A TER DISTRICT • P R OUDL Y SERVING E A ST C OUNT Y A ND TH E S OUTH B AY SINC E 1956 A NE W SLE T T E R FOR CUS T O M E R S OF T HE O TAY WATER DISTRICT FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE OTAY WATER DISTRICT CALL 619.670.2222 OR GO TO WWW.OTAYWATER.GOV The Pipeline Newsletter is published quarterly by the Otay Water District and can also be found online at www.otaywater.gov. Copyright © 2012 Otay Water District. All rights reserved. summer 2012 Keep Your SprinKler SYStem up to Date Summer is a great time to update your sprinkler system. According to US EPA WaterSense website, up to 70 percent of California’s residential water use is used outdoors and nearly half of this water may be wasted through overwatering, runoff and evaporation. With smart, simple choices about sprinklers and maintenance, you can reduce your water bill and have a healthier landscape. Here are some easy tips to update your sprinkler system. • Install a smart sprinkler timer that will automatically adjust to changing conditions • Set your sprinklers to run in the early morning or evening when the sun is down and winds are calm to reduce evaporation • Use rotating sprinkler nozzles for lawn and groundcovers; they apply water more slowly and uniformly, using 20 percent less water than conventional spray heads • Convert from spray watering to drip, bubblers and microsprays for your shrub and flower beds • Install a pressure regulator if your sprinklers create mist that quickly evaporates • Repair sprinkler leaks and adjust for blocked spray and runoff to avoid water waste • Keep a 2-inch to 3-inch layer of mulch in planting beds to limit evaporation and help control weeds Visit www.otaywater.gov and click on Conservation to create a custom watering schedule and learn about cost-saving rebates mantenga Su SiStema De rociaDoreS actualizaDo El verano es un buen momento para actualizar su sistema de rociadores. De acuerdo con el programa WaterSense de la Agencia de Protección Ambiental de Estados Unidos (EPA, por sus siglas en ingles) hasta el setenta por ciento del uso de agua residencial de California se usa al aire libre, y casi la mitad de esta agua es desperdiciada por el exceso de agua, la escorrentía y la evaporación. Con decisiones inteligentes y sencillas acerca de aspersores y mantenimiento, usted puede reducir su factura de agua y tener un paisaje más saludable. Estos son algunos consejos fáciles para actualizar su sistema de riego. • Instale un programador de riego inteligente que se ajusta automáticamente a las condiciones cambiantes • Ajuste los aspersores para que funcionen en la mañana o al atardecer cuando ya baje el sol y no haya viento para así reducir la evaporación • Utilice boquillas rotativas de riego para el césped y las cubiertas vegetales; estas aplican el agua lentamente y de manera uniforme, usando veinte por ciento menos de agua que los difusores convencionales • Cambie de riego por aspersión a riego de gotero inundador o microaspersión para sus arbustos y flores • Instale un regulador de presión si los aspersores crean niebla que rápidamente se evapora • Repare las fugas de riego por aspersión al igual que ajustar cualquier bloqueo de agua y escorrentía para evitar el desperdicio del agua • Mantenga una capa de dos a tres pulgadas de mantillo en las camas de siembra para limitar la evaporación y ayudar a controlar las malas hierbas Visite www.otaywater.gov para crear calendarios personalizados de riego y aprender cómo ahorrar a través de descuentos disponibles Your california Friendly garden: Jardines adaptables al clima y condiciones de california: otay will Keep Board agendas public Despite the state of California suspending a requirement for public agencies to publish Board agendas, Otay Water District will continue to keep agendas public. The District is committed to open and transparent government and feels strongly that the Ralph M. Brown Act protects the public’s right to view, hear and participate in the open meetings of public agencies. As reported by the media, the state Legislature recently suspended the Brown Act related mandate that local jurisdictions — cities, counties, school districts and special districts — post meeting agendas for the public. The State has not reimbursed many public agencies, including the District, for abiding by Brown Act requirements since 2003 as a cost-saving measure. Nonetheless, Otay has always abided by all of its provisions. The District adheres to the Brown Act because it encourages the public to be actively involved in the decision making that affects their daily lives. otay mantendrá públicas las agendas de la Junta Directiva El Estado no ha reembolsado a muchos organismos públicos, incluyendo al Distrito, por adherirse al requisito del Brown Act, el Distrito de Agua de Otay mantendrá sus agendas públicas. El Distrito está comprometido a un gobierno abierto y transparente y está convencido de que el Ralph M. Brown Act protege el derecho del público para ver, escuchar y participar en las reuniones de los organismos públicos. Según lo divulgado por los medios de comunicación, la Legislatura estatal suspendió recientemente el mandato del Brown Act relacionado a jurisdicciones locales - ciudades, condados, distritos escolares y distritos especiales – que requieren la publicación de agendas para el público. Otay siempre ha cumplido con el Brown Act, a pesar de que no ha sido reembolsado por el Estado desde el año 2003. El Distrito se adhiere al Brown Act, ya que invita al público a participar activamente en la toma de decisiones que afectan sus vidas diarias.