City of San Luis Obispo water customers can now receive a rebate for upgrading to more water-efficient devices. The City of San Luis Obispo Water Conservation Rebate Program is designed to reduce water use City-wide by including rebates for all account types. The new incentive program is a part of the City’s efforts to support the entire community’s efforts to conserve water by equitably offering rebates across single-family residential, multi-family residential, and commercial, industrial, and institutional account holders, ensuring the program does not favor one customer class.
The City of SLO Utilities Department used results from the Alliance for Water Efficiency water conservation tracking tool, which modeled the effectiveness of a variety of water-conservation rebates in San Luis Obispo, with input from a recent survey of local businesses to determine the devices offered.
“As the statewide drought continues, it is important that we make the most of the available funding for our water conservation program to support our entire community as we all work together to save water,” said Water Resources Program Manager, Nick Teague. “Our hope is that the City’s water conservation rebate program will provide equitable water conservation opportunities that result in measurable water savings.”
The City of San Luis Obispo Water Conservation Rebate Program offers rebates for the following eligible items purchased on or after January 1, 2023. Funding has been allocated for Fiscal Years 2022 – 2023, and rebates will be offered until funding is exhausted.
High-Efficiency Toilets
Toilets are often the main source of water used in a home or business. By replacing old, inefficient toilets with WaterSense-labeled models, the average family is estimated to reduce water used for toilets by 20-60%. All City of San Luis Obispo water customers are eligible for up to four $100 rebates for replacing older, less-water-efficient toilets with 1.28 gallons per flush (GPF) WaterSense-certified toilets. Please note, toilets using 1.6 gallons per flush (GPF) will not qualify for a rebate.
Large Landscape Smart Irrigation Controllers
Multi-Family Residential properties can upgrade outdoor irrigation systems with WaterSense-certified weather-based or soil-moisture-sensing smart irrigation controllers. Rebates will be granted at $20 per station, up to $700, and controllers must have a minimum of 24 stations. There is a limit of 1 large landscape smart irrigation controller rebate per customer address.
Single-Family Residential water customers can also still receive discounts on 8-zone and 16-zone Rachio Smart Irrigation Controllers through the City’s Partnership with Rachio. These weather-based devices automatically adjust irrigation schedules based on current local weather conditions. Click here to check your eligibility.
High-Efficiency Urinals
Did you know that a water-efficient urinal only uses about 9% of the water per flush than a high-efficiency toilet? Commercial, Industrial, or Institutional (CII) properties can flush with higher efficiency by replacing outdated urinals. CII properties that replace a less water-efficient urinal with a 0.125 gallon per flush (GPF) or less WaterSense certified model can receive a $100 rebate for up to four urinals.
Water-Efficient Restaurant Dipper Wells
A dipper well is a device often used in the food service industry to rinse utensils. Traditional dipper wells operate using a continuous flow of water whereas newer, water-efficient devices have automatic shutoffs and other features to dramatically reduce their water use. Commercial, industrial, and institutional (CII) customers are eligible to receive up to four $150 rebates for upgrading to water-efficient dipper wells.