BE PREPARED FOR THIS SUMMER'S HIGH HEAT |
Higher temperatures during the summer months can put a strain on the state's electric grid. Help conserve energy, stay cool and be prepared with these tips:
- Set your thermostat at 78 or higher to reduce energy consumption and lower cooling costs.
- During the day, close curtains and blinds. Use fans in addition to air conditioning to better circulate cool air.
- Unplug any unnecessary devices and turn off lights when not in a room.
- Avoid using heavy appliances like dishwashers, dryers, ovens and EV chargers during peak hours of 4 PM to 9 PM.
- Keep emergency supplies like food, water, flashlights and battery-powered devices in case of an outage.
- Follow PWP on social media to stay informed of state-issued Flex Alerts during the summer.
Do you rely on a medical device for life-support? Help PWP plan and better respond to emergencies and power outages by informing us of any medical equipment in your home.
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PWP CELEBRATED WATER AWARENESS MONTH |
During the month of May, agencies across the nation celebrate Water Awareness Month. Customers following along on Facebook or Twitter enjoyed conservation tips, programs and opportunities to implement water-saving habits all month long.
As a reminder, Pasadena is currently on a Level 2 Water Shortage, which restricts watering to 2 days per week during the summer months. Customers are encouraged to continue their water conservation efforts to help Pasadena reach the voluntary 15 percent water conservation goal, which Pasadena City Council adopted in August 2021, and take the following steps:
- Ensure compliance with the Level 2 Water Supply Shortage Plan as listed in the Pasadena Municipal Code (PMC) 13.10; more information about the plan and PMC can be found at www.PWPweb.com/WateringSchedule
- Follow the Summer Outdoor Watering Schedule, which began April 1, and will continue through October. Outdoor watering must take place before 9 AM or after 6 PM, as follows: Even-numbered addresses water on Mondays and Thursdays. Odd-numbered addresses water on Tuesdays and Fridays
- Replace turf with drought-tolerant and California native plants, which use less water and are more resilient to heat and drought.
- Optimize irrigation systems by retrofitting to a drip irrigation system.
- Repair all leaks and adjust sprinkler spray to avoid water waste.
- Check the soil moisture around plants. Dig down a few inches to see if the soil is still holding moisture.
- Update all water fixtures and appliances to high efficiency models.
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ENTER THE WATER IS LIFE ART CONTEST
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PWP is now accepting submissions for this year's Water is Life Art Contest! All K-12 students in Pasadena are welcome to submit artwork, digitally-created or hand-drawn. Students should create their artwork with a water-wise theme, and are encouraged to be creative while showcasing their talents.
The first-place winner will receive a brand new tablet and solar-powered charger. Ten students will have their artwork submitted to the Metropolitan Water District for consideration in their annual Student Art Calendar. Submissions are due by June 30, 2022.
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ARROYO PARKWAY PIPELINE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT |
PWP is committed to providing reliable and high-quality water service to the community. To advance this goal, a major water infrastructure project is underway along Arroyo Parkway. The project will replace the existing 90-year-old, 8-inch water main to increase the reliability and quality of water service. Construction work will span from Glenarm Street to Cordova Street, and is expected to be completed in June 2023.
During the project, residents and businesses located between Glenarm Street and Cordova Street may be impacted. Construction work will be contained to approximately one block at a time and traffic signs and delineators will be employed to minimize impacts to the residents and businesses.
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CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2022 PWP ACADEMIC SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS |
Each year PWP chooses two high school seniors from Pasadena for an academic scholarship. One will receive a first place $5,000 award and the other a second place $2,500 award toward college expenses. The program is open to students from both public and private schools. Students participating this year were asked to research and write about the relationship between STEM and utility services. Essays were due in April, and in May PWP announced the 2022 winners.
The PWP 2022 Educational Scholarship first-place winner is Jazmin Garcia from Marshall Fundamental High School. In her essay, Garcia examined disasters and crises that have affected utility services in the past, and demonstrated the importance of reliable service both now and in the future.
The PWP 2022 Educational Scholarship second-place winner is Caroline Vasquez from Pasadena High School. In her essay, Vasquez discussed our society's dependence on technology and the relationship between advancement and core utility services.
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HÜGELS: A NATURE-BASED TECHNOLOGY TO
IMPROVE SOIL HEALTH AND SAVE WATER
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PWP is piloting a centuries-old, European horticultural technique - Hügelkultur - for its ability to reduce or eliminate irrigation in municipal landscape settings. PWP was awarded a grant from the Bureau of Reclamation to build hügels at several City sites and educate residents how we can use a nature based technology to build healthy soil and save water in our landscapes. Hügelkultur is a no-dig technique that utilizes both fresh and decaying logs, debris and other compostable biomass in a raised and mounded bed on which plants, trees, and shrubs can be planted.
Hügels have the ability to retain significant amounts of moisture through these four complimentary processes:
- Rainwater capture. The mounded hügels have increased surface area to capture more rainwater. Capture can be maximized with the concurrent usage of bioswales and berms to channel and infiltrate rainwater.
- The hügel’s “sponge.” The slowly decomposing biomass in the hügel acts as a sponge that retains water over a long period of time.
- Ongoing condensation occurs due to the temperature differential created by the thermal mass of dense logs within the hügel and the moisture bearing night air.
- Hügels are an ideal medium in which mycorrhizal fungi can flourish, infiltrating the entire bed of piled logs, converting their carbon into nourishment for plants growing above, and distributing moisture horizontally to the plants and trees surrounding the hügel.
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Recently, PWP hosted a workshop where 25 community volunteers participated in building two hügels in the upper stretch of the Sierra Madre Median, which will be tested by a soil scientist over the next 12 months to gauge the impact on soil health, moisture retention and benefits for adjacent trees. In June 2021, volunteers also built two hügels in the Upper Arroyo Seco. Now, native plants flourish on the hügels and in the surrounding area. |
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CONSERVING WATER IS EASY, AND PASADENA
PUBLIC LIBRARY CAN HELP!
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If you’re interested in ways to conserve water in the garden, being water-wise in your home, or just simply want to learn about water, the Pasadena Public Library (PPL) offers ample resources on water-wise practices, drought-friendly planting for the garden, and the water cycle. From children’s books to adult how-to guides, there’s a conservation resource for every member of the family.
Visit PWP’s website at www.PWPweb.com/SaveWater for program information, water reports, landscape guides and much more. You can access it all through the PPL, which offers computers at all neighborhood locations with access to the Internet and other electronic resources, as well as word processing and printing. If you’d prefer to do it at home, don’t forget that the Library also offers Chromebooks and HotSpots to check out and use at home.
Library Resources for You and Your Family
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Customer Service: 626.744.4005
Hours: Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., except holidays
For assistance with general information and non-account inquiries, email [email protected].
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