Thinking about saving water for your garden this year?

Here in Pine Cove, many residents like to garden and even grow some of their own food. Now is the time to start thinking about spring projects and what you can do to conserve water in the garden.

If you have an existing garden, there are several things you can do to reduce the amount of water you use in the garden. First, be sure to add compost to your existing garden. Soil that is high in organic matter stays moist longer. Improve your soil by adding a source of organic material such as compost or well rotted manure. If you consistently work to improve your soil each season, the texture and water holding capacity of your soil will increase and your garden will require less water. In order to make this easier for you, we have wonderful compost available to our customers for free!

Once you have freshened your soil with compost, it is time to add some mulch. Mulch aids the garden in several ways. It adds a source of organic material which and will eventually improve the structure and the water holding ability of the soil. Mulch slows surface evaporation so you will water less and it helps to smother weeds, making your gardening easier! As it happens, we also have mulch (Wood Chips) available to our customers for free as well!

One wonderful thing you can do to help keep your garden looking good throughout the summer is harvest rainwater. Rain water is FREE water. Just catch it and store it then use it. You can search for rain water harvesting online and find a ton of helpful information and lots of examples on how to set up rain harvesting system.  By using your roof water you will reap water benefits from even a gentle rain by capturing all of the water that falls onto your roof surface. This can be as simple as a rain barrel under your down spout or shallow trenches to divert the rainwater to the garden.  Adding berms strategically in the garden will keep the water form running off. You can even go so far as to install a large water storage tank either above ground or underground in order to store thousands of gallons of rain water. 

Installing a drip irrigation system will deliver water directly to the plants root zone instead of watering the entire surface of the garden. Although, a drip irrigation system can be expensive initially it will certainly pay off in drastically reduced water use if you intend to grow a  garden year after year. The hoses, emitters, fittings and valves must be laid out to deliver the water to each plant. If you can’t afford to install a drip system,  an easy alternative is to use soaker hoses that allow water to seep through the porous material along their entire length. Soaker hoses are less expensive to install and you can put them under the mulch to prevent evaporation.  Both methods are better alternatives than sprinklers or letting the hose run.

Flu Season and Humidity Protection

Higher the humidity lowers your risk for airborne viruses. Do you run a humidifier in your home during cold an flu season? If you don’t it might be time to consider investing in a humidifier for your home or office to reduce your risk of getting sick. Researchers found raising indoor humidity killed 85% of airborne flu virus within an hour, 100% within 24 hours. In dry air, the virus thrived for days. Increased humidity can also help with other health conditions like Asthma, coughing, snoring and dry skin and hair. According to WebMD, “Changes in humidity in different seasons may also affect how often people get sick. The most common cold viruses survive better outside the body. Also, cold weather may make the lining of your nose drier and more vulnerable to an infection by a virus.”

Our humidity level here in Idyllwild and Pine Cove is notoriously low. With the cold weather running your heater or burning a fire can suck the moisture out of the air. Keeping a cast iron pot or kettle on your wood burning stove while burning a fire can help raise the humidity level as well. Keeping the humidity level up and investing in a humidifier seems like a relatively simple solution to protect your health this time of year.

SNOW-PLAY VISITOR ILLEGAL PARKING & UNSAFE DRIVING?

Rather than helplessly sit by when unsafe or illegal road or parking behavior happens, witnesses can do something about it. CHP officers can’t be everywhere at the same time, but residents are! In addition to phoning, we can now report incident details by email.

It’s a traffic safety campaign the San Gorgonio Pass California Highway Patrol (which covers the Hill) has started that asks our community members to report unsafe and/or illegal driving or problem roads.

Using the license plate, Capt. Mike Alvarez will mail the registered owner a courtesy warning letter. (You remain anonymous.) The warning letter is kept on file at the San Gorgonio Pass CHP office for future reference.

Here’s how to do it. Simply PROVIDE: date, time, location and vehicle license plate (or a passenger’s or dash cam’s photo).

Then EMAIL it to: SanGorgonioPass@chp.ca.gov

When you report a problem, the CHP will log it using data to track the locations via hot-spot mapping so CHP can deploy resources in high-violation areas.

Please call or email the CHP for any driver or road problem you see. It’s the only way our voices, numbers, and problems can be heard!

Leak Reward Program

Just a quick reminder about our Leak Reward Program. Be the first to spot a leak and report it to the water district and earn a $25 gift certificate to the restaurant of choice here on the hill.

A valid leak is not a spring or something we already know about and it can’t be something like your toilet is leaking.  This time last year we had a water loss of over a million gallons because of customer leaks. This has been a very successful program and we hope you will keep your eyes and ears peeled when you are out and about in Pine Cove.

office (951)659-2675

JANUARY BOARD MEETING

Hello Pine Cover’s and happy 2020! The board meeting for this month has been cancelled. The next Pine Cove Water District board meeting will be Wednesday February 12th at 10:00 am.

Closed for New Year’s Day

Pine Cove Water District would like to wish everyone a very happy new year! Next week the office will be closed Wednesday January 1st in observance of New Years Day. If you would like to make a payment while we are closed you can do so online or drop it though the office door slot. If you have a water emergency like a burst pipe or leak please call the on call emergency line (951)294-8282

Wishing everyone a very happy and safe New Year!

Happy Holidays

Pine Cove Water District would like to wish everyone a very happy holiday season. Next week the office will be closed in observance of Christmas Eve and Christmas day on Tuesday and Wednesday. If you would like to make a payment while we are closed you can do so online or drop it though the office door slot. If you have a water emergency like a burst pipe or leak please call the on call emergency line (951)294-8282

May your holidays be filled with love and laughter!

Winter is Here….

Wow, winter sure came early this year! We have already had two good snow falls, one of which was over two feet here in Pine Cove. Followed by a rain storm that lasted a few days. Our weather station has recorded 2.63 inches of rain just for this month and a total of 9.4 inches just since April when it was first installed. That doesn’t account for the massive rainfall we had in February (8 inches I believe) and all the snow storms we had in the beginning of the year. It sure is refreshing to have lots of precipitation this year especially after the years of drought and having little to no snow. Here at PCWD we appreciate when the sky brings as a bounty of water to provide to our customers. However, we always promote conservation in this District because you never know what kind of winter season next year will provide. So, it is best to conserve our precious commodity.

The winter weather and low temperatures can cause frozen, leaky or burst pipes even underground. We advise all of our customers to turn your customer valve off by the meter when you leave your mountain home. Forgetting to turn off your water during the winter season increases the risk for burst pipes and damage to your home. When water freezes in a pipe, it expands. If it expands enough, the pipe bursts, water escapes and serious, costly damage is the result. If you don’t know where your customer valve is we would be happy to send a field worker during regular office hours to come show you or if you need your customer valve shut off we can shut it off for you for a $15 service charge. In the unfortunate event that a pipe does break any and all water that is lost will be the responsibility of the homeowner. PCWD does not forgive any water usage even if it is from a burst pipe. As always feel free to contact to office for any questions or concerns regarding your water bill, usage or winterizing your home. Stay safe, warm and have happy holidays!

PCWD Office (951)659-2675 hours 9a.m.- 4p.m.

Emergency after hours line (951)294-8282

Travel Tips for Upcoming Holiday Season

Be advised that roads can close without notice if they are determined unsafe for the traveling public.

Below are some other helpful driving tips.

• Before you start your journey, check travel conditions.
• Check tires and wipers to make sure they are in good condition.
• Have a full tank of gas.
• Slow down when driving in adverse weather conditions. Reduce your speed when roadways are icy or wet and your sight of distance is affected.
• Avoid travel during heavy rain or snow events.
• Bring chains if you are traveling to the mountain areas. Weather in the mountain areas is often unpredictable. Be smart by having chains in your vehicle in case chain control is issued.
• Chains should never be put on in the road. Use a safe area to install your chains to not disrupt traffic or put anyone in danger.
• Never use turnouts or park in the middle of the roadway for snow play. Only park in designated areas and do not trespass on private property.
• For long trips bring water, warm clothing, blankets, a charged cell phone and charger, medications, snacks and other necessary items.
• Do not attempt to pass through road closure signs. Never drive through running water or flooded roadways. Remember, turn around, don’t drown.
• Be a safe and courteous driver. It only adds a few minutes to your travel time and make it a more enjoyable drive for everyone.

Thanksgiving Holiday

This time of year as the Autumn air crisps and the leaves start to turn and fall, we start to think of all we have to be thankful for. For us at Pine Cove Water District we are grateful for the clean mountain air, fresh water from the mountain top, the peaceful sound of our quiet community and the wonderful neighbors, family and friends. Next week is Thanksgiving and we hope everyone is able to feast in gratitude with their loved ones. in observance of this holiday the office will be closed on Thursday (Thanksgiving day) and Friday the 28th and 29th.

If you have a water emergency during the holiday thru the weekend please contact the emergency number and the on call staff member will be able to help you. (951)236-9163

For any non-emergency calls feel free to leave a message on the office line and we will get back to you on the next available business day.

Thank you & Happy Thanksgiving!