{"id":139409,"date":"2022-04-17T14:00:04","date_gmt":"2022-04-17T21:00:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/?p=139409"},"modified":"2022-04-17T14:00:04","modified_gmt":"2022-04-17T21:00:04","slug":"state-expands-save-our-water-public-awareness-campaign-as-drought-intensifies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/?p=139409","title":{"rendered":"State Expands Save Our Water Public Awareness Campaign as Drought Intensifies"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sacramento, CA…Over the past few months, the state has ramped up communications efforts around the Save Our Water campaign focused on encouraging Californians to reduce water use as drought conditions worsen. This week, the campaign rolled out new content across various multimedia platforms including social, digital and streaming platforms, out-of-home, and radio. The multilingual ads communicate the urgent need to save water and provide actionable steps Californians can take.<\/p>\n

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Governor Newsom joins Save Our Water public awareness campaign briefing<\/p>\n

Today, the state hosted a briefing with more than a dozen social media influencers and content creators calling on them to support the statewide education efforts. Governor Gavin Newsom joined State Water Resources Control Board Chair Joaquin Esquivel, Department of Water Resources Director Karla Nemeth and Department of Fish and Wildlife Director Chuck Bonham in highlighting the state\u2019s severe drought conditions and calling on influencers to engage Californians on how to save water.<\/p>\n

\u201cMake no mistake, California and the entire West are\u00a0feeling the effects of the intensifying drought \u2013 notwithstanding today\u2019s rainfall,\u201d said Governor Newsom. \u201cWe\u2019re putting to work the lessons learned during the last drought, but with our climate getting hotter and drier, it\u2019s critical that we work together to protect our water supply. Engaging Californians from all walks of life and connecting peer to peer, we can meet this challenge head-on.\u201d<\/p>\n

New paid media includes urgency ads in convenience and grocery stores, radio spots in multiple languages including Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin, Vietnamese and Hmong, LED billboards across California, and signage at sanitizer stations, among other public awareness efforts.<\/p>\n

An example of a new\u00a0Save Our Water radio spot can be found here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Following three months of record dry conditions and a rapidly declining snowpack, the\u00a0April snow survey<\/a>\u00a0conducted by the Department of Water Resources (DWR) found that the state snowpack was\u00a0well below\u00a0average for that date. The snowpack has plummeted in recent weeks as unseasonably warm temperatures have hit the Sierra,\u00a0with snowpack \u2013 which provides about a third of California\u2019s water supply \u2013 currently at only 25 percent of average for this date. Dry conditions are impacting every region of the state and many of the state\u2019s reservoirs remain at below average levels following several years of drought.<\/p>\n

\u201cCalifornia just experienced the driest first three months of the year on record, and drought is worsening throughout the West,\u201d said California Secretary for Natural Resources Wade Crowfoot. \u201cClimate-driven water extremes are part of our reality now. The Save Our Water campaign aims to create a broader and long-term culture of water conservation and highlights the urgency for Californians to take important steps to save water. From everyday actions like watering less outdoors to switching to low-water plants, there are simple steps we all can take.\u201d<\/p>\n

To help encourage more conservation at home, the state has enhanced its\u00a0Save Our Water<\/a>\u00a0campaign following additional\u00a0state funding allocated<\/a>\u00a0in March. The public education campaign aims to highlight the dire drought conditions and the urgency behind the call for immediate action, including making some permanent water smart changes to homes and yards that offer the biggest ways to save water.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile the state has made significant investments in tools and technologies to ensure we make the most out of the snowmelt, water conservation remains our best tool in the face of this ongoing drought,\u201d said DWR Director Karla Nemeth. \u201cAll Californians must focus on conserving water now. The Save Our Water campaign will help engage Californians with the information and resources they need.\u00a0 Saving water today means more water for tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

Working\u00a0to drive conservation at the local\u00a0level<\/span>, Governor Newsom last month\u00a0called on<\/a>\u00a0the State Water Board to consider requiring urban water\u00a0suppliers\u00a0to activate, at a minimum,\u00a0Level\u00a02 of their customized Water Shortage Contingency Plans, which require locally-appropriate actions that will conserve water across all sectors. The Governor also directed the\u00a0State Water Resources Control Board to consider a ban on the watering of decorative grass at businesses and institutions.<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s influencer briefing is part of a larger comprehensive push by the Save Our Water campaign. The campaign is undertaking a highly targeted statewide education effort to inform Californians about the state\u2019s severe drought and to raise awareness of how they can save water, including updating yards with water-smart plants and drip irrigation, as well as adjusting sprinklers, to water only where needed. The multilingual campaign includes:<\/p>\n