Burbank's 20 Gallon  Challenge
Water conservation is very important. The City of Burbank is asking every resident to reduce their water usage by 20 gallons per day.  There are many easy ways to hit this target, but the largest opportunity for  water conservation is with landscape irrigation.  On average, we water our lawns 50% more than what is required.  Try reducing the  amount of water you use to water your lawn and see what happens.  Most likely, your lawn will be just as green as ever and your  contribution to required water savings will have been met.  You can  get more information about ways to conserve water at www.BurbankWaterandPower.com or by calling BWP at (818) 238-3730.

The amount of water consumed in Burbank is about 200 gallons a day per person. That’s a lot of water! The City has called for a 10% reduction in use in what we call the “20 Gallon Challenge.” Simple, thoughtful actions taken by each of us can dramatically reduce water use. The reality is that we all need to cut back immediately so that we can have more supplies to count on.

Pasadena’s Water Conservation
Despite extensive outreach about a projected water shortage and a plea by the mayor and city council to reduce citywide water use by 10 percent, Pasadena’s water consumption increased this spring! The cause is most likely an increase in lawn and landscape watering due to higher temperatures in April – 50 percent more that month than in April 2006. This may come as a surprise, but healthy lawns can cope with variations in weather patterns.

 Over-watering actually disturbs the ability of grass to acclimate to hotter temperatures. Watering your lawn just twice a week should do the trick for most properties.

The Pasadena Municipal Code’s Water Shortage Plan I, put in effect by the Pasadena City Council in December 2007, puts voluntary measures in place for conserving water and achieving that important 10 percent reduction. Nine water conservation measures are the focus of this plan: Two of nine measures are: • Refrain from landscape watering between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. • Refrain from filling or refilling swimming pools.

This voluntary plan is still in effect. As we face a long, hot summer and potentially greater water supply challenges, adherence to these measures is more critical than ever before. If you see examples of water waste, such as broken sprinklers, watering during midday hours, etc., visit www.cityofpasadena.net/savewater or call PWP’s 24-hour Water Shortage Hotline at 744-8888.

Glendale Responds to Drought Declaration
Officials for Glendale Water & Power (GWP) today urged local residents and business people to continue conserving water and decrease water consumption. The statement followed Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Executive Order declaring a drought throughout California.

 GWP General Manager Glenn Steiger says southern California is experiencing a “perfect storm” with respect to water supplies. “We need to get serious about conserving water; water conservation must become a way of life for Glendale.”
One immediate action customers can take to help conserve water is to check their sprinklers regularly to ensure they are working properly. Sixty percent of a household’s water usage is for landscaping. Most residential and commercial sprinklers are on automatic timers that come on early in the morning or late at night.

Tips can be found on GWP’s Web site at: www.GlendaleWaterAndPower.com
GWP also has residential and small business programs where customers can receive free energy and water surveys and have program surveyors install free water saving devices such as low-flow shower heads and faucet aerators at their business and residence. Customers are encouraged to call GWP (818) 548-3300 and inquire about the Smart Home Energy and Water Survey Program and the Smart Business Energy Saving Upgrade program.