Metropolitan Launches “Summer of H2Love” Water Conservation, Advertising Campaign

Campaign will light up the Santa Monica Pier Ferris wheel and be
featured on billboards, radio, digital media, trains and busses to
remind public to keep saving

LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California wants to thank
Southland residents for not just saving water during the drought, but
for all they are doing to keep conserving for the future.

In the new media campaign called “H2Love Letters,” some of those who
directly benefit from water savings will extend a big thanks through fun
messages on billboards, busses, newspapers and even the Santa Monica
Pier Ferris wheel.

“It’s the 50^th anniversary of the Summer of Love. We are
adding a water conservation twist to that celebration and making this
the Summer of H2Love,” said Susan Sims, Metropolitan’s manager of
external affairs. “Who doesn’t like getting a love letter; so, what if
your garden could thank you for planting California Friendly plants? Or
your leaky faucet could say thanks for getting it fixed? That’s the idea
behind the campaign.”

H2Love Letters continues the messaging of Metropolitan’s original H2Love
campaign, launched last year with the tagline, “Love Water, Save Water.”
The goal of the campaign is to get Southern Californians to rethink how
they value water and make a commitment to water conservation as a way of
life.

“We face a lot of water supply challenges each year, regardless of the
weather,” said Metropolitan General Manager Jeffrey Kightlinger. “Our
future will see more impacts from a changing climate, increased
environmental demands and concerns about reliable water supplies.
Metropolitan is committed to overcoming these challenges, but a
fundamental pillar of our reliability plan is increased conservation and
efficient water use. We want to do everything we can to help Southern
Californians conserve.”

The latest conservation campaign will be featured on 450 billboards in
six languages across Southern California beginning next week. The $2.8
million campaign also will be delivered through 3,200 radio spots on 75
Southern California stations, ads in print community newspapers, online
ads and through Metropolitan’s growing social media network.

Metropolitan also is finding creative ways to directly share the
conservation message with the public. In an effort to get people
thinking about their water use even while they are looking out at the
vast ocean, the H2Love campaign will take over the Ferris wheel at the
Santa Monica pier for four consecutive Saturday nights in August and
September. The water-saving message will be delivered to thousands of
beachgoers starting Aug. 12.

As it did last summer, Metropolitan is once again partnering with Major
League Soccer’s LA Galaxy, which is already promoting conservation
through a video featuring goalie Brian Rowe and other in-stadium
messaging. Rowe also is helping Metropolitan encourage wise water use at
the dedication of a new conservation garden and educational center
opening at Debs Regional Park in Los Angeles Aug. 18.

All of the elements of Metropolitan’s latest water-saving campaign will
direct audiences to bewaterwise.com, Metropolitan’s online water
conservation portal available in English, Spanish and Chinese. There,
visitors can find conservation tips, online water-wise gardening
classes, and access to Metropolitan’s rebates for an array of
water-saving devices such as sprinklers, irrigation devices, washing
machines, toilets, rain barrels and more.

“People are telling us they are motivated to keep saving water. We’re
here to help with simple, easy conservation tips, rebates and classes,”
Sims said.

Sustainable, long-term conservation remains a pillar of Metropolitan’s
water supply reliability plan. By 2040, conservation and recycling will
account for one-third of its water portfolio under the agency’s
Integrated Water Resources Plan, which guides long-term water management
policies.

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is a
state-established cooperative of 26 cities and water agencies serving
nearly 19 million people in six counties. The district imports water
from the Colorado River and Northern California to supplement local
supplies, and helps its members to develop increased water conservation,
recycling, storage and other resource-management programs.

Contacts

Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
Rebecca Kimitch,
(213) 217-6450
mobile: (202) 821-5253
or
Bob Muir,
(213) 217-6930
mobile: (213) 324-5213