SMWD’s Water Festival: A Splashing Success by Santa Margarita Water District Jul 10, 2025 Member Submitted News Santa Margarita Water District’s 2025 Water Festival made a big splash on Saturday, June 7, drawing more than 2,700 customers, families, and community partners to a fun-filled, educational celebration of our most precious resource—water. From hands-on activities to behind-the-scenes infrastructure tours, the event brought neighbors and friends together to learn, explore, and connect with community organizations and SMWD, their water provider. Rod, who lives in Rancho Santa Margarita, attended the Water Festival for the first time along with his grandchildren. “What a fun experience! It was great to learn about what SMWD does behind the scenes,” he said. Rod signed up for two infrastructure bus tours led by SMWD’s chief engineer and a senior operations leader. He was also thrilled to speak with the technicians and see the pumps and equipment that keep water flowing up close and personal. “I may have had more fun than the kids,” he said. From holding reptiles to touring the WaterWorks Garden, a Monarch butterfly habitat featuring five blooming landscape styles, and enjoying complimentary pizza and shaved ice, the event was bustling with activity and life. Throughout the event, the video The Journey of Water: From River to Tap played on large-screen monitors. The award-winning video tells the story of how water travels from hundreds of miles away and how SMWD delivers local, sustainable, and reliable drinking water and wastewater services to over 210,000 customers in southern Orange County. For those who attended the Water Festival, it was a memorable day full of discovery. “Water is something we all depend on but rarely think about. When neighbors come together to learn, ask questions, and explore what we do—it’s powerful. That connection is what this event is all about,” said Nicole Stanfield, SMWD Director of Communications and Customer Engagement, who organizes the annual event. The day was packed with family-friendly activities like live reptile encounters, butterfly and pollinator exhibits, an inflatable zipline, and educational puppet shows. Festival attendees spoke with garden and water conservation experts, climbed into SMWD’s big trucks and equipment, and visited Rosie the snake from The Nature Reserve at Rancho Mission Viejo. “Our goal is to show our community the care, technology, and dedication that go into every drop. Most people don’t realize the complexity and effort that go into delivering water every day. When people see it for themselves, they walk away with a completely new perspective and knowing they’re in good hands,” Nicole continued. Those who embarked on the Water Wizard Trivia Contest submitted answers to 19 water and SMWD-services-related questions. Winners received colorful Lego sets and gardening kits, which were in high demand. Save the Date: 2026 Water Festival Thank you to everyone who joined us and for being part of this special day. We hope you’ll join us on Saturday, May 16, 2026, for another exciting journey into the world of water. Until then, know that your SMWD team is working hard behind the scenes, delivering the high-quality drinking water and wastewater services you rely on every day. Inspiring Action Following the Water Festival, Rod reported a water irrigation leak to SMWD, who identified the irrigation equipment as belonging to the local homeowner association. The master HOA responded to Rod’s maintenance request submitted on their website and made the fix. In fun, Rod said, “I’m a water warrior now!” SMWD appreciates the community’s commitment to making our way of life sustainable and mindful of how we use one of our most precious resources – water. Watch the Video Recap of 2025 Water Festival.
