Awareness campaign, including wrapped buses to promote water conservation, launched today
ORANGE – Elected officials, along with transportation and water-district leaders, gathered this morning to launch a multi-agency water conservation campaign in Orange County with the message, “Every Drop Counts,” to help raise awareness and address California’s severe drought.
A bus wrapped with the conservation messages was unveiled with the help of the Orange County Transportation Authority board of directors outside OCTA’s headquarters. Other public agencies participating in the campaign include Caltrans, the County of Orange, Irvine Ranch Water District, Municipal Water District of Orange County and the Transportation Corridor Agencies.
“We all understand that the drought is serious and getting worse,” said OCTA Chairman Jeff Lalloway, also the Mayor Pro Tem of Irvine. “I’m proud to say that OCTA is setting a strong example for a public agency doing all it can to cut back and continuing to look for every possible way to help navigate this drought.”
Along with wrapped buses, the campaign will include printing and distributing window clings with the conservation message at public events that agencies also will use on their fleets.
“We are pleased to partner with OCTA to deliver the message that the statewide drought is real and we all need to do our part to save water,” said Steve LaMar, president of the Irvine Ranch Water District Board of Directors. “Because over 60 percent of water use occurs outdoors, we are encouraging our customers to reduce their outdoor water use by 50 percent.” More information can be found at IRWD.com.
Internally, OCTA has embraced the message that every drop counts for many years. The agency has cut back by 21 percent on its water usage by washing buses less frequently, installing drought-resistant landscaping and installing low-flow faucets and toilets at all bases and transit centers.
Prior to 2005, OCTA washed its buses daily. That year, the number was cut to three times a week and was further cut to twice a week. In addition, a treatment system was installed to reclaim and filter the water for reuse, saving about 30 gallons each wash.
Low-water vegetation and artificial turf will continue to be planted when possible and low-flow toilets and faucets will continue to replace the older models on OCTA’s properties.
