Archive for Around the District
April 10, 2019
Roadwork continues on routes 243 and 74. PCWD provides support for the construction projects.
Click for May 9 Aerial Video hwy 243
Click for April 19 Aerial Video hwy 74
Click for April 12 Aerial Video hwy 243
Click for April 10 Aerial Video hwy 74
Click for April 1 Aerial Video hwy 243 & 74
Click for March 20 Aerial Video hwy 74
Posted in: Around the District, Community, Road Conditions
Leave a Comment (0) →Thinking gardening time is just around the corner? Just in time for spring cleaning, the PCWD offers free mulch and wood chips to its customers. If you are interested in either wood chips or mulch just come on by anytime the piles are located just past the office outside the yard fence. Both are great for gardening, holding in moisture of soil and they make a nice added touch to spruce up your yard or potted plants.
You must bring your own materials to gather or shovel and haul the mulch or wood chips away. If you need a larger load of either call the office and we can deliver a dump truck load for $100 delivery charge.
Last month, we received a lot of moisture in a short period of time. There was water wasted due to customer valves being left on. We believe all customer leaks have been located and turned off. At least 1.2 million gallons of water was wasted. There are damages from the storm. There are roads to repair and main lines to secure. As weather continues to be warmer and drier, we are preparing to start the necessary repairs to the District roads and facilities. The plan is to accomplish this over the next two to three months and then the District crews will continue our main line project on Pine Ridge, Deer Path and Laurel Trail. Our goal is to tie all the meter connections to the new main line and abandon the old 4” main line. Extensions will continue on Rosaline and Laurel Trail as time and weather allow us, this fall.
A special thanks to Supervisor Washington and his legal assistant Opel Helwig, for their continued support of the PCWD through CSA #38. Many large steamer fire hydrants that have been purchased by CSA #38, are an asset to our community. We will continue to install larger main lines to accommodate these hydrants.
Due to all of the great moisture we received and our anticipation that the ground water levels will improve, effective 4/1/2019, we will be returning to Stage 1 water conservation level, which is “voluntary compliance”. Rates do not change between stages, up or down. Although, as previously approved thru Prop 218 process, a multi-year plan was adopted, and effective 4/1/2019, the bi-monthly rate of $65.00 will increase to $68.00. The increase for the cost per 1000 gallons will show up on your 6/1/2019 billing statement. All charges of the District were based on costs determined by our Engineering firm last year.
MHI Survey: All customers within our District have received two requests from California Rural Water requesting income information. This process is part of the Median Household Income Survey, requested for and paid for by PCWD. Many of you have responded, but If you are not comfortable with doing so, I’m fine with that. I understand. However, a third notice will be sent out in the near future. If you have NOT filled one out before, please do so. We are only 20 responses short to hit the minimum amount needed. If completed, I believe this will save us thousands of dollars a year, and most important, it will improve the opportunity to receive grant funds and low interest loans.
Our Board of Directors and District staff continues to be very transparent. We encourage our customers to visit our website and blog. Viewing both helps you learn and stay informed of whats happening in the Pine Cove Water District. The Board meets monthly, the 2nd Wednesday @ 10:00 am, and as always, the meeting is open to the public. And yes, I continue to have an open door policy and I encourage everyone to call or come see me if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions. Please!
Unfortunately, our weather station up top at Rocky Point Property has not been working properly. It shows the weather, but not the accumulation of rain/snow. We are in the process of researching options and hoping to have the new system up and running on the website soon. This spring, we will be adding more webcams on our Dutch Flats properties, for wildlife and to aid us in keeping an eye out for trespassers.
Coming up is fiscal year 2019/2020. I don’t anticipate many changes. We plan on continuing our Leak Reward and Rebate Programs, giving away compost and wood chips, being as helpful and transparent as possible to each and every customer.
If you haven’t already, please provide or update your email address with the District Office staff. E-mails are a great tool to help us inform you, of important items and emergencies. Contact the office with your info. We will not sell or give your info to private enterprises.
We can’t stress enough how important it is to shut your water off when you leave your mountain home, located at or near our water meter. You will find it by the green 4’ stake.
Hwy’s 243 and 74 remain closed, estimated to be maybe 4 months until the opening. For up to date info, please go to the Idyllwild Town Crier website.
24-7/365 days a year, one of us will always be on call, for after hour emergencies. Please call 951-294-8282. If you need to get in touch with Becky or Lindsay in the office, please call between 9-4 Mon-Friday at 951-659-2675. If you need to fax anything, our fax # is 951-659-3112. Jerry can be reached at the office number, or on his cell 951-236-9163. Please visit our website and blog at www.pcwd.org.
At last weeks board meeting Jerry was happy to announce that the winter’s heavy precipitation has given us enough water to get out of Stage 2 water restrictions. This is great news for the district and its customers. As of April 1st we will be starting Stage 1 voluntary compliance. As always, PCWD encourages the customers to conserve our precious water. PCWD customers have always done a great job about conservation so keep up the great work!
Please remember to turn your water off at the customer valve at the street when you leave your mountain home.
In the last month we have experienced very cold temperatures and with cold temperatures comes an increased risk of frozen or burst pipes and leaks. In the past four weeks the workers have been out searching, listening, and assessing for leaks. Countless hours of digging to uncover water meters. Many emergency shutoffs have been called in because of leaks. The water production had doubled in a short time and with all the leaks we found combined the total of water is a minimum of 1,200,700 gallons. Wow.
There were 25 leaks located around the district and 20 of them are not full time residents and they did not shut the water off at the street at the customer valve.
We appreciate all the help from our customers in locating a leak and as always you will receive a leak reward for calling in a confirmed leak on a property tat isn’t your own. As always we highly recommend shutting off your customer valve at the street if you plan to leave your mountain home for 24 hours or more.
Recently, we had to send out an emergency email to all of our customers that had an email address on file. The message was in regards to freezing temperatures, and broken pipes. We were producing twice the amount of water we should be for this time of year, and we needed to get the word out quickly that houses and pipes needed to be checked for running water.
In this process, we have identified the accounts that do not have an email address on file. While we understand that not everyone has an email address, we wanted to try one more time to make sure that our records are complete, and that you can receive immediate notice if there is a problem with your property, or in the District. Perhaps if you don’t have an email address, you have someone in your immediate family that does? We would be happy to add that address and notify someone of your choice that could get the message to you?
If you do not have an email, or if you do not have someone that has one we could send an emergency notice to, please also let us know that. We would like to come up with a way to also notify those accounts, in an emergency situation.
We would like to be able to keep our customers informed as best we can. If you are unsure if you have an email account on file or would like to update to a current email address pleas feel free to contact the office by phone or email.
All customer information is ONLY used for PCWD’s records and will not be sold or used for any soliciting purposes.
Lindsay Owen Office Assistant
(951)659-2675 lowen@pcwd.com
One of the many wonderful things we get to experience in this beautiful mountain town is all the wild life. I love spring time and seeing the beautiful butterflies touch down in my garden is magical. While butterfly bushes do attract these majestic creatures, it is actually milk weed where Monarch butterflies call home, mate and lay their eggs.
Planting milkweed will support the monarch populations, and their incredible migration. Monarchs cannot survive without milkweed. Monarch butterflies need milkweed to lay their eggs and the caterpillars of these butterflies only eat milkweed plants. We have lost much milkweed from the natural landscape with shifting land management practices. Planting milkweed is a great way to help other pollinators too because milkweed provides valuable nectar to many types of bees and butterflies.
Adult monarchs will drink the nectar of milkweed and many other flowers. In fact, they need sources of nectar to nourish them throughout the entire growing season. Include a variety of native flowering species with different bloom times to provide monarchs with the food they need to reproduce in the spring and summer and to migrate in the fall. Offering a wide array of native nectar plants will attract monarchs and many other butterflies and pollinators to your habitat all season long.
You can check with local native plant nurseries or greenhouses for their recommendations of good pollinator plants for your area.
Milkweeds can be propagated from seeds, cuttings, and, in some cases, from root divisions. Milkweed seeds can be planted in prepared beds outdoors or started indoors in flats. We recommend the latter approach since germination rates are usually higher indoors and it is easier to establish your milkweeds with transplanted seedlings that are well-rooted and therefore more resistant to weather extremes and pests.
Harvest and Storage of Milkweed Seeds
If you have some milkweed and would like more for next year to promote butterfly a habitat in your garden; the timing of the collection of milkweed pods or seeds is critical. Mature pods are those that are within a day or two of opening. If you squeeze the pods and they don’t open easily, they usually do not contain mature brown seeds. Seeds well into the process of browning and hardening will germinate when planted the next season. Pale or white seeds should be not collected.
Preparation for planting
To stratify seeds, place them in cold, moist potting soil (sterilized soil is best but is not required) in a dark place for several weeks or months. Since most people prefer not to place potting soil in their refrigerators, an alternative is to place the seeds between moist paper towels in a plastic bag. This procedure works well, in part because there are fewer fungi and bacteria available to attack the seeds. After a stratification period of 3-6 weeks, the seeds can be planted in warm (70˚F), moist soil. Without stratification, the percentage of seeds that germinate is usually low.
Germinating, Growing and Transplanting
Milkweed seedlings can be started indoors in a greenhouse or under artificial lighting and then transplanted outdoors after the average date of last frost. If seeds are started indoors, allow 4-8 weeks growing time before transplanting. Plastic flats can be used to start the seeds. Fill the flats with a soil mix thoroughly soak the soil, and let the excess water drain. Sow the seeds by scattering them on the soil surface 1/4-1/2 inch apart, and then cover with about 1/4 inch of additional soil mix. Gently mist the soil surface with water to dampen the additional soil mix that has been added. To improve germination rates, you can place the seeds in packets made from paper towels and soak them in warm water for 24 hours prior to planting. This method seems to work especially well for seeds of species that require stratification.
After the seeds are sown in the flats, cover each flat with a clear plastic cover or a plastic bag to keep the seeds from drying out while germinating. Then, place the flat under grow lights, in a warm sunny window, or in a greenhouse. Most seeds will germinate in 7-10 days if the flats are maintained at 75˚F. After the seeds have germinated, remove the plastic covering from the flats. Once the seedlings have emerged, the soil should be kept moist by watering the flat from the bottom. You can water from the bottom by placing the flat in a sink or a larger flat filled with 2 inches of water until moisture appears on the soil surface. The soil should be kept moist but some care is needed to keep the seedlings from getting too wet to prevent any fungal growth.
The plants are ready to be transplanted when they are about 3-6 inches in height. Before transplanting, acclimate the plants to outdoor conditions for a few days by placing them in a sheltered location during the day and then bringing them indoors at night. The seedlings should be planted 6-24 inches apart depending on the species (check the back of your seed packets for information). Newly transplanted plants should be watered frequently. Add mulch around the seedlings soon after planting. The mulch holds in the moisture and minimizes the growth of competing weeds. The seedlings should be fertilized 2-3 times during the growing season if using water-soluble fertilizer or once a season if you utilize a granulated time-release formulation.
When to Plant
Milkweed seeds can be sown outdoors after the danger of frost has passed. Plant the seeds early since those planted late in the season may not germinate because of high temperatures. Keep in mind that seeds have a range of soil temperatures at which they will germinate. Remember sunny conditions can cause the soil temperatures can be much higher in daytime. Germination outdoors depends on soil moisture and temperature and could take several weeks if conditions are not ideal.
February is here and we hope everyone has enjoyed 2018 thus far. It has been interesting weather wise and we are still hoping and anxiously awaiting for more moisture to come to our mountain. We need rain and snow soon to help keep our wells full, our forest healthy and fire danger low.
New Customers:
Pine Cove Water District would like to welcome all our new customers! Our records indicate there are 68 new customers to Pine Cove since July. PCWD, would like to remind all customers to turn your water off at the customer valve when leaving your mountain home. If you don’t know where your customer valve is or how to turn it off please give the office a call during normal business hours (Mon-Fri 9am-4pm) and we would be happy to assist you.
Snow/Rain:
Pine Cove has received an extremely low percentage of recorded rain/snow compared to yearly averages. We are currently facing the possibility of stage two water restrictions in our near future.
Last year’s moisture considerably improved the state’s and PCWD’ s water supply and eased drought conditions. As of today, all indications show water restrictions will remain in place and it is important for us to continue to conserve water. PCWD encourages long term water conservation measures as well as planning for future drought conditions. Water conservation should remain a way of life!
Billing:
February billing was sent out last week please read the informational inserts with your bill. We send out water bills every two months on the even months. Your bill will be due on the 25th of this month and April is the next billing month. We greatly appreciate you paying your bill in a timely manner and paying on time prevents a late fee of $15 from being added to your bill.
We have purchased a new billing system which will roll out with the April bill and more options (online payments) will be available so keep an eye out on more information regarding the upcoming improvements.
If you are a renter, you can always call the office to obtain balance information. All water bills are kept in the homeowners name. Landlords and tenants are urged to make arrangements on how the water bills will be handled.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding you billing or any other District business; please, contact us during normal business hours by phone, email or stop in the office.
Phone: 951-659-2675
Office: 24917 Marion Ridge Road, right next to the fire station
Email: becky@pcwd.org
Office Hours: 9 am to 4 pm, Monday through Friday.
Also, if you haven’t ordered your address number plaque from the Pine Cove Fire Station, please do! They are free to CSA 38 service area customers (Pine Cove). Having a visible reflective sign to display your address will greatly assist the fire department or ambulance if they need to find you.
The overwhelming demand for online payment processing has been heard.
Coming soon, PCWD customers will be able to make payments online using a Visa, Master card, Discover card, Debt card (with a logo) or E-check for a small convenience fee. Customers will also now have the option to set up automatic banking. As usual customers can still mail a check or bring a check or cash to the office. Customers will also be able to view their water bill online as well.
We are excited to be able to offer these new services to our customers. For years, our customers have asked about the ability to make online payment and we hope to even further customer satisfaction by offering these new features.