WATER CONSERVATION SURVEY AND REBATE PROGRAMS
From the Santa Clara Valley Water District (SCVWD)
Residences in Santa Clara County have the opportunity to benefit from surveys and rebates offered through the Santa Clara Valley Water District.
- Evaluate the efficiency of your irrigation system, noting and flagging problems
- Make recomendations for upgrades and repairs
- Provide a personal irrgiation schedule
- Send you a detailed written report
- Prepare a pre-landscape rebate survey if appropriate
Landscape Rebate Program
The Landscape Rebate Program provides rebates for homeowners and businesses that increase their outdoor water use efficiency by replacing high water use landscape and/or upgrading to high efficiency irrigation equipment. Maximum rebate amounts may apply to participating residents and properties in Santa Clara County by replacing high water using plants, such as turf grass, with low water using plants from an approved plant list or by installing permeable hardscape.
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Learn more about qualifying equipment and rebates amounts from SCVWD.
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| SOUTH BAY GREEN GARDENS |
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South Bay Green Gardens
offers great tips for drought tolerant landscapes.
Take a look at their website. Click on the flier.
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How to use your meter to check for leaks:
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You'll need gloves, a large screwdriver, and the water meter number on your bill.
STEP 1. Make sure no one is using water on your property. Be sure to check that automatic devices such as irrigation and pool fillers are not running.
STEP 2. Find Your Water Meter
Most water meter boxes are located on your property within 10-15 feet of the road or along the road in front or to the side of your house. The boxes typically have a concrete cover with the word "WATER", but can have a metal cover if it's in the roadway. There may be a blue spot of paint on the road near the box. There may be a backflow device in a green padded cover near your meter. Sometimes meter boxes are located in less obvious places, covered with mulch or shrubbery. If you need assistance finding the box, please contact us during regular office hours.
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STEP 3. Check to see if water is flowing through the meter.
Once you've found the box, with gloves in place (in case of spiders, slugs, etc.) use the large screwdriver to lift the meter box cover. If your cover has an embedded smaller door, you may only need to lift that small door.
- Double-check that the 8-digit number on the meter lid matches the number on your bill to make sure that the meter is yours and not your neighbor's.
- Lift the meter lid to see the meter dial.
- Find the flow indicator which is the small blue object shaped like an asterick * on the upper left of the dial.
- Make note of where the flow indicator is pointing (1 of the 6 legs is an arrow) and watch it for a full minute. If it does not move, then do not have a continuous leak in your system. Congratulations!
- If the flow indicator is moving, confirm that your irrigation is not running, and that no other water is being used.
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- If the red needle is spinning rapidly, immediately contact your water provider for assistance.
- If the red needle is moving slowly, contact your water provider during office hours for assistance in isolating the leak. PHWD can provide some assistance in isolating leaks for customers, but property owners are responsible for finding and repairing leaks on their property.
- Calculate how much water is flowing throught the meter. CLICK HERE
- Find out how to isolate the leak yourself. CLICK HERE
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| GET DROUGHT INFORMATION |
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Watch this 90 second video on how to save water in the landscape.
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| TIPS FOR SAVING WATER |
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| MANAGING TURF DURING A DROUGHT |
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| VOLUNTARY LANDSCAPE GUIDELINES |
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ORGANIZATIONS
Santa Clara Valley Water District – Excellent resource for water conservation.
CUWCC – California Urban Water Conservation Water Council
Conservation technology, Legislation, technical resources and publications.
EBMUD – East Bay Municipal Utility District. To manage the natural resources with which the District is entrusted; to provide reliable, high quality water and wastewater services at fair and reasonable rates for the people of the East Bay; and to preserve and protect the environment for future generations.
California Department of Water Sources - DWR operates and maintains the State Water Project, including the California Aqueduct. The department also provides dam safety and flood control services, assists local water districts in water management and conservation activities, promotes recreational opportunities, and plans for future statewide water needs.
H2OUSE – Water Saver – Virtual water conservation options in the home. Garden guides, water budget calculator. Top 5 steps to conserve water. Additional resources.
Water Wise Consulting – Resource for water agencies & contractors. These are the people who come out for SCVWD’s free irrigation evaluation & irrigation assistance.
Northern California Water Association – To promote the economic, social and environmental viability of Northern California by enhancing and preserving its water rights, supplies and water quality.
CIMIS - The California Irrigation Management Information System is a program in the Office of Water Use Efficiency (OWUE), California Department of Water Resources (DWR) that manages a network of over 120 automated weather stations in the state of California. CIMIS was developed to assist California’s irrigators manage their water resources efficiently. Efficient use of water resources benefits Californians by saving water, energy, and money.
BAWSCA Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency.
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