SACRAMENTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Save Our Water – California’s official statewide conservation education program – has released its second television commercial aimed at encouraging Californians to keep saving water as the state moves into fall. The commercial, called “Stepping Up,” shows how Californians are saving together and shifting the way they think about and use water after four years of historic drought. The release comes on the heels of announcements by the state of a “severely dry 2015 water year” and new stats for reduced water consumption by Californians in August.
“Stepping Up” is part of Save Our Water’s “Fix It For Good” public education campaign focused on helping the public make permanent changes to save water by rethinking their yards, going water efficient with new toilets and fixtures and repairing leaks.
“Water conservation is crucial in California, now and in the days to come,” said Mark Cowin, Director of the California Department of Water Resources. “Each October 1, we begin a new water year in the state, and we’re calling on everyone to double their resolve to conserve. The year we’re exiting will be remembered as severely dry with record-high temperatures, and the coming year could be dry, too.” Details on Water Year 2015 can be found here: http://www.water.ca.gov/news/newsreleases/2015/091415.pdf
The State Water Resources Control Board reports that Californians reduced their water consumption by nearly 27% in the month of August, representing a savings of 63.3 billion gallons of water. August is the third month in a row that Californians have exceeded the mandatory statewide water use reduction target of 25% set by Governor Jerry Brown in April 2015. In August, 291 water agencies (72 percent) met or were within 1 percentage point of their conservation standard. Cumulative savings for the summer, despite hot and dry conditions, puts the state half-way to meeting its goal of 1.2 million acre-feet of water saved by February 2016.
“Californians understand that we must continue the momentum of conservation,” said Jennifer Persike, Deputy Executive Director of External Affairs and Operations of the Association of California Water Agencies. “This will remain critical into the fall and winter months as the urban water conservation targets remain in place through February 2016.”
“Stepping Up” is available in English and Spanish and is airing on both network television stations and streaming digital platforms. Save Our Water’s first television commercial, “Helping Hands,” which challenges Californians to face the drought together, started airing Labor Day weekend in English and Spanish on ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision, Telemundo and Fox networks in six targeted media markets: Sacramento, Fresno/Bakersfield, Chico/Redding, Central Coast, Inland Empire and Palm Springs.
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.