Pine Cove Water District: Friday Reminders

Friday, February 18, 2011

Friday Reminders

Just some quick reminders for you today. The water district will be closed on Monday, February 22 for President's Day. However, we always have someone on call for emergencies. We will be open on Tuesday, February 23 from 9 to 4, as per usual.

We are expecting snow today. I have read wildly varying reports though, so I am not sure what is accurate and what isn't. One report calls for over a foot of snow here in Pine Cove and another one predicts just a few inches. Hmmmm..... which one to believe. I don't know, but it is better to be safe than sorry, so I will prepare for the worst and hope for the best.

No matter what happens, stay safe. Don't go out and drive in the storm unless it is absolutely necessary. The older I get, the more I realize that there really is very little that is urgent enough to make me drive in a storm. In my younger days I didn't think much about it. I even got stranded once in the middle of a snow storm and it really didn't faze me much. I got a ride home and the tow truck eventually found my car. If I had the good sense then that I have now, I would not have even set foot outside that evening. Live and learn! As they say, "Youth is wasted on the young", but that is whole 'nother post.

Luckily, I know better now. So don't be out driving in the storm unless it is absolutely necessary. Also if you are off the hill, please wait until the storm has subsided and the roads are cleared before making your way up the hill.

As always, frozen pipes are a concern when we have the cold temps like we have been experiencing the past few nights. Make sure all your outside hoses are disconnected. We have several winterizing tips on the left side of the blog, down the page towards the bottom. Frozen pipes are never fun, so act now to prevent them.

If you are leaving your mountain home, please turn the water off at your customer valve!

This is the single most important thing you can do to protect your home while you are away. January's leaks were proof positive that turning off your water can prevent disastrous leaks from occurring while you are away from your mountain home. We had two customers experience very large leaks and several others experience smaller leaks. But a leak is a leak and they are no fun to deal with. Prevention is easier than the cure in this case. It only takes a couple minutes. Just remember as you are leaving to turn off that water valve.

If you do not know where your customer shut off valve is, please call us at 951-659-2675 and we will be happy to come out, during normal business hours, and show you where it is and how to turn it off. I know we keep reiterating this point and sound like a broken record, but January's leaks just prove our point. So until everyone complies and turns off their water when they leave, we have to keep singing the same song.

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FREE STUFF!

We have lots of things available for our customers, all free of charge. Stop by the district office to pick up yours today.

Saving Water Kit. These kits include a low flow shower head, a kitchen swivel aerator, 2 bathroom faucet aerators, toilet water saver, toilet leak detection tablets, flow meter bag and a water conservation wheel.

Blue bird houses made from recycled wood.

Wood chips to help retain moisture in your garden.

Here at the PCWD, we care about the environment and want to help our customers save water.

CURRENT REBATES

Effective 7/1/10, the District is offering a rebate program for the following items:

One half of the purchase price to a maximum on $100.00 per toilet, max of two toilets per household, for the purchase and installation of a 1.6 GPM or less, Low Flow Toilet.

$50.00 rebate for the purchase and installation of a High Efficiency/Front Loading washing machine.

$100.00 Rebate for the purchase and installation of an approved Hot Wter Recycling System, limit of 1 per household.

Smart Water Systems on outside watering an drip stystems, maximum of $150.00, decided on a case by case basis.

Rain Water Collection Systems, maximum of $150.00 decided on a case by case basis.

All rebates must be approved by the General manager and must include proof of purchase and installation and there will be no repeat rebates allowed for a minimum of 5 years. Within any fiscal year, the maximum total rebates is $250.00 per property.

Rebates for any commercial or multi-family units will be decided on a case by case basis and must be approved by the Board of Directors.

Please stop in the office to fill out the necessary paper work to receive your rebate.

Winterizing Tips

Every winter season, homeowners in mountain communities are at risk of the damage and expense caused by frozen pipes. However, just a few precatuions can greatly reduce your risk and may even help with your winter heating efficiency.

Disconnect and Drain-detaching hoses from outdoor faucets allows water to drain from the pipe.

Insulate-if you have pipelines in an unheated garage or cold crawl spaced under the house, wrap the water pipes before temperatures plummet. You can also puchase insulated covers for your outdoor faucets as well.

Turn off Water-turning your water off when you leave you mountain home is the most important thing you can do to prevent a leak or break.

Seal Off Vents, Cracks and Doors-winter winds whistling through overlooked openings can quickly freeze exposed water pipes.

By following these simple steps, you will be protecting yourself from a possible leak or broken pipe due to freezing.

Remember, all water that passes through the meter is the homeowner's responsibility, even if it is due to frozen or broken pipes.

Riverside County Local Hazard Mitigation Plan

The Pine Cove Water District is participating in Riverside County's Local Hazard Mitigation Plan. They are currently in the process of updating it and we have been trying to do our part. We have been nominated as a possible site for an Emergency Operations Center should a diaster befall us. We will be making updates here on the blog and our website so that we can keep the public informed as to our progress and plans. It is our hope that our preparations are never put to the test, but we want to be prepared, just in case.

Pine Cove Water District Welcomes You!

It is our mission to provide ample amounts of potable water at a reasonable price to all constituents within the Pine Cove area.

As a water district in a small community, we here at the Pine Cove Water District feel a special connection with our customers. We want our customers to be informed and in addition to our website and our semi annual newsletters, we have created this blog to keep everyone up to date on the latest happenings here at the Pine Cove Water District.

We hope you will check in often and feel free to leave your comments and suggestions.

Rules for Watering your Landscape

1. Get to know your plants signal for water: All plants and trees have different water requirements. The time to water is when the plants need it. Adjust your watering schedule and automatic timers for cooler, wetter or windy weather.

2. Split your watering time and prevent runoff: If water runs off instead of soaking in, split the water time into two sessions to allow the soil to absorb the water. Amend your soil to improve the water holding capacity of your soil.Watering half the time, twice as often will help water stay in the root zone.

3. Train your plants to develop deep roots: Water thoroughly, but infrequently. Make sure that plants are deep watered in the spring so they will develop deep roots and need less water in the summer. Deeper roots allow plants to use moisture deep in the ground. Plants will be healthier and stronger.

4. Avoid watering on windy days: When you water on windy days (a breeze stronger than 5 to 7 miles per hour), much of the water evaporates or blows away.

5. Avoid watering in the middle of the day: Morning is the best time to water because it helps prevent the growth of fungus. Also by watering in the cool part of the day, more water soaks in instead of evaporating.

6. Turn off your irrigation system when it rains: Don't waste water by watering plants in the rain. Rain sensors are available if you aren't home to to turn them off.

7. Mulch around trees and shrubs: Mulching discourages weeds and slows evaporation when you water your plants.

8. Keep your soil in shape: Soil amendments such as compost can benefit your plants both by providing nutrients and by changing the composition of the soil so it holds water better. Improving your soil needs to be done regularly, including the areas around existing plants and shrubs.

9. Maintain your watering system: Broken sprinkler heads spew water that doesn't benefit your plants. Replace old or worn irrigation fixtures. Hoses, couplings, valves and fauceets that leak not only create large puddles, but waste water and your money.

10. Choose the right plants: Take a plants water and sun needs into consideration before adding it to you landscape. Look for drought tolerant plants with low water needs.