Winter 2014

Edward C. Little Elected President of West Basin Board of Directors

The West Basin Municipal Water District Board of Directors elected Edward C. Little to serve as its Board President for 2014 at its January Board Meeting. Director Little has served on the West Basin Board since 1989 and previously served as both Board President and Vice President during his 25 tenure. West Basin’s state-of-the-art water recycling facility is named after Director Little in honor of his commitment to wastewater recycling and to providing a reliable diverse water supply for the region. West Basin’s Board organization occurs once annually at its January board meeting. Serving as Vice President this year is Donald L. Dear who has served on the West Basin Board since 2000 and Ronald (Ron) C. Smith remains in his post as Treasurer.


Rainwater Rescue-Free Rain Barrel Program

Catch the rain and water savings in this drought year with a FREE rain barrel. West Basin has implemented a new program for residents to use water efficiently and make sure that every drop counts. Collecting and reusing rain water reduces the amount of water flowing into storm drains, sewers and local waterways. For more details and to register to receive your free rain barrel, call South Bay Environmental Services Center at 310-371-4633 and visit www.westbasin.org.


previous drawings winner

Home Depot Water Efficient Plant Sales

Home Depot works closely with West Basin to promote water efficiency by hosting a series of water efficient plant sales at a variety of locations throughout West Basin’s service area. Home Depot provides a large selection of specially-labeled, drought-tolerant plants year-round but these plants are available at discount prices during these special sale events. The event also includes information on water saving soils and high-efficiency irrigation technology with free snacks and prizes available to win. Sale events run from 8am to 12pm. Check out these locations for a water efficient plant sale event near you.

  • Hawthorne Home Depot (14603 OCEANGATE, HAWTHORNE, CA 90250) March 1, 2014
  • Inglewood Home Depot ( 8801 S. LA CIENEGA BLVD., INGLEWOOD, CA 90301) April 12, 2014

Cash for Kitchens 2.0- Today’s Daily Special

West Basin Municipal Water District and the South Bay Environmental Services Center (SBESC) have been helping restaurants and commercial kitchens improve their operations by increasing water and energy efficiency with the Cash for Kitchens program. This 2014 program offers some new and exciting things on the menu. Interested parties located in the West Basin or Torrance water service areas can call SBESC to schedule a free water-use assessment. During the assessment restaurants will receive information of their current water usage, strategies on how to conserve water, and free education materials, including a new children’s activity placemat and crayons for their customers. Sites may also be eligible to receive new water-saving devices to replace older, inefficient equipment (eligibility is determined during site assessment).

New this year, employees of participating Cash for Kitchens restaurants can test their water knowledge and be entered into a grand-prize drawing for some great prizes! Find out more on West Basin’s website www.westbasin.org/C4k

Bon Appetite!


Customer Spotlight – Enterprise Holdings

Businesses are starting to see that water efficiency can reduce costs and strengthen supply chain reliability. Enterprise Holdings knows this very well. The company, who also owns Alamo and National Rentalcars, washes over a half million cars every year and knows the importance of a reliable and affordable water supply. West Basin Municipal Water District, RMC Water and Environment and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power conducted a field survey in Inglewood CA and found more than 50,000 Enterprise Holdings’ cars are washed at this location each month. The results showed that the company has been doing their part to use water wisely by reusing and treating final rinse water on-site with reverse osmosis. The field survey identified new opportunities for increased water efficiency, which the company has already begun to implement. The new updates will likely save more than four million gallons of water per year. That is enough water to fill more than six Olympic-sized swimming pools every year! Additional updates will almost double their savings. Companies like Enterprise Holdings are raising the water efficiency bar; we commended you.


Previous contest winner artwork

Water is Life Art Contest

Students (grades 3rd-12th) in West Basin’s service area are encouraged to tap into their creativity and submit original water conservation slogans and artwork for the 2014 Water is Life Student Art Contest. iPads will be awarded to 15 winners with the opportunity for their artwork to be reproduced and featured on posters, bookmarks and calendars. The artwork submission deadline is March 14, 2014. Enter today!

A big thank you to our award sponsors: The Law Offices of Lemieux and O’Neill, Water Replenishment District of Southern California, and United Water.

For more details on how to enter and contest rules visit (www.westbasin.org/waterislife)


Tours-Chinese Delegation

On January 10th, a large delegation of officials from China’s fourth largest province, Qinghai Province, visited West Basin and the Edward C. Little Water Recycling facility to learn about the District’s water recycling, conservation and environmental programs. The delegationincluded the secretary general of the Qinghai Province, the head of the environmental protection agency for the Province and the general editor of the Qinghai’s Daily. The Province is named after Qinghai Lake, the largest salt water lake in China. The Province also contains the headwaters of the Yellow, Yangtze and Mekong rivers. The delegation also included professors from Qinghai University, the Province Taxation Bureau, travel management officials, forestry and agriculture representatives, geologists, water officials and other Provincial representatives. The delegation was extremely pleased with their briefing and tour. Throughout the year, foreign visitors come to West Basin based on our international reputation for water recycling and our five types of “designer” recycled waters. To book tours please call 310-660-6243.


Lomita Mayor Michael Savidan, former Lomita Mayor Margaret Estrada and West Basin Board President Carol Kwan.

Lomita Drinking Water Filling Station

West Basin and the City of Lomita dedicated Lomita’s first drinking water filling station. Located at Lomita Park, the filling station allows the public to refill their water bottles with reliable, safe tap water. The drinking water filling station is the first of its kind in Lomita and the third filling station installed in West Basin’s service area. West Basin and the City of Lomita have a longstanding partnership on water efficiency programs such as high-efficient toilet exchanges and ocean friendly gardens. West Basin is working to install filling stations throughout its service area as an alternative to buying bottled water. The drinking filling stations are a reminder to residents that tap water is easily accessible, taste good and is free at the filling station.


Winner Candy Mintz-Moreno, elementary teacher from Towers Elementary and Redondo Beach resident.

Water Conservation Resolution Contest Winner

With the New Year underway and resolutions abound, West Basin encourages everyone to work out their water waistline. We asked the community to tell us how they would resolve to save water in 2014 with a chance to win a new Kindle Fire HD 7”. Contestants entered by “liking” West Basin’s Facebook page and leaving a comment sharing their water saving resolution. The contest winner was drawn at random on December 31, 2013. West Basin plans to hosts future water contests throughout the year so be sure to “like” our Facebook page.

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