Recent News

Amy Graham of Carlsbad and her family saved so much water in 2011 that Olivenhain Municipal Water District awarded her $250.

Carlsbad was awarded top prize among Olivenhain Municipal Water District customers in San Diego County’s ninth-annual California Friendly Landscape Contest. OMWD’s Board of Directors recognized Ms. Graham and her family at its May 2 meeting.

Ms. Graham has lived at her current residence since 1999 and recently renovated her landscape to reduce water demands. After removing a variety of water-intensive plant Read More >

Having a short shower can save some water but people can do more than that by purchasing a water-friendly pair of jeans.

“About 95 percent of the water we use everyday is not the water we use at home,” said Mina Guli, founder and chief executive of Thirst, a nongovernmental organization run by the Young Global Leaders of the World Economic Forum to raise awareness among young people of water conservation.

Guli said people are using water in all sorts of places Read More >

They say oil and water don’t mix, but when it comes to oil and gas drilling, water and oil are practically joined at the hip.

It takes millions of gallons of water to drill a well. Water is the “hydraulic” in the hydraulic fracturing process used to release oil and gas deposits. Disposing of wastewater is a costly challenge for drillers. And, at every step along the way, preventing groundwater contamination is the paramount concern for inspectors and regulators.

All of these Read More >

Evanston and the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning presented an efficiency program that would conserve the city’s water during a public hearing at Lorraine H. Morton Civic Center on Thursday night.

The meeting aimed to alert Evanston residents to the city’s water use and supply issues as well as gather feedback on the city’s Water Efficiency Program, said Catherine Hurley, the city’s sustainable programs coordinator.

CMAP is working with city staff to develop a plan for improving Evanston residents’ and businesses’ water efficiency Read More >

LOS ANGELES, May 4 (Reuters) – If you thought only Third World countries have water crises, a new documentary asks you to think again. Increasingly, problems are rising to the surface in the United States.

Filmmaker Jessica Yu harnesses the celebrity power of actor Jack Black and environmental activist Erin Brockovich - immortalized by Julia Roberts in the 2000 movie about Brockovich’s work – to give the looming U.S. water crisis a thorough wringing out in “Last Call at Read More >

TRENTON, NJ – Due to ongoing concerns about below-normal precipitation, Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Bob Martin on Friday encouraged residents across New Jersey to take steps to conserve water, both inside the home and outside.

While recent rainfall has helped ease this year’s precipitation deficits somewhat, the effects of an unusually dry winter and spring are starting to be felt across the state.

“Overall our major water supplies, including reservoirs and deep aquifers, remain in good shape,”   Martin said. “But Read More >

North County city to see average increase of 7.5 percent in bills after rate increases

Water customers in Atascadero will see their monthly bills increase this week by an average of 7.5 percent. The Atascadero Mutual Water Company’s Board of Directors earlier this month adopted water rate hikes that include a surcharge for the Nacimiento Water Project after a previous funding plan fell through.

Under the new rates, which went into effect Wednesday, the monthly water bill for an average single-family residential Read More >

Rules to change consumers’ permitted activities at each stage emergency drought restrictions

With summer approaching, the City of Austin is looking to rework its water conservation codes to ensure it will be on par with future demands of residents and businesses while being better prepared to contend with imminent droughts. The city is taking steps to make certain it uses its water resources wisely looking out into the next year or two.

“Last summer, particularly around August or September, it looked very Read More >

LOS ANGELES —- Metropolitan Water District’s board of directors has approved a two-year budget with water rate increases of 5 percent in January 2013 and 5 percent a year later.
The vote by Southern California’s largest water wholesaler sets the stage for a cascade of price hikes, budget cuts, or both, for agencies that directly or indirectly buy water from Metropolitan.
Metropolitan’s biggest critic, the San Diego Water Authority, bitterly opposed the vote, saying the budget continues to support what it called Read More >

Annual Earth Day celebrations highlight the importance of conserving energy, reducing waste and treating the planet with respect and care. Remember, even minor changes to your daily routine can go a long way toward reducing waste.

With this in mind, here are six ways you can go “green” this Earth Day:

Water conservation
Water conservation is a critical part of an eco-friendly lifestyle that can also save you hundreds on annual heating and water costs. By simply taking shorter showers and shutting Read More >