California American Water Seeks Water-Efficient 'Blue Thumb' Gardeners to Star in Advertising Campaign

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Feb. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- California American Water is seeking Sacramento-area customers to star in a new television and radio advertising campaign, promoting water efficiency at home. The campaign, in partnership with the Regional Water Authority, will highlight residents who have created water-efficient landscapes and creatively incorporated conservation activities into their daily routines.

"Conservation is too often sold as an onerous responsibility with very little personal reward," said Andy Soule, California American Water's Northern District General Manager. "However, we have many customers in our service area who have made conservation an agricultural art and have shown a great talent for creating beautiful yet water-efficient landscapes."

The campaign will feature residents in their own gardens talking about how they earned their "blue thumb" by using water efficiently outdoors through every-day tasks. Examples include ensuring sprinklers water the lawn instead of the sidewalk, adjusting their irrigation system according to the season, using shut-off nozzles on their hoses, etc.

California American Water invites residents to nominate either themselves or someone else they know who has a water-efficient landscape to be showcased in the public service campaign. A water-wise landscape uses efficient irrigation, seasonal water scheduling and efficient design to ensure water is not wasted.

"I believe our customers care deeply about the state of our water supply as many have gone above and beyond the call to ensure its viability," Soule said. "This campaign is to highlight some of the innovative ways folks are saving water in our service district. It will also let people know that we are in this together and be a good way to share some ideas that others may be able to incorporate into their conservation routine."

The campaign will also highlight daily practices people employ to keep their landscapes water efficient while looking good.

Examples include:

• Making sure timers are set according to the season and local watering guidelines.
• Adjusting sprinklers and watering times to prevent overspray and runoff.
• Fixing water-wasting problems in the irrigation system quickly.
• Using a shut-off valve on a hose nozzle.
• Using a broom instead of water to clean driveways, patios and sidewalks.
• Checking the irrigation system every month for leaks and broken sprinkler heads.
• Installing drip irrigation systems.

To qualify to participate in the campaign, residents must be within a California American Water district. Those interested in participating and wanting more information are encouraged to visit www.rwah20.org. Nomination and entry forms will be accepted through Feb. 22. The campaign will launch in April and run through August 2010.

California American Water, a wholly owned subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), provides high-quality and reliable water and/or wastewater services to more than 600,000 people. Founded in 1886, American Water is the largest investor-owned U.S. water and wastewater utility company. With headquarters in Voorhees, N.J., the company employs more than 7,000 dedicated professionals who provide drinking water, wastewater and other related services to approximately 15 million people in 32 states and Ontario, Canada. More information can be found by visiting www.amwater.com.

SOURCE California American Water