May is Water Awareness
Month in California

The California Water Awareness Campaign is a yearlong effort by organizations throughout California to heighten public awareness of water and the role water agencies and allied entities play in conservation, management, water supply, water quality and distribution. The campaign focuses on the month of May each year with the observance of Water Awareness Month.

Cities, counties, water agencies, companies and other organizations unite under the campaign's umbrella to conduct individual activities and programs. From water facility tours to conservation poster contests, these activities inform consumers of the challenges that come with providing communities with reliable, good quality water. The campaign also offers an opportunity to advise consumers about the role they can play in water conservation and in maintaining quality water supplies. Approximately 300 water agencies, farm bureaus, and various other organizations throughout California will participate in this year's campaign.

With a growing population, it is important for all Californians to use our precious water resources as efficiently as possible. For three years in a row, California has experienced less than average rainfall in most of the state, making it more important for the public to be made aware of the importance of using water wisely.

Continuing a focus in May and throughout the summer, many water agencies in California will be running television and radio ads, placing billboards, bus ads, movie theater ads and print ads in their local communities to reinforce the public's appreciation for smart water use. The advertisements offer common-sense tips, such as using a broom and not a hose to clean driveways and adjusting sprinkler timers to prevent over-watering landscapes.

The California Water Awareness Campaign's mission is to increase public awareness about the need for all Californians to use water wisely. For more California Water Awareness Campaign information and helpful tips on how to use water wisely, visit the CWAC Web site at www.wateraware.org.