Yuba Water Agency, with other public water providers, will offer conservation kits that can decrease water use and lower water bills for area residents. Photo courtesy of Yuba Water Agency

MARYSVILLE, CA (MPG) – Yuba Water Agency is teaming up with several local public water providers to offer water conservation kits to Yuba County residents as part of a local Water Conservation Pilot Program. The agency’s board of directors unanimously approved the program during its March 5 meeting.

“Even though it’s raining right now and our local water supplies are in good shape, we can’t count on that in the future,” said Yuba Water General Manager Willie Whittlesey. “So the more we do to make water conservation a way of life now, the more resilient our communities will be in the future.”

Yuba Water Agency is providing up to $50,000 to develop 1,500 conservation kits and is partnering with Olivehurst Public Utility District, Linda County Water District, Wheatland Water District and North Yuba Water District to distribute them to their residential customers. The kits’ goal is to decrease water use and, ideally, water bills for Yuba County residents.

The kits are expected to be ready by late spring and will include practical items such as a rain sprinkler gauge, kitchen and bathroom faucet aerators, a water-saving garden hose nozzle and shower heads. Additionally, they will include a link to a website with other water conservation tips for items such as detecting and addressing common household leaks.

Although Yuba Water Agency is not a residential water supplier (the agency provides wholesale water to eight local irrigation districts), its core missions include ensuring a sustainable and reliable water supply for Yuba County.

Also at the March 5 meeting, Yuba Water Agency approved $4,000 to help the Dobbins/Oregon House Fire Protection District replace a failing fire hydrant at the Alcouffe Community Center in Oregon House. The hydrant is the main source of water that the department uses to help fight fires in its service area.

Learn more about Yuba Water Agency at yubawater.org.