Ben Franklin wrote, “in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” The new addendum should be, “and the rising cost of water.” USA Today, The Oregonian, ValleyCrest Takes On and now Fast Company have taken notice, attributing the water rate… Read more »
Author Archives: Richard Restuccia
Categories5 Strategies To Maximize Smart Irrigation Month
I am more excited about Smart Irrigation Month this year than past years because so many people are getting involved. I have already seen a significant increase over past years in the amount of publicity the first day of Smart Irrigation Month. It feels like we are building excellent momentum. The Irrigation Association created Smart Irrigation Month as an initiative to increase public awareness of… Read more »
Happy Anniversary!
Two years ago we launched ValleyCresttakeson.com and it has been amazing how many people helped make a difference in water conservation. Thank you to all of you who have shared your expertise, contributed ideas, and helped raise awareness about water. We couldn’t have done it without you. Most of the work on the blog is done after hours, and most of our subscribers read the blog after hours. This is not just our work; it… Read more »
A Quick Guide for Storing Fruits and Vegetables
At the last Water Conference sponsored by the Irrigation Association I was interested to hear Peter Williams, Chief Technology Officer, from IBM Big Green Innovation speak about water. Peter quickly grabbed everyone’s attention when he pointed out 40% of the food grown in the United States goes uneaten. This food is fruits and vegetables that take so much water to grow. For those of us in the water conservation… Read more »
How Water In The West Impacts Everyone
This is going to be the third consecutive year of drought in the West and we are feeling an impact. The water source in Colorado’s Front Range is in short supply. 100 percent of the state is experiencing some level of drought, snowpack is at 70 percent of the long-term average and just 91 percent of last year’s total. Local experts say the water situation is worse than 2002 when Colorado experienced severe… Read more »
Who Else Wants To Save Energy?
By now we’re all pretty well programmed to conserve electricity. Turn off the lights, unplug appliances, don’t leave the refrigerator door open, etc. But we’re missing a really important point: the energy-water connection. Almost one fifth of California’s energy is used to move water. Water conservation and water management are becoming vital to energy conservation. Nearly 75% of the state’s rainfall occurs in Northern California, while 75% of the agricultural and urban water use… Read more »
Managing Water – A Limited Opportunity
In October a print version of this post was written and published in Lawn & Landscape Magazine under the title of “The Future of Water.” The response was so positive we are posting it here.
What’s the issue?
Every second the urban population grows by two people. Fifty percent of the world’s population lives in cities of 10 million people or more. According to the Global Environmental… Read more »
The Key To Water Management
Inspect what you expect
We have all heard the term, “Inspect what you expect.” Measurement of performance is one of the quickest ways to inspire change. The water management industry could benefit from real time water use data to measure and report the amount of water used on a daily basis. The non-profit group Charity Water (www.charitywater.org) focused on a project done at Teague, a manufacturing firm. Teague measured the amount of… Read more »
Think Conservation is Tough? 100 Simple Ways to Save Water Outdoors
1. To improve water conservation install a rain sensor, it turns off your irrigation when it rains. 2. Use a weather-based controller. The use of smart controllers can reduce water usage 24% a year on average. 3. Learn about available rebate programs by checking with local or state water agencies. Rebates help offset irrigation investments. 4. It’s important to partner with the right expertise (contractor/water manager), and smart technology to achieve conservation and plant health… Read more »
Toxic Cocktail? No thanks, I’ll Pass
Five ways you can help reduce water pollution.
We finally reached the rainy season in Southern California and I was explaining to a friend how the Surfrider Foundation recommends people never swim or surf after a rain because of illnesses caused by water pollution. I went on to say the runoff from urban areas and leaking sewer pipes makes it easy to get sick after going in the water. … Read more »
Stocks
American Water Works - AWK
Aqua America - WTR
California Water Service Group - CWT
American States Water Company - AWR
