FPUD to take advantage of conservation grants

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California provides grants for water conservation projects which are administered to MWD member agencies, and those member agencies including the San Diego County Water Authority provide the grants to the retail agencies. The Fallbrook Public Utility District will be receiving two MWD grants through the County Water Authority.

“We’ve secured the funding and now we're in the process of fully developing and implementing the programs,” FPUD engineering technician Mick Cothran said.

Both Member Agency Administered Program grants are for $10,000.

“We had an opportunity to develop some local programs,” Cothran said.

One of the grants will be for a drought-tolerant plant pilot program.

“This would be a voucher they could use so they wouldn’t have to pay for the plants,” FPUD general manager Jack Bebee.

“We’re partnering with a local nursery that produces plants with recycled water,” Cothran said.

The nursery would produce stock from a predetermined plant list using recycled water. FPUD customers would complete an online application for a voucher redeemable for plants at no cost to the ratepayer.

FPUD will place information about the voucher program on the district’s website.

“We’re going to try to offer as much of the information there,” Cothran said.

The grant will cover the vouchers themselves. FPUD will incur staff time costs as part of the program.

The other program is a water conservation and sustainability garden at FPUD’s headquarters.

“It’s kind of a small demonstration garden in the courtyard,” Bebee said.

The garden will expand upon existing valve and mainline displays and will incorporate demonstration garden features such as interactive displays, drought-tolerant plants and signage.

In addition to staff time, FPUD expects to spend about $2,500 for materials to support the water conservation and sustainability garden.

A presentation on the programs was made to the FPUD board, Feb. 25, and the board voted 4-0 with Jennifer DeMeo absent to approve the Memorandum of Understanding with the SDCWA.