Residents can take advantage of savings on a variety of water-saving technologies such as high-efficiency clothes washers and toilets, turf replacement, smart controllers and irrigation nozzles. Residents can also schedule a free water efficiency survey to make their property more water-efficient.
Rebates are provided by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. When available, additional funding may be added by participating water agencies. You can estimate your rebate for a water-saving device or for turf replacement. For more information, visit SoCalWaterSmart.com.
Toilet & Flume Free Direct Install Program
The Water Authority’s direct install toilet and flume device program provides water-efficiency devices to income-qualifying customers.
These devices are designed to help residential customers save water.
The incredibly successful program has installed more than 9,000 toilets in disadvantaged neighborhoods thereby increasing water-efficiency.
Customer Eligibility
You must be a residential customer within the Water Authority service area.
You must live in a disadvantaged community, including manufactured housing communities, deed-restricted multifamily properties, or single-family homes. You may also qualify if you have current and past participation in low-income energy efficiency programs.
Eligible Devices
- Premium High-Efficiency Toilets (0.8 or 1.1 gallons per flush/gpf)
- Smart Irrigation Controllers
- Flume Water Leak Detection Device
Premium High-Efficiency Toilets
- Toilets use the largest amount of water in your house – about 30%. Installing premium high-efficiency toilets (PHETs) saves water.
- PHETs are installed at no cost.
- Eligible toilets must replace existing toilets using 1.6 gallons per flush or more.
Irrigation Controllers
- Eligible customers can receive weather-based irrigation controllers (WBICs). WBICs provide an appropriate watering schedule based on the weather and needs of the landscape and soil conditions.
- WBICs can save you from overwatering your landscape by 13,500 gallons a year.
How to Participate:
Call 858-205-0143 or email johnw@weberswater.com to request an appointment.
Webers Water will set up a site audit to verify qualifications.
*Funding for this project has been provided by Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.
*Webers Water Consulting is the only authorized service provider for the Water Authority.
High-Efficiency Washers
SoCal WaterSmart
Southern California residents may qualify for rebates starting at $85 for the purchase of a high-efficiency clothes washer from a list of qualified products through SoCal WaterSmart. An additional rebate may be available from San Diego Gas & Electric.
Energy Star
Clothes washing is among the most water-intensive activities in a typical home. High-efficiency clothes washers use 40% less water and 25% less energy than conventional clothes washers, according to the U.S. EPA’s Energy Star Program. The water savings for each home may be as much as 3,000 gallons per year. High-efficiency washers also save energy by using more efficient motors, requiring less hot water and reducing the drying time needed for clothes.
Premium High-Efficiency Toilets
The SoCalWaterSmart program provides a $40 rebate for Premium High Efficiency Toilets using 1.1 gallons per flush or less.
The largest amount of water used inside your home–about 30%–goes toward flushing the toilet.
Rain Barrels
SoCal WaterSmart
The SoCal WaterSmart program provides financial incentives for purchasing rain barrels or cisterns, which collect water from gutters and downspouts for use on landscapes. They also reduce the amount of water flowing into storm drains. Homeowners can get rebates of up to $35 each on residential rain barrels (up to two per home) or $250-$350 for a cistern, depending on capacity.
County of San Diego
Install a rain barrel or cistern to save rainwater for future use. Residents of the unincorporated areas of San Diego County may be eligible for rebates on rain barrels and cisterns as well as other rain-saving features that harvest and reuse rain water for irrigation. Learn more about available rebates through the County of San Diego Waterscape Rebate Program.
City of San Diego
City of San Diego customers may be eligible for the city’s Residential Rainwater Harvesting (Rain Barrel) Rebate Pilot Program, which has its own application process and qualification criteria.
Solana Center
In addition, the Solana Center for Environmental Innovation offers discounted rain barrels that are eligible for rebates at Rainwater – Catch It San Diego! Rain barrels can also be found at local home improvement stores, nurseries and specialty stores.
Rotating Sprinkler Nozzles
Rotating sprinkler nozzles use 20% less water than conventional spray heads by applying water more slowly and uniformly. This prevents misting and overwatering. It also encourages healthy plant growth. SoCal WaterSmart offers rebates starting at $2 per rotating nozzle for residential properties. A minimum of 15 nozzles must be purchased.
Soil Moisture Sensor Systems
Soil moisture sensors measure soil moisture content in the active root zone. Systems eligible for SoCal WaterSmart rebates must include a sensor and a calibrator (typically packaged in the same device) and an irrigation controller. Rebates start at $80, or $35 per irrigation sensor for residential sites over 1 acre.
Turf Replacement Program
Turf replacement rebates start at $2 per square foot. Starting March 4, 2024, an additional $1 per square foot is available for a total of $3 per square foot. Funds are limited, so apply quickly. Use the Estimate Your Rebate tool to get an estimated rebate amount based on the available funding at that date and time. An estimate is not a guaranteed amount. Once the application is submitted and approved, an email is sent to the customer providing the actual rebate amount to be received. The $2 rebate is provided by Metropolitan Water District and additional funds is provided by participating agencies and/or grants. Past participation may limit eligibility. Program funding is limited and rebate amounts are subject to change without notice.
Tree Rebate Program
Starting March 4, 2024, residents can apply for the Tree Rebate program, which provides a $100 rebate per tree (up to five trees planted) for any new turf removal project. One tree can take the place of three plants. Must plant 15 gallon trees or larger. Must provide receipt with rebate to get reimbursed. Program funding is limited and rebate amounts are subject to change without notice.
County of San Diego
Residents of the unincorporated areas of San Diego County may be eligible for rebates to replace turf with drought-tolerant landscaping and a rain-saving landscape feature. Learn more about available rebates through the County of San Diego Waterscape Rebate Program.
Water-Efficient Landscapers
Find a Trained Landscaper
Trained in water-wise landscape principles, including soil, irrigation scheduling, and plant selection, a certified graduate will help you transform and maintain your landscape. Find a trained professional in your area: https://qwel.net/map/
Free Training for Your Landscaper or HOA
The California Landscape Contractors Association (CLCA) and Metropolitan Water District of Southern California offer a one-of-a-kind certification and educational opportunity for landscape professionals in Southern California.
This joint effort combines the CLCA Water Management Certification Program with the Qualified Water Efficient Landscaper (QWEL) program to offer the landscape industry an opportunity to obtain two nationally recognized EPA WaterSense Professional Certifications with one course and one written test.
Presented in three six-hour classes, these workshops are free and available only to those in select counties of Southern California within the Metropolitan Water District’s service area, including San Diego. Learn more: https://clca.org/certification-center/water-efficiency-landscape-dual-certification-program/
Water Efficiency Surveys
Sign up for a FREE on-site landscape irrigation audit complete with site-specific water-saving recommendations for qualifying properties in the Water Authority’s service area. Residents can choose which recommendations to implement, with many achieving up to 20% water savings.
Waterscape Rebate Program
The San Diego County 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 watersmart, 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)
- Install irrigation upgrades recommended by an expert during a free Agricultural Irrigation Efficiency evaluation (agricultural properties only)
- Free support for SoCal WaterSmart participants
Weather-Based Irrigation Controllers
Weather-based irrigation controllers can reduce water use outdoors. Unlike standard timers that turn on sprinklers at set intervals, “smart” controllers use weather data and site information such as plant type and sprinkler system output to adjust watering times and frequency. Professional installation is recommended because proper set-up usually requires knowledge of soils, precipitation rates, slope and other landscape characteristics.
Incentives from SoCal WaterSmart start at $80 per controller for residential sites with less than one acre of landscaping. For larger residential sites, incentives start at $35 per station. Rebates cannot exceed the purchase price of the controllers.
Flow Sensing Device
The Water Authority is offering rebates for the Flume flow sensor for a limited time. Residential customers in participating water districts can receive a free Flume device after rebate. Check to see if your water meter is compatible with Flume here.
Want to learn more, dig deeper?
Residential Rebates Fact Sheet