Upper Water News Splash – September 2025
2026 “Being Water Wise is…” Art Contest — Artwork by Hailey Gallardo
Grow Your Skills: Landscape Workshops Ahead 🌿
Landscaping workshops are back—just in time! Join Upper Water this September for two free, virtual workshops focused on sustainable landscaping and improving your garden’s health through water use efficiency.
Transforming Lawns: A Sustainable Approach
Thursday, September 18 | 6:00-7:15 p.m.
Virtual
G3’s Vegetable Gardening
Thursday, September 24 | 6:00-7:15 p.m.
Virtual
Register at www.upperwater.org/water-smart-workshops/
Residential Plant Voucher
Upper Water’s Residential Plant Voucher Program offers qualifying residents a free voucher redeemable for up to $250 worth of approved, climate-appropriate plants redeemable at Garden View Nursery (12901 Lower Azusa Rd, Irwindale, CA 91706).
This innovative program helps support the transformation of traditional yards into thriving, water-efficient landscapes. The program pairs well with
Metropolitan’s Turf Replacement Rebate Program.
Residents in Upper Water’s service area—click the button below to apply for your free voucher.
Please click here for the Plant Voucher Registration
Classroom Grant Applications are now Open
The Water Education Grant Program (WEGP), sponsored and administered by Upper Water, provides funding for K–12 classroom or school projects focused on water and STEM-related subjects. These projects are designed to be interdisciplinary, offering valuable educational opportunities across multiple fields. Teachers or administrators may apply individually or as a group to receive up to $1,000 in grant funding.
The purpose of WEGP is to support projects that deepen students’ understanding of water, science, technology, engineering, and math, and highlight the importance of these topics—especially the role of water in Southern California.
All applications will be reviewed and selected projects will require final documentation. The first round of WEGP applications for the 2025/26 school year is due Friday, October 31, 2025.
To learn more and apply, visit: www.upperwater.org/water-education-grant-program/
Watershed Restoration Program
This fall, Upper Water invites the community to volunteer for the Watershed Restoration Program, hosted in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service. Since 1991, this program has played a key role in protecting our local groundwater by maintaining a healthy watershed in the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument. Volunteers of all ages are welcome! Students and youth organizations can earn community service hours while enjoying a morning of tree planting, environmental learning, and outdoor fun.
Saturday, October 18ᵗʰ, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
The event will involve planting tree saplings near Crystal Lake campgrounds.
For event details and registration, visit: www.upperwater.org/watershed-restoration-program/
In the event of weather cancellation, updates will be posted on our website and shared with registrants.
Metropolitan Presents CAMP4W
At last month’s regular meeting of the Board of Directors, Adán Ortega, Jr., Board Chair of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, and Liz Crosson, Chief Sustainability, Resiliency & Innovation Officer, presented on Metropolitan’s Climate Adaptation Master Plan for Water (CAMP4W).
They discussed CAMP4W as a living, adaptive roadmap that supports scenario-based planning for managing water resources amid the growing impacts of climate change. The plan will guide
future capital investments, shape financial strategies, and modernize water management to ensure long-term reliability. Through scenario planning and collaborative input from regional leaders, CAMP4W provides a framework for building a sustainable water 
future.
Climate change continues to place increasing pressure on water systems. Chairman Ortega and Ms. Crosson’s leadership reflect Metropolitan’s commitment to addressing climate change with forward-thinking strategies and regional collaboration. We thank them for sharing their vision for Metropolitan’s water future.
Starting September 1, 2025, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California will increase its turf replacement rebate to $7.00 per square foot. The rebate is available to public agencies, commercial, institutional, and industrial (CII) properties, as well as homeowner associations (HOAs). The additional funding comes from the California Department of Water Resources and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.
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. The law supports water efficiency by replacing grass that is not serving a purpose with landscapes that are water-wise and sustainable.
Upper Water encourages eligible properties to take advantage of the increased rebate and begin planning water-efficient landscape projects. Learn more about the turf replacement rebate and other water conservation resources at:
www.upperwater.org/rebates-3 or contact Kat Vazquez at Katherine@usgvmwd.org for any questions.
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.orgtarting September 1, 2025, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California will increase its turf replacement rebate to $7.00 per square foot. The rebate is available to public agencies, commercial, institutional, and industrial (CII) properties, as well as homeowner associations (HOAs). The additional funding comes from the California Department of Water Resources and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.
