Wally's Water Wisdom - FOG

 Hi friends!

As the holiday season approaches, many of us will be celebrating with good food and lots of it…which means it’s time for my seasonal reminder! Eating all that food is the easy part, but do you know what to do with any leftovers?

Typically, holiday meals have one thing in common- FOG! No, not the thick layer of mist you see in the morning! FOG stands for fats, oils and greases and, as it accumulates and cools in pipes, restricts water flow resulting in potential sewer blockages and overflows for you and your community.

Luckily, preventing FOG clogs is easy as pie! (Pun intended.) Dispose of any leftover food scraps in the trash, collect and cool large amounts of FOG before throwing it away and use a paper towel to wipe any remaining FOG from your plate or pan.

No matter how you choose to celebrate, we can all do our part to ensure a FOG-free holiday for ourselves and our neighbors!

Stay safe, everyone and I’ll see you again soon with my next drop of water wisdom.

Your friend,

Wally

Wally's Water Wisdom - Water Conservation Tips

Hi friends! It’s been a while since I’ve shared a few of my favorite water conservation tips, so I figured this week I would drop some literal water wisdom.

Did you know that approximately 97 percent of the earth’s water is in the oceans and only 3 percent of earth’s water is freshwater? However, almost all of the earth’s freshwater is trapped in ice caps, making only 1 percent accessible to us. That means only 1 percent of all of the freshwater on earth is available for brushing our teeth, washing our hands, drinking and more! So, how do we make sure we get the most use out of that 1 percent? That’s where I’m here to help!

Aside from turning off the sink when brushing your teeth and limiting your shower time to 5 minutes or fewer, here are a few of my favorite water-saving tips to make sure you’re using your portion of that 1 percent effectively:

1. 
   While waiting for your shower water to
   warm up, collect cold water and reuse it to water your plants.
2. Wash fruits and vegetables in a pot of water.
3. Designate one glass or bottle to drink water out of each day.
4. Use a broom instead of a hose to clean your sidewalk and driveway.
5. Give your pet a bath outside on a patch of grass that could use some water.

Be sure to let me know if you try any of these tips out, and feel free to comment tips of your own! We can all do our part to contribute to a water-wise world.

That’s all I have for today, friends! I’ll see you all soon for my next drop of water wisdom.

Your friend,

Wally

Wally's Water Wisdom - Water Professionals Appreciation Week

 

Hi friends! Mark your calendars! The fourth annual Water Professionals Appreciation Week is coming up! Water Professionals Appreciation Week is celebrated the first full week of October and highlights the important role water industry professionals and water agencies play in providing a safe, reliable source of water to our communities.

The state of California employs roughly 60,000 water professionals. But what exactly is a water professional? Great question! Water professionals can be wastewater treatment operators, sewer system collectors, maintenance technicians, and more! However, not all water professionals work directly with water. Some work behind the scenes in engineering, administration, finance and education, helping others understand the importance of water conservation and water-use efficiency. 

Water is our most precious natural resource and without water professionals we would not have access to clean water. So, next time you take a sip of water or water your lawn, make sure to thank the hard work of California’s water professionals!

That’s all I have for today friends! I’ll see you all soon with my next drop of water wisdom!

Your friend,

Wally

P.S. check out my Water Conservation Camp booklet to read about two of IEUA’s own water professionals and why they love what they do!

Wally's Water Wisdom - August is Water Quality Month

Hi friends! August is finally here which means it’s Water Quality Month! Water Quality Month is a great reminder for us to evaluate what we can do to better protect our water resources and educate ourselves on the importance of water quality. 

The history of Water Quality Month dates back to 1972 with the passage of the Clean Water Act, making it illegal to dump large quantities of toxic materials into open bodies of water. Two years later, the Safe Drinking Water Act was passed which further protected the quality of groundwater and public water systems. From there, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with the support of the United Nations founded Water Quality Month in 2005 to promote water conservation throughout our homes and communities. How’s that for some water wisdom?

In fact, IEUA has its very own Water Quality Laboratory that tests for pollutants in our water to ensure we have clean water to drink as well as discharge into nearby bodies of water as part of our Groundwater Recharge Program. But you don’t have to be a scientist to help preserve our water quality! You can protect our water resources by simply picking up after your pets, throwing away your trash and using reusable bags and straws instead of plastic ones.

Thanks for celebrating Water Quality Month with me and I’ll see you all soon with my next drop of water wisdom!

Your friend,

Wally

Wally's Water Wisdom - Wally's Water Conservation Camp

Hi friends! Wally here with an exciting announcement! Me and my friends at the Inland Empire Utilities Agency have teamed up to bring you... (drumroll please)... Wally's Water Conservation Camp!

This 20-day camp booklet is filled with all of my favorite summer camp activities like making s'mores, decorating t-shirts, scavenger hunts and more! What's so unique about this activity booklet is that each activity will teach you, your family and your friends about our water resources, sustainability and environmental stewardship.

To download the full activity booklet, visit Wally's Water Conservation Camp webpage and get started! You can also check out some of IEUA's other at-home activities while you're there. Don't forget to share your campsites and activity re-creations for me on social media by sending my friends @ieuawater a message with the #WWCC.


I hope you have as much fun participating in my summer camp as I did creating it for you. By the end, you might even have some water wisdom to share with me, too!

Well that's all I have for today, friends! I'll see you all soon for my next drop of water wisdom.

Your friend,

Wally

Wally's Water Wisdom - National Hydration Day

Hi friends, Wally here to share with all of you a fun holiday coming up this month! June 23 is recognized as National Hydration Day – a day dedicated to promoting proper hydration and a healthy lifestyle. The holiday was created in honor of football coach Victor Hawkins, who invented a special mouthguard to keep his players hydrated on the field.

Especially throughout the coming summer days, staying hydrated is extremely important. Set reminders to regularly drink water throughout the day, or create marks on your water bottle to remind you of how much water you should be drinking within a certain timeframe. Reusable water bottles are perfect for this! You can even switch up your H2O intake by infusing your water with items such as lemon wedges, strawberries, mint, or cucumbers. Ahh refreshing!

Proper hydration is so important to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and I hope you all will celebrate National Hydration Day with me on the 23^rd!

Stay safe and hydrated and I’ll see you all soon for my next drop of water wisdom!

With love,

Wally

Wally's Water Wisdom - No Wipes in the Pipes

Hi friends!

While many of us are following health and safety guidelines by staying safe at home, I wanted to spread some water wisdom and remind you of the importance of proper disposal of wipes, tissues and paper towels in the trash can!

Did you know the leading cause of sewer blockages is due to wipes flushed down the toilet? Even "flushable" wipes clog pipes and interfere with sewage collection which could lead to messy sewer spills in your house, throughout your city and even into the ocean. This is because unlike toilet paper, wipes, tissues and paper towels are not degradable and will not fully break down when they are flushed. Once in the sewer system, they will continue to build up causing blockages and overflows. It is extremely important to do your part to properly dispose of wipes, tissues, paper towels, moist towelettes, and even "flushable" wipes in the trash can and only dispose of toilet paper in the toilet.

Remember to take care of yourself (and your pipes!) and I’ll see you all soon for my next drop of water wisdom!

With love,

Wally

Wally's Water Wisdom - Earth Day's 50th Anniversary

Hi friends!

Earth Day is quickly approaching, and this year we’re celebrating Earth Day’s 50^th Anniversary!

The history of Earth Day dates back to April 22, 1970, when 20 million Americans actively demanded change in response to an environment in crisis. The result of the first Earth Day launched a wave of action with the passing of many environmental laws including the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act, as well as the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency. This prompted many other countries to implement similar laws and led to Earth Day celebrations around the globe. (You can learn more at earthday.org.)

Today, it’s up to each of us to make everyday Earth Day and implement changes, whether small or big, in our everyday lives to protect the Earth. Visit our Chino Creek Wetlands and Educational Park blog for tips on how you can be good environmental stewards of the Earth.  Just remember to follow state and county guidelines to safely celebrate Earth Day on April 22!

That’s all I have for today, friends! I’ll see you all soon for my next drop of water wisdom!

With love,

Wally

Wally's Water Wisdom - Fix a Leak Week

Hi friends!

Mark your calendars, because Fix a Leak Week is here! Did you know the average household can waste nearly 10,000 gallons of water every year due to leaks? Overall, that contributes to 1 trillion gallons of water wasted annually nationwide! Not only does this cost homeowners about 10% of their water bill, but it also wastes valuable water.

Leaks can happen anywhere, at any time. Common leaks occur from toilets, faucets and other leaky valves, all of which are usually very simple fixes. To identify leaks in your own home, first determine whether you’re wasting water and then figure out the origin of the leak. You can do this by looking at water usage during colder months or examining faucet gaskets and pipe fittings for any traces of water on the outside of the pipes.

Fix a Leak Week is a great reminder for people to find and fix leaks within their homes and at the workplace. For even more tips on identifying leaks, visit EPA.gov and take action to save water all year long.

That’s all I have for today! See you all soon for my next drop of water wisdom.

With love,

Wally