Water Festival Draws Thousands for a Day of Discovery and Community by Santa Margarita Water District May 22, 2026 Member Submitted News Santa Margarita Water District’s 2026 Water Festival once again transformed the District’s headquarters into a vibrant celebration of water, sustainability, science, and community—welcoming approximately 2,700 attendees for a day filled with hands-on learning, live entertainment, interactive exhibits, and unforgettable experiences for all ages. “Thank you to everyone who attended this year’s Water Festival, brought to you by Santa Margarita Water District,” said Nicole Stanfield, Communications and Public Relations Manager. “This year we welcomed approximately 2,700 attendees who learned about H2O, connected with SMWD, South Orange County’s local water provider, and discovered how water, wildlife, and sustainability work together to support our environment.” Guests enjoyed a lively atmosphere filled with hands-on activities, live shows, music, food, and interactive exhibits for all ages. This year’s festival continued SMWD’s tradition of blending education with entertainment while introducing exciting new experiences designed to make the event even more interactive and engaging. One of the most popular additions was the new Ask Jake from SMWD digital trivia game, which allowed guests to participate directly from their phones using QR codes and text-message prize notifications. Families also enjoyed meeting Jake from SMWD in person while competing for fun prizes throughout the day. New environmentally focused enhancements also helped improve the overall guest experience, including dedicated bike parking to encourage sustainable transportation and the addition of the Ranch Shuttle Ride to improve mobility and transportation flow to and from the event for Rancho Mission Viejo residents. Even attraction and activity lines became part of the educational experience, as guests moved through operational warehouse areas that provided a behind-the-scenes glimpse into portions of SMWD’s infrastructure and operations. A standout attraction once again were the infrastructure bus tours, where attendees had the unique opportunity to explore critical SMWD facilities and hear directly from District experts, including Tricia Butler, Chief Engineer and Tim O’Neal, San Juan Water Reclamation Plant Manager. Their personable, informative tours gave customers a deeper understanding of the sophisticated infrastructure, planning, technology, and dedicated professionals required to deliver high-quality drinking water and wastewater services to more than 210,000 customers throughout South Orange County. Throughout the festival grounds, more than 50 community vendors and partner organizations helped bring the event to life through hands-on activities, educational exhibits, wildlife encounters, science demonstrations, games, live performances, and environmental outreach. Guests explored everything from reptile exhibits and touch tanks to water membrane filtration demonstrations, to build a pipeline (competition), composting workshops, puppet shows, recycling games, bird presentations, inflatables, zip lines, and music. Additionally, guests toured the WaterWorks Garden hosted by SMWD’s water efficiency team who showcased the latest in outdoor irrigation technology and practices, and spoke with guests about how to identify and stop water leaks at home. Families connected with organizations dedicated to conservation, sustainability, science, wildlife protection, recycling, and water education—reinforcing the important relationship between environmental stewardship and the health of local communities. Popular attractions included the Orange County Bird of Prey Center’s live educational presentations, the Bolsa Chica Conservancy touch tank, Bionerds science activities, and the worm composting workshops hosted by weCompost2. Of course, no Festival would be complete without great food and entertainment. Guests enjoyed music, live demonstration shows, cotton candy, interactive games, and burritos served throughout the day—helping create a welcoming atmosphere that reflected SMWD’s strong connection to the communities it serves. The 2026 Water Festival showcased far more than just a community event—it reflected SMWD’s commitment to education, environmental stewardship, transparency, and customer engagement. By opening its doors and creating opportunities for customers to interact directly with staff, infrastructure, technology, and community partners, SMWD continues to foster a deeper appreciation for the value of water and the essential services that support everyday life. Save the Date: The 2027 Water Festival is scheduled for Saturday, May 22, 2027, from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Those interested in receiving updates about upcoming events, classes and the Water Festival are encouraged to sign up for On Tap Newsletter at https://smwd.com/259/News.
