Three resourceful homeowners took advantage of free resources, including design and plant selection advice, to create beautiful drought-tolerant landscapes. Their projects were named winners of the 2023 Vallecitos Water District Landscape Makeover Contest.
Three resourceful homeowners took advantage of free resources, including design and plant selection advice, to create beautiful drought-tolerant landscapes. Their projects were named winners of the 2023 Vallecitos Water District Landscape Makeover Contest.
Carlsbad homeowner Dean Williams and his wife didn’t like their existing landscaping.
“It wasn’t a garden, it was a yard,” recalls Williams.
In 2020, Williams found resources on the Vallecitos Water District website for saving water by redesigning your landscaping. The results won first place in the 2023 landscape makeover contest.
Dean Williams’ home after completing his landscape makeover. Photo: Vallecitos Water District
“There are so many resources. The first step was to take some landscape classes offered through the San Diego County Water Authority, find out the process and what I needed to do,” said Williams.
After removing existing turf using the sheet mulching method to create healthy soil, he planned a colorful plant palette to replace his grass.
Dean Williams’ home before his winning landscape makeover. Photo: Vallecitos Water District
“One of the big things I wanted to change was to go from a drab landscape to having some variety by using different textures on the plants, different flowers, different colors, and complementing colors,” said Williams, who used purple and yellow as the primary landscape colors. “I tried to have an interesting landscape pleasing to the eye.”
The colorful redesign saves water and costs. Photo: Vallecitos Water District
Williams said the benefit of installing drip irrigation and a smart controller was significant water and cost savings.
“We’ve noticed over that our water use and bills have gone slowly down,” he said.
Williams said the “do it yourself” project offered many lessons learned, including watering too often.
“Drought-tolerant plants don’t do well in wet soil,” said Williams.
Williams encourages other homeowners to tap into all the available resources through the Vallecitos Water District, Water Authority, City of Carlsbad, and others for advice and possible rebates to offset their investment.
“It just pays in more ways than one to change your landscape. “I want to thank Vallecitos Water District for selecting us so we can showcase our landscape transformation,” said Williams.
Dean Williams took advantage of free resources offered by the Vallecitos Water District and San Diego County Water Authority. Photo: Vallecitos Water District
Donald De Tar’s home after completing his landscape makeover. Photo: Vallecitos Water District
Donald De Tar learned about the annual Landscape Makeover Contest through the Palomar Cactus and Succulent Society. “So, we decided on a lark to enter,” said De Tar.
His Woodlawn Park area home in San Marcos is dedicated to succulents, cactus, and drought-tolerant plants.
De Tar says it not only saves water but it also saves time spent mowing, fertilizing, and trimming grass. It’s also a lot of fun.
Donald De Tar’s home before his landscape makeover. Photo: Vallecitos Water District
De Tar is proud of the budget-friendly approach to his landscaping.
“I did it on a very inexpensive budget,” said De Tar. “It doesn’t have to be super expensive, especially if you join an organization like the Palomar Cactus and Succulent Society. It can be almost free, especially if you’re doing the work yourself.”
De Tar learned about rebate programs through the Vallecitos Water District, and he successfully applied for rebates to offset costs. “Over time, we did the whole yard, and the backyards and side yards have been transformed.”
I’m very appreciative of the Vallecitos contest,” said De Tar. “I like the fact that Vallecitos is involved in the community and promotes these kinds of contests.”
The results of Mily Le’s landscape makeover, which won second place. Photo: Vallecitos Water District
Third place went to longtime San Marcos homeowner Mily Le. She learned about the annual landscape contest through the Vallecitos Water District’s customer newsletter, “Between The Pipes.”
Le visited the lawn replacement program website and learned how to remove her regional grass safely and effectively. She got her design laid out and purchased plants from her local nursery.
The Mily Le home before her landscape makeover. Photo: Vallecitos Water District
As a result, Le says she saves about 30% of her water consumption after replacing her lawn. She says she learned from a neighbor’s experience about researching the eventual size of plants before planting them.
“(My neighbor) did not look it up,” she said. “She had to demolish the front yard, so I took that lesson.”
Le suggests lots of advance planning with your layout. “I’m glad I did it. I think it’s a successful project,” said Le.
For rebates, classes, and water-saving tips: sdcwa.org/your-water/conservation/.
(Editor’s note: The Vallecitos Water District is one of the San Diego County Water Authority’s 24 member agencies that deliver water across the metropolitan San Diego region.)
Free water use surveys offered through the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California provide both residential and commercial customers with recommendations to improve landscape and indoor water use efficiency. The surveys are available throughout Southern California, including San Diego County.
Free water use surveys offered through the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California provide both residential and commercial customers with recommendations to improve landscape and indoor water use efficiency. The surveys are available throughout Southern California, including San Diego County.
The San Marcos Unified School District took advantage of the opportunity for water use surveys at 17 of the district’s school sites. It is among the largest single regional customer survey to date.
Austin Black, water conservation specialist for WaterWise Consulting, oversees the audit project.
“We are auditing the irrigation system of all of the schools with more than one acre of landscape area [for this project],” said Austin. “The survey tests all the different irrigation zones, looking at the type of landscape and plant material, and weather factors. We take all that data and calculate potential water savings based on our recommendations.”
Recommendations may include converting to drip irrigation, installing smart controllers, and replacing grass with a WaterWise landscape with a more efficient watering system.
(L to R): San Marcos USD groundskeeper Xavier McCurry, Austin Black, and Arlene Acosta of WaterWise Consulting discuss the water audit. Photo: Vallecitos Water District
Surveyors also adjust existing sprinklers for maximum efficiency and compile a list of repairs and upgrades to improve water use efficiency.
“In our effort to be good stewards of all resources used by the district, the decision to participate was an easy one,” said Ted Norman, SMUSD executive director of maintenance and operations. “We will review all our options and implement as many of the recommendations as we can. It’s a win for everyone.”
Water Conservation Specialist Arlene Acosta of WaterWise Consulting assesses irrigation coverage at San Marcos Elementary School. Photo: Vallecitos Water District
In one example, the audit report provided to the district for the San Marcos Elementary School estimates that implementing the recommended water-saving measures can reduce landscape water use by approximately 252,000 gallons. Project cost savings are $1,363 annually. If similar savings are achieved at 17 schools, this reflects significant net savings to taxpayers.
“We will submit the reports, and the district can make the changes as they wish,” said Black. “The goal is to create water savings for the entire district and the [water] agency as well.”
MWD can assign a consultant to work with SMUSD and other customers after the audit is completed to help prioritize changes recommended in the survey. The consultant services are free.
Water Conservation Specialist Arlene Acosta of WaterWise Consulting conducts a residential audit. Photo: Vallecitos Water District
Homeowners can also take advantage of free surveys. Residential surveys look at both indoor and outdoor home water use.
“It’s a comprehensive survey checking for leaks and ways we can make the household more efficient,” said Black.
Along with irrigation improvements, the residential audit reviews the replacement of inefficient plumbing fixtures and other simple adjustments.
Customers of any of the San Diego County Water Authority’s 24 member agencies can visit the website waterefficiencysurvey.com. Enter home address to determine if your residence is located in a qualified area.
Austin Black with WaterWise Consulting monitors usage during a water audit at San Marcos Elementary School. Photo: Vallecitos Water District
A certified landscape irrigation auditor will schedule a survey and provide written recommendations for qualifying properties. Participants will receive a written report that includes the following:
Surveys are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis. Applying does not guarantee a survey will be provided. Properties may only receive one survey for the life of the program. After filling out an online application the next step is scheduling a visit from a certified landscape auditor.
San Diego County residents can also take advantage of savings with rebates on a variety of water-saving technologies such as high-efficiency clothes washers and toilets, rain barrels and irrigation nozzles.
(Editor’s note: The Vallecitos Water District is one of the San Diego County Water Authority’s 24 member agencies that deliver water across the San Diego County region.)
The Vallecitos Water District Board of Directors recognized students from district area schools for their excellence in the classroom in two separate contests: poster art for fourth graders and an essay competition for scholarships.
The Vallecitos Water District Board of Directors recognized students from district area schools for their excellence in the classroom in two separate contests: poster art for fourth graders and an essay competition for scholarships.
Students who compete for a scholarship must complete an essay and provide a personal statement related to their background and/or goals. The annual contest is open to students living or attending schools within the Vallecitos Water District service area and is intended to increase the knowledge and awareness of water-related issues affecting the region.
Six students were selected to receive $1,000 college scholarship: Phlavia Oyrem, La Jolla High School, who plans to attend Palomar College; Brook Sannella, San Marcos High School, who plans to attend UCSD; Daniel Baza, Evan Fox, and Caitlyn Hansen, who all attend Palomar College; and Julianna Stipica-Kelecic, who attends Cal State San Marcos and Palomar College.
Baza, Fox, Hansen, and Oyrem all plan to pursue water studies and water industry careers. Fox completed a Spring 2023 Internship with Vallecitos Water District while attending Palomar College.
Oyrem was selected as the Fall 2023 Intern with Vallecitos when she attends Palomar this fall.
Double Peak K-8 fourth-grade student Natalie Clark of San Marcos win first place in the Vallecitos District’s 2023 Water Awareness Poster Contest. Photo: Vallecitos Water District
In addition, three fourth-grade students from the local community were named winners of the district’s annual student poster art contest. The poster contest, which focuses on students in the fourth grade, is designed to promote understanding of water issues in elementary schools.
This year’s theme was “Love Water, Save Water.” The three winning posters were selected from all entries based on their depiction of the theme, artwork, originality, and poster design. The winning posters will appear in the 2024 Water Awareness Calendar, available for free at the district’s office starting in December 2023.
First Place: Natalie Clark of San Marcos. Photo: Vallecitos Water District
Double Peak K-8 fourth-grade student Natalie Clark of San Marcos, age 10, received first place in the Vallecitos District’s 2023 Water Awareness Poster Contest. Her teacher is Abby Lyon. Natalie wrote about her entry, “I love water because we can’t live without it, and when I touch, see, smell the water, I feel connected.”
Mikaela Fuentes, second place. Photo: Vallecitos Water District
Mikaela Fuentes of Baypoint Academy, age 9, received second-place. Mikaela wrote about water: “It keeps us alive and is the source of all living things and animals.”
Grant Neum, third place. Photo: Vallecitos Water District
Grant Neum, also from Baypoint Academy, age 9, placed third. Grant wrote he loves water “Because water helps the world grow.”
(Editor’s note: The Vallecitos Water District is one of the San Diego County Water Authority’s 24 member agencies that deliver water across the San Diego County region.)
In partnership with the San Diego County Water Authority and the City of San Marcos, the Vallecitos Water District offers a series of five WaterSmart landscape design workshops in August and September to help its customers redesign and install new water-saving, sustainable landscapes at a convenient North County location.
Classes take place every other Wednesday evening from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. starting August 2 at the Vallecitos Water District, 201 Vallecitos De Oro in San Marcos. The series is now open for registration at www.sdcwa.org/your-water/conservation/classes/. Scroll down to find the in-person course schedule or use the QR Code below. Prior registration is required.
Use the QR Code to access landscape design workshop information and to register.
Summer is an ideal time to begin the workshop series. Participants who complete all five workshops receive a free visit to their home by a professional landscape architect to help them put a plan in place for installation during the cooler fall and winter months.
The Delaplanes received first place in the 2022 Vallecitos Water District landscape makeover contest due to the addition of a working bioswale. Photo: Vallecitos Water District
Residents in San Diego County have used the know-how from the free workshops to convert more than 1.5 million square feet of grass into beautiful, sustainable landscapes. They use less water and provide a lifestyle-friendly yard ideal for San Diego’s climate. New landscapes installed through the program have been proven to reduce water use by up to 37%.
Webinar topics cover residential landscape design for the homeowner, plant palettes, healthy soil, irrigation retrofits, and streamlined landscape maintenance. More than 8,000 San Diego County residents have taken these courses to date.
Low-water use plants, improved irrigation technologies, and WaterSmart classes reduce energy use, protect natural resources, and create beautiful outdoor living spaces as well as save water.
The Chens transformed their love for succulents into an award-winning landscape makeover. Photo: Vallecitos Water District
Landscape watering accounts for more than half of a typical household’s water use in California. WaterSmart workshops help residents create a drought-tolerant, water-efficient landscape with a design that maximizes enjoyment of the outdoor space. In addition, homeowners can save the time and expense required for ongoing maintenance of turf.
San Diego County homeowners may be eligible for between $2 and $4 per square foot to remove grass and replace it with low water-use plants better suited to our region’s hotter, drier weather. All customers are eligible for the base rebate of $2 per square foot. Residents in unincorporated San Diego County may be eligible for additional incentives through the Waterscape Rebate Program.
Vallecitos is hosting FREE workshop on 9/13 to give you strategies to use our limited water sources wisely, including integrating stormwater capture into your landscape & conserving water w/simple irrigation retrofits. Register: https://t.co/UAxeiF0VAg. @sanmarcoscity @sdcwa pic.twitter.com/FEZ0Q2mkSV
— Vallecitos Water 💦 (@vallecitoswater) July 22, 2023
(Editor’s note: The Vallecitos Water District is one of the San Diego County Water Authority’s 24 member agencies that deliver water across the San Diego County region.)
Water agencies in San Diego County are sharing outdoor water-efficiency tips during “Smart Irrigation Month.”
July was chosen as Smart Irrigation Month in 2005 since its traditionally the month of peak demand for outdoor water use in the county. Landscape irrigation consumes 50% of the typical California home’s monthly water use.
During Smart Irrigation Month, take time to check your irrigation system regularly and correct any leaks, overspray, and runoff. Photo: Tree People
Each year during Smart Irrigation Month, the Irrigation Association highlights the benefits of efficient irrigation and innovations promoting the wise and efficient use of water through this month-long initiative each July. Irrigation technology innovation updates and efficient irrigation techniques help preserve our water supply.
As wireless technology has improved, it has been applied to outdoor systems including irrigation. With a smart irrigation system, homeowners can control water use through smartphone apps and programmable wireless controllers. Water consumption can be monitored to quickly find and correct leaks and maximize water application.
The greatest waste of water in landscape irrigation comes from watering too much, too fast. Instead of watering for 15 consecutive minutes, run sprinklers in five-minute sessions with time in between to allow water to soak into the soil and minimize runoff.
This Vallecitos Water District video illustrates how the “cycle and soak” irrigation method works.
“July is our industry’s opportunity to share its amazing stories about contributing to a sustainable world,” said Irrigation Association CEO Natasha Rankin, MBA, CAE. “By promoting smart irrigation, our industry’s experienced and committed professionals work every day to protect our world’s valuable natural resources while supporting food production and creating landscapes that enhance the quality of life in our communities.”
July is an ideal month to perform a check on current irrigation systems and determine whether any practices can be improved to save water.
Are you using all of these smart irrigation tips? Infographic: Irrigation Association
Find more tips and information at WaterSmartSD.org
(Editor’s Note: The Vallecitos Water District is one of the San Diego County Water Authority’s 24 member agencies that deliver water across the San Diego region.)
While San Diego County residents continue to embrace low-water use landscapes taking advantage of rebates to swap grass for native and drought-tolerant plants. There are also incentives for areas with larger landscapes to increase water use efficiency.
San Diego County residents continue to embrace low-water use landscapes taking advantage of rebates to swap grass for native and drought-tolerant plants. There are also incentives for areas with larger landscapes to increase water use efficiency.
Landscape upgrade projects which previously were too complex for volunteer associations to manage are now possible with expert assistance through a program offered through a San Diego County Water Authority and County of San Diego partnership.
The walkway area before and after its recent landscape makeover. Photos: Vallecitos Water District
The Landscape Optimization Service, or LOS, is offered through the County’s Waterscape Rebate Program. The technical assistance program is designed for large-scale landscaping projects. The program helps applicants with large landscapes, such as HOAs, parks, and commercial properties, navigate the requirements, overcome barriers, and maximize rebate eligibility.
El Norte Park Homes in Escondido used the program to create a water-saving landscape makeover project. Upgrades included replacing 10,000 square feet of grass with new native plant gardens inside the property and low-water use plants on the exterior. The new colorful landscaping uses less water. Drip irrigation was upgraded and a swale acts as a water retention feature.
Jesse Hynd of MSE Landscape Professionals performed the makeover work.
“We’ve been doing these turf rebate enhancement projects for a little over five to six years now,” said Hynd. “What I’ve noticed is that it’s helped a lot of the HOAs and commercial projects get on board.
“Water districts are offering a lot more incentives now, not only just for a per square foot rebate. There are a lot of irrigation rebates now. The more water retention options we add to the site, offer even more money back.”
Hynd said the multiple incentives offer maximum rebate funding while helping the region achieve its long-term water-saving goals.
With expert assistance from the Landscape Optimization Service, El Norte Homes expects to achieve water savings while maximizing its rebates to make the project cost-effective. Photo: Vallecitos Water District
El Norte Park Homes board member Fred Johnson said he learned about the program through a Vallecitos Water District newsletter article. He had a lot of questions.
“I have experience with a similar project from about ten years ago when I served on another board,” said Johnson. “It was much smaller in scale. And that program didn’t provide any assistance. We as a board had to fill out all the forms, take all the before and after photos, submit the paperwork, and hope we didn’t miss anything to get our rebates.”
Johnson contacted Megan Chery of Environmental Incentives, which oversees the LOS program. Working with Johnson and the board, Cherry determined the project was eligible for the rebate program, and the board approved the project moving forward. Johnson says it made the difference.
“They helped us identify what kind of [landscape] plan,”said Johnson. “They did our design for us. They identified all the rebates, and they’re going to process all the rebates. It was much simpler and easier using the Landscape Optimization Service.”
The finished project retains grass for activities while using both low-water-use plants and natives in different areas. Photo: Vallecitos Water District
“We’re so pleased our outreach helped El Norte Park Homes take advantage of this program,” said Vallecitos Water District Conservation Supervisor Chris Robbins. “Many of our larger customers are eager to update their landscaping to be more water efficient but don’t have the time, funds, or expertise to do it on their own. The County and Water Authority partnership featuring the LOS enables us to offer our customers the help they need to make it possible with assistance from start to finish.”
Outreach from the Vallecitos Water District helped El Norte Park Homes take advantage of the Landscape Optimization Service. Photo: Vallecitos Water District
Makeovers don’t require the elimination of all grass. Instead, grass is retained where it is most useful and practical.
“We didn’t want to eliminate all the turf because it’s nice to have some usable grass area, especially in a park like this,” said Hynd. “We decided to break up sections not only to maximize the usable space of grass to keep for the residents but then provide a nice native garden where we could benefit from the rebates, benefit from the low water use, and still create a very beautiful space.”
LOS staff analyzes estimated water and cost savings, which helps decision-makers justify the investment with an understanding of how quickly the project will pay for itself. The program also offers discounted designs to participants.
The enhanced incentives include rebates for turf replacement, smart controller stations, rain barrels, and cisterns. In addition to offering technical assistance to upgrade larger landscapes on multifamily and commercial properties, a cost-share is available for agricultural growers to make water-saving upgrades.
More information on the Landscape Optimization Service: www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/dpw/watersheds/RebatesIncentives/LOS.html
(Editor’s Note: The Vallecitos Water District is one of the San Diego County Water Authority’s 24 member agencies that deliver water across the San Diego region.)
