Other projects include a new fire station in Pine Valley and a new Sheriff\u2019s Department station at Parkside and River streets in Lakeside. The county is remodeling a building at that location to replace a smaller Sheriff\u2019s facility nearby.<\/p>\n
Since 2003, the county has invested about $320 million in fire protection improvements across the region. The threat of wildfire is always with us, but our region has never been better prepared.<\/p>\n
New library<\/strong>: Construction will start this spring on a new library in the heart of Alpine. A groundbreaking ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. March 6 at 1830 Alpine Blvd. Since I joined the Board of Supervisors, eight county-run libraries in East County have undergone major remodeling, while a dozen others have been constructed.<\/p>\n Fighting crime<\/strong>: I recently joined Sheriff Bill Gore, District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis and other law enforcement leaders in announcing the creation of a special task force to tackle the scourge of human trafficking.<\/p>\n We need to double down in our efforts to end this horrendous crime.<\/p>\n Helping our youth<\/strong>: Students, teachers, community leaders and others recently celebrated the opening of a new track and field complex at Oak Grove Middle School in Jamul. The county contributed a $200,000 Neighborhood Reinvestment grant to help pay for the project.<\/p>\n For more information on these projects and for other District 2 news, go to www.diannejacob.com<\/a> or follow me on Facebook and Twitter. If I can assist with a county issue, please call my office at 619-531-5522 or email dianne.jacob@sdcounty.ca.gov<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u2014Dianne Jacob represents La Mesa on the San Diego County Board of Supervisors.<\/em><\/p>\n By The San Diego County Water Authority<\/p>\n Check out these tips on ways to save water and help fight the drought.<\/strong><\/p>\n Save more by reducing water-related energy use<\/strong><\/p>\n Activities such as pumping water to homes, heating water for showers and washing clothes, and treating wastewater account for approximately 20 percent of the state’s energy use.<\/p>\n Given the statewide drought conditions, it\u2019s worth reviewing ways to save both water and power.<\/p>\n \u2022 Take shorter showers. Every minute trimmed from your typical shower time saves about 2.5 gallons \u2014 plus it saves the energy needed to heat more water.<\/p>\n \u2022 Wash only full loads of dishes, choose shorter wash cycles and activate the booster heater on dishwashers that have that feature.<\/p>\n \u2022 Try cold water for laundry. With most washers, clothes will get just as clean in cold water as they do with hot water while using less energy.<\/p>\n Calculate your home water use<\/strong><\/p>\n An online water-use calculator, developed by the San Diego County Water Authority and its partners, helps homeowners analyze their water use and reduce water waste.<\/p>\n It takes just a few minutes on the computer for homeowners to follow prompts through a model home and answer questions about their appliances and water-use habits. The calculator then estimates each home\u2019s annual water consumption and compares it to average and water-efficient homes in their ZIP code. It also provides tips and resources for trimming water use \u2014 for instance, by adding aerators to faucets.<\/p>\n Limit losses by stopping water leaks quickly<\/strong><\/p>\n Eight percent of the water used in a typical single-family California home is wasted due to leaks, according to a 2011 study. Look for leaks once a month to catch them quickly.<\/p>\n One easy way to identify leakage is to check the water meter before and after a two-hour period when no water is being used at the property. If the meter doesn\u2019t read exactly the same, there\u2019s probably a leak. Water meters also typically have a small \u201cleak detector\u201d that spins when water is being used. It is especially useful for quickly detecting small indoor leaks once all water sources are turned off.<\/p>\n Use a bucket or broom in place of the hose<\/strong><\/p>\n For cleaning driveways, sidewalks or patios, use a broom or air blower instead of a hose to minimize unnecessary water use. This not only eliminates water use, but also protects streams and the ocean by reducing runoff that may be tainted by pollutants.<\/p>\n If water is required for cleaning for health and safety reasons, fill a bucket with water rather than letting the hose run. If a hose is necessary, make sure to attach a nozzle with an automatic shut-off valve.<\/p>\n For some applications, consider a water broom, which uses air and water pressure to clean, thus saving water. A standard hose uses five to 20 gallons per minute (gpm), while a water broom can use as little as 2.8 gpm.<\/p>\n Find more ways to save water, save energy and save money at WaterSmartSD.org<\/a>.<\/p>\nEditorial: Small changes add up to big water savings<\/h3>\n
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