Water Wise Program San Diego Water Conservation

4677 Overland Avenue, San Diego, CA 92123


News Release

Contact: John Liarakos

(858) 522-6703 Office

(858) 761-2544 Cell

Or

Denise Vedder

(858) 522-6709 Office

(619) 770-8403 Cell

September 17, 2009

Water Conservation Incentives Restart for San Diego County Residents and Businesses

SoCal Water$mart and Save A Buck programs available September 21

Several popular rebates for water-saving devices will once again be available to San Diego County residents and businesses starting next week.

Beginning at 9 a.m. Monday, September 21, SoCal Water$mart and Save A Buck rebate programs will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis until funds are depleted or until May 31, 2010, whichever comes first.

Both programs are administered by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California through the San Diego County Water Authority and its 24 member agencies. MWD is the largest supplier of water for the San Diego region.

“We are pleased that MWD is relaunching these important programs to help San Diego County residents and businesses conserve water indoors and outdoors,” said Bill Rose, water conservation program executive for the Water Authority. “Because the budgets for both

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Conservation Incentives Restart for San Diego County Residents and Businesses

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programs will be far more limited than past years, we want to make sure our ratepayers have a fair opportunity to take advantage of these money-saving incentives before funding runs out.”

Residents in the Water Authority’s service area can apply for rebates on high-efficiency clothes washers, high-efficiency toilets, weather-based irrigation controllers, and rotary nozzles with pressure-regulating heads through the SoCal Water$mart program. No advance rebate reservation is required. Rebate applications for purchases made on or after September 21, 2009 will be available online at http://socalwatersmart.com/. Water$mart will run through May 31, 2010, or until the $6 million for the program are depleted. Participants should check the website regularly for the latest information on qualifying devices and products and rebate amounts.

The Save A Buck program is available to water agency customers who own or manage commercial, industrial and institutional facilities or multi-family properties. Save A Buck rebates include high-efficiency toilets, weather-based irrigation controllers, rotary nozzles with pressure-regulating heads, water brooms, cooling tower conductivity controllers and ph/conductivity controllers (HVAC), steam sterilizers and dry vacuum pumps (medical), and high-efficiency clothes washers (multi-family). Some devices or products from previous Save A Buck programs are no longer eligible for a rebate.

Save A Buck participants must obtain a rebate reservation online prior to purchase and installation of a qualifying device. Phone reservations are not available. After obtaining a reservation, participants must purchase and install the device, and submit the completed application within 45 days of the reservation confirmation to receive a rebate. Reservations will be available at www.mwdsaveabuck.com on a first-come, first-served basis or until the $4.6 million for the program are depleted. Participants should check the website regularly for the latest information on qualifying devices and products and rebate amounts.

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Since local water agencies may offer additional rebates or incentives, residents and businesses interested in participating in SoCal Water$mart or Save A Buck should first check with their local water provider regarding local incentives, including the availability of synthetic turf rebates. To find local water agencies, go to http://www.bewaterwise.com/ and http://www.20gallonchallenge.com/ or call 888-376-3314.

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The San Diego County Water Authority is a public agency serving the San Diego region as a wholesale supplier of water from the Colorado River and Northern California. The Water Authority works through its 24 member agencies to provide a safe, reliable water supply to support the region’s $171 billion economy and the quality of life of 3 million residents.