Introduction to Water Conservation

Update: as of August 25 we now have a three days a week scheme, which means odd house numbers and even house numbers (odd = Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and even = Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday). Watering is limited to 8 minutes a day for the inefficient nozzles most of us have, rather than the old 15 minutes a day allotment (efficient ones can stay at 15), before 9 am and after 4 pm. For rebates here.

We should use a broom on the driveway and walkways instead of a hose and washing the car requires a nozzle. We need to check the sprinkler system for leaks and not allow run-off onto streets. LADWP summary here.

The other way the City can save water, of course, is to raise prices - you can calculate your Tier 1 allotment here. It's also on your bill.

There are additional solutions and one - so far not adopted by LADWP - is telling us how much water (or energy) we use relative to the neighbors - check OPOWER's website: here. Other ideas include using the dishwasher and washing machine only when they are full, taking shorter showers and not wasting water when brushing teeth, buying a rain barrel connected to the downspout from the roof and recycling gray water (which is currently too complex for most houses but LADWP is encouraging it).

LADWP will pay single family residential cstomers rebates for water conservation - details here. It's a cumbersome process but they apply to buying high efficiency clothes washers and toilets, weather-based sprinkler controllers and rotating nozzles, and replacing your grass with climate-appropriate plants.

Rebates for synthetic turf have been discontinued.

Replacing your grass means that you get $1 for each square foot of turf removed up to 2000 sq. feet. Plans must be approved in advance by the LADWP and evidence must be provided before and after the landscaping in order for customers to receive the rebate. It is known as the Residential Drought Resistant Landscape Incentive Program and the number to call is 888-376-3314. But it's better to go straight to the website BeWaterWise.com (here) to download the application packages in order to apply for the rebate. Good luck with that.