Tip #1:  Simple greywater systems help save water (September 22, 2022)

The unprecedented drought and the forecast for a third consecutive La Niña this winter means EVERY DROP OF WATER COUNTS! 

Greywater recycling is a way to make your water drops count TWICE!

Greywater is wastewater from bathtubs, showers, bathroom sinks, clothes washers, and laundry tubs. It does not include wastewater from toilets, utility sinks, kitchen sinks, or dishwashers due to excess grease and potential pathogens. Key is not to store graywater as it rapidly turns into black water if left untreated.

Greywater collection is a perfect DIY project: as low tech as a bucket in your shower or medium tech with a laundry-to-landscape system.

All the information you need about greywater irrigation in PV is available in the “Portola Valley Greywater Design Manual for Outdoor Irrigation”.  Download this detailed and easy to follow document at greywaterv5.indd (portolavalley.net)  (https://www.portolavalley.net/home/showpublisheddocument/10061/636174870699200000 )

Garden supply and irrigation stores can provide the materials. For example, Urban Farmers in SF sells a full kit for the Laundry to Landscape system and can help you design your project:  http://urbanfarmerstore.com. 

You can learn more about how to safely use graywater at:

Greywater & Rainwater Catchment | Portola Valley, CA

( https://www.portolavalley.net/sustainability/water-conservation/rainwater-and-greywater-management )

Alternative Water Program - San Mateo County Health (smchealth.org) ( https://www.smchealth.org/alternative-water-program )

Tip #2:  It's not just the dams: The Western drought is threatening the entire energy sector (August 19, 2022)

Most of our state is in Severe Drought or worse.

Please do what you can to reduce your water usage. The Governor has asked
for a 15% reduction in water usage which is not being met.

The simplest way to save on water is to cut back on irrigating your lawn by
at least 15% and fix any leaks on your property.

Please stop by the Sustainability Table at the Town Picnic Saturday Sept. 17
to learn about more ways to save water and reduce electricity usage.

https://www.vox.com/23292669/drought-2022-power-energy-grid-lake-mead-climate-heat-hoover-dam

Tip #3:  DROUGHT AND LAWNS (September 11, 2022)

Hello Lords and Ladies of the Realm,

Are you envisioning your own private Versailles in near-arid Portola Valley?  Do you have loads of lawn that no one ever walks on except the gardener?

Did you know that lawns originated in Europe and were the exclusive province of the aristocracy who could afford to pay people to scythe and maintain the lawn and where it normally rains all year round. The concept was imported in the 18^th century to America and again only the wealthiest could afford to maintain them until the 1950’s with the big push to suburbia and the invention of the affordable light weight power lawn mower.

Although some states are starting to ban or restrict non-functional lawns, lawns still account for 2% of all land in the US.  Lawns (and gardens) account for 60% of household water use in arid areas of the US and 5% of air pollution due to gas-powered garden equipment. This is unsustainable for our planet, as increasing heatwaves visit the land.

The drought that western states are experiencing is the worst in 1200 years!

Between the wasted water, pesticides, and the burning of gas in lawnmowers, lawns are bad news for your health, your pocket, and the planet. Did you know that each sprinkler head on your lawn pours out as much water as your shower head and many run at even 3 gallons per minute?  Depending on the size of the lawn, you could have 5 or 10 or more sprinkler heads, all running at the same time for 15 or 20 or more minutes. It’s like 10 people taking long showers in your home every day, regardless of whether or not you ever use the lawn.

What can you do instead?

1. Remove your lawn completely and replace with a beautiful drought tolerant native garden (and help bring back native insects, birds, and bees).  Some pictures of a local property that did a lawn to landscape conversion with native drought-tolerant plants a few years ago are attached. Cal Water has a great incentive plan available: $3/sf.  More information here: https://conservation.calwater.com/program/turf/terms  
2. Reduce your lawn to just the portion that is needed and functional for children or pets and then relandscape the rest with drought tolerant plants or put in a permeable hardscape (a small stone or mulch patio, for example). It easy to convert portions from spray to drip with a simple retrofit kit such as this one: https://www.toro.com/en/professional-contractor/irrigation-landscape-drip/spray-to-drip-retrofit-kit
3. Reduce your water usage by replacing your sprinkler heads with high efficiency ones. Cal Water has rebates for high efficiency sprinkler nozzles here: https://www.calwater.com/conservation-rebates/?type=res&dist=bg  It’s very easy to pop out and replace. Just takes a small screwdriver. Stop by the Sustainability Table at the Town Picnic on Saturday September 17 and try your hand at doing it on samples we’ll have available. Remember to increase the time your irrigation runs since high efficiency sprinkler nozzles apply water 5-10 times (depending on your water pressure) more slowly and evenly compared to regular sprinkler heads. We have a cheat sheet at the Sustainability table.
4. Tune up your sprinklers. Many develop problems over time and send the spray in the wrong direction or get blocked. Routine cleaning is needed to make sure they are running at optimal functioning. One simple way to test their operation is to set out a bunch of clean cat food cans in a grid pattern on your lawn and run the sprinklers for 15 minutes. Then measure the amount of water in each can. They should all be the same if the irrigation was installed properly and the heads are all functioning. Most people over irrigate their lawns and gardens and can cut back a little without killing their lawn under normal temperatures. The PV Sustainability Committee has some cans you can borrow.
5. Invest in a smart irrigation timer so it’s easy to adjust water usage based on the weather.
   There’s no reason to water a garden when it’s raining. Cal Water has a great rebate, up to $125: https://www.calwater.com/conservation-rebates/?type=res&dist=bg
   
6. For some more tips on maintaining your lawn using less water, click to this article from the AP: https://www.smdailyjournal.com/lifestyle/these-are-dry-stressful-days-for-lawns-some-tips-to-help/article_bffe23e6-da80-5099-a3f0-76c4e9fca3d1.html

You can find more information about water efficient landscaping on Portola Valley’s website in the Sustainability section:

https://www.portolavalley.net/sustainability/water-conservation/water-efficient-landscaping-615

Images from a local garden, lawn to native landscape conversion.

Tip #4:  US west "megadrought" is the worst in at least 1200 years (February 17, 2022)

New study just released:

US west ‘megadrought’ is worst in at least 1,200 years, new study says | Drought | The Guardian

Excerpt:

“In the summer of 2021, both Lake Mead and Lake Powell – the largest reservoirs in North America – reached record-low levels. Nearly 65% of the American west is experiencing in severe drought according to the US drought monitor, even after record rainfall hit some areas late last year. For the first time, federal official curbed allocations from the Colorado River Basin, which supplies water and power for more than 40 million people. Wildfires in the last two years have left behind more blackened earth than ever before and performed feats never thought possible.

So far conditions this year have not helped to turn the situation around. California saw one of the driest Januarys on record. February has already delivered heat waves that broke records across the state. By the start of this month, the snowpack has dwindled to below-average, melting rapidly after reaching 160% of average at the start of the year. Forecasts show there’s little short-term relief in sight.”

What can you do?

The PV Sustainability Committee recommends as a first step that you seek to understand your own water use. Log into your Cal Water account online and find out how much water you actually use each month.  (www.Calwater.com)  Compare your winter use to your summer use.

Remember that each CCF (hundred cubic foot) of water is 748 gallons. You can easily determine the number of gallons your household uses each month by multiplying your CCF by 748. 

If you want to dramatically reduce your water footprint, focus on LAWNS, LEAKS, and LANDSCAPING. 

• Reduce or eliminate your lawns ($750-$4500 rebates available at Conservation.CalWater.com).
• Find and repair leaks.
• Use drought tolerant plants in your landscaping and tune up your irrigation systems. (rebates available at conservation.calwater.com)