Archive for Water Conservation

Winter is near – let’s winterize together!

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Winterize your home now and you’ll not only stay cozy all winter long, but you’ll also save on energy costs and slash your heating bill. Making proper precautions to ensure your home is prepared for winter can save you time, money and a lot of unnecessary hassle!

  • To prevent damage, it is just as important to winterize your vacant home. Learn how to properly shut off your water valve (in case a pipe bursts) and turn your water off every time you leave your mountain home.

  • Unplug appliances such as microwaves and toasters to prevent faulty switches.

  • Insulate pipes with insulation or newspapers and plastic and allow faucets to drip a little during cold weather to avoid freezing. Running water, even at a trickle, helps prevent pipes from freezing.

  • Clean your gutters; make sure water can flow freely through your gutters to avoid icicles and ice dams.

  • Change your ceiling fans clockwise to force hot air at the ceiling towards the floor.

  • Replacing the filters in your forced heating unit improves the efficiency of your unit.

  • Window insulation film can help keep heat from escaping out your windows. Winterize your home to extend the life of your fuel supply by insulating walls and attics, caulking and weather-stripping doors and windows, and installing storm windows or covering windows with plastic.

  •  The simple act of installing a storm door can increase energy efficiency by 45%, by sealing drafts and reducing air flow

  • Placing a rolled towel at the bottom of your exterior door or a draft guard prevents heat from leaking out.

  • Maintain heating equipment and chimneys by having them cleaned and inspected every year. Your chimney doesn’t necessarily need to be swept every single year, but it does need an annual inspection. Wood stoves, however, should be swept more often — as soon as they’ve accumulated a quarter of an inch of creosote.

  • Trim tree branches near your windows, roof, or parking areas before the weight of winter ice and snow can cause them to snap.

  • Inspect your home for any openings where animals could use to get inside. Make sure your fireplace flue or damper is closed, as bats, birds and squirrels are known to get inside this way.

  • Winterize your house, barn, shed or any other structure that may provide shelter for your family, neighbors, livestock or equipment. Clear rain gutters; repair roof leaks and cut away tree branches that could fall on a house or other structure during a storm.

  • Keep fire extinguishers on hand, and make sure everyone in your house knows how to use them. House fires pose an additional risk, as more people turn to alternate heating sources without taking the necessary safety precautions.

  •  It is wise to communicate with a trusted  friend or neighbor that your will be gone for a prolonged period of time and they have your contact information. Taking these steps can help protect your home from theft, water damage, and heating or electrical system issues while you are away for an extended period of time.

Bundle the house up for winter!

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Posted in: Around the District, Community, Conservation, Customer Infomation, Emergencies, From the Office, Holidays, Pine Cove Water District, Rain, Snow, Storms, Upcoming Events, Water Conservation, Weather, Winter, winterizing

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Are you storm ready?

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RivCo Ready on Instagram posted a very important Storm Preparedness checklist. Are you ready? It’s coming back for us.
Remember to turn your customer valve off if leaving your property for an extended amount of time.

 

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Posted in: Around the District, Community, Emergencies, From the Office, Frozen Pipes, Hazardous Weather Outlook, Leaks, Pine Cove Water District, Rain, Road Conditions, Snow, Storms, Water Conservation, Weather, Winter

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December Billing and Inserts

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Hello Residents of Pine Cove!

December billing (due January 5, 2023) is going out this week. If you get emailed bills, you should have already received yours.

This months mailed billing included our Winter Newsletter, Evacuation Checklist, and Property Hardening. Click here to view those items.

The bi-monthly minimum is $77.00 for two month billing period, excluding any water usage. Water usage is billed as follows:
$7.00 per thousand gallons from 0 to 7,500 gallons
$9.00 per thousand gallons from 7,500 to 15,000 gallons
$11.00 per thousand gallons over 15,000

Water bills are mailed around the 1st of the Billing Month (even months). All bills are due and payable by the 1st of the following month (odd months). Any bill not paid by the due date will be termed delinquent and subject to a $15.00 late fee and/or termination. If shut off, a reconnect fee of $75.00 will be charged, in addition to the current amount due, to re-establish service.

There are several ways to pay your bill. ACH Auto Draft is a free service; the payment is automatically taken out of your bank account (filled out form required). You can log on to your account online, and pay with a Visa/Mastercard/Discover, or E-check. To register your account online, you will need your account number, and the Municipality Code which is PineCoveWDCA. Go to www.pcwd.org and click the “Billing” tab and the Payment option link. Next, click on the www.ub-pay.com link and register your account from there. You can come into the office and pay by check, cash, or card (one person at a time). Call with a credit/debit card (Please note that there is a convenience fee of $3.00 per hundred dollars charged if using a credit card). Drop payments thru the slot on the front door or mail a check or money order.

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Posted in: Around the District, Community, Company News, Compost, Customer Infomation, Emergencies, Fire, Freebies, From the Office, Mountain Communities Fire Safe Council, Mulch, Pets and Animals, Pine Cove Water District, Rain Barrels, Upcoming Events, Water Bills, Water Conservation, Wood chips

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DO’s and DON’Ts of Water Conservation

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Reposted from February 15, 2015

DO wash full loads of laundry and dishes ONLY to spread out wash cycles.

DON’T hand wash your car.  Instead, take it to a car wash, where recycled water is used.

DO look for leaky faucets and running toilets.  Repairing a dripping faucet can save up to 150 gallons of water a week.

DON’T leave the sink running while brushing your teeth.  Install a bathroom sink aerator to slow the flow of water.

DO purchase water saving shower heads.  Or come into our District office, and we will give you a conservation kit for free!

DON’T take long showers.  Keeping showers under 5 minutes can save up to 1000 gallons of water per month.

DO store water in the refrigerator instead of letting the tap run for cool water.

DON’T use the toilet as a waste basket!

DO collect water used to rinse fruit or vegetables, and use to to water your plants, both inside and out. 🙂

DON’T keep water conservation tips to yourself!  Share, share, share!

DO aim to do at least one thing per day to conserve water.

 

And ALWAYS turn your customer valve off when leaving your mountain home.

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Posted in: Around the District, Community, Conservation, Customer Infomation, Freebies, From the Office, Garden, Pine Cove Water District, Water Conservation

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Updates from The Office

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We’re into the second month of the new year and so much has happened. Here are a few highlights.

Office re-opened to foot traffic:
Due to illnesses in the office, we had temporarily closed the office to foot traffic. We are happy to announce that we are fully open once again. We ask that you wear a mask when in the building and if someone is already at our counter that you respectfully wait outside to limit the number of people inside.

Stage II Water Conservation:
As of Tuesday, February 1, 2022 Pine Cove entered into Stage II of Water Conservation.

Stage II is mandatory compliance.
Customers are required to limit irrigation of outdoor plants and gardens to the period between 6pm and 8am daily and stop all water runoff. Customers cannot fill or refill swimming pools except the small amount needed to replace evaporation in already filled pools. Vehicles can only be washed using a bucket and a hose with a shut-off nozzle. Immediate repairs must be made to any and all leaking water lines and faucets in household plumbing and yard piping. Customers must also cease watering native vegetation and unplanted areas for dust control. Restaurants shall only provide drinking water to patrons upon specific request.

If you have any questions or concerns, you may talk to General Manager Jeremy Potter 951-659-2675 or email at jpotter@pcwd.org.
Thank you for your understanding and ongoing efforts to help conserve water.

Billing Charges increased:
Effective 2/1/2022, the bi-monthly minimum will be $77.00 for two month billing period, excluding any water usage. Water usage will be billed as follows:
$7.00 per thousand gallons from 0 to 7,500 gallons
$9.00 per thousand gallons from 7,500 to 15,000 gallons
$11.00 per thousand gallons over 15,000

Special Rates and Charges (Resolution #561)
Normal Customer Requested Turn On or Off; changed from $15 to $20
After Hours customer Requested Turn On or Off; changed from a minimum of $40 to a minimum of $50
Delinquent Turn On/Off; changed from $75 to $90
Transfer Fee; changed from $45 to $60
Where more than one (1) Premises exists or is located on a Parcel, a unit charge of $20.00 will be assessed for each separate Premises in addition to normal water use charges for the Parcel, as prescribed in the Rates Schedule.

Personnel change:
General Manager Jerry Holldber has retired as of 12/31/2021
Jeremy Potter has taken the position as our new General Manager as of 1/1/2022
Chris Dumas has been promoted to Leadman
Jensen Beri has been put on full time / permanent status
Gracie, our official Mouse Patroller has a new home with Kat Garver
And we have welcomed our newest office pet – Mousekewitz; a little chihuahua-mix dog

 

We hope all is well with you and as always, we are here for any questions or concerns.

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Posted in: Around the District, Board Meetings, Community, Company News, Customer Infomation, From the Office, Pets and Animals, Pine Cove Water District, Water Bills, Water Conservation

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Water Conservation Stage II

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Hello Pine Cove Residents.
As of Tuesday, February 1, 2022 Pine Cove will enter into Stage II of Water Conservation.

Stage II is mandatory compliance.
Customers are required to limit irrigation of outdoor plants and gardens to the period between 6pm and 8am daily and stop all water runoff. Customers cannot fill or refill swimming pools except the small amount needed to replace evaporation in already filled pools. Vehicles can only be washed using a bucket and a hose with a shut-off nozzle. Immediate repairs must be made to any and all leaking water lines and faucets in household plumbing and yard piping. Customers must also cease watering native vegetation and unplanted areas for dust control. Restaurants shall only provide drinking water to patrons upon specific request.

If you have any questions or concerns, you may talk to General Manager Jeremy Potter 951-659-2675 or email at jpotter@pcwd.org.
Thank you for your understanding and ongoing efforts to help conserve water.

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Posted in: Around the District, Community, Conservation, Drought, From the Office, Pine Cove Water District, Water Conservation

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Rain Barrels

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We are excited to bring back the rain barrels. We have had enough interest to get an initial order started.

If you are still interested in purchasing a rain barrel, please let us know as soon as possible.

The “Ivy” rain barrel is available in black with all components included to start collecting and reusing your rainwater! Price is $76.00 and you will be sent an invoice.

Made in the USA
Dimensions: 42.5”(h) x 22”(w) x 18”(l)
50 gallons
50% recycled plastic
Locking lid
Linking capacity
2 overflow ports
Meets EPA safety standards
Opaque HDPE material – screened inlet

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Posted in: Community, Conservation, gardening, Rain Barrels, Rain Water Harvesting, Water Conservation

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Xeriscaping

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I recently came across this term and wanted to learn more about it. Xeriscaping is a way to landscape with using minimal water.

When searching xeriscaping, I found that there are 7 basic principles:
* Sound landscape planning and design.
* Limitation of turf (commonly referred to as lawn) to appropriate, functional areas.
* Use of water efficient plants.
* Efficient irrigation.
* Soil amendments.
* Use of mulches.
* Appropriate landscape maintenance.

There are many plants that can survive with little to no irrigation. I recommend either having a local expert help with finding the right plants or doing an online search.
The main thing to look for is “drought-resistant plants”.
The ones I found listed on TheSpruce.com are Hens and chicks, Aloe Vera, and Autumn Joy sedum, or “stonecrop”. If you are looking for a little more color, I found that Verbena, Marigold, Lavender, Daffodils, and Iris are low maintenance plants as well.

The LA Times did an article in February 2020 about xeriscaping and why you should try it. They mention that even when plants are labeled as a “California native plant”, there are many different climates in California. In Southern California, we should be look for plants around our Mediterranean climate, similar to central Chile, the Western Cape province of South Africa, and southern and western Australia.
They recommend some of the same principles as I found above such as taking stock of your lawn but also add things like visiting a Southern California botanic garden, nurseries devoted to Caliornia native plants, and The California Native Plant Society’s Calscape database.

I have no doubt that the experts at Idyllwild Community Garden are a great resource to learn more and advise on what plants grow well on our little mountain. Just looking at their website I came across this page that has multiple resources – choosing-what-to-plant.

However you start your spring, we hope it brings you joy!

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Posted in: Around the District, Drought, gardening, Water Conservation

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Conserving Water

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With the most recent storms, snow and rain have helped increase the amount of ground water that we can pump into our wells. However, it takes a while for the new water to be pumped and processed into clean drinking water so conserving is always a great thing to do to make sure we have continued water in the dry season.

According to energy.gov Americans use between 80-100 gallons of water each day. Where is all of this water going? One of the biggest contributors is the bathroom.

Toilets – Do you know your toilet’s water usage? If it’s an older model, it could be using up to 6 gallons of water per flush. The federal standard is 1.6 gallons per flush. Even low flow toilets need to be looked at for age and leaking*.

Shower – Federal regulations say that showerheads cannot exceed 2.5 gallons of flow per minute. Using a low flow shower head* can help reduce water usage as well as energy/propane from heating.

Bathroom faucets* – If you turn off the water while brushing your teeth*, you can save up to eight gallons of water per day.

*The FREE Water Saving Kit at the PCWD office includes:
Toilet leak detection tables – FDA-certified, non-toxic dye tablets used to detect leaks in toilets.
Earth Massage 1.5 GPM Showerhead – two-setting massage spray showerhead.
Bathroom Faucet 1.0 GPM Aerators – half the flow, twice the power. Commercial grade aerators for the home.
Ask to add in a 3-min sand timer to help with teeth brushing time.

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Posted in: Conservation, Freebies, Water Conservation

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