West Basin Announces Six FREE Rain Barrels Events

Learn About

Energy-Saving Programs for Residents and Businesses

Edible Gardening Workshop:

Plant A Garden That Serves Your Plate

The Return of West Basin's

Rain Barrel Giveaway Program

Register Today to Get Yours! 

What could be better than a free and simple way to conserve drinking water in your own home by harvesting and storing rainwater to irrigate your landscape later in the year? If that piques your interest, then wait no longer!  

West Basin Municipal Water District is thrilled to announce the return of its Rain Barrel Giveaway Program. This is your chance to practice water conservation, improve water efficiency and prepare to take advantage of the upcoming rainy season. Rain barrels make that effort practical and easy. 



West Basin will host six giveaway events throughout the District’s service area in the coming months for anyone who lives in the service area to receive up to two rain barrels! Detailed information can be found HERE or register below.

Sign up in just two simple steps: 

1. Register online for a giveaway location near you 
2. Swing by the event and pick up your rain barrels 

These rain barrels will go quickly, so register asap to claim yours at WestBasinCA.gov/rain-barrels. 

Statewide Programs

Saves Residents and Businesses Energy and Money

California Foodservice Instant Rebates Program 

The California Foodservice Instant Rebates Program provides eligible commercial customers of SoCalGas, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), Southern California Edison (SCE), or San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) instant rebates on qualifying energy-efficient foodservice equipment for their businesses.

Comfortably CA Program 

The Comfortably CA program is a statewide energy efficiency program serving HVAC distributors with resources for specified high-efficiency residential and commercial heating and cooling equipment.

Golden State Rebates Program

The Golden State Rebates Program provides instant rebate coupons for Air Conditioners,

Midstream Water Heating Program 

The Midstream Water Heating Program helps qualifying business owners and building managers purchase high-efficiency commercial water heating products at reduced prices and enables contractors to include lower-cost equipment in their bids.

To apply and for more information, visit SoCal Gas partner programs HERE.

For additional program information, call 1-888-431-2226.

WRD Hosts Edible Gardening Workshop

FREE IN PERSON Edible Gardening workshop, hosted by the Water Replenishment District of Southern California and Signal Hill Public Library, on Saturday, September 27, 2025. 

The class is free, but advance registration is required.

Start time is 11a.m. Doors will open a few minutes early to make sure you have plenty of time to get settled. 

Come have a taste and learn more about: 

1. Integrating edibles in the landscape 
2. Growing vegetables in planters 
3. How to successfully irrigate vegetables 
4. Planning for edibles all year round 

Register HERE today! 

September Marks National Preparedness Month

Southern California Edison encourages local leaders to share simple but important safety steps with families and organizations in their area. Building an emergency kit with water, food, medications, flashlights, batteries, and a battery-powered radio is a great place to start. Families should also create a plan that includes evacuation routes, communication strategies, and how to safely turn off utilities. 

As a trusted voice in your community, you can play a key role in promoting safety. Please help spread the word about preparing for electric outages, including Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS), and knowing how to stay safe around downed power lines—always stay at least 100 feet away and call 911. Sharing this information through newsletters, social media, or community events can make a real difference. For more tips and resources to share, visit sce.com/safety. 

SoCalREN Offers Three Back to School Energy Tips 

With kids back in school it’s important to conserve energy when no one is home, especially as late summer temperatures heat up. As routines shift and schedules get busy, a few simple habits can help keep energy bills under control without adding extra stress: 

1. Turn off all lights and adjust the thermostat before leaving the house to avoid unnecessary usage 
2. Run full laundry and dish loads to save water and energy 
3. Unplug devices when not in use or overnight (after homework is done!) 

It’s estimated that schools account for 13% of annual national electricity use (US EIA), amounting to around $8 billion in energy costs (Energy Star). How do districts and teachers keep energy use and costs low in the classroom? Learn more with our partners at the SoCalREN HERE. 

New Map to Provide Mobility Improvements

in the Region for the Olympic Games

As preparations for the 2028 Olympics and Paralympics continue, Metro published a new GIS map on their website that will show mobility improvements in the region. 

The map, which is in its beta form, will serve as a foundation for the ongoing work. Currently the map shows the basics: what the Metro system will look like in 2028, the location of the games venues, and projects funded by the Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods grant awarded to Metro in March 2024.   

The $139-million U.S. Department of Transportation grant will fund a bundle of improvements, including new mobility hubs, first-last mile and bus priority projects that aim to restore community connectivity by investing in high-quality multimodal transportation options. 

Find the map and more details on the Metro HERE. 

Dispose of Your Household Hazardous

and Electronic Waste at

Upcoming Hawthorne and Carson Events

Sponsored jointly by the Sanitation Districts and Los Angeles County Public Works, the Household Hazardous Waste and Electronic Waste Collection Program (HHW) gives Los Angeles County residents a legal and cost-free way to dispose of unwanted household chemicals that cannot be disposed of in the regular trash. 

For South Bay residents looking for disposal sites, visit the Sanitation district’s list of events HERE. Get details on the September 20 and October 11 Carson event.

Visit our booth at these upcoming South Bay events

where we will be providing information about local water- and energy-saving programs, and other opportunities to help the residents of our subregion.

Upcoming SBCCOG Outreach Events

Job Opportunities

Metro is seeking qualified candidates to join one of the nation’s largest and most innovative transportation systems.

• Human Resources Analyst (Well Being Services)
• Manager, Budget (Treasury)
• Manager, Transportation Operations
• Transportation Planner (Financial Planning)

For a full lists of Metro job openings visit their career page here.



Learn more about

the South Bay Environmental Service Center (SBESC),

Contact Martha Segovia

310-371-7222 or

martha@southbaycities.org

 Links to Partner Resources En Español:

• Metro - "El Pasajero"

Disclaimer

This newsletter is a collaboration of articles written by the partners of the South Bay Cities Council of Governments (SBCCOG) and is published as provided.