Welcome to the Municipal Water District of Orange County’s (MWDOC) December 2019 eCurrents newsletter. In this issue, we share our plan for introducing environmental literacy into schools and other community-based education programs across Orange County, bringing together partners, teachers, and scholars throughout the state to ensure relevant and impactful environment-based learning is available for all students in grades K-12. We also highlight several shining moments from our agency, including recognition from ACWA for legislative outreach work, and an article that was featured in an international publication for Alliance for Water Efficiency. Additionally, we catch our beloved mascot Ricki Raindrop on the run and ask him a few questions about OC’s water-saving efforts. All this and more is covered in this exciting eCurrents issue including event announcements, program updates, and shareable resources.
So take a look, and as always, if you have any comments or suggestions for future articles, send us an email at
mwdocinfo@mwdoc.com
. Thank you for subscribing and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
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For a complete list of upcoming and archived MWDOC meetings, click on the calendar icon above, or visit our website at
www.mwdoc.com
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MWDOC AWARDED FOR LEGISLATIVE OUTREACH EFFORTS AT ACWA FALL CONFERENCE
December 5, 2019
At the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) Fall Conference, MWDOC was recognized as the "Most Active Small Agency" and "Top Outreach Agency in ACWA's Region 10" for its legislative outreach efforts in 2019. Throughout the year, ACWA asks its members to take action on important legislative and regulatory issues helping to directly affect the outcomes of numerous decisions. ACWA's Outreach Awards recognize the most active members in each region.
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13th ANNUAL OC WATER SUMMIT
May 29, 2020
Save the date for the 2020 Orange County Water Summit! This annual, must-attend event is hosted each year by the Municipal Water District of Orange County and Orange County Water District, and is attended by nearly 400 business and community leaders, elected officials, water industry experts, and scholars. The event will be held at the Disney Grand Californian Hotel on May 29, 2020, from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Registration is now open, and sponsorship opportunities are available.
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REBATE AMOUNT INCREASES TO $3 FOR MWDOC TURF REMOVAL PROGRAM
November 5, 2019
Base-level rebate amounts for the popular Municipal Water District of Orange County's (MWDOC) Turf Removal Program have increased from $2 to $3 per square foot of turf grass removed and replaced with climate-appropriate landscape. Rebates are available for both residents and businesses throughout Orange County with a cap of 5,000 and 50,000 square feet respectively. Projects with areas where plants and permeable landscape will be exchanged
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MWDOC FEATURED IN ALLIANCE FOR WATER EFFICIENCY PUBLICATION
Sustainable Landscapes: A Utility Program Guide
This past June, the Municipal Water District of Orange County's (MWDOC) Smart Timer Rebate Program was featured in Alliance for Water Efficiency's international publication,
Sustainable Landscapes: A Utility Program Guide
. MWDOC pioneered Smart Timers as a reliable water savings opportunity in 2001, and today, Smart Timers are considered a mainstream program by utilities across the country. Approximately 25,000 Smart Timers have been installed at residential, commercial, and public sector properties since the Smart Timer Rebate Program began, saving approximately 8,500 acre-feet of water each year.
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MWDOC ROLLS OUT AN ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY PLAN FOR ORANGE COUNTY
Tiffany Baca, MWDOC Public Affairs Manager
People have always depended on resources from the environment for basic survival needs, as well as for the successful growth and stabilization of societies. These resources include the water we need for cooking, hygiene, fighting fires, growing food, manufacturing essential and non-essential consumer goods, and much more. The California Environmental Literacy Initiative (CAELI) is a pubilc-private partnership working to increase access to
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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH MWDOC'S RICKI RAINDROP
OC School Program Mascot
We caught up with Ricki Raindrop, MWDOC’s official and much loved mascot, to ask him some questions about protecting and saving our most precious natural resource - water. In his first-ever on-camera interview, Ricki offers a few water-saving tips, and tells us how he feels about OC’s commitment to water use efficiency, saving 17 billion gallons of water each year by practicing water-wise behaviors at home, and taking advantage of MWDOC’s resources and incentive programs. OC IS Water Smart!
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WEROC ACTIVATED OVER THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY
Traci Muldoon, MWDOC Public Affairs Assistant
While most of us were enjoying Thanksgiving with our loved ones, the Water Emergency Response Organization of Orange County (WEROC) was busy assisting representatives from other Orange County agencies working around the clock to clean up an estimated 4 million gallon sewage spill in Laguna Beach. A broken valve on a 24-inch city sewage pipe caused the leak that lead to a sewage spill that made its way into ocean bay waters...
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CLEANING AND PREPARING WATER STORAGE CONTAINERS
Fact Sheet
Storing an ample supply of clean drinking water is an important part of emergency preparedness. And, maintaining a safe water supply begins with cleaning and preparing water storage containers and understanding the basics for long-term water storage. Experts recommend storing at least one (1) gallon of water per day for each person and pet in your family, and storing a 3-day supply of water, or up to 2-weeks supply, if possible. By following these six (6) simple steps, you can make sure that your containers are safe to store water for an emergency situation.
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MWDOC SPRAY TO DRIP PROGRAM
Rebates available!
The Municipal Water District of Orange County (MWDOC), along with participating local water agencies invite YOU to participate in the Spray to Drip Rebate Program!
Water your landscape more efficiently and save water by converting areas irrigated by spray heads to drip irrigation. Rather than spraying wide areas, drip systems utilize point emitters to deliver water to specific locations at or near plant root zones. Water drips slowly from the emitters either onto the soil surface or below ground. As a result, less water is lost to wind and evaporation, and weed growth is minimized. Drip irrigation systems are very water-efficient and can be adjusted to meet the changing needs of your plants.
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FAVORITE TWEETS AND POSTS
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Did you know? The State Water Project is the largest state-built water and power project in the U.S. This critical infrastructure spans approximately 600 miles from Northern California to Southern California, providing drinking water to 23 million people and irrigation water for 750,000 acres of farmland.
#MWDOCMonday #YourWater
|| Learn more about your water supply:
bit.ly/MWDOC-YourWater
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Facebook, November 25
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This weekend, the Municipal Water District of Orange County participated in the fourth annual STEM Expo hosted by Girl Scouts of Orange County. MWDOC staff led Girls in a hands-on activity demonstrating the challenges faced to get clean, healthy water to homes and businesses. Staff also engaged Girls in a discussion that introduced them to potential STEM careers in the water industry.
#GSOCSTEMEXPO #STEMGirls #MWDOCMonday #OCisWaterSmart
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Learn more about the MWDOC Girl Scouts Patch Program:
bit.ly/MWDOC-ScoutPrograms
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Instagram, November 18
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In case you missed it! Kathy Schaefer, Fire Marshal at the @cityofbrea Fire Department and @FullertonCA Fire Department, talks about how her departments - and firefighters across the world - would struggle without water!
#ValueWater #FridayFacts
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Twitter, December 6
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