By: Betty H. Olson, Ph.D.
Board Member, Santa Magarita Water District Board of Directors

Another beautiful Southern California summer is right around the corner. Temperatures will soon be rising and demand for water increasing, so we can all use a friendly reminder about the importance of water conservation.

May is our state’s Water Awareness Month, and the Santa Margarita Water District (SMWD) has partnered with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to encourage local residents to participate in the 2006 water awareness program “Use Water Wisely and Keep it Clean; It’s a Way of Life,” a statewide effort to increase public awareness about the need for Californians to reduce urban runoff and conserve water supplies.

Throughout the month, SMWD will join with more than 300 water agencies, businesses and other organizations to raise awareness on the importance of wise water use.

The centerpiece of SMWD’s Water Awareness Month festivities will be the Fiesta de Agua 5K Run/Walk and Splash Dash on Saturday, May 6. The race course will take runners and walkers from SMWD’s headquarters through Ladera Ranch and to the Arroyo Trabuco canyon, where they will pass along the watersheds we are working to protect. Signs with facts about runoff and conservation will line the trail, helping runners better understand the importance of water conservation. You should join us! Registration begins at 6:30 a.m. on Saturday morning.

Following the race will be the sixth-annual Water Awareness Day Festival at SMWD’s headquarters in Las Flores. Hundreds of local families are expected to come to the free, family-friendly event. This year’s festival will include live entertainment and free hot dogs, snow cones and drinks. Kids will also enjoy clowns and a visit from the “Mad Scientist.” Arts, crafts and games will be available as well, including a slime booth, wacky wave booth, free massages, flower pot painting and planting and the Kid Print Program from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.

Other May activities will include the District’s landscape watering and fertilizing workshop on Saturday, May 13. This free Home Gardeners Water Conservation Workshop will give residents a hands-on opportunity to learn what it takes to have a garden that is beautiful, fragrant, colorful and water-wise.

Keeping our customers informed about the most up-to-date water conservation tips is an important part of our daily work at SMWD. Conserving water is a life-long commitment, and especially during water awareness month, SMWD encourages its customers to make an extra effort to conserve water throughout their everyday activities. Small water-saving solutions can go a long way in extending local water supplies. By reducing outside irrigation you can reduce your water bill, decrease runoff and protect our coastal waters.

For example, a family of four in Orange County can save about 1,600 gallons a month by washing only full loads of laundry, taking shorter showers and using a low-flow showerhead. These measures not only help to conserve water but also help to save money on the water bill.

Another important part of water wisdom is preventing urban runoff, a major cause of contamination along the Southern California coast. This pollution comes from a variety of household sources and can lead to recreational closures at local streams and beaches.

Urban runoff prevention starts at home. An act as simple as sweeping the driveway with a broom rather than spraying it with a hose not only saves lots of water but also keeps road grime, brake dust and other contaminants from ending up in the storm drain system. Oil and grease washed off our driveways contributes to the oily sheen seen on many local waterways. Over-watering can lead to runoff, which can in turn deposit unsightly litter along creeks and beaches.

As we enjoy another beautiful Southern California summer, it’s our hope at SMWD that our customers will prevent urban runoff and manage their water use now and throughout the year. For more conservation tips, visit www.smwd.com.

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