With increasing temperatures, persistent drought conditions and a prolonged fire season, the City of Malibu, County of Los Angeles and West Basin Municipal Water District (WBMWD) are launching a comprehensive water conservation program.
The Malibu Smart and Topanga Smart water savings programs will help both residential customers and businesses reduce water use.
“For decades, Los Angeles County has actively pushed to ensure that we have enough water to survive, and more than that, to thrive—despite longer and harsher droughts,” said Supervisor Sheila Kuehl, Chair of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. “This program will introduce residents to innovative water conservation technologies that will save water and provide water resiliency for current and future generations.”
Residents of Malibu and Topanga will be able to receive incentives for smart irrigation technologies, which can be controlled by a smart phone and identify leaks before they become costly issues. The largest opportunity for savings exists in the landscape, where 50-60 percent of residential water is used outdoors. For customers who want to take the next step to maximize water savings, a lawn replacement rebate is also available.
“This program gives community members an opportunity to invest in their homes by updating to the latest water management technologies,” said Malibu Mayor Rick Mullen.
Rebates apply to High-Efficiency clothes washers; Premium High-Efficiency Toilets; Rotating Sprinkler Nozzles; Rain Barrels & Cisterns; Weather Based Irrigation Controllers; Soil Moisture Sensor System; and the Landscape Transformation Program.
The goal of the program is to save 28 million gallons of water annually in Malibu and Topanga Canyon through the installation of water-saving measures. This will be achieved through a guided water-efficiency program that helps customers get rebates for installing the latest watering technologies. Residents can now extend the benefits of technology outdoors, to ensure that their landscape is as smart as their homes.
“Smart planning allows you to reduce the risk of fire and maintain your landscape while using less water,” said Scott Houston, director, West Basin Municipal Water District. “Our new program provides the resources to combine water-efficiency and technology.”
The program is operated through the use of Prop 84 funds.
For more information or to participate: (310) 554-6210, or e-mail WBMWD at water@malibusmart.org for Malibu residents and water@topangasmart.org for Topanga Canyon residents.
For rebates and water-saving tips, visit socalwatersmart.com. For conservation tips and materials, visit bewaterwise.com, where you can download booklets, such as“California Friendly,” and other water-saving guides. Free.