In addition to water supply management measures, Calleguas is committed to reducing water demand. The District is actively involved in a number of water conservation programs designed not only to educate local water users of the need to conserve, but to provide a means to do so. With the ever increasing demand for safe and reliable drinking water, Calleguas continues to institute a variety of programs which will conserve our most vital resource.

HARDWARE RETROFIT PROGRAMS
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Ultra-Low-Flush Toilets (ULFTs) -- The program most widely used is the distribution program. Program are executed with the participation of Calleguas purveyors and a community based organization (CBO), typically a high school organization such as an athletic team or booster club, or a seniors group. This program involves the CBO directly as the marketers of the program, as well as the organizers of the distribution. A monetary contribution is made to the participating CBO at the end of the program based upon the number of ULFTs distributed, usually $15 per retrofit.

Low-Flow Showerheads -- Calleguas continues to support its purveyors with the distribution of low-flow showerheads. Calleguas purchases the showerheads from Metropolitan, or a manufacturer, and makes them available to the purveyors for distribution to their customers directly or through a ULFT program.

COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL & INSTITUTIONAL PROGRAMS

Calleguas, through its purveyors, has identified many of the larger water users in the commercial, industrial, institutional (CII) sector. Contact has been made with some of organizations and water surveys have been offered at no cost to the customer. The Best Management Practices (BMPs) that Calleguas strives to comply with calls for the top 20% of CII users to be targeted. Larger users have been offered more comprehensive surveys in order to identify conservation methods that can be implemented in the most cost effective manner.

LANDSCAPE IRRIGATION PROGRAM

Calleguas has started a pilot program that uses moisture sensors in order to control landscape clocks on large landscaped areas. Over a period of one year, water usage on two similar areas, one with moisture sensors and one without, will be evaluated to assess potential savings.

SCHOOL EDUCATION

Calleguas, in conjunction with the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, offers classroom materials to teachers throughout our service area. These programs include:

Elementary Programs

Inservice
Some of the programs that Metropoltian provides require teachers to participate in an inservice or workshop. This inservice allows the teacher to become familiar with the materials and terminology used in the program. These workshops are provided by Metropolitan staff.

Kindergarten through 3rd Grade -- All About Water
All About Water is a book that contains water activities and experiments involving water conservation, water quality, water distribution, the water cycle, and fresh and salt water.

4th Grade -- Admiral Splash
This program teaches about the water cycle, the history of southern California’s water supply, the distribution system, water uses and water conservation.

5th Grade -- Waterways
Waterways is a recent addition to Metropolitan’s education programs that addresses the history of water in the United States.

6th Grade -- California Smith, Water Investigator
This program informs students about water supply and distribution in California, contemporary water issues, and water conservation.

The H2O Shows
Three different assembly programs are offered: 1) for Grades K-2, a flannel board presentation of the water cycle, a water cycle song and a discussion about water conservation; 2) for Grades 3-4, a slide presentation of the use of California’s water resources by early Native Americans to the present day, a water conservation game, the Water Tap Rap and a film; and, 3) for Grades 5-6, a slide presentation of how water is imported from the Colorado River to Metropolitan’s service area, a water conservation game, the Water Tap Rap and a film.

Secondary Programs

Grades 9-12 -- Water Highways
This unit is designed primarily for biology and environmental science courses. The student assesses the positive and negative impacts of California’s State Water Project upon fisheries, wildlife, the land, the economy, and the people.

Grades 7-12 -- Water Quality
Developed for physical science, chemistry and biology classes, the unit involves hands-on activities. The student, as a water quality lab technician, analyzes four water samples, detects any problems, identifies potential causes, and proposes solutions.

Grades 9-12 -- Water Politics
This program is designed for government, economics and environmental science classes. This unit consists of case studies relating to contemporary water issues. Through critical thinking and role playing, students will investigate the role of federal, state and local governments, water agencies, and interest groups (business, agricultural, environmental) in making water management decisions. There is also a "Water Forum" that is held in which the students are given scenarios and need to address the issues and offer solutions before a panel of water industry experts. This program has been revised and is now being offered as the primary High School program.

Grades 9-12 -- Water Trade-Offs
Designed for economics classes, the unit involves a cost/benefit analysis of a proposed trade-off between two water agencies. Participating students are introduced to basic fundamentals of economics in a "real world" framework.

For further information on the District's conservation programs, please call (805) 526-9323.