It certainly does take a village to help prevent stormwater pollution, and in San Mateo County many residents have made strides to protect our water quality and environment. Read below as these water-wise community champions share their stories, tips, and tricks on how simple it is to make a difference.
Ray from San Bruno:
“We have been trying to minimize our ecological footprint since we moved to the Bay Area years ago. We started by doing an energy upgrade of our house, installing better insulation, more efficient lighting, more efficient appliances and eventually designing and installing a photovoltaic solar system on our roof. But as we lived through several drought seasons, we also wanted to minimize our water usage. We changed our front lawn into a rock garden, replaced our water heater and laundry appliances for more water efficient models, and installed more efficient toilets and faucets.
We heard about the Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency (BAWSCA) and, although we missed the lawn replacement rebates, we learned about the rain barrel rebates. We actually bought three rain barrels to see how they worked. It was fairly easy to install them, and they filled up quickly during the last rainy seasons. We use the water when installing new drought-resistant plants, and washing mud off walls, pathways, etc.”
Jennifer from Redwood City:
Like Ray, Jennifer used a BAWSCA rain barrel rebate to pay the majority cost of her barrel and did the installation herself. Jennifer shared some great insights for anyone considering getting a rain barrel through the rebate process:
“The application was pretty straight forward. There were additional photos that I needed to send…like photos of the side of the barrel and a picture of my home (to prove that the barrel was indeed installed at my home and not someone else’s). I found my barrel online at Ace Hardware and picked it up at the store. Note that there is a minimum barrel size (50 gallons) to be eligible for the rebate.”
Heidi & Tom from Brisbane:
With thriving, water-conserving succulent gardens in their front and backyard, Heidi and Tom share the love (and their plants) with friends and neighbors. And to bring it full circle, they help keep everything watered with the two rain barrels they own.
Inspired by their garden, we asked Heidi and Tom a couple of follow up questions…
Flows To Bay: What inspired you to install, not one, but two rain barrels?
Heidi & Tom: “Water is a precious resource that we take for granted; as long as water is coming out of the tap, all is well (or so many believe). With all the rain we are having, many people feel that the drought is over. It is not! Even if we had a reserve of water, we all still need to use water wisely. The rebates helped in our decision. We have 2 downspouts in perfect locations for rain barrels. I wish we had more barrels.”
Flows To Bay: Do you have any words of wisdom for others thinking about installing rainwater catchment systems?
Heidi & Tom: “Take advantage of any rebates. You’d be amazed at how much water collects off of your roof. They are not difficult to install, and you can be proud knowing that you are doing the right thing.”
At Flows To Bay we’d like to salute these everyday community heroes for doing their part. If you are a San Mateo resident with a water-wise project at home, we’d love to hear about it and feature you! Send your name, city of residence, pictures of your projects and a short description to info@flowstobay.org!
