The drought is no secret. It’s on the news, in our mail and in our front yard. There is no ignoring this state of emergency. Because this drought is unprecedented, it requires unprecedented action. To help combat the drought, Gov. Jerry Brown ordered California’s first-ever mandatory statewide water restrictions, calling for a 25 percent reduction in urban water use from 2013 levels. During these difficult times it is important that everyone do their part, and San Luis Obispo County is stepping up.
The cities of Arroyo Grande, Pismo Beach and San Luis Obispo are doing their part to inform residents of the severity of the drought and the urgency for conservation. Think H20, created by the cities of Arroyo Grande and Pismo Beach, and SLO Down Your Water Usage from the City of San Luis Obispo Utilities Department, are working to try and change the behavior of residents, and help them develop long-term habits of conserving water.
Arroyo Grande and Pismo Beach
Think H2O has been using a variety of techniques to reach out to residents in order to remind them to conserve water. If you have been to the movie theater lately you have probably seen the Think H2O message that plays before the previews. Signs will also be placed around town promoting water conservation and urging people to lower their water consumption.
Along with signs and movie theater ads, Think H2O has also incorporated digital efforts to reach the younger demographics in Arroyo Grande and Pismo Beach. This target market is important to reach because the habitual changes they make now will hopefully continue on into the future, creating a long-lasting benefit for our community.
Both the cities of Arroyo Grande and Pismo Beach are also offering rebate programs to residents for conserving. The city of Arroyo Grande is offering a Water Efficient Washing Machine program, in which citizens can earn a rebate for replacing their washing machine with a CEE (Consortium for Energy Efficiency) washing machine. One of the rebate programs in Pismo Beach is the Smart Irrigation Controller rebate program, which increases irrigation efficiency by offering a $200 rebate to residents who replace their irrigation controllers to a new generation that automatically adjust irrigation scheduling based on the site and weather conditions.
San Luis Obispo
The City of San Luis Obispo Utilities Department has also begun to reach out to residents in San Luis Obispo, focusing on decreasing water consumption this summer, when people tend to use the most water. The Utilities Department has been using traditional and digital marketing, targeting those living in the city of SLO. The message plays on the local aspect of the drought and encourages residents to “Be Bold, Go Gold” this summer.
With these extreme conditions it is important to be aware of the current water restrictions and consider the impact of your actions on our community’s future water supply. In order to preserve our future, conserving water needs to become a daily norm for people and always be in the forefront of their daily lives.
