VISTA IRRIGATION DISTRICT HONORS CASSIDY MEDICAL GROUP, INC FOR WATER CONSERVATION EFFORTS

Cassidy Medical Group, Inc. receives Water Steward Award

At its August 1 meeting, the board of directors presented the Vista Irrigation District's Water Steward Award to Cassidy Medical Group in recognition of their outstanding water conservation efforts.

In March 2006, Cassidy Medical Group used the Vista Irrigation District's Commercial, Industrial and Institutional Voucher Program to replace their cooling tower conductivity controller (CTCC). A CTCC manages the water use in cooling towers, which are often installed in large commercial buildings to remove heat from air conditioning systems and can be quite water intensive. By replacing the CTCC on older model cooling towers, the tower's efficiency can be greatly improved, saving water and money.

"We saw an immediate reduction in our water consumption after replacing the CTCC" said Judith Krueger, Executive Director of Cassidy Medical Group. "We are proud of the steps we have taken to conserve our precious natural resources".

Prior to installing the new CTCC, Cassidy Medical Group's four year average annual usage was 1,274,592 gallons. In the year since replacing the CTCC, their usage has dropped to 837,760 gallons, a savings of 436,832 gallons per year, or more than 34% of their previous water use. Cassidy has seen a reduction of about $1,100 in their average annual water bill. the water savings by Cassidy Medical Group is enough water to meet the needs of three families of four for an entire year.

The Water Steward Award was developed to recognize businesses who have successfully implemented water conservation measures which have resulted in verifiable water savings.

On average, the Vista Irrigation District imports nearly 70% of its water from Northern California and the Colorado River. Brett Hodgkiss, administrative manager for the district, explained: "We are in the middle of a historic dry period in the State. We have to get by with less and use the water that we do receive as efficiently as possible. Customers like the Cassidy Medical Group help us do exactly that, and we appreciate their contribution."

The Vista Irrigation District is a public agency governed by an elected five-member board. The district provides water service to more than 120,000 people in the city of Vista and portions of San Marcos, Escondido, Oceanside, and unincorporated areas of San Diego County.