SACRAMENTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Save Our Water – California’s official statewide conservation education program – recently partnered with Field Research Corporation to survey Californians’ attitudes toward continued water conservation into fall and winter and their willingness to make permanent landscape changes. Save Our Water sponsored two poll questions in the survey, which was conducted in late September and early October among 1,002 registered voters. The survey found near universal support for continued conservation and a strong willingness among Californians to make changes in their yards to cut back on water use.
"Water conservation concerns are up and there is a clear consensus among Californians that saving water continues to be important even as the state moves into the rainy season,” said Mark DiCamillo, Senior Vice President of Field Research Corporation. “For Californians, saving water is starting to mean more than just emergency conservation and they are beginning to see the importance of making permanent changes to their water use - particularly outdoors."
More than 95% of Californians polled said it was very or somewhat important for residents across the state to continue to reduce their use of water, both inside and outside their homes. Respondents were also asked how important they think it is for California homeowners to make permanent changes to their outdoor landscaping – whether the state remains in drought or not. More than 85% indicated they thought it was very or somewhat important to make permanent changes in their outdoor landscaping. Public support for conservation is critical as mandatory State Water Resources Control Board water use restrictions remains in place through February.
Save Our Water, which launched its statewide “Fix It For Good” public education campaign last month, is capitalizing on Californians’ interest in fixing their landscapes for good by making fall landscaping a primary focus of the program.
“While raindrops may hit the windshield, the state remains in the strong grip of drought,” said Jennifer Persike, Deputy Executive Director of External Affairs and Member Services of the Association of California Water Agencies. “Fall is the best time of year for Californians to rethink their yards and landscaping and Save Our Water is offering great tips and information on how to make landscaping more California-friendly.”
Teaming with partners such as Plant California, the California Association of Nurseries and Garden Centers, and Green Acres, the program has launched a revamped Landscaping 101 page on its website. The page includes landscaping tips and features on the benefits of landscaping with native plants with information care of the California Native Plant Society. Save Our Water partner Plant Right has provided information to help Californians avoid invasive plants. The Landscaping 101 site also includes links to 38 regional water-smart gardening websites that offer Californians a wealth of information and visuals as they seek inspiration before redoing their landscaping.
Save Our Water’s landscaping push coincides with a campaign launched this summer promoting tree care during the drought. California’s trees, whether growing in nature or our urban forests, are affected by our historic drought. While continuing to save water, we must also keep our trees healthy through strategic maintenance with the limited amount of water available. Partnering with California ReLeaf, Save Our Water has provided tips and videos to help Californians properly take care of their trees during the historic drought.
Save Our Water’s website is available in both English and Spanish and is filled with tips, tools, and inspiration to help every Californian find new and creative ways to conserve. From tips on how to keep trees healthy during the drought to an interactive section allowing users to visually explore how they can save water both inside and outside the home, Save Our Water provides Californians tools and tips to help everyone easily conserve at home and at work, every day. Save Our Water connects with Californians on its Facebook page, Twitter and Instagram accounts.
Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. has directed the first-ever statewide mandatory water reductions in California, calling on all Californians to reduce their water use by 25 percent and prevent water waste. Save Our Water is a partnership between the Association of California Water Agencies and the California Department of Water Resources.
