Mayor Eric Garcetti earlier this month launched the second phase of the “Save the Drop” water conservation campaign, urging Angelenos to “Capture the Drop.” An expected El Niño may deliver heavier-than-usual rainfall in the coming months. It is estimated that an El Niño winter will produce billions of gallons of stormwater run-off.

“Los Angeles is leading the way on water conservation in this historic drought, and a big part of that is being prepared to take advantage of every possible opportunity to save water,” Garcetti said. “If we do get more rainfall than normal, the new phase of our Save the Drop campaign will help Angelenos better understand how we can work together to capture and conserve a precious resource that might otherwise wash out to sea.”

Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell, 13th District, thanked Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Board President Steve Zimmer for initiating the partnership.

In preparation for the possibility of an El Niño storm event, the Mayor’s Fund for Los Angeles (MFLA) once again partnered with creative marketing firm Omelet to develop and launch Phase II of Save the Drop in order to continue meeting the mayor’s water conservation goals. The new phase includes an expanded website, featuring a calculator for Angelenos to measure their water usage, additional tips and rebate information. For information, visit www.SavetheDropLA.org and www.CadaGotitaCuentaLA.org.

Los Angeles is also partnering with LAUSD schools to reinforce the importance of water conservation with special messages delivered to students in their classrooms, and a pilot drought-awareness curriculum, “One Water,” created by the Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation (LASAN).

“Our schoolchildren will now have the tools they need to make this a full reality in the near future,” said LASAN Director Enrique C. Zaldivar, P.E.

Introduced to students in grades 6-12 at more than a dozen schools, “One Water” educates students on current water issues that include water conservation, stormwater capture and recycled water use.