Cooperino residents Sherry Stein and her husband planted a victory garden to fight the California drought, not to grow food.
Stains used an experimental project in the city of Copertino to help residents build a climate victory garden in their front yard. These gardens are drought tolerant and can be irrigated from clothing to landscape gray water systems.
“15% of household water use is an easy way to save on domestic water use,” said Months Re Stein, who installed a gray water system in her laundry room two months ago. “I don’t have to go out and water my trees, and they are really healthy and growing. What else can I do with all that water? ”
To install a gray water system, sinks and dryers must be on the outside wall. Once the system is in place, homeowners should use a chemical-free soap that kills sodium or waterlogged plants.
Climate Victory Gardens should be located in a front or side yard of at least 500 square feet and in a public area.
“We were chosen because we were on the road from the park,” says Stein. She added that some neighbors have applied for the long-awaited program.
Residents selected to participate in the pilot program will work with Santa Cruz-based ecology measures to create custom planting and irrigation designs.
Stein said she and her husband had researched the local plants they wanted to use in the new front yard.
“We want the leaves to be different, we need some color and we need fruit,” he said. Drought-resistant gardens should not be ugly.
Once the design is complete, residents can choose an ecological action contractor to complete the landscaping project at an affordable price. To this end, homeowners are encouraged to help with the installation of stains.
While the new garden is still in its infancy, Stein said plant life should cover the front yard in about three years.
Ecology Action will also help homeowners apply for discounts on their winning markets, including the $ 400 Valley Water Gray Reduction Program to install a laundry-to-landscape system.
Reusing laundry water to irrigate the yard could cut domestic water use by 4,600 gallons a year, said Justin Burke of the Valley Water.
“The bathroom is really easy to maintain,” says Burkes. He opened a drain in Stein’s yard to inspect any lint or other leftovers from the sink.
In March, Valley Valley asked Santa Clara County residents and businesses to reduce their water use by 15% from 2019 standards. That month, the Water District saw a 25% increase over March 2019. In July, consumption dropped to 6% lower than two years ago.
For Steins, programs such as the Winter Garden are a way to do their part to guide this figure.
We know what we’re going through in this situation, so we’re really thinking about water conservation, ”said Stein. We must do this, otherwise we will not have drinking water.
Cupertino residents interested in participating in the Climate Victory Garden Project can book a free, free site visit by visiting cupertino.org/ClimateGarden.
For more information on Valley Water Discount Programs, visit https://www.valleywater.org/saving-water/rebates-surveys.