Most of us would like to live and work in pleasant surroundings. Since that includes the outside as well as the inside, landscaping that requires routine maintenance would be part of the picture. Landscaping requires water, and the more water used on the landscape, the higher the water bill will be. With all the rain we’ve had recently, the idea that we need to watch our water use might seem odd. However, we still live in an environment that is semi-desert, and the competition between various stakeholders for available water continues to grow. None of this will change in the short term or long term. With that in mind, the free giveaway and rebate that the Irvine Ranch Water District (IRWD) is currently offering to its customers are worth taking a look at.

First, IRWD residential customers are eligible for up to 25 free, water-efficient El Toro Precision Series Spray Nozzles, and businesses are eligible for up to 100 sprinkler nozzles. This program is in effect through April 30. For information on eligibility and applying, see FreeSprinklerNozzles.com. (Note: Golden State Water Company is also participating in the sprinkler nozzle giveaway.)

Second, IRWD is offering a rebate of $1.50 per square foot when grass is removed and replaced with a water-efficient alternative. The rebate is available to residential and commercial customers. In addition, minimum and maximum requirements exist. The minimum rebate requires at least 250 square feet of lawn removal, and the maximum is limited to 10,000 square feet of lawn removal. However, exceptions to the minimum and maximum exist. For information on these exceptions as well as on eligibility and applying for this program, see the IRWD’s Turf Removal Rebate Program webpage. Applications must be submitted by May 25.

In addition to saving on your individual water bill, reducing your water use can have indirect positive effects on your bank balance. The water you use inside your home or office flows into the local sewer system where it is treated before ending up in the ocean. However, the water used on your lawn and sidewalk flows into a storm drain and then flows into the ocean without treatment. That means fertilizers and pesticides as well as oil and debris that is on the lawn and sidewalk will end up in the ocean. The resulting pollution, which is costly to clean up, can bring about unsightly beaches and negative health effects. This discourages tourists from visiting our beaches, which means less business for hotels, restaurants and other local companies. In other words, a hit to our economy. These direct and indirect costs to each water user are some of the reasons to reduce water use whenever possible.

Note: IRWD serves homes and businesses that are located in Irvine, portions of the cities of Lake Forest, Portola Hills, Foothill Ranch, Newport Coast, Tustin Ranch, Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, Orange and portions of unincorporated Orange County

Discuss below or at Talk Irvine.

A reader sent in this interesting article at Bloomberg:

Asian Buyers Buoy New-Home Demand in California’s Orange

By Nadja Brandt – Mar 13, 2012

Connie Wang paid about $960,000 last June for a new four-bedroom, four-bath house in a sprawling swath of Southern California that’s home to Disneyland and Pimco. Now she may buy a second as an investment.

“You know why Orange County is doing better?” said Wang, a native of Taiwan who splits her time between Shenzhen in southern China, where she oversees a toy-manufacturing business, and Irvine, California, where she raised her three children. “It’s because all my neighbors are from China and Taiwan, and they all bought their homes in cash.”

….

To accommodate the increase in demand from Asian buyers, closely held New Home is building dedicated wok kitchens at some homes at another of its developments, Lambert Ranch, in Irvine. The small room is adjacent to the standard kitchen, and has a stove and high-powered vent. Most of the properties also have separate living quarters for extended family, according to Marcus-Colvin.

“After our last focus group, we really wanted to accommodate these changing demands,” she said. “A lot of our Asian buyers have asked for these features and the feedback from those we’ve shown the new properties to has been, ‘You really listened to us.’”

….

Standard Pacific Corp. (SPF), based in Irvine, has begun to cater to culturally specific preferences, including building wok kitchens and incorporating feng shui and numerology rules, such as leaving out unlucky numbers from street addresses, according to Ted McKibbin, president of the builder’s Southern California coastal division.

Under the Chinese system of feng shui, buildings are oriented in a favorable manner, often determined by the location of bodies of water, stars or compass directions.

Feng Shui

“Good feng shui falls under good design principals, the way a cook top and sink are lined up with each other,” McKibbin said. “But with some buyers there’s more focus on that. That’s when things like numerology come into place, which can place challenges in regards to addressing a home and avoiding certain numbers. We do pay attention to that.”

Definitely read the full article at Bloomberg.

I don't think prices are 15-20% above their post peak low of Jan 2009 as the article states. This topic has been discussed plenty on the blog and Talk Irvine. Any thoughts on the article and/or topic? Discuss below or at Talk Irvine.