Poway Mayor Steve Vaus is joining mayors across the nation and asking residents to make a pledge to conserve water by taking part in a nationwide contest. In return, residents can win a new Toyota Prius, water saving fixtures, and hundreds of other prizes.
The Wyland Mayor’s Challenge for Water Conservation is a non-profit national community service campaign. The campaign challenges Mayors across the nation to encourage residents to make online pledges to conserve water during April.
“We need to raise awareness about water conservation and this campaign is an opportunity for our residents to have a little fun and improve our drought resiliency.” Poway residents can visit Poway.org, click on the Mayor’s Challenge link and take the pledge to conserve water.
This is Poway’s first time participating in the challenge. Residents are encouraged to make the pledge at www.Poway.org and then forward the link to friends via email or Facebook. Volunteers are also sought to gather pledges in writing. Interested volunteers can contact Dave Richards in the City Manager’s Office at (858) 668-4505. The Mayor and Council will recognize the volunteer who gathers the most pledges at a future City Council meeting.
The Mayor has also challenged Encinitas Mayor Kristin Gaspar to a head-on competition. Vaus noted, “Poway is #1 in so many ways, beating Encinitas will be just another feather in our cap”
Beyond the battle with Encinitas, Poway is competing against cities across the nation with populations of 30,000 to 99,999. The City with the highest percentage of the population who take the pledge wins. Participating residents of the winning City will be entered into a drawing for eco-friendly prizes, including home improvement gift cards, home irrigation equipment, and the Grand Prize; a Toyota Prius v.
The 4th National Mayor’s Challenge for Water Conservation is presented by the Wyland Foundation and Toyota, with support from the U.S. EPA’s Office of Water, National League of Cities, U.S. Forest Service, The Toro Company, Wondergrove Kids, Bytelaunch, and WaterSmart Software.