Summer of Love’s 50th anniversary becomes MWD’s “Summer of H2Love” campaign message

If you made or are planning to make one last beach run this summer to the Santa Monica Pier on a Saturday evening don’t be surprised when you see a water-saving message on the pier’s Ferris wheel. The H2Love campaign message began appearing of the iconic Ferris wheel last Saturday night and will continue for four consecutive Saturday nights in August and September.

The Ferris wheel message is one part of a $2.8 million campaign by the Metropolitan Water District (MWD) of Southern California. The “Summer of H2Love” campaign message — called “H2Love Letters,” — has also begun appearing on some 450 billboards throughout Southern California in six languages. Additionally, the message will be delivered through 3,200 radio spots on 75 Southern California stations, ads in print community newspapers, online ads and through Metropolitan’s social media network.

“It’s the 50th 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.”

The 2017 H2Love Letters campaign supplants Metropolitan’s 2016 H2Love campaign tagline of “Love Water, Save Water” but the goal remains the same – 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,” says MWD’s 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.”

As part of its 2017 water conservation campaign message, MWD is partnering for the second year with Major League Soccer’s LA Galaxy. The team is already promoting conservation through a video featuring goalie Brian Rowe and other in-stadium messages. Rowe also is also on tap to help Metropolitan encourage wise water use at the dedication of a new conservation garden and educational center opening at Debs Regional Park.

Metropolitan’s latest water-saving campaign message and related tips are online in English, Spanish and Chinese at: www.bewaterwise.com. Internet visitors can find conservation tips, online water-wise gardening classes, and access to Metropolitan’s rebates for various 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.