Choose Native and
Low-water Plants
More Fluoride for Healthy Teeth
Water Conservation is
Critical
Get
an Efficient New Pool Pump
Employees Turn the Key on First Vanpool
Etcetera...Etcetera
Noticias en Breve
 Expert
gardeners agree: Autumn is the best time to plant. Learn
how to refresh your garden with beautiful natives and other low-water plants
during Pasadena Water and Power's 4th annual California Friendly and Native
Plants Landscaping Class on Saturday, Sept. 22, from 8:30 a.m. to noon at Eaton
Canyon Nature Center, 1750 N. Altadena Dr.
Offered free to PWP's residential water customers, the popular class covers the
benefits of using native and California Friendly plants, selection tips,
planting guidelines and garden maintenance. The session is led by landscape
professionals and free materials are provided, including a full-color plant
guide. Continental breakfast is included.
Seating is limited, so reservations are required. Call 744-3715 to reserve your
spot.
.
Smile! Remember those childhood fluoride treatments at the dentist's office?
You'll soon have a better tasting way to fight tooth decay with fluoridated
water.
Metropolitan Water District (MWD, from which we import about 60 percent of
Pasadena's water, is planning to boost the amount of fluoride in its water to
0.7 to 0.8 parts per million. Pasadena Water and Power doesn't fluoridate its
water because we already have pretty high amounts of the element, which is found
in lakes, rivers, oceans and the rainwater that seeps into our reservoirs. But
when we mix our own groundwater with MWD's fluoridated water, we'll begin
delivering water with a new concentration of 0.7 to 1.2 parts per million.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and more than 50
years of scientific research, people who live in cities with fluoridated water
have healthier teeth and fewer cavities, with no known side effects. Customers
who don't want to drink fluoridated water can use home water treatment units
that use reverse osmosis membrane filters, or choose bottled water that doesn't
contain fluoride.
 Pasadena
(and all of Southern California) is facing one of the toughest water situations
to date. Locally we've had the lowest rainfall
level since 1878 and our sources up north are just as dry! Pasadena Water and
Power pumps about 40 percent of our local water supply from the ground and
imports the rest from Northern California via MWD. This year, the Sierra Nevada
snow pack level is well below average, the Colorado River Basin is in its eighth
year of drought and the state recently imposed pumping restrictions in the
Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.
To preserve supplies and meet our water needs, Pasadena's mayor is urging
residents to cut water use by at least 10 percent, or 20 gallons per day. Here
are a few simple ways you can save:
• Cut your shower time by just two minutes and save
five gallons.
• Turn off your faucet while brushing your teeth or
shaving to save up to six gallons per minute.
• Fix faucet leaks to save 15 to 20 gallons per
day.
• Take advantage of PWP's rebates for efficient
toilets and clothes washers; go to the PWP website for more information and a
list of qualifying models.
• Don't leave the hose running while you wash your
car. Instead use a nozzle with an automatic shut-off to save 10 gallons per
minute.
• Water your yard between 5 and 8 a.m. - never
during the heat of the day.
• Sweep driveways, sidewalks and patios instead of
washing them down with a hose to save 150 gallons each time.
• Consider replacing your lawn with
drought-tolerant plants and native grasses.
If you have an automatic sprinkler system, visit
www.bewaterwise.com for a watering
calculator tailored to your individual landscaping. Most of us over-water by 50
percent.
Check the community’s water conservation progression at the PWP website..
PWP is diving into a new rebate program! Replace
your old, inefficient pool pump with a new dual, four or variable-speed pump and
receive cash back. You'll cut your monthly utility bill, help reduce PWP's power
generation costs and - best of all - protect the environment by reducing
emissions. It's a win-win!
You'll find a list of rebate amounts, qualifying models and a downloadable
application on the PWP website. To talk to a customer care representative or
request an application by mail, call the PWP AnswerLine.
Pasadena Water and Power employees, in
partnership with the Transportation Department, have started the city’s
first-ever employee vanpool by leasing an eight-passenger vehicle. The inaugural
group of riders includes employees who work for PWP and live in communities
along the 210 freeway east of Pasadena.
This effort, which helps the environment by getting more cars off the congested
freeway,
is the latest addition to the city’s successful trip reduction program for
employees, also known as Prideshare.
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