A clear broadcast

June Casagrande

Just when you thought it was safe to go back to the sofa for some

hard-core channel surfing, the city of Newport Beach is broadcasting

now about, what else? Water.

“Waterwise” is the newest weapon in the city’s arsenal to educate

residents about local water quality. Hosted by city Water Quality

Code Enforcement Officer Jim Sinasek, the local cable program is

serving up the city’s message in easy-to-remember sound bites:

“Use a broom, not a hose”; “Water your lawn, not the street”; and,

of course, “Pick up after your pet” are some of the basic messages

that city officials hope will result in less trash and fewer bacteria

in the harbor and ocean.

“People watch a lot of TV, and we’re going to try to reach people

through every available media source,” said City Manager Homer

Bludau, who helps head up the city’s efforts to comply with strict

new countywide water-quality standards.

The gist of the water rules is that people are no longer allowed

to put pollutants into the storm drains. Though the city’s ramped-up

enforcement is aimed at businesses, officials are battling individual

offenders mainly through education.

In addition to the cable television program, brochures and door

hangers are being distributed to let people know about some easy ways

to improve the health of the bay by simply changing their habits. For

example, people are allowed to wash cars in their front yards without

catching the water, but they’re not allowed to use soap.

“Ultimately we hope to reach 100% of the population through every

way they can be reached,” Assistant City Manager Dave Kiff said.

“Some people read the paper, others will hear a message on the radio,

others watch TV or hear things from their neighbors or see brochures.

This is just another way to reach people.”

* JUNE CASAGRANDE covers Newport Beach and John Wayne Airport. She

may be reached at (949) 574-4232 or by e-mail at

[email protected].