CCWD is Doing Its Part To Protect
the Environment

Relying Less on Fossil Fuels:

We're working to reduce fossil fuel consumption by 5 percent per year for the next three years.

To do this, standard-engine vehicles are being replaced with gas-electric hybrids where feasible, alternative fuels are being considered and driving routines are being adjusted to improve overall mileage.

Exploring Hydropower Generation:
We're exploring the possibility of cleanly generating power using the pressure in the Los Vaqueros Pipeline, a 20-mile pipeline that brings water from the Los Vaqueros Reservoir to District facilities in East Contra Costa County.

Facilitating Sustainable Wind power:
We support the generation of clean wind power. The 20,000-acre Los Vaqueros Watershed is home to hundreds of wind turbines that cleanly produce renewable wind energy to help meet California's increasing demand for electricity.

Saving Water Saves Energy:
By encouraging people to save water, we ultimately reduce the amount of electricity used to pump, store, treat and distribute water. In California, water-related energy use is the single largest use of electricity, much of which is produced by thermal power plants that emit greenhouse gases.

CCWD was named a Bay Area Green
Business in May, 2007

What Can You Do?

1. Send us a suggestion!!! CCWD is looking for good ideas to help us save.

2. Recycle

There really is no excuse for not recycling at CCWD.

There are plenty of recycling containers throughout the district's buildings and in the yards.

We even recycle batteries.

3. Turn off the lights and your computer and montior when you leave at night. You can also unplug battery chargers when they aren't in use.

4. Think before you drive

If you really don't need to drive to a location, don't. If you can accomplish the same thing by e-mail, snail-mail or a phone call, that saves you time and energy.

If you must drive, if you are driving alone and don't need a large vehicle, choose one the hybrids in the fleet.

5. Ride BART & ride your bike, walk or ride the bus to work:

There are several BART stations that are reasonably convenient to District Center.

If you bring your bike, get off at the Pleasant Hill station and ride up the IronHorse Trail to District Center . It's downhill in the morning, and uphill and against the wind going back, but a good ride that's generally off streets. It's about four miles.

You can ride the trail to the Walnut Creek BART, though the half-mile between the trail and the station is hairy and on a busy street.

If you BART to the Concord station, the walk isn't very convenient at 1.5 miles -- though doable -- from the station along Concord Blvd to District Center. You need to watch carefully where you cross the street, since the crosswalks are few near District Center.

Riding your bike on Concord Blvd. from the Concord BART station to District Center is dangerous. Consider yourself lucky if you survive this short run.

You can pick up abus on County Connections' Route 118 that goes directly from the Concord station to District Center.

The bus runs hourly, so missing your connection is costly. To leave, pick up the bus near the Bisso Building.

Check County Connections to see if this can work for you.

CCWD employees have had mixed luck with the 118.

6. Pay for your BART/Transit Tickets With Commuter Checks.

Commuter Checks are a great way to set aside tax free funds for transit tickets, including BART and ferries, from your paycheck.

See Dino Angelosante (Ext.8162) about using this program.