San Diego County is known for its agriculture with thousands of small, family-owned farms and high-value crops. Focusing on efficient crop irrigation is one way we support the agricultural customer in an environment where water can be a significant operational cost. Several local service and incentive programs are available to agricultural customers within the Water Authority’s service area to support understanding and improving irrigation efficiency:
- The LEAVES program for agriculture offers information and rebates on drip irrigation, flow meter/master valve combination devices and eco-indicators.
- The SoCal Water$mart program offers rebates for a variety of items, such as weather-based irrigation controllers, rotating nozzles, flow sensors, master valves and soil moisture sensors.
- The Water Savings Incentive Program (WSIP) offers incentives to commercial customers for projects projected to save at least 10 million gallons of water, such as irrigation system improvements, plant material changes and water management services.
- The On-site Retrofit Program offers incentives to commercial, industrial and institutional property owners who convert imported water irrigation or industrial water systems to recycled water use.
Click on the links for more information on these programs, including how to participate. For more information on special rates for agricultural customers, check out our PSAWR program at the link below.
LEAVES Program
The Water Authority’s new Landscape Efficiency And Value Enhancement Solutions (LEAVES) program for agriculture offers enhanced rebates, the Happy 100 Plant List, irrigation surveys and one-on-one personal service. LEAVES helps commercial landscapers use water wisely, comply with new state laws and create beautiful water-smart landscapes.
For rebates on drip, flow sensors, and master valves:
- Click and read the 3 flyers below.
- Contact Debby Dunn at ddunn@sdcwa.org or 858-522-6645.
PSAWR Program
The Water Authority provides a permanent special agricultural water rate (PSAWR) to eligible commercial agricultural customers within its service area. The PSAWR Program is administered at the retail level by Water Authority member agencies and is a voluntary program that provides eligible agricultural customers a lower water rate in exchange for a reduced level of water service during water supply shortages or emergencies. Click on the link to find out more about the program and how to enroll.
Waterscape Rebate Program
The Water Authority has partnered with the County of San Diego Watershed Protection Program to provide residents and businesses in unincorporated San Diego County with new and enhanced rebates. With the Waterscape Rebate Program, property owners can receive financial incentives to:
- Replace high-water use turf with water-smart, native plants
- Install weather-based irrigation controllers
- Install a rain barrel, rain cistern, rain garden or other rain-saving feature
- Install rain gutters
- Pump your septic tank and prevent costly repairs
- Transform large turf areas with water-wise landscaping (minimum of 20,000 sq. ft. of turf) (commercial properties only)