Master Plans Ramp up
Construction Projects
It Pays to be Green
Plans are in
Place for a Major Quake
Rolling Down Colorado
Boulevard
Etcetera...Etcetera
Noticias en Breve
PASADENA WATER AND POWER
has taken on an aggressive campaign to upgrade
Pasadena’s water and power systems to ensure safe, reliable service well into
the 21st century. Our crews are replacing and repairing power substations,
circuit breakers and hundreds of miles of water mains and power lines. They’re
also diagnosing the seismic strength of water reservoirs and key power
distribution facilities.
Of course, these plans mean more construction projects throughout the city and
that means a lot of orange cones. Please be patient as PWP crews do this
important work. Their goal is to complete every project as quickly and
efficiently as possible without compromising safety or quality of service.
If a project is scheduled in your neighborhood, you’ll receive a letter in the
mail two
to three weeks before construction begins. If water or electric service will be
interrupted during the project, a notice will be hung on your door knob at least
24 hours before the service interruption. For a list of all scheduled projects,
visit www.PWPweb.com, click on “Your Home”
then “PWP Construction Projects.”
To minimize any inconvenience, construction will not begin before 7 a.m. and
crews will avoid working on weekends whenever possible. There may be time when
work will have to be performed outside of these normal working hours but PWP
will try to keep that to a minimum.
When crews are in your neighborhood, please keep in mind that they are working
in potentially dangerous conditions and that PWP and its contractors take every
precaution to ensure the safety of our crews and our customers. For instance,
when a crew member is working inside a confined space, such as an underground
electrical vault or a manhole, a trained observer is required to monitor the
work from outside the enclosed area. If you see someone in an orange shirt
standing above a manhole, bear in mind they aren’t just standing around; they’re
making sure the area – and our PWP work crews – are safe.
 WHEN DONNA SIDER
SIGNED UP for Pasadena Water and Power’s Green
Power program in 2003, she had no idea it would end up putting a little more
green in her pocket. Donna took advantage of the Green Power rebate bonus when
she purchased a new EnergyStar® refrigerator and received an extra $20 on top of
the standard rebate. All of PWP’s energy efficiency rebates have a Green Power
rebate bonus –
in some cases as much as 30% above the standard amount.
Donna has also taken advantage of other PWP rebate programs including rebates
for a low-flow dual flush toilet plus windows and a whole house fan through the
Efficient Home Cooling Incentives program. Donna also participated in PWP’s
residential landscaping classes and put what she learned to use in her own
backyard.
Green Power and conservation are causes that Donna is more than willing to get
behind. “It’s a personal passion to see that we’re more sustainable,” she said.
“I’m willing to support that in any way I can.”
PASADENA WATER AND POWER HAS PLANS
in place to
restore service as quickly as possible in the event of a major earthquake or
other disaster.
If Pasadena’s power plant is damaged or the natural gas supply is cut off PWP
has agreements in place to import power from the statewide grid – enough to meet
all of Pasadena’s electricity needs except on the hottest summer days. If PWP’s
interconnection with the statewide grid is damaged or the grid itself fails, PWP
can operate independently or can hook into the L.A. Department of Water and
Power system.
Pasadena’s water supply, which is stored in reservoirs, could be relied upon by
PWP to serve the community for three to four days after a disaster. If the
disaster is localized to Pasadena and the water supply is compromised, PWP could
rely on more than 25 system interconnections with neighboring water utilities.
If necessary, PWP could switch off Pasadena’s supply system completely and rely
solely on water imported through the Metropolitan Water District. Water crews
would swing into action to make emergency repairs while staff at PWP’s Water
Quality Lab would step up their monitoring efforts to make sure no contaminants
enter the city’s water supply.
By diversifying resources, setting up cooperative agreements with neighboring
utilities and investing millions of dollars in improvements to our own water and
power systems, PWP is doing its very best to limit the impact of any natural
disaster.
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN NEARLY 50 YEARS, Pasadena
will have a float in the annual Tournament of Roses Parade. With Pasadena Water
and Power as the lead sponsor, the city’s float, titled “Building the Future,”
will celebrate PWP’s 100th anniversary of providing electricity to Pasadena.
Built by Pasadena’s Phoenix Decorating Company and co-sponsored by local
businesses, the float is one of the ways PWP will celebrate the centennial of
our municipal electric utility’s founding. The float will feature floral
depictions (called floragraphs) of Pasadena landmarks and iconic images – all
the elements that make Pasadena such a unique place to live, work and visit.
Watch for other special community events marking PWP’s centennial throughout
2006.
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