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USBR Grants-water efficiency-WaterSMART grants

Over $2.7 Million in Federal Grants Awarded to San Diego Water Agencies

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The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation has awarded three San Diego County water agencies a total of $2,788,500 in 2021 WaterSMART Water and Energy Efficiency Grants. A total of $42.4 million in grants was given to 55 projects across 13 states to improve water reliability and efficiency, conserving more 98,000 acre-feet of water per year.

“The Water Authority and its member agencies have been leaders in helping customers improve water efficiency, which ultimately helps our communities become more resilient to both dry years and the large-scale impacts of climate change,” said Water Authority Board Chair Gary Croucher. “This grant money is added value for our region as we continue to do our part for people and the planet.”

Projects awarded grants in San Diego County

  • The City of Oceanside’s Advanced Metering Infrastructure and Pipeline Improvement Project (Phase III) — $2,000,000 grant. The project includes upgrades to 11,519 existing primarily residential water meters to smart meters connected to the city’s customer feedback portal. Approximately 62 broken and leaking pipe segments will also be replaced. Website: www.ci.oceanside.ca.us/gov/water/watersmart/default.asp
  • Olivenhain Municipal Water District Advanced Metering Infrastructure Water Use Efficiency Project — $500,000 grant. The project will expand advanced metering infrastructure with the installation of 4,181 meter transmitting units on existing AMI-capable meters. The meters will be integrated with the district’s customer engagement portal to provide customers near real-time water-use data. Website: www.olivenhain.com/new-meter-reading-technology
  • San Diego County Water Authority WaterSmart Contractor Incentive Program — $288,500 grant. The project will expand an existing rebate program for irrigation devices, including smart irrigation controllers and high-efficiency nozzles. The expanded program will encourage large landscape and commercial customers to install an estimated 8,000 stations for smart irrigation controllers, 330 irrigation controllers, 18,000 high-efficiency sprinkler nozzles, 75 flow sensors, and 30,000 square feet of drip irrigated landscaping. Website: www.sdwatersmartcip.com/

The Bureau of Reclamation grants support the new Executive Order on Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad to increase resilience to climate change impacts. The agency’s WaterSMART program works cooperatively with states, tribes, and local entities to plan and implement actions that increase water supply reliability through investments to modernize existing infrastructure and attention to local water conflicts.

WaterSmart Contractor Incentive Program Benefits San Elijo HOA

/in , , /by /Water News Network Mentioned: San Diego County Water Authority

A major landscape makeover is helping a San Diego County neighborhood save money during these uncertain economic times. The WaterSmart Contractor Incentive Program helps qualified landscape contractors as well as large homeowners associations, save money and improve water-use efficiency in large landscapes by retrofitting irrigation devices.

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Brian Idekler of O'Connell Landscape Maintenance installs a flow control sensor for the San Elijo HOA. Photo: Vallecitos Water District

WaterSmart Contractor Incentive Program Benefits San Elijo HOA

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A major landscape makeover is helping a San Diego County neighborhood save money during these uncertain economic times. The WaterSmart Contractor Incentive Program helps qualified landscape contractors as well as large homeowners associations, save money and improve water-use efficiency in large landscapes by retrofitting irrigation devices.

The Water Authority and the Vallecitos Water District recently worked with the San Elijo Community Association and O’Connell Landscape Maintenance to install water-efficient devices throughout its entire association property. Photo: Vallecitos Water District

The San Diego County Water Authority and the Vallecitos Water District recently worked with the San Elijo Community Association and O’Connell Landscape Maintenance to install water-efficient devices throughout its entire association property. Photo: Vallecitos Water District

The San Diego County Water Authority and the Vallecitos Water District recently worked with the San Elijo Community Association and O’Connell Landscape Maintenance to install water-efficient devices throughout its entire association property, including 2,500 stations and 50 controllers. In addition, rebates allowed O’Connell Landscape to convert spray irrigation and rotor irrigation to drip irrigation, and add flow sensors.

Van Dyke Landscape Architects and its team of certified landscape irrigation auditors assessed the irrigation system in order to make recommendations for the system upgrades. Van Dyke performed initial irrigation audits to determine what types of irrigation upgrades would benefit San Elijo’s terrain and soil types best.

WaterSmart Incentive Program

Recommendations lead to significant improvements

Through its report, the landscape architects recommended areas of opportunity for the San Elijo HOA to save its homeowners money and water long-term. Through the WSCIP, the project earned $24,000 in rebates. The amount of water savings from weather-based controllers can range from 10% to 30% of actual water applied, and another 20% to 40% water savings by changing to a pressure-regulated point source drip system.

O’Connell Landscape Maintenance performed the irrigation work for the San Elijo HOA. Photo: Vallecitos Water District

O’Connell Landscape Maintenance performed the irrigation work for the San Elijo HOA. Photo: Vallecitos Water District

“The smart irrigation controllers help send an alarm when there is a break, and the controller will stop the master valve and stop the leak,” said Fabian Alejo, account manager for O’Connell Landscape Maintenance. “The smart controller makes it easier for us to monitor flow, water usage, and leaks.”

Alejo said that the software that comes with the controller allows crews to get alarms in real time.

“Getting the alarms in real time pinpoints exactly the controller and the station number where we have a high water or no flow reading, allowing us to make repairs immediately where water is being wasted,” said Alejo.

Van Dyke landscape architect Nick Concra managed the rebate process.

“The rebate program is incredible,” said Concra. “HOAs using this program can save a lot of money, and a lot more than they think.”

Participants in the WaterSmart Contractor Incentive program call it “priceless.” Photo: Vallecitos Water District

Yale Hooper, principal landscape architect with Van Dyke, said the teamwork among the participants with the Water Authority and Vallecitos Water District makes the program so successful.

“From our perspective as landscape architects, these programs are priceless,” said Hooper. “If I were a contractor or HOA, these are ‘must do’ programs.”

New Rebates For WaterSmart Irrigation Devices in San Diego County

/in , , /by /Water News Networkby Ed Joyce Quoted: San Diego County Water Authority

A new rebate program for irrigation devices is available to qualified landscape contractors in San Diego County.

The WaterSmart Contractor Incentive Program, or WSCIP, is designed to help commercial, public and agricultural property owners improve water-use efficiency in large landscapes, through rebates for irrigation hardware upgrades. School districts, universities, and other organizations are also eligible.

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WaterSmart Contractor Incentive Program

New Rebates For WaterSmart Irrigation Devices in San Diego County

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A new rebate program for irrigation devices is available to qualified landscape contractors in San Diego County.

The WaterSmart Contractor Incentive Program, or WSCIP, is designed to help commercial, public and agricultural property owners improve water-use efficiency in large landscapes, through rebates for irrigation hardware upgrades. School districts, universities, and other organizations are also eligible.

WaterSmart offers water efficiency programs, services and incentives for residents, businesses and farmers in San Diego County.

Rebates for innovative irrigation devices

Qualifying project sites must include at least one acre of irrigated landscape. The rebates are offered on a first-come, first-served basis.

“The incentive program was designed to be business-friendly and is part of the Water Authority’s focus on long-term water-use efficiency,” said Efren Lopez, a water resources specialist with the Water Authority, who manages the new program and the Qualified Water Efficient Landscaper Program.

The WaterSmart Contractor Incentive Program is a large landscape and technology-focused program, which targets qualified landscape contractors and self-managed sites. The Water Authority’s mission is to improve water-use efficiency in large landscapes by retrofitting irrigation devices.

The program offers a comprehensive package of innovative irrigation devices. Bundling these four items leads to the greatest water efficiency, but at least two items must be installed to participate in the rebate program.

Rebates are offered for the following devices:

  • Smart Irrigation Controllers           $35 per station
  • High Efficiency Sprinkler Nozzles  $6 per nozzle
  • Flow Sensors                                    $60 per sensor
  • Drip Irrigation                                   $0.20 per square foot

The program is funded through Metropolitan Water District of Southern California’s Member Agency Administered Program. To enroll, or for more information, go to https://www.sdwatersmartcip.com/ or call (888) 521-9763.