Beating the Drought Together
Thank you to our customers for continuing to conserve in Contra Costa
It’s going to take a lot of rain and snow this winter to undo three straight dry years. The atmospheric rivers and severe storms that drenched the Bay Area recently were a big help, but a sustained wet season is necessary to refill local and state reservoirs. That’s why Contra Costa Water District invests in new water supplies and focuses on improving our climate change resiliency. Over the past several decades, we have built and expanded Los Vaqueros Reservoir, bought water from nearby water agencies, and worked to minimize water losses in the system. We continue water supply planning by developing another expansion of the Los Vaqueros Reservoir, modernizing the canal system, and replacing more aging water pipes than ever before. These projects reduce evaporation, seepage, and leaks.

In addition to CCWD’s efforts, conservation by customers (that’s you!) has been invaluable in weathering this drought. Last summer, customers were asked to reduce water use and the results have been impressive! Thank you to our customers for finding new ways to conserve in Contra Costa! 

Please keep up the excellent work. Find drought tips, rebates, and resources available at ccwater.com/drought.

As you ponder what’s ahead in 2023, consider a simple and sustainable New Year’s resolution to use less water. With any New Year’s resolution, the most challenging part can sometimes be just getting started. That’s why we’re committed to providing customers with tools to make it easy to manage their water use. My Water Report is a free, online water management tool that allows CCWD customers to:

• Track your water use history and how it changes over time
• Set up high-use alerts to be notified when your water use is higher than normal
• See how your water use compares to similar households
• Receive recommendations that help you save water and money
• Ensure your contact information is up to date

Learn more and sign up for My Water Report.

What's your New Year's water resolution this year? Reply to this email letting us know!

Rain Gardens
Storing water on your property
Rain that falls on your home and yard, when captured, is a free and local supply of water that can save you money and help stretch Contra Costa Water District’s limited water supply. Each gallon you capture and use on your property is a gallon saved in local storage for another day. And you can capture thousands of gallons over an average winter. In fact, one inch of rain on a 1,000 square foot roof is more than 620 gallons of water! Contra Costa County averages approximately 20 inches of rain per year. So, a 1,000 sq. ft. roof can capture roughly 12,400 gallons per year. 

What if you could capture this rainwater for a low cost without installing a gigantic cistern and having to find a place to put it? Thankfully, you can capture a fair amount of this rainwater by installing a rain garden. A rain garden moves rainwater collected from your roof, hardscape, or driveway through drains or shallow natural trenches to low areas in your garden, such as a swale. A swale is a sunken channel with gently sloping sides. This allows the water enough time to soak into the soil instead of running off your property and down the storm drain. The soil beneath your garden is like a giant sponge, storing water for your plants and reducing the amount you need to run your sprinklers or drip irrigation during the summer.

If saving water and money on your utility bill isn’t a good enough reason to install a rain garden, consider these rain garden benefits: 

Lawn to Garden Rebate Program Updates and Changes