Even after a record-setting winter of heavy rainfall that filled local reservoirs, the City of Santa Maria is still encouraging everyone in the community to continue water conservation efforts. On Tuesday night at the Santa Maria City Council meeting, Mayor Alice Patino officially proclaimed May as Water Awareness Month. … Water Awareness Month is an annual observation throughout California that was created to help educate residents about the efficient use of water resources. This year, unlike in the recent previous years when the state was gripped by continued dry weather, Water Awareness Month comes following heavy rainfall throughout the past winter.