Welcome to the February issue of the Municipal Water District of Orange County’s (MWDOC) eCurrents newsletter. As we mourn the passing of MWDOC’s beloved General Manager, Rob Hunter, we reflect on his impact on the water industry, to our Orange County community, and beyond. MWDOC’s February 9 Water Policy Forum & Dinner featured a panel discussion on water issues that inspired Rob’s work for nearly a decade. Over 200 industry leaders attended the event to honor his legacy. We’ve included the event recording below in case you missed it.
Additionally, in this issue, we look closely at California’s water supply. With persistent storms improving the state’s drought conditions, will temperatures in the months ahead protect the precious snowpack, or will abundant supplies be lost to the ocean again? Also, we offer a few pre-spring gardening activities for anxious gardeners to help you prep for the new season. And finally, as the water and energy industries brace for the “Silver Tsunami,” the Water Energy Education Alliance (WEEA) offers FREE recruitment brochures now in nine (9) languages! All this, including the 2023 MWDOC Poster Contest kick-off and more, in this February issue of eCurrents.
If you have any comments or suggested topics for future articles, please send us an email at info@mwdoc.com. Thanks for subscribing!
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MWDOC is governed by a seven-member
Board of Directors. To learn more, click on the image above, or visit our website at www.mwdoc.com.
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For a complete list of upcoming and archived MWDOC meetings, click on the image above,
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MWDOC WATER AWARENESS POSTER CONTEST
Deadline: March 8, 2023
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The Municipal Water District of Orange County (MWDOC) is now accepting entries for the 2023 MWDOC Water Awareness Poster Contest (Contest)! For more than three (3) decades, the Contest has inspired Orange County K-12 students to think deeply about their connection to water and design hand-drawn posters that reflect the theme: When in Drought, Every Drop Counts. Of the entries received, 40 winners will be selected and recognized with an interactive awards ceremony, outdoor learning experience, prizes, and more! Four (4) grand prize winners will also receive an iPad!
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MWDOC WATER POLICY FORUM & DINNER
Thursday, February 9, 2023
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Recently, MWDOC hosted a very special Water Policy Forum & Dinner honoring the legacy of our beloved General Manager, Rob Hunter. Adán Ortega, newly elected chair of The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, led a panel discussion on a variety of water policy and supply issues that inspired and challenged Rob’s work at MWDOC for nearly a decade.
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5 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW!
About Record Storms (So Far) This Winter
Kevin Hostert, Water Resources Analyst, MWDOC
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Following three (3) consecutive years of below-average hydrologic conditions, this winter has brought some much-needed relief to California’s ongoing drought. While the severity of the drought has declined due to increased storm activity, most of the state is still experiencing some form of drought. Additional storms would significantly improve conditions across California.
CLICK HERE for a breakdown of the current state of California’s water supply.
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6 THINGS TO KNOW!
About Pre-Spring Gardening
Tiffany Baca, Public Affairs Manager, MWDOC
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Did you know? Now is the perfect time to set up your garden and surrounding landscape to thrive in the spring! With just a few practical steps, you can eliminate unnecessary time, money, and effort spent in your yard and get a jump start on creating a healthy, water-smart environment.
CLICK HERE to discover six (6) useful tips to prepare your spring garden.
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6 THINGS TO KNOW!
About FREE Recruitment Brochures
Tiffany Baca, Public Affairs Manager, MWDOC
& Executive Director, WEEA
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Did you know? The Water Energy Education Alliance (WEEA), led and administered by MWDOC, now offers FREE water and energy recruitment brochures in eight (8) new languages—Spanish, Vietnamese, Korean, Armenian, Tagalog, Farsi, Russian and Chinese later this week. WEEA first introduced the English brochures last October for California students to explore high-quality, in-demand careers in water and energy and to support utility providers in recruiting a broad range of skilled employees amidst the “Silver Tsunami.”
CLICK HERE to learn more about these multilingual brochures.
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YO AMO MESA WATER EVENT
Saturday, February 11, 2023
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Ricky the Rambunctious RaindropSM was last seen on the run at the Yo Amo Mesa Water festival on February 11. The event featured engaging water education booths, health resources, giveaways, refreshments, and more! There was also a bilingual DJ playing popular music enjoyed throughout Latin America. Be sure to say “hi” to Ricky the next time you see him around OC!
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STATEMENT ON THE PASSING OF MWDOC GENERAL MANAGER, ROB HUNTER
January 20, 2023
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With heavy hearts and great sadness, MWDOC shares the difficult news of the passing of our beloved General Manager, Rob Hunter, who had been fighting a brave and courageous battle with cancer. Simple words cannot describe the impact Rob’s unwavering leadership has had on the lives of our staff and board, the water world, and our Orange County community.
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MWDOC APPOINTS DIRECTOR SECKEL TO METROPOLITAN BOARD
January 18, 2023
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MWDOC Board of Directors today announced the appointment of Director Karl Seckel to the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (Metropolitan) Board of Directors. Director Seckel will assume the seat formerly held by Satoru (Sat) Tamaribuchi.
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With spring around the corner, what water-smart changes do you plan to make outdoors? |
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Use mulch to retain soil moisture
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Use water collected in rain barrels
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Update irrigation equipment
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Add compost to boost soil nutrients and structure
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Plant CA Native plants that use less water
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Other ideas? Tell us at PublicAffairs@mwdoc.com
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FAVORITE TWEETS AND POSTS |
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Calling all Orange County K-12 student artists! MWDOC is now accepting entries for the annual Water Awareness Poster Contest. Submit your original artwork by March 8 for a chance to win an iPad! #EveryDropCounts || Learn more: mwdoc.com/postercontest
-Twitter, January 9
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Municipal Water District of Orange County
Phone: (714) 963-3058 Fax: (714) 964-9389
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