School District Reduces Water Use 13 Percent, Outlines New Initiatives

The Alameda Unified School District (AUSD) is doing its part to meet Gov. Jerry Brown’s call for a 25% reduction in water use across California.

AUSD began taking water-saving measures in 2013-2014, when it became clear that the state was in a serious drought. Those measures included:

• Watering fields two times a week rather than three times a week
• Repairing leaks at the pools
• Installing new, more efficient sprinkler heads
• Checking for and repairing leaks in irrigation lines

Because of these measures, AUSD reduced its water use by 13% between 2013 and 2014. To meet the new mandate, AUSD also plans to:

• Avoid watering between 9 am and 6 pm
• Avoid irrigating on consecutive days
• Encourage employees to turn faucets off while washing their hands
• Decrease the water pressure in the faucets
• Limit watering lawns and gardens around school sites
• Install hand sanitizers in front of restrooms
• Put mulch and barks beneath shrubs and trees (to retain soil moisture)
• Keep grass at school heights one inch taller (to reduce evaporation)
• Reduce irrigation to two times per week
• Stop using power washers to clean sites

As a result of the cutbacks in watering, grass may turn brown and some plants might wither. Grass on athletic fields cannot be left to simply die, however, as the fields need to have a healthy cover of grass to prevent injuries associated with thinning grass (e.g., tripping or falling on hard-packed dirt and uneven terrain). As a result, this summer community members may see school employees water sports fields to help areas that have been re-seeded or re-sodded get established.

“Our top priority is student safety,” says Robbie Lyng, director of AUSD’s Maintenance, Operations, and Facilities Department (MOF). “As such, we’ll take care of our fields as best we can, but will limit watering for landscaping that is purely ornamental.”

In addition, Lyng emphasized, the district welcomes community reports about leaks, broken sprinklers, and water waste at the school sites. “With 17 sites and hundreds of miles of water lines to maintain, we’d love to have the community’s help in monitoring our equipment,” he says. “We’re all of us responsible for saving water during these dry years.”

All renovation and construction projects under the Measure I bond program will also incorporate water efficiencies.

Because human behavior can play such a key role in water conservation, the district also aims to raise the awareness of all employees as to the importance of such measures as turning off the faucet while lathering hands, running only full loads of dishes in dishwashers, and making sure all faucets are turned off. “We are also encouraging employees to develop water-saving habits at home,” Lyng says. “Every little bit helps.”

Community members who wish to report leaks or breaks should call MOF at 510-337-7090.

“As a major water user in this community, we understand how vitally important it is for us to do our best to conserve water,” says Superintendent Sean McPhetridge. “We want to help not only this town but the entire state get through this historic drought. And we want to help teach our students, families, and staff how to help Alameda do it.”

--Image via Morgue File