San Mateo County News – Page 2

Flows To Bay is launching a pilot rain barrel program to encourage County residents and businesses to save money and water by offering low-cost, high-quality 50-gallon rain barrels. Flows To Bay is a program of the City/County Association of Governments of San Mateo County (C/CAG). Through the stormwater program, C/CAG helps fund the countywide rain barrel rebate program in partnership with the Bay Area Water Supply & Conservation Agency (BAWSCA) and member water agencies.

California is experiencing ongoing drought conditions, and San Mateo County is included in the declared State of Emergency. In July, Governor Newsom issued an executive order asking all Californians to voluntarily reduce their water use by 15% compared to 2020 levels. While there are currently no mandatory water use restrictions or drought surcharges in effect, Flows To Bay wants to increase the use of rain barrels as a low-cost, easy to maintain, and effective water capture and conservation strategy.

By capturing rainwater during the upcoming wet winter months, rain barrels help cut back potable water used for irrigation and can help mitigate future drought conditions by providing storage for drier months. For every inch of rain that falls on a 500 square foot roof area, a rain barrel can collect 310 gallons. With an average annual rainfall of 25 inches in San Mateo County, the savings can add up!

“This program is an important step toward conserving and protecting clean water in our community. Rainwater is a precious resource, and we have to start treating it like one.”
Marie Chuang, Chair of the C/CAG Board of Directors and Councilmember, Town of Hillsborough

Partnering with Rain Water Solutions to acquire barrels in bulk directly from the manufacturer allows Flows To Bay to offer barrels at $80 each (pre-tax)—a significantly reduced price below the retail amount—making installing a rain barrel at home a much easier and more accessible option for anyone living in San Mateo County. Qualifying applicants can also apply for the countywide rebate, further reducing the unit price for all residents. With the discount and rebate program, residents in BAWSCA participating member agency service areas could essentially receive a rain barrel for free. Learn how much of a rebate your qualify for here.

Beyond the water conservation and financial benefits, capturing rainwater also improves the water quality of our local creeks, the San Francisco Bay, and the Pacific Ocean. Rainfall funnels into streets, collecting urban pollutants from all surfaces, including roofs. These pollutants then flow into storm drains and nearby waterways without treatment. Runoff is the number one source of pollution in our waterways nationwide.

“Preventing rainwater from flowing off properties and into the streets and storm drains is a win-win environmental strategy for restoring the health of our coastal waters,” said Reid Bogert, C/CAG Stormwater Program Specialist.

“While our cities are doing a lot to prevent pollution, residents can join the cause one barrel at a time to manage rainwater on their properties. A single rain barrel is small in scale compared to the amount of rain San Mateo County receives in a wet season. Still, if everyone is empowered to help restore our coastal environments, the cumulative impact will be considerable.”

Order rain barrels now through October 31, 2021 or until supplies last. After being purchased, rain barrels can be picked up at the distribution event on Saturday, November 13th, at the City of San Mateo Public Works Department located at 1949 Pacific Blvd, San Mateo, CA 94403, from 9 am to 12 pm.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE RAIN BARREL PILOT PROGRAM HERE

UPDATED September 9, 2021

The ongoing drought conditions throughout California have impacted San Mateo County, which is included in the declared State of Emergency. In July, Governor Newsom issued an executive order that requests all Californians to voluntarily reduce their water use by 15% compared to 2020 levels. There are currently no mandatory water use restrictions or drought surcharges in effect.

Water shortages and drought are not new in the western United States. When we experience water shortages, basic aspects of our everyday lives can change dramatically. What are some of the immediate effects when it comes to water management and landscaping, in particular? Extreme drought requires more intensive watering just to keep your garden or other landscaping alive, which of course only worsens the problem. Ponds and creeks can dry up, reducing the natural source of water to surrounding soils. Fire season becomes a major concern for environmental and air quality. The drier and more severe the drought, the more severe the impacts become.

San Mateo County joins many other areas in California experiencing an “Extreme Drought” as indicated on the map below from the United States Drought Monitor. These numbers reflecting our current water levels are concerning scientists and community planners alike. An “Extreme Drought” at this time of the year, however, can foreshadow a more extreme drought later in the summer months. Things can snowball—or rather, tumbleweed—quickly. With this in mind, what can we do to ensure we don’t run out of water this summer?

We use water in so many different ways every day, which includes washing dishes, brushing our teeth, cooking, cleaning, and watering our garden. Given the current projections for continued dry weather this year, we thought we’d share a list of some tips and tricks you can implement in and outside your home to start lowering your water usage today.

Outdoor Water Conservation Tips & Tricks

Rain Capture – Using rain barrels or cisterns is an excellent way to save water and money! Rather than irrigating your lawn or garden with potable water, rain barrels allow you to actually harvest and employ the rain. The larger your rain capture system, the more water you’ll have available to use during drier months! Check out San Mateo County’s rain barrel rebate program to learn how you can receive up to $200 by owning one of your very own.
Mulching – If you haven’t added mulch to your yard, we recommend doing it now. This action reduces water loss, keeps nutrients in the soil, and—bonus points!—prevents weeds from taking over. Click here for tips on applying mulch.
Native Plants – Rather than non-native plants that often need more water to thrive, native plants are already accustomed to your local climate and can often tolerate droughts, which are characteristic of many areas in California.
Irrigation – If you’re still hand-watering or turning on sprinklers, you might want to switch to drip irrigation to reduce your water use. You can even install a smart sprinkler controller, which will adjust how much water and when to water based on weather conditions, the type of soil you have, and the amount of shade your plants receive.
Lawn Replacement – Your lawn is one of the most water-intensive plant features in your yard and requires year-round maintenance. Consider replacing your grass with drought-tolerant landscaping, you’ll have all the green you want without the hassle. You may also be eligible to receive a rebate for your lawn replacement. Take your lawn replacement project to the next level by adding a rain garden and receiving an additional $300 back on eligible projects!

Indoor Water Conservation Tips & Tricks

Toilets – Toilet flushing is the largest indoor use of water in single-family homes (followed by faucets, showers, clothes washers, and leaks). Switch to a low-flush toilet and you could reduce your water usage by 40-50%.
Leaks – On average, 13% of residential water use is from leaks! Make sure to address any leaks in pipes or drips in faucets, and always be sure to turn your tap off and make sure it is tight when you are not using it to prevent dripping. Also, avoid keeping the water running when brushing your teeth or washing dishes. These simple actions could save you real money in the long run.
Washing Machines – Always try for full loads when washing dishes or clothes to get the most out of your water usage. Relatedly, we recommend selecting the “suds-saver” or other efficiency options on your appliances if equipped.
Water Warm Up – Use a bucket in the shower to capture cold water as you wait for the temperature to warm up and use it for irrigation or other water needs.

Remember that all of these tips and tricks not only lower your water usage, but they save you money on your water bill. So, always keep your water usage in mind and do what you can for the environment and your community! Also, look for rebates on efficiency gadgets from your water supplier. Do you have any tips and tricks you would like to share with us? Fill out the form below and submit your ideas today!

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Living in San Mateo County you might hear the phrase “king tide” mentioned, but do you know what it actually means? A topic of curiosity by beach-goers and scientists alike, king tides are interesting marine phenomena, opportunities for exploration, and time machines all wrapped up in one 6-hour event.

What is a King Tide?

King tides are exceptionally high tides that occur a few times each year. They happen when the moon is both as close as it can get to earth and in line with the sun. On those special days, when the gravity of the moon and sun act on the earth in a single direction, we see the ocean rise to its highest highs and lowest lows.

Keep an eye out for king tides hitting your area on the following dates:

November 15-16, 2020
December 13-15, 2020
January 11-12, 2021 (North of Point Conception only)

When, Where & How High?

Find out what time, location, and how high King Tides will be near you using the map below.

Why do they matter?

What comes in, must go out! While king tides are mostly known for their capacity to flood our coastal communities and mimic future climate change and sea-level rise problems, their corresponding low tides are a great time to explore tide pools. During the last king tide on February 8-9, residents of San Mateo County flocked to the coast. Hopefully, they all had good tidepool etiquette and carefully kept the exposed animals and ecosystem safe.

But the value of king tides doesn’t stop there! As the Exploratorium’s Lori Lambertson points out, “Today’s king tides are tomorrow’s regular high tides.” King tides help us visualize what the coastline may look like in the future of global climate change. As greenhouse gas emissions warm our planet and climate systems become destabilized, we’re on course to potentially face dramatically higher sea levels and more frequent storm surges. King tides help us see how our communities will be affected by these rising seas and more frequent storms.

In light of the window that king tides give us into a future with higher seas, the California Coastal Commission has created a project to help document how these changes may impact different parts of the coast.

If you have photos from the last king tide or take any during the next king tides (November 15-16, December 13-15, and January 11-12), you can submit them to the California King Tides Project and they’ll be added to the map below. Since 2010, the California King Tides Project has collected over 3,000 photo submissions highlighting the effects of king tides on local coastlines. With the help of residents like you, we can gather valuable information that will help us prepare our communities for the future. The County of San Mateo’s Office of Sustainability is also doing a lot of work to better understand the future of sea-level rise in our area and what local municipalities can do to plan for a future of change. Click here to learn more about these local climate change efforts.

Do you have questions about what Flows To Bay is doing to adapt to the precipitation-related impacts of climate change in San Mateo County? We’re here for you! Contact us here.

What is San Mateo County’s Disposable Food Service Ware Ordinance? The Disposable Food Service Ware Ordinance (Ordinance) was adopted by the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors on February 25, 2020, went into effect in March 2020, and will be enforceable in March 2022. The Ordinance is part of a countywide effort to reduce the litter related impacts of single-use plastics led by the San Mateo County Office of Sustainability (OOS).

The Ordinance:

Regulates and reduces the amount of disposable food service ware, especially those made of plastic, by food facilities in unincorporated areas of San Mateo County. (Expanded polystyrene, or Styrofoam, food service ware continues to be banned for use by food facilities.)
Requires the replacement of food service ware that is non-compostable or non-recyclable with compostable alternatives that are non-plastic, natural fiber-based, and free of all intentionally added fluorinated chemicals. (Fluorinated chemicals are a concern for public health because they have been linked to serious health effects, such as kidney and testicular cancer, thyroid disruption, delayed puberty, and obesity.)
Requires the regulated distribution of disposable food service ware accessories such as straws, utensils, stirrers, napkins, and condiment packets.

Why is this important? According to the San Mateo County Office of Sustainability:

Disposable food service ware are commonly littered or blown out of trash receptacles and into storm drain systems, which then flow into creeks, the San Francisco Bay and Pacific Ocean.
Single-use food & beverage packaging makes up 80% of ocean plastic pollution that comes from land.
1.3 million pounds of trash enters San Francisco Bay every year.
This Ordinance builds on the success of existing bans adopted by all San Mateo County municipalities to eliminate single-use plastic bags and expanded polystyrene from the waste stream.

Why is expanded polystyrene (Styrofoam) harmful? According to San Mateo County Health:

Polystyrene is not recyclable or compostable.
It breaks down into smaller pieces that may be ingested by wildlife resulting in reduced appetite, and starvation.
It contains hazardous chemicals that may leach from polystyrene containers into food and drink, and may cause cancer.

Who has joined in on this effort? When it passed, the Ordinance was applied to unincorporated areas of San Mateo County and will start being enforced in these areas in March 2022 for food facilities. The start date for enforcing the Ordinance was recently extended by a year—prior, it was March 2021—to help food facilities amidst COVID-19. After it passed, several incorporated cities chose to adopt similar ordinances. The following jurisdictions in San Mateo County have adopted disposable food ware ordinances using the County’s model ordinance:

City of South San Francisco – adopted on 3/25/20
City of Burlingame – adopted on 5/4/20
Town of Atherton – adopted on 6/17/20
City of Half Moon Bay – adopted on 10/6/20
City of Belmont – adopted on 11/25/20
City of San Mateo – adopted on 2/1/21
City of Millbrae – adopted on 2/23/21

Additional cities in the county are currently exploring the possibility of adopting the Ordinance for their jurisdictions.

What are effective ways to reduce the negative environmental impacts of disposable food service ware? The Ordinance states, in order or priority:

Using reusable food service ware.
Using natural-fiber based compostable materials, many made from renewable resources such as bamboo, wheat stalk/stem, and sugarcane that do not contain toxic chemicals.
Recycling food service ware.

This Ordinance can help make a difference for the longevity of our water quality and aquatic ecosystems—with every cup, plate, and container at a time!

Do you want to make a simple difference regarding food ware? Take our Litter Pledge to help make San Mateo County litter-free. You can receive a free reusable metal straw with a silicone tip and cleaning brush and carry it with you wherever you go.