After-hours emergencies 
Conservation
Following a second dry winter, it appears that California is headed toward another drought. While strict emergency measures are not currently in effect, it is our responsibility to use water wisely at all times. Using less water now will preserve supplies for times when they are needed most and lessen the severity of emergency measures. BSMWC encourages all shareholders to conserve whenever possible. This will help sustain our groundwater supply and reduce the need for more expensive imported water.
Drought
The entire state is currently experiencing some level of drought, with some areas facing more extreme conditions than other areas. To see the latest conditions across California, CLICK HERE to visit the drought monitor for weekly updates.
How Can You Help?
Bellflower-Somerset Mutual Water Company has a groundwater supply capable of meeting the demands of our shareholders. To preserve this supply and ensure it remains sustainable for future generations, we all need to do our part to conserve water. CLICK HERE to learn more.
Drought-Resistant Landscaping
The trend toward landscaping with native and California-friendly plants is increasing as more people recognize the aesthetic and environmental advantages. An informative source for water-efficient gardening is www.bewaterwise.com, where you can check the current watering index for efficient irrigation, review photos and descriptions of 1,000 California native and friendly plants, gather information on the design and maintenance of water-efficient gardens and yards, and more.
Efficient outdoor water use is significant because that’s where up to 70 percent of a home’s water is used in Southern California. By cutting back on outdoor irrigation, Southern California can save up to 12 percent of the region’s water supplies—water that can be put into storage for use during dry periods.
Drips and leaks can waste a considerable amount of water
A faucet that drips once each second will send 5 gallons of water down the drain each day. Slow leaks from toilets are even worse, as they can waste up to 200 gallons each day! In many cases, replacing washers will fix dripping faucets while a new flapper can resolve toilet leaks.
Signs of leaks in other areas, such as under sinks, around a water heater, or in areas where you don’t expect to find water may require repairs by a plumber. If you suspect a leak outside your home or business, give us a call, BSMWC will send someone as a courtesy to check your meter for possible leaks. Note: It is the shareholder’s responsibility to repair leaks between the meter and building.
Educational Resources
Here you can find some of our favorite water-saving tips and resources. If you’re looking for more conservation tips please visit:
Virtual Education Programs
If you are interested in any of these FREE programs please contact Program Coordinator, Mikayla Coleman, at mikayla@bsmwc.com
Artwork Contest
K-12th Grade
Bellflower-Somerset Mutual Water Company (BSMWC) hosts an annual poster contest where students are encouraged to create posters which depict water being used wisely at home, in the community, in recreation, in the environment or new water saving ideas for the future. Our goal is to get students thinking about the importance of our most valuable natural resource—water.
BSMWC judges the posters based on creativity, spelling and originality. BSMWC picks the top three posters from elementary, middle school and high school and awards the students with an Amazon gift card. The first TEN teachers to have their ENTIRE class submit posters will receive an art kit!
NEW This Year! Classrooms located within the BSMWC service area are eligible for a FREE art supply kit (valued at $70) that includes crayons and colored pencils for the entire class. Limited kits are available and the online form MUST be completed by February 28th. Art supplies will be mailed directly to the school once selected.
The winning entries advance to the Metropolitan Water District’s regional poster contest where 36 entries will be selected to be featured in MWD’s Water is Life calendar which is distributed to schools and the community. The artwork is also featured in a traveling art show, on MWD outreach materials and will appear on MWD’s website for a week.
Virtual Scavenger Hunt
K-6th Grade
BSMWC is offering Virtual Scavenger Hunts throughout the school year with new items to hunt for each time! The offered scavenger hunt will be with Mikayla Coleman. Students will get to learn about BSMWC and how vital water is to our everyday lives. We are going to challenge the students to think critically while having fun “hunting” for items in their house. Once the students have completed the virtual scavenger hunt, a prize and activity will be mailed to the address provided.
*Contact Program Coordinator for more information
Mini Science Challenge
4-6th Grade
This Project Based Learning program is designed for 4th-6th grade classrooms. Students will have the opportunity to compete in a new challenge each month against other students from their same grade and from schools across the BSMWC service area. 1st-3rd place winners in each grade level will be selected in the following categories: Hands-on Experiment, Writing Challenge, and the Public Service Announcement (PSA). This program is aligned to grade appropriate standards and will challenge students with all aspects of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM).
Conservation Regulations
The City of Bellflower currently has the following conservation rules in effect. We encourage all residents to abide by these rules. In the case that a violation of these rules occur, violators may be subject to fines from the City of Bellflower. BSMWC is not affiliated with the city regarding these fines.
No washing down sidewalks, driveways or other paved surfaces.
No watering lawns between 10:00a.m. and 5:00p.m.
No watering the lawn more than 2 days per week. Even numbered properties will be Mondays and Thursdays and odd numbered properties will be Tuesdays and Fridays.
No watering the lawn within 48 hours after rain.
Any leaks on the property must be fixed as soon as possible.
No washing of vehicles unless using a handheld bucket or automatic shutoff nozzle.
No cleaning, filling or maintaining water levels in a decorative fountain, unless it is recirculating water.
Did You Know?
Dual flush toilet:
Did you know that toilets are the biggest water consumers in your household? At least 30% of water usage is from our toilets. Dual flush toilets are unique because they use a larger diameter trap ways that doesn’t clog as often as a conventional toilet, needs less water to flush efficiently and saves more water than a low flow toilet when flushing liquid waste.
Low Flow Water Efficient Shower head:
Standard shower heads use 2.5 gallons of water per minute. Meaning an average length shower would use 11+ gallons of water total. The low flow showerhead cuts that water usage in half by only using 1.5 gallons of water per minute. This is a simple change that can save an average family home 2,000 gallons of water per year. For installation unscrew the current showerhead and replace with the low flow showerhead. If you need help selecting water efficient devices, please visit:
