EBMUD WaterSmart Irrigation Controller Rebate

Program Goal: To encourage reduced outdoor water use and promote healthy and attractive landscapes by improving watering efficiency. East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) customers who use more than 250 gallons per day of summer irrigation may be eligible for a rebate on a weather-based irrigation controller. The rebates are for $100, $250, $350, and $500, and depend on past water consumption.

Why WaterSmart Irrigation Controllers are better than old-fashioned sprinkler timers.

Traditional timers turn the water on and off based on a set schedule that does not change with the weather and regardless of how much the landscape actually needs to be watered. As a result, plants are often watered too frequently or for too long a time, which wastes water, wastes money, damages plant health, causes runoff, and can wash harmful lawn and garden chemicals into nearby waterways.

WaterSmart irrigation controllers solve these over-watering problems by adjusting the irrigation schedule based on the Evapotranspiration (ET) rate and actual on-site environmental conditions, and automatically provide the right amount of water to maintain ideal, healthy growing conditions.

Evapotranspiration is the water lost from soils through evaporation and plant tissue through water uptake. The evapotranspiration rate is affected by solar radiation, temperature, humidity, and wind. (Amy Vickers, Water Use and Conservation, 2006)

For more information on independent studies of weather-based irrigation controllers, click here.

Application Process

Customer reviews program rules and controller information, and purchases a qualifying controller. Alternatively, customer can have their landscaper or gardener purchase the controller, as long as they are provided a typed, dated receipt that itemizes the controller.
Customer installs and programs the qualifying irrigation controller according to manufacturer’s directions. Contact manufacturer for installation and programming questions. Contact distributor for a list of professional installers and the additional cost of installation if you choose not to install yourself.
Complete, sign and return application to EBMUD within 90 days of date of purchase.
EBMUD will contact customer to schedule a site visit to review installation and programming of controller and to measure the irrigated area of landscape. Area measurement is used to estimate water savings and effectiveness of irrigation controller.
Upon successful completion of the verification, EBMUD will approve the rebate. It will appear on the customer’s water bill within 8 weeks.

NOTE: EBMUD will bill the value of the rebate back to the customer service account if, as applicable, customer discontinues payment of the signaling fee during the first five years after installation date, or moves the controller to a different address.

The following forms are PDF files which can be viewed and printed through Adobe Acrobat Reader, a free software.

EBMUD account holders who meet the program qualifications and guidelines outlined below are eligible.