Laguna Beach Earns First MWDOC Pocket Park with Wyland Mayor's Challenge Win
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The Municipal Water District of Orange County (MWDOC), and the Wyland Foundation, are excited to announce that the City of Laguna Beach has been named the winner of a water-wise pocket park for their outstanding participation in the Orange County breakaway competition of the Wyland National Mayor's Challenge. The park will serve as a community model for water efficient landscaping, and will use a variety of landscaping practices and strategies to promote sustainable water usage.
During the month of April, OC cities worked tirelessly to collect pledges and engage their residents in serious discussions about water. The City of Laguna Beach collected nearly 6,500 pledges, tops in Orange County, and number one in their population category for the national competition.
"The City of Laguna Beach has proven once again, that when it comes to saving water, we are a force to be reckoned with," said Laguna Beach Mayor, Toni Iseman. "We are extremely proud of the continued commitment our residents have made to use water more efficiently. They rose to the occasion, and really pulled together to win this pocket park for the city."
Click here to read the full story
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MWDOC Director Journeys to Korea for Water Presentations, Meetings
Municipal Water District of Orange County (MWDOC) Director Megan Yoo Schneider, a registered professional engineer, recently made a series of presentations to water officials in South Korea.
Yoo Schneider, who was elected to the MWDOC board in November to represent District 7 in South Orange County, spent two weeks in Korea with her father, Lee Yoo, the Laboratory Director for the Orange County Water District.
Director Yoo Schneider's schedule included presentations with the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Waterworks, which treats and supplies water to Seoul, a city of some 10 million people. Orange County's population is less than a third of that, at 3.1 million.
Yoo Schneider, who funded the trip personally, also had meetings and made presentations to KWater, a large governmental organization that helps develop and construct water-resources projects in South Korea, the Korea Institute of Science and Technology, which performs a variety of groundbreaking water-research projects and the National Institute of Environmental Research.
"The meetings and presentations affirmed that we need to always look at the big picture," Yoo Schneider said. "There's no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to water supply and reliability."
Yoo Schneider said the trip brought many lessons, but also affirmed that different conditions - such as the rich basin beneath North OC and the quick-moving shallow basin in South OC - require different approaches for solutions.
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Click here to see Director Yoo Schneider's MWDOC bio.
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Directors Support Legislation to Streamline
Approval of Storage Projects
Directors of the Municipal Water District of Orange County (MWDOC) in May expressed formal support for a federal bill that would streamline the approval process for reservoirs and surface-storage water projects.
H.R. 1654, the Water Supply Permitting Coordination Act, by California Republican Tom McClintock would require agencies to finish necessary environmental reviews of proposed dams within one year. The bill does not eliminate any environmental requirements, only ensures that the state and federal reviews are completed in a timely manner.
According to the author, H.R. 1654, "... will establish a framework in which federal agencies with permitting responsibilities for the construction of new surface water storage projects must work together, coordinate their schedules, share data and technical materials, and make their findings publicly available. The end result would be fewer delays, more efficient use of taxpayer dollars, and ultimately, more abundant water supplies."
MWDOC's Public Affairs and Legislation Committee meets the third Monday of each month, and recommends whether to support, oppose or watch legislation that could impact water supply and reliability. The full board considers those recommendations when it meets on the third Wednesday of each month.
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Oxford Academy Second at Solar Cup
Oxford Academy of Cypress took second place among 43 boats competing in the
Metropolitan Water District's 15th annual Solar Cup™, the largest student-based solar-powered boat race in the nation.
Oxford, sponsored by Golden State Water Co., was one of two entries from the Municipal Water District of Orange County service area. Coast High School, sponsored by MWDOC member agency Huntington Beach, also participated, as did Anaheim.
The Solar Cup program allows students to apply their skills in math, physics, engineering and communications, while learning about Southern California's water resources, resource management, conservation and alternative energy development.
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Upcoming Meetings/Events
Planning & Operations Committee
June 7:
Workshop Board Meeting
June 14:
Administration & Finance Committee Meeting
June 19:
Public Affairs & Legislation Committee Meeting
June 22:
Executive Committee Meeting
All meetings are at MWDOC, 18700 Ward Ave., Fountain Valley. Meetings at 8:30 a.m. unless otherwise noted.
For information on meetings and events, please click on the calendar icon above.
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Kudos
Have something to share? Let us know!
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MWDOC Honors Student Artists for Water Work
Nearly 1,000 students in kindergarten through high school entered the 2017 Water Awareness Poster Contest sponsored by the Municipal Water District of Orange County.
Some of the top OC entries will be included a calendar produced by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.
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Annie Gao, Landell Elementary, Golden State Water Co.
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David Carpintero, Whitaker Elementary, City of Buena Park
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Devon House, Talbert Middle, City of Huntington Beach
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Ruoying Li,
Tarbut V' Torah, Irvine Ranch Water District
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Ticket Prices Set to Increase for 2017 Orange County Water Summit
David L. Sedlak, Seth M. Siegel and other world-renown experts and distinguished speakers are confirmed as panelists for the 10th Annual OC Water Summit on June 16 at the Grand Californian Hotel at the Disneyland Resort.
The theme of this year's event is "Finding Water."
NBC$ Weathercaster Fritz Coleman will emcee the event.
Siegel, whose "
Let There Be Water
- Israel's Solution for a Water-Starved World," is a national best seller, will be the luncheon speaker.
California Assemblywoman Laura Friedman, who authored two bills that some believe threaten local control of water agencies, is also a confirmed panelist.
A limited number of tickets remain available, but act fast: the prices are $130 until June 2, when they increase to $150. Sponsorships also remain available.
See www.ocwatersummit.com
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