Upper Water November News Splash
Watershed Restoration Program Updates
Over the past year, 300 volunteers joined Upper Water and the U.S. Forest Service for the Watershed Restoration Program events. Since 1991, the program has played a key role in protecting local groundwater by maintaining a healthy watershed in the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument. Thanks to dedicated volunteers, more than 1,000 trees have been planted, and several bags of trash have been removed. Volunteers of all ages are invited to enjoy in the outdoors, learn about the local watershed, and make a difference. The last Watershed Restoration event of the season will take place this month and is expected to be another successful day of planting trees and community action.
Saturday, November 8ᵗʰ, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. We will meet at the San Gabriel Canyon Environmental Education Center and caravan to Crystal Lake Campgrounds.
Please note: In the event of cancellation due to weather or other circumstances, updates will be posted on our website and shared with registrants as soon as more information becomes available. Thank you!
For registration please visit : www.upperwater.org/watershed-restoration-program/ or contact Kat Vazquez at Katherine@usgvmwd.org.
Don’t Miss the Final Fall Landscape Workshop!
Fall landscaping workshops are wrapping up this month! Join Upper Water for a free virtua
l workshop focused on keeping trees and landscapes healthy through the seasons. Don’t miss this valuable opportunity to learn from the experts.
Protecting the Trees🌳
Wednesday, November 5 | 6:00-7:15 p.m.
Virtual
Register at www.upperwater.org/water-smart-workshops/
Water Smart Home Kit
Upper Water offers free Water Smart Home Kits to qualifying residents. Each kit includes a variety of indoor and outdoor EPA WaterSense – labeled devices, such as faucet aerators, showerhead, and sprinkler nozzles. The kit also contains helpful tools like a ratcheting PVC cutter, toilet supply line, PVC slip fitting, and PVC glue.
The goal of the program is to help residents develop a proactive approach to leak prevention and detection at home and encourage residents to fix leaks or replace traditional water-wasting devices with more efficient alternatives.
CII Customers Webinar: Nonfunctional Turf Lunch & Learn
Our partners at CalWEP are hosting a free virtual session for CII customers—including property managers, landscapers, and HOA representatives—on how California’s new nonfunctional turf law applies to them and steps toward compliance.
In 2023, AB 1572 was signed into law, banning the use of drinking water to irrigate nonfunctional turf at CII properties, HOA common areas, and properties owned by state and local public agencies.
Upper Water encourages agencies and commercial properties to take advantage of the free webinar and begin planning for water-efficient landscape projects that will help meet this regulation.
Register via Zoom at:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_nEb3r3g8Q9S2CKmJ3VnGoQ#/registration
Save Water this Holiday Season!
Upper Water Challenges You to Give Thanks, Not Waste This Holiday Season.
As families and friends gather to celebrate the holidays, let’s also give thanks for one of our most precious resources—water. Holiday cooking, cleaning, and entertaining can use up more water than you think! This November, Upper Water challenges you to Give Thanks, Not Waste by implementing simple changes that keep the festivities joyful and water-wise.
Water-Saving Reminders for a Thankful Season
In the Kitchen
- Defrost ahead: Move frozen food to the fridge early instead of using running water.
- Rinse efficiently: Wash fruits and veggies in a bowl, not under the tap—then reuse that water for houseplants.
- Cook with creativity: Reuse cooking water for soups or sauces.
- Cleaning Up
- Scrape, don’t rinse: Scrape plates before loading the dishwasher.
- Run full loads: Dishwashers and washing machines use the same amount of water no matter the load size—fill them up!
- Skip the soak: Soak pots and pans in a small basin, not a running sink.
- Around the House
- Decorate naturally: Choose drought-tolerant greenery or dried arrangements.
- Save leftovers: Every bit of food you save also saves the water used to grow, process, and cook it.
- Go water-wise outdoors: Winter is the perfect time to plan or refresh your landscape with native and watershed-friendly plants. Rebates are available at upperwater.org/rebates.
- Practice mindful hygiene: Turn off the tap while brushing your teeth or shaving, and keep showers short and sweet. Every minute you save can conserve up to 2 gallons of water.
Education Opportunities with Discovery Cube
!! ATTENTION EDUCATORS !!
Upper Water partners with the Discovery Science Center to provide interactive workshops and curriculum for K–7th grade students within Upper Water’s service area. The program highlights all things water — from water-use efficiency in
the home, to watershed and groundwater awareness. All curriculum is aligned with grade-appropriate Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and can be offered either in-person or virtually, depending on the needs of the teacher.
Book your next class and learn more at: upperwater.org/discovery-cube/
About Upper Water
Upper Water’s mission is to provide a reliable, sustainable, diversified, and affordable portfolio of high-quality water supplies to the San Gabriel Valley; including water conservation, recycled water, storm water capture, storage, water transfers and imported water. Upper Water services nearly one million people in its 144 square mile service territory. Governed by a five-member elected board of directors, Upper Water is a member agency of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. Annually, more than 78 billion gallons of water is used in Upper Water’s service area. For more information about Upper Water and the water use efficiency programs mentioned, please visit our website www.upperwater.org
