California American Water Donates Rain Barrels toMonterey Peninsula Schools and Community Gardens|Reuters

Fri May 2, 2014 9:44pm BST

California American Water Donates Rain Barrels toMonterey Peninsula Schools and Communitydecorative barrels Gardens

Donation enables local schools to save thousands ofgallons of water during drought

Building on the 2012 California American WaterEnvironmental Grant to Monterey County BusinessCouncil's Rainwater Catchment and GreywaterRecycling Outreach Program, California AmericanWater recently donated rain barrels to MEarth,Pacific Grove Middle School, Walter Colton Middle

School, Pacific Grove Adult School, Ord Terrace Elementary School and King Elementary School.The rain barrels were installed throughout April and May, and save a minimum of 8,500 gallons ofwater during an annual rainfall year on the Monterey Peninsula. California American Water alsosponsored the building of garden beds at the Pacific Grove Lighthouse Preschool, replete with asupply of native, edible plant seeds and soil.

By harvesting rainwater using rain barrels, these educational centers and community gardens willbe able to cut their water usage and save money on their water bills while still maintaining beautiful,water-friendly grounds and gardens. California American Water contacted local community gardensand schools in the Monterey Peninsula, Pacific Grove and Carmel Unified School Districts. Eachinstitution had specific water needs based on the garden's location and adjacent structures for watercatchment. Local rainwater catchment specialist Roger Manley with Garden Solutions Landscapinghelped to assess these needs and determine the type of water barrel donation necessary for eachlocation.

"By donating rain barrels, California American Waterhopes to reduce the schools' and community gardens'water usage while still maintaining beautiful gardens forstudents and community members to enjoy," saidCalifornia American Water general manager EricSabolsice. "At these educational centers, saving water andcaring for our environment is a lesson that can be learnedearly in life."

MEarth, an environmental education nonprofit center inCarmel, received a 1,500-gallon barrel to complete thesite's original project scope for a total of four 1,500-gallonbarrels to source water for the decorative barrelsbuilding's living roof. California American Water donated1,100-gallon rain barrels to Ord Terrace and Kingelementary schools in Seaside and Walter Colton MiddleSchool in Monterey for use with the middle decorative rain

barrels school's raised garden beds recently constructed by local Eagle Scouts. Pacific Grove MiddleSchool's existing, flourishing garden for native pollinators and adjacent edibles garden received two550-gallon rain barrels. Each of these schools will use the rain barrels as educational tools in theirgardens. Students will learn how they can use the existing resource of rain to grow food and otherplants, while saving water. Each rain barrel has a water level indicator and spigot that allows thestudents to draw water directly from the barrel.

"We are very grateful for this water catchment system as it will allow us to capture rain water to usein our garden. The garden is incorporated into our STEM program here on campus in studyingagriculture, weather patterns, and technology," said Greg Enterline, Science Teacher at WalterColton Middle School.

Pacific Grove Adult School, home to Pacific Grove's Community Garden, houses 60 garden plotsmaintained by community members. With California American Water's donation of a 2,600-gallonrain barrel, complete with a submersible pump and filtration system, a full water catchment systemwas installed. Rainwater can now be collected from the roof with the option to pump the water to thevarious garden plots. California American Water also provided garden beds, soil and native andedible plant seeds to complete the garden at Lighthouse Preschool, a parent cooperative preschoolunder the umbrella of Pacific Grove Adult School.

"Pacific Grove Adult School is striving to do all things possible to conserve water during thedrought," said Pacific Grove Adult School principal Barbara Martinez. "Thanks to Cal-Am, these rainbarrels will reduce our water usage, helping us maintain beautiful gardens for the Pacific Grovecommunity."

After the water barrels were placed, watering cans were provided to each location to encourage useof rainwater throughout the sites. Tularcitos Elementary School in Carmel Valley and FoothillElementary School in Monterey also received watering cans for use in their existing, flourishinggardens.

For more information on rain barrels and other water- and money-saving tips, visitwww.montereywaterinfo.org.

California American Water, a subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), provides high-quality andreliable water and/or wastewater services to approximately 600,000 people.

Founded in 1886, American Water is the largest publicly traded U.S. water and wastewater utilitycompany. With headquarters in Voorhees, N.J., the company employs approximately 6,700 dedicatedprofessionals who provide drinking water, wastewater and other related services to an estimated 14million people in more than 30 states, and parts of Canada. More information can be found byvisiting www.amwater.com.

California American Water

Catherine Stedman

Office: 831-646-3208

Mobile: 831-241-2990

catherine.stedman@amwater.com

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