Information provided by the Water Resources Association of San Benito County.

The Water Resources Association of San Benito County sponsored their first annual Water Conservation Video contest and winners have been announced. The contest was for high school and college students living in San Benito County.

The top three winners are San Benito High School students:

• Michael Outman – First place ($1,000)
• Chloe Bessette – Second place ($500)
• Erik Dominguez Mojica – Third place ($300)

The winners will be honored in May during Water Awareness Month and the start of the irrigation season in San Benito County. The videos are also expected to be shown on the BenitoLink and other local media outlets.

For more information on the Water Resources Association of San Benito County, call (831) 637-4378 or visit their website www.wrasbc.org.

The association represents the City of Hollister, City of San Juan Bautista, Sunnyslope County Water District and the San Benito County Water District for all their water conservation and water resource protection programs.

The Water Resources Association of San Benito County uses the three tools below to assist them in getting the community to conserve and use water efficiently:

1. Incentives: Toilet Replacement Program (rebates and free toilets), Landscape Hardware Rebates, Free Water Wise Landscape Plans, Water Softener Assistance, and Rebate Program, FREE Home Water Checkups
2. Education: Workshops, School Programs that includes field trips to a water treatment plant and wastewater facility (transportation paid by the association), supplying a speaker to Service Organizations and government entities to explain water issues in San Benito County. Outreach also takes place at festivals, the Farmers’ Market and the San Benito County Fair.
3. Legislation: The association reviews landscape plans for compliance with the State’s Model Efficient Landscape Ordinance. The association assists people transition from self-regulating water softeners that use salt and/or potassium after ordinances were adopted by the City of Hollister and the Sunnyslope County Water District prohibiting the installation of these appliances. During extreme droughts, as in 2015, the association assists with enforcement of water restrictions.