With California facing many greenhouse gas induced heat waves, it is to no surprise the state is continuing to face severe drought. Cities across the state are calling on residents to reduce water usage wherever possible. But what about our already existing landscapes and trees that are helping to pull carbon from the atmosphere and combat the climate crisis. How do we maintain their health while being water conscious? We are pleased to welcome Fred Frey and Kamala Dionne from Vintage Tree Care as our guest speakers and experts on this topic. During this webinar they will teach about how we can keep…

Got a green monster in your garden? Tired of watering and mowing? Learn why lawns (including fake lawns) are not eco-friendly, watch a short video for the best method to easily eliminate one, and discover how to decide the best use for the space. We’ll discuss the latest in walkable green plants, plus a host of other possibilities that’s sure to broaden your definition of “lawn alternative.” Marie Narlock has been a UC Marin Master Gardener since 2004. She studied landscape design through the UC Berkeley Extension and Merritt College, and completed sustainable landscape classes at Sonoma State. She writes…

Laura Allen, lead author of “The San Francisco Graywater Design Guidelines for Outdoor Irrigation”, will host a webinar on using graywater to irrigate your landscape. Laura is also the author of “The Water-Wise Home: How to Conserve and Reuse Water in Your Home and Landscape” and “Greywater, Green Landscape”.

Are you curious about how to capture the rain to save water and money? Do you know that rain barrel systems can be creative, sculptural, and beautiful too? Join Santa Rosa Water and Daily Acts for a presentation by local rainwater harvesting expert Jesse Savou. Join this FREE program to learn about:  How rainwater harvesting systems save water and benefit the environment  How to design a small-scale DIY system to fit any space  How Santa Rosa water customers can utilize the City’s Rainwater Harvesting Rebate to offset project costs *Advanced registration is required Exciting News: Sign up and attend to WIN!  One…

The City of Santa Rosa’s Water Department (Santa Rosa Water) is employing and combining innovative customer service tools that assist on-site managers with understanding when and how water is being used at commercial facilities. Santa Rosa Water invested in and paired their Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) with companion data analytics tools to enhance the department’s customer service and demand management strategies. Every customer now has online access to hourly, daily, weekly and monthly water use data through the WaterSmart Portal. In addition, Santa Rosa Water offers customized assistance and comprehensive water-use audits of commercial customer facilities. By combining these resources,…

Rebates are available for both small and large rainwater capture systems. Rebates will be provided to Sonoma County residents based on a limited-time, first-come, first-served basis through a simple application process and proof of installation. This program is designed to reduce the barriers to installation by increasing the affordability of these systems and providing technical assistance for system design, installation, and troubleshooting. The program is made possible by a partnership of Gold Ridge Resource Conservation District (GRRCD), Sonoma Resource Conservation District (Sonoma RCD), Daily Acts, County of Sonoma and the California Department of Water Resources. Learn More Please note, rainwater…

Keeping up with yard work can be challenging, but it doesn’t have to be. Knowing what to do, how to do it, and when can make landscape maintenance much easier and less time consuming. The Sonoma-Marin Saving Water Partnership, in collaboration with Ann Baker Landscape Architecture, have published a guide for home owners new to maintaining a low water use landscape. The guide titled “Water Smart Gardens Maintenance Manual” is an easy to use, step-by-step instruction manual on how to care for and maintain the plants, drip irrigation systems, and green features like the ones offered in the Water Smart…

In case you missed the drought town hall event, check out the recording on Sonoma Water's website.

On January 18, 2022 the California State Water Board adopted an emergency drought regulations.

On March 10th Sonoma Water will host a virtual town hall focused on continued drought conditions in the Russian River watershed. Speakers will include representatives from Sonoma Water, the State Water Resources Control Board, National Marine Fisheries Service, Santa Rosa Water, Sonoma County Farm Bureau and the California Department of Water Resources. Speakers will be discussing ongoing drought conditions, water supply management efforts, and conservation measures.

Each year, the Sonoma-Marin Saving Water Partnership publishes an annual report to recap the year's activities and progress towards water use efficiency goals. The Partnership's fiscal year 2020/2021 Annual Report is now available. Explore what our Partners and the community achieved here. Click to View See all Annual Reports

Our gardens can be the front line of defense not only against wildfire but also biodiversity loss. A key question we face is: How do we nurture our gardens and protect our homes while creating environmentally sound defensible space?