People Love WaterSmart: Convenient, User-Friendly, Great Infor

FEATURED COLUMNIST People Love WaterSmart

Convenient, User-Friendly, Great Information!

By Rebecca Gold Rubin

The Soquel Creek Water District’s new WaterSmart Customer Portal is an easy-to-use, free online tool giving you more control over your water use and billing, leak detection, and more. Along with our new, intelligent meters (i-Meters) which are now installed for most of our customers, the WaterSmart Customer Portal is part of the District’s overall upgrade to an Advanced Metering Infrastructure.

This is a huge improvement over the District’s former electronic metering system that only produced one water consumption reading per month. With daily and hourly water consumption information, you now have access to the most up-to-date technology for managing water use and billing. Leak detection is much more timely, compared to the old system, by notifying customers within as little as 48-72 hours (in most cases) after a potential leak is detected.

The Portal has the ability to notify you via email, text, or phone alert about potential water leaks in your system, so you can find and fix that leak before it becomes a bigger problem. Once registered, you can also set-up alerts for when your water use level or your bill amount reaches your designated thresholds. That’s kind of an “early warning system” to give you important information sooner so you can minimize water loss due to a leak, reduce potential water damage, and get fewer surprises in your water bills. Plus, with a single log-in you’ll be able to pay your water bill, see how much water your irrigation system uses, identify water-saving opportunities, access conservation resources like waterwise landscaping ideas, and even apply for conservation rebates.

Many District customers are already signed up for this user-friendly, self-service web portal, and we’re hearing great things about their experience.

“I easily set up an alert for my water use threshold, and it’s already been superhelpful on several occasions,” says Paul N., a District water customer in Aptos. “Early-on I got an alert about going over the threshold, and that prompted me to go out and find a leak in my irrigation system. More recently, I had some cement work done, and when the crew was using a lot of water – there was a text alerting me to that unusually high use!” Paul notes that the system is easy to use and has provided him with everything he needs to monitor

his water use.

For JoAnn G., a water customer in Aptos, the new system is a vast improvement over her earlier efforts to track water use. “I used to save my paper water bills for 12 months at a time, so I could compare month-to-month and see where I’m over-using. Now, it’s all right at my fingertips!”

“WaterSmart” page 26

In the Garden

ACROSS

1. Great divide 6. World’s oldest national broadcaster 9. Pasturelands 13. Chinese fruit 14. #9 Across, sing. 15. Clemency 16. One in advertising 17. “____ the land of the free ...” 18. Characteristic of birds 19. *Ongoing job in the garden 21. *Without synthetic fertilizers 23. 2nd tallest bird 24. Theatrical production 25. Curiosity killed it? 28. Additionally 30. Capital of Poland 35. Passage into a mine 37. Prefix in levorotary 39. Mid-century modern, e.g. 40. Toothy wheel 41. *Some are heirlooms 43. Make like a cat 44. Erasable programmable read only memory 46. Stanislavski’s rifle, e.g. 47. Unwanted correspondence 48. Motionless 50. Catch-22 52. “Are you sure?” in a text 53. Freight horse cart 55. Opposite of don’ts 57. *6 or more hours of sunshine 61. *Radicchio or frisée 65. On foot 66. Negative vote 68. 2020 NFL MVP 69. Morrison’s “The ____” 70. Hockey great Bobby 71. Respectable and quiet 72. Sports award 73. Affirmative response 74. Infernos

DOWN

1. Old bathtub foot 2. Opposite of seek 3. Ne plus ultra 4. *Opposite of #57

Across 5. Minimum, pl. 6. Influencer’s journal 7. *Stinging pollinator 8. Holiday song 9. Bulgarian money 10. Julia Roberts’

Academy Awardwinning role 11. Popular smoothie berry 12. Update an iPod 15. Inhabitant of Hungary 20. Nothing, pl. 22. Like sashimi 24. Lack of money 25. *Tomato supports 26. Highly skilled 27. Miss America’s headdress 29. Slowly leak 31. Moves at the gym 32. Monument to

Buddha 33. Orderly arrangement 34. *Wiggly plowers 36. Faster than a walk 38. *Some plants and flowers emit a good one 42. *Type of digger 45. Centers, old-fashioned 49. French vineyard 51. *Last of 3 numbers on a bag of fertilizer 54. Be a pest 56. Washington, e.g. 57. Grow dim 58. Extraterrestrials’ rides 59. Pilot’s stunt 60. Type of parrot 61. “Musical” constellation 62. Russian mountain chain 63. *Type of garden hose that saves space 64. Goes with “odds” 67. Am is to I as ____ is to we

We are in the full light of Aries now, following Easter and the Aries full moon festival. The Aries energy will continuetill the end of April, when Taurus begins. Aries is the first sign of the zodiac. It is the initiating idea, a new idea for the new spiritual year. Aries is apoint of light faint and flickering, seeking what can receive its divine expression. Aries drops an electric fire to the Earth.

Electric fire is that aspect of God that creates heat and a fire that can burn and destroy. As the firstzodiacal sign, Aries, with mars, calls each individual to courage, to bravery, to fiery impulses, to fearlessness. This is the path of Earth experienceunder Aries. With Mars, the personality ruler of Aries, what we experience is the fire of challenge, war, strife, and conflict. These are the keynotesof the life of the personality. Later, Mercury, the fire of knowledge comes forth and illuminates the mind.

The Plan for humanity is patterned not through the energy of Mars (war, strife, separation), but through the energy of Mercury (knowledge, the Mind, harmony, unification). It thus furthers us to develop ourmental faculties, for they are the same pattern and prototype as the Mind of God, from which humanity issued forth. Upcoming astrological events: Easter, the Resurrection (Aries) festival is Sunday, April 4th. It’s a practical day with Capricorn moon. Sunday, April 11this the first spring new moon, 22 Aries. At new moon times we support and endeavors of the New Group of World Servers, extending kindness to all the kingdoms. Mercury leaves Aries (fire) and enters Taurus (earth) April 14th. We begin to seek comfort everywhere. Saturday, April 17this a very complex day. Every planet and star seems to be activated that day. Care and mindfulness is needed. Monday, April 19th, Sun enters Taurus and the Forces of Enlightenment sweep into the Earth, preparing us for the Taurus Festival, the Wesak Buddha Full moon festival, Monday, April 26th, the most important full moon for the year.

ARIES

Everything changed for you when the Sun entered Aries. Your energy lifted and became more available. You were no longer drowning in the waters of Pisces. You feel more impatient now, wanting to move forward, engage in new enterprises, make new impressions in the world. You might feel the need to assume leadership over everyone and everything. Careful. Be kind. Be a gracious and benevolent leader, and understand you move and think more quickly than others. Always have love.

TAURUS

You tell everyone you’d rather remain at home and research and not go out and about for a long long time. You want to catch up on tasks not tended to the past many years. Needing to maintain reserves of energy to get through each day, you need privacy and long solitary walks. Many previously learned behaviors may arise. Observe them. Consider, are they useful? If not, eliminate them. You may dream more. Record all dreams. Over time they tell you a story.

GEMINI

You need to recite mantrams and positive affiliations as well as sharing with groups of friends, seeking their cooperation in either working on a project with you or listening to you with care and intention so you can clarify your thinking. If leading a group, mentor them in cooperation, organize them as a team to achieve a particular goal. Ask each member their hopes, wishes, dreams and aspirations for the future. You’re achieving Aquarian goals, guiding people to ack with intelligence and benevolence.

LEO

You may feel a longing for things far from your usual life and ways of living. Other cultures, people, places and things are summoning you in subtle persistent ways. We have been hidden away for a year now. So, you’re restless for new realities, new journeys, a new adventure. You need new activities, conversations, goals, new subjects to study. An outer fire blends with your inner Leo fire. Everything you seek will appear. Careful with legal issues. Cultivate patience.

VIRGO

You may be called to be more helpful and cooperative and it may be a challenge. But you can do this. Relationships will actually be the challenge, possible, due to confusion, activating a wound. It may be good to consult with someone concerning how to accommodate more easily and settle differences and how to allow everyone to be heard. Careful with impatience and ending things too quickly. Reconcile with those you have had differences. It’s always good to love more.

LIBRA

Life seems to be accelerating, moving faster each day. Sometimes those around you move too quickly and you feel left behind. Perhaps you’re working too hard and too long. Even though you may have abundant energy, tend to your health making this an important priority and a consistent daily practice. Careful with inflammation and infections, too. Begin to slow down on grains and sweets. Eat apples and drink celery juice in the morning. Be calm with co-workers.

SAGITTARIUS

There’s so much energy flowing through your body and mind you simply can’t seem to slow down and you think perhaps you have no selfdiscipline. Use and direct the unbounded energy for creative activities. You could also take up a sport and/or find children, or those who are childlike, to play with. Romantic things are good too and your love life may call forth a deeper level of passion. Make sure you get enough sleep. Don’t risk anything taking changes. Do play (innocently) more. Reveal yourself more, too. It has unsuspecting consequences.

CAPRICORN

Much of your energy is focused at home or where your domestic self resides. You’re highly instinctual at this time and protective. It’s important that you feel secure because you are called to make important decisions concerning family and the home. When feeling unusually moody or frustrated tend to home repairs and re-arrange family activities. Step back if arguments begin. Old emotional issues may resurface. They’ve arrived for review. Soothe them with prayers. Then they disappear.

AQUARIUS

So many ideas and plans on your mind that you feel a bit overwhelmed and scattered and so you try to share these ideas with others but so many errands and tasks come in between you and sharing with others that you feel frustrated and can move into arguments if you’re not careful. Realizing you could feel impatient and impulsive, be careful driving and when using machinery, scissors or knives (while cooking). Your inventive original mind slowly reveals your future. You adapt to all the changes around you with skill and humor.

CANCER

You want to be recognized for your knowledge, abilities, and what you accomplish each day. It’s good to want this recognition for it stimulates your ability to share and provide information to others. Many are in need of real and true information. You always ask the question, “What is real and true?” When we ask, the answers are always given. For those seeking new work or a profession, after mid-May it’s easier to step forward into the world. It is waiting for you.

SCORPIO

Intimacy is important for you at this time. There are many types of intimacy — from friendship to lovers, intimacy of the mind, the heart, and physical intimacy. Things held in common with another is an intimacy. Knowing your values is an intimate level concerning the self. Sometimes, intimacies end and new intimacies begins. Both affect you deeply. Be aware of your subtle and hidden feelings. Realize what you need. Ask for it. Intimates will respond with care.

PISCES

As the new spiritual and astrological year begin, it’s good to create a new journal of values (past, present and future) and aspirations). Draw in your journal too and paste in images. We can ascertain true values by deciding what we need. Tend to monetary issues — bank accounts, taxes, insurance, inheritances, precious metals, etc. With Venus in Aries, money, values and resources need close attention. Don’t impulse buy. It’s important also, to acknowledge your value and worth. What about yourself do you value?

Customers have let us know they are very happy with the WaterSmart Customer Portal, using words like, “Convenient,” “User-friendly,” “So cool!” and “Useful, timely information.”

“WaterSmart” from page 25

She goes on to say, “We’re dedicated to water conservation, and the WaterSmart portal makes it much easier. I re-started my garden that hadn’t been used for a few years, and I can quickly get accurate information about its impact on water use. It even shows precipitation information, so I have the whole picture. I especially like that it’s a one-stop-shop for everything – water use detail and alerts, conservation education tools and rebates, and bill paying.”

Other customers have let us know they are very happy with the WaterSmart Customer Portal, using words like, “Convenient,” “User-friendly,” “So cool!” and “Useful, timely information.”

Are you signed up to access your WaterSmart Customer Portal? First, make sure we have your current email address on file, as that’s an important tool in the functionality. Call us at 831.475.8500, or email us at custserv@soquelcreekwater. org to update your information. Then, go online to SoquelCreekWD.watersmart. com. Make sure you have your water account number as it appears on your water bill or on your WaterSmart welcome letter. Follow the prompts to register, and that’s it!

Our Advanced Metering Infrastructure ois funded through the District’s Water Demand Offset Program, which requires that new building developments offset their projected water demand by funding new conservation or supply projects within the District. Those fees have funded other water-saving programs like rebates on the installation of thousands of ultra-high efficiency toilets, urinals, showerheads, and aerators, and turf replacement rebates.

Tracking your water use and your billing trends has never been easier, or more information-rich! We’re happy to be providing you with the latest technology to help you use water efficiently, support sustainability of the groundwater basin, have better control over your water use billing, and save money. n •••

As always, if you have any questions about this month’s topic or anything else related to Soquel Creek Water District, feel free to contact us at outreach@soquelcreekwater.org or visit soquelcreekwater.org.