The latest episode of Metropolitan Water District’s award-winning video news magazine, exploring the agency’s partnerships with leading homebuilders in the development of California Friendly™ homes and communities, begins its broadcast run this week on major cable television stations throughout the state.

The half-hour “Straight from the Tap” episode will air weeknights and Saturday mornings throughout September, October and early November on Time Warner, Charter and Cox outlets in the Southland region and make its debut in the Northern California and Sacramento regions on Comcast stations.

The episode, “California Friendly Homes and Gardens,” showcases the latest resource-efficient model homes in San Bernardino and Riverside counties with features that use up to 30 percent less water.  These residences use state-of-the-art technology inside and outside the home, and display appealing but low-water-use landscaping in the gardens.  The program highlights the growing consumer demand for more environmentally friendly residential options.

Featured in the program are interviews with several early adopters—couples who have purchased homes in these new developments, as well as regional water officials and developers, including Lewis Operating Companies, Shea Homes, KBHome, Centex Homes, John Laing Homes, Hovnanian® Homes, Lennar, and Pardee Homes.  Viewers also get a tour of three residential gardens featuring a trend-setting palette of California native and low-water-using plants plus useful tips from the landscape designers.

“This entertaining and informative episode clearly conveys to viewers that these are the homes of the future where conservation can be achieved without having to sacrifice beauty or lifestyle,” said Metropolitan General Manager Jeff Kightlinger.  “And by using up to 30 percent less water, per unit, we’re also leveraging a host of water-related environmental benefits, including energy efficiency, runoff reduction and green waste reduction.”

Launched in February 2000, Metropolitan’s “Straight From The Tap” is the only video news magazine dedicated exclusively to covering water issues and events in California, particularly in the state’s south coastal plain.  The series air regularly on more than 125 statewide public, government and leased access cable outlets and stations.

For more information about the video program, visit Metropolitan’s Web site, www.mwdh2o.com, and open the “Straight From The Tap” link.  The following is the breakdown of “Straight from the Tap” airtimes throughout the state:

• In Southern California, Time Warner Channel 101 subscribers from Santa Clarita to Sun City including Costa Mesa, Cypress, Pomona, Corona and Lake Elsinore can watch the episode Mondays at 7:30 p.m. from Sept. 18–Oct. 23, Wednesdays at 8 p.m. until Nov. 1, and Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. through Oct. 26. 

• Cox Media Channel 14 also will air the episode in the San Diego region on Saturday, Sept. 16 at 9:30 a.m. and Saturday Sept. 23 and 30 at 9 a.m., as well as Tuesday, Sept. 21 at 7 p.m. and Tuesday, Sept. 26 at 7:30 p.m.  Broadcasts continue Wednesday, Oct. 4 at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 12 and 17 at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 21 at 9 a.m. and Monday, Oct. 23 at 7:30 p.m.

• Orange County airings on Cox Media Channel 31 begin Tuesdays at 7:30 from Sept. 19–Oct. 21 and Saturdays, Sept. 16–Oct. 21.  Those cities include Orange, Irvine, Tustin, Laguna Beach, San Juan Capistrano, Dana Point, San Clemente, Laguna Hills, Mission Viejo and others.

• Residents in Newport Beach, Placentia, Santa Ana, Seal Beach, Buena Park, and Fullerton will find the program on Comcast Channel 20 on Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m. from through Sept. 16, Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. from Oct. 4–25, and Saturdays at 9:30 a.m. from Sept. 16–30 and Oct. 7–28.

• Charter Communications broadcasts on Channels 3 and 54 in Norco, Riverside/Inland Empire, Rubidoux and Rancho Cucamonga include Mondays at 8:30 p.m. from Sept. 18–Oct. 22, Wednesdays at 8 p.m. from Sept. 20–Oct. 22, and Saturdays at 9:30 a.m. from Sept. 16–Oct. 22.

• Viewers in the San Gabriel Valley can tune in on Channel 3 Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m. from Sept. 19–Oct. 22, Thursdays at 8 p.m. through Oct. 22, and Saturdays at 9:30 a.m. from Sept. 16–Oct. 21.

• Charter schedules for Channel 31 in Glendale/Burbank are Tuesday and Thursday at 9 p.m. from Sept. 19–Oct. 19 and Saturdays at 9:30 a.m. from Sept. 16–Oct. 22.
  
  
• Charter’s Long Beach Channel 3 will run the program Mondays at 9 p.m. from Sept. 18–Oct. 16, Tuesdays at 9:30 a.m. from Sept. 19–Oct. 16, and Saturdays at 10 a.m. from Sept. 16–Oct. 21.

• Malibu Charter Channel 16 viewers can tune in Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m. from Sept. 19–Oct. 16, Thursdays at 8 p.m. through Oct. 19, and Saturdays 9:30 a.m. from Sept. 16-Oct. 21.

• Charter Channel 30 in Whittier will run the episode on Tuesdays at 8:30 p.m. from Sept. 19–Oct. 16, Thursdays at 8:30 p.m. through Oct. 19, and Saturdays at 9:30 a.m. from Sept. 16–Oct. 21.

• Charter viewers in the Victorville/Hesperia area will locate the program Tuesdays at 8:30 p.m. from Sept. 19-Oct. 16, Thursdays at 9 p.m. through Oct. 19, and Saturdays at 9 a.m. from Sept. 16-21.

• Farther north, Sacramento Comcast viewers can catch the “California Friendly Homes and Gardens” episode Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m. from Sept. 16–Nov. 4 and Saturdays at 9:30 a.m. from Sept. 19–Nov. 7.

• Subscribers to Comcast Channel 34 in Monterey, Salinas and Santa Cruz can tune in to the program Monday-Thursday at 9:30 p.m. and Saturday at 9 a.m. through Sept. 17.

• Walnut Creek’s Comcast Channel 26 has scheduled several broadcasts Friday, Sept. 15 and 29 at 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, Sept. 24 at 5:30 p.m.; Wednesday, Sept. 27 at 7:30 p.m. In October, viewers can tune in on Sundays, Oct. 8, 15 and 22 at 5:30 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 29 at 5 p.m.  Other weeknights include Monday, Oct. 9 and 23 at 8 p.m.

• Comcast Channel 27, 28 and 29 will air the program in Hayward, Union City and Alameda on Monday and Thursday evenings at 7:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 9 a.m. from through Oct. 19. 

• San Francisco viewers can tune in Thursdays at 9 p.m. until Sept. 28, Tuesdays at 8 p.m. from Oct. 3–24, and Saturdays at 9:30 from Sept. 16–Oct. 28.

• Channel 30 Comcast viewers in San Jose, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, Cupertino, Mountain View, Los Altos, Saratoga, Milpitas, Los Gatos and Monte Sereno can access the program Mondays at 7:30 p.m. from Sept. 18–Oct. 30, and Saturdays at 9 a.m. from Sept. 16–Nov. 4.

• Charter Communications Channel 29 airs the episode in Chico, Redding, Oroville and Red Bluff Monday–Thursday between 7 and 9 p.m. from Sept. 18–Nov. 16, and Saturdays at 9 a.m. from Sept. 16–Nov. 26.

• In the San Luis Obispo area, Charter broadcasts on Channel 10 include Monday and Wednesday at 10 p.m., from Sept. 18-Oct. 25, and Tuesdays at 8 p.m. until Sept. 19.
  
  
• Cox Media Channel 73 in Santa Barbara will air the program on Wednesday and Thursday nights at 7:30 p.m. through Oct. 25
  

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is a cooperative of 26 cities and water agencies serving 18 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.