Water budgets for commercial landscapes

What is a water budget?

Water budgets are tools that help commercial, large-landscape customers track the efficiency of their landscape water use. They are not associated with EBMUD billing and are a recommendation, not a requirement, of how much water should be applied to your landscape.

Water budgets are calculated using the California Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (MWELO) and are based on:

  • Irrigated area is the amount of landscaped area that receives regular watering measured in square feet. This information is provided by the customer.

  • Evapotranspiration (ET) is the amount of water lost each day due to evaporation and plant transpiration. It is measured in inches per day using a statewide network of automated weather stations (CIMIS) and is specific to the customer’s location. ET can vary due to factors such as sunlight, temperature, humidity and wind.

  • Plant/landscape factor indicates how much water a plant needs relative to ET. The assigned plant factor is based on when the site was entered into our program and/or the general type of landscape present. Sites entered:

    • Under 2010 and 2015 MWELO as a “special landscape area” (SLA) are given 1.0
    • Before 2010 receive 0.80 which represents a high-moderate water use landscape, such as a mixture of turf and shrubs
    • Between 2010 - 2015 receive 0.70 which represents a moderate water landscape
    • After 2016 receive 0.45 which represents a majority of the landscape as being low water

For descriptions hover, tap, or click the parts of the water budget you are interested in.

Service Address EBMUD provides water service to this location. This may differ from the mailing address. City City defined localized weather data gathered from a statewide network of automated weather stations. Account Number An 11-digit number assigned to the service address. Service Meter The meter number assigned to the service address. Estimated Irrigation Area (sq. ft.) Estimated square feet of irrigated landscape that is served by this meter, as provided by the customer. Aerial Image Irrigated area served by this meter, as provided by the customer. Water Budget Summary Date ranges compare rolling totals in gallons of budgeted water versus actual water used. Meeting your water budget Calculated at current water rates using the 24-month total difference between budgeted water and actual gallons used. Graph Compares your budgeted water (blue) versus your actual water use (red) for each billing period. Budget Calculated using the CA Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (MWELO) and broken out in estimated gallons per day (GPD) for the billing period. Used Actual water used according to your EBMUD water bill for each billing period broken out in estimated gallons per day (GPD). Evapotranspiration (ET) Evapotranspiration (ET) represents the estimated water need in inches for each billing period specific to your city.

Benefits of a water budget

A water budget can help customers optimize their use of resources. Benefits include:

  • Identifies the irrigated area associated with a meter
  • Compares actual water consumption to water budget goals
  • Helps customers become aware of leaks quickly
  • Improves irrigation water management
  • Potentially lower water bills
  • Helps maintain a healthy landscape

Contact us

The water budget program is free to customers with meters that serve irrigation exclusively. Irrigation-only customers can include homeowners associations, parks, golf courses, cities, counties, and businesses.

To add an account (meter) to the water budget program, update an existing account, or for general information, email us at waterbudgets@ebmud.com