Irvine Ranch Water District has received a PROTOS Award from the Orange County Public Relations Society of America in the community relations/institutional programs category for its Always Water Smart Outreach Campaign.

The IRWD Board of Directors honored the IRWD Public Affairs and Water Efficiency teams at its July 22 Board meeting. IRWD received the award at PRSA’s 38^th annual PROTOS Awards Ceremony on June 4, which honors the top Orange County public relations organizations and professionals for outstanding campaigns and achievements.

“The PROTOS awards recognize the best of the best,” said PRSA President Danny Craig. “It’s a major feather in IRWD’s cap, because it’s a very competitive process.”

Craig added that that the judging was conducted by public relations professionals in Tennessee, which promotes objectivity in the process.

PROTOS are the highest honor given to Orange County public relations practitioners who have demonstrated their understanding of the public relations and communications process including conducting research, defining objectives, and demonstrating measureable results of initiatives. Categories recognized in the PROTOS awards program are for Social Media, Collateral Materials, Media Relations and overall Program Awards in Crisis Communications, Event Planning and more.

Last year, IRWD won two Awards of Excellence from PRSA for the 2011 50^th Anniversary Celebration and for the resident tour program.

The IRWD Always Water Smart program is a resource for all things water efficient – tips, tools, rebates and information on events, webinars and workshops, free water-wise devices for the home, and much more. Please visit our website for more information.

Do you think taking shorter showers is the best way to reduce water use? How about fixing a pesky water leak?

In reality, the best way to save the most money on your water bill is to reduce outdoor water use.

Outdoor watering can account for up to 65 percent of your total home water use. That’s more than the water used for showering, dishwashing, laundry, and toilet flushing combined. Being smart about your outdoor water use is especially important during the warm summer months. IRWD offers you three key tips to reduce your outdoor water use and save the most money on your water bill:

Choose the right plants. Did you know that a California appropriate landscape uses up to 40 percent less water than a traditional grass-heavy residential landscape? There are beautiful and vibrant plants that can be used to create a colorful and water-efficient garden. IRWD’s garden website, www.irwdCALscape.org, offers plenty of options and ideas for customers who are looking for ways to develop an attractive, healthy and water efficient landscape. It’s a one-stop shop with garden tours, garden galleries, a searchable plant database and a garden resources section.

Use the right tools. Watering your landscape with efficient equipment, such as rotating nozzles and smart timers, helps you maintain your lawn properly. Checking periodically for leaks in your sprinkler system or for broken sprinkler heads will also help you save water and money. Rebates are available on our website for water-efficient devices, such as rotating spray nozzles (receive up to $4 per nozzle) and weather-based irrigation controllers (receive up to $385).

Reduce watering. With IRWD’s Irrigation Schedule(available on our website), you can program your sprinkler timer to adequately water your lawn and garden with the least amount of water needed. For example, throughout July and August, grass only needs to be watered four days a week for three cycles (spaced an hour apart) of three minutes each—a total of 36 minutes a week. Watering in the early morning helps reduce water lost to evaporation and wind, and watering in cycles allows maximum absorption into the soil where water is needed—at the roots. For more information and resources on saving money on your water bill and reducing your overall water usage, visit www.alwayswatersmart.com.

Like getting your hands dirty while working outdoors? Do you like being around other volunteers from the community? Do you need to earn community service hours?

Shadetree Partnership has all of these opportunities and more. Volunteers are needed once a month at Shadetree’s nursery events. Come out and prune and weed the extensive stock of trees and shrubs. Help plant seedlings. Stake, rake, replant and enjoy camaraderie with others.

The nursery event for July is scheduled for Saturday, July 13 – 8:30-11 a.m. at the UC Irvine nursery site. No experience is necessary because staff will be available to train volunteers.

A continental breakfast in the morning will be offered to thank the volunteers.

Go to www.shadetreepartnership.org/events/ to register, or contact Leslie Bonkowski at Irvine Ranch Water District (949) 453-5312. The nursery is located on Anteater Drive, next to UCI’s recreational area. Parking is limited. Wear comfortable clothing and closed-toed shoes. Bring a hat, sunscreen and work gloves if you have them.

If you are unable to attend the July event, there are plenty of opportunities. Mark your calendar for the rest of the year – August 10, September 21, October 19, November 9 and December 7.

Contact: Shannon Reed, Public Affairs Manager
reeds@irwd.com, (949) 453-5500