Canadian Gardener Converts to California Style

 

“I never miss one of PWP’s programs... They’re always very informative and every time I learn something new.” – PWP customer Frances Gombkoto

PWP CUSTOMER FRANCES GOMBKOTO is so committed to water conservation that she yanked out her lawn and gave away her lawnmower. “All we did was water and mow,” she laughed, describing her little patch of grass. “We didn’t need it!”

Inspired by PWP’s California-Friendly Landscape Workshops, Gombkoto recently redid her entire yard, adding bright flowers, climbing vines and towering trees that thrive on little to no water. The free workshops cover everything from basic landscape design to plant identification, efficient watering and fertilization.

A lifelong green thumb and native of Canada, Gombkoto said she had trouble adjusting to California’s dry climate. “In Canada, you didn’t need planting mix, and the rain took care of irrigation,” she said. “I spent a lot of money on plants until I learned tips from PWP’s classes on growing in this climate. I was buying the wrong kinds, planting them too close together...Now I’m doing it right!”

And her yard is proof. Behind her house near Victory Park there are eight varieties of bougainvillaea, colorful creeping lantana, rosemary, rockrose, lavender, red fountain grass and potato vines climbing along the patio. She planted California native western redbud trees, earning rebates through PWP’s Cool Trees Program, and discovered that usually temperamental camellias don’t need much water when they’re mature. She cut back dramatically on watering and uses the compost bin she picked up from PWP to create water-trapping mulch for her flowerbeds. Her water bills, as a result, are much lower.

“I never miss one of PWP’s programs,” said Gombkoto, who swears by her newfound knowledge. “They’re always very informative and every time I learn something new. I believe in water-saving, and I wish everybody would.”

PWP’s 2004 water-saving garden series kicks off Feb. 7 and 11 and March 6 and 16 with classes held at Eaton Canyon Nature Center on Saturdays and at La Casita del Arroyo on Wednesdays. Classes continue through September. Call PWP’s AnswerLine at 744-6970 for details and to reserve a spot.

Faster Water Testing

PASADENA WATER AND POWER’S WATER QUALITY LAB used to wait up to a month for water test results, paying a premium and carefully shipping samples to a contract laboratory in Tustin. But with new state certification, the lab has fired up a state-of-the-art gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer (GC/MS) for same-day results, giving us much tighter control over water quality.

To keep your drinking water safe, the lab regularly checks for more than 170 contaminants to make sure Pasadena’s water continually meets state and federal standards. This includes testing for inorganic and organic chemicals, chlorine and chloramine residuals, minerals and bacteria. Testing is done daily, with samples drawn from wells and reservoirs throughout the city.

With its new certification, the lab can now use its $100,000 GC/MS to test for chemicals from industrial processes, petroleum production, gas stations and urban runoff. The tabletop machine, which separates chemical mixtures and identifies components at a molecular level, is one of the most accurate tools available.

The GC/MS will save $66,000 a year by eliminating the need for some outside testing, meaning the new machine will pay for itself within two years. But best of all, the technology will speed up the early detection and correction of any problems. Let’s drink to that!

Cleaning Up Our Water Wells

DURING THE 1940s AND 1950s, when Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) was the site for testing some of the first rockets, the Army used seepage pits to dispose of chemical waste. NASA shut down seepage pits when it took over the 176-acre site in 1958 and started sending waste for proper disposal; but perchlorate and other volatile organic compounds are still on-site and in surrounding groundwater. Because of the contamination, PWP shut down nearby wells some time ago.

During a public meeting co-hosted by the PWP and NASA, you can learn about NASA’s plans to clean up these contaminants using state-of-the-art technologies. The meeting is set for Wednesday, Jan. 28, at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium at John Muir High School, 1905 N. Lincoln Ave.

You can view NASA’s groundwater clean-up plans at Pasadena Central Library or online at www.PWPweb.com, where you’ll also find a full report on Pasadena’s water quality (click on Your Water for both); or call the PWP AnswerLine at 744-6970.

Seismic Study On Tap for City Reservoirs

PWP’S WATER SYSTEM HAS 16 RESERVOIRS that can store up to 110 million gallons of treated water – enough to serve all of Pasadena for about four and a half days. But what if we’re hit with a devastating earthquake?

As part of PWP’s 18-year, $234 million Water System Master Plan launched last April, PWP is hiring seismic experts to study these storage facilities. They will examine 10 of our reservoirs, built between 1888 and 1958, to determine their compliance with current earthquake codes. They’ll also provide leakage testing, structural analysis, geotechnical reports and general engineering, recommending and watching over needed improvements.

At the same time, they’ll determine whether PWP should increase the capacity of the Annandale, Eagle Rock and Lida reservoirs, and/or build a new 3.5-million-gallon reservoir on the east side of town. All of this will help preserve our supply during disasters, shortages and future growth, keeping the water flowing throughout Pasadena.

The master plan calls for improvements to pipelines, wells and reservoirs citywide to bring our water delivery system into top shape.