Money Saving Tips
from the Business Water Project

Water Conservation Related Programs for Business & Industry

City of Cotati* - (707) 547-1906
City of Sonoma* - (707) 547-1968
Town of Windsor* - (707) 838-5357
Valley of the Moon Water District* - (707) 547-1968
Sonoma Valley County Sanitation District* - (707) 547-1968
North Marin Water District* - (415) 897-4133 x5
Marin Municipal Water District - (415) 945-1520
City of Santa Rosa Water Conservation - (707) 543-3985
City of Petaluma Water Conservation* - (707) 778-4507
City of Rohnert Park - (707) 547-1906
City of Sebastopol - (707) 823-7863
City of Healdsburg - (707) 431-3346 (Utilities Department)
City of Cloverdale - (707) 894-2521 (Department of Finance)
* Indicates eligibility for Business Water Project.

Toilet Replacement Programs for Business and Industry

Ask your retailer about a High-Efficiency Toilet (HET) or High-Efficiency Urinal (HEU) rebate.

If your toilet uses 3 gallons or more per flush, you may be eligible for a rebate on a qualified HET toilet. Some water retailers offer free direct installation from a list of qualified plumbers. Contact your city or water district for more information.

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Clothes Washer Programs for Businesses

Through September 30, 2008, businesses can receive rebates for installing high-efficiency coin-operated commercial clothes washers. Businesses who are PG&E customers (most of Sonoma County except Healdsburg) are eligible to apply for the rebates, which total $350 ($130 energy rebate plus $220 water rebate). To apply for the rebate, businesses must submit their energy and water account numbers as well as the invoice for purchase and installation (or proof of lease) of qualifying equipment. A listing of qualifying clothes washers as approved by the Consortium of Energy Efficiency can be found here. Call (800) 587-3442 for more information or for help filling out forms.

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Best Available Technologies (BAT) Programs

SANTA ROSA:
The Best Available Technologies (BAT) ordinance #3313 was signed by the Santa Rosa City Council in May, 1997. This ordinance provides a reduction in sewer demand fees for laundromats and restaurants who apply the best available technologies to their new site.
For laundromats, the technology requirement is:
- high efficiency toilets and faucet aerators
- self-closing, low-volume aerators on sinks (less than 1 gallon-per-minute)
- horizontal-axis washing machines
For restaurants, technologies include the following:
- high efficiency toilets and faucet aerators
- 1.6 gpm pre-rinse spray nozzles, with automatic shut-off trigger
- high-temperature dishwashers, or, low-temperature dishwashers excluding "fill and dump" machines
- self-closing, low-volume aerators on sinks (less than 1 gallon-per-minute)
- air-cooled ice-makers (not water-cooled)

Large Landscape Conservation Programs and Incentives

PETALUMA, ROHNERT PARK, and SONOMA:

Up to $1,000 rebates are available to water customers who replace standard irrigation controllers with Evapotranspiration-based irrigation controllers. For further information on this program for all three cities, please call (707) 547-1918.

Large Landscape - Irrigation Incentive and Rebate Programs

PETALUMA:
The Irrigation Incentive & Rebate Program is designed to encourage non-residential customers with a cash incentive to upgrade selected irrigation equipment with new irrigation equipment, such as rain shut-off sensors, pressure regulation devices, drip retrofits, controllers, etc. Depending on the type of equipment, non-residential customers can receive a rebate of 50 percent to 100 percent of their expenses up to $10,000 per project per year (over a 12-month period). For further information, please call (707) 778-4507.

SANTA ROSA:
The City of Santa Rosa Water Conservation Program is announcing a new rebate program for efficient landscape water management. Eligible customers can earn $500 for each acre-foot (325,851 gallons) of water savings below their Efficient Irrigation Goal each year (approximately $1.53 per 1,000 gallons of water saved). Using landscape and weather data, city staff can calculate the landscape water requirements of each site (the Efficient Irrigation Goal). The city's water utility customers irrigating with city water through a dedicated irrigation meter can apply each year. Applications are due by February 1 for the previous calendar year. To earn a rebate, actual irrigation water use must fall below the Efficient Irrigation Goal for that year.

To be considered for a rebate, an application must be submitted! Please call the Water Conservation Hotline at (707) 543-3985 to request an application, get more information, and/or arrange for technical assistance.

VALLEY OF THE MOON and SONOMA:
City of Sonoma: Landscape Equipment Rebate for business customers
Improve the efficiency of your existing irrigation systems by taking advantage of the City of Sonoma’s Landscape Equipment Rebate program. Receive up to 100% rebate on improvements to your irrigation system. Receive 50% of the total rebate at the time of project inspection by City personnel; the remaining amount is paid after one year of demonstrated increase in water use efficiency.

Valley of the Moon Water District: Landscape Equipment Rebate for business customers
Improve the efficiency of your existing irrigation systems by taking advantage of the Valley of the Moon Water District’s Landscape Equipment Rebate program. Receive up to 100% rebate on improvements to your irrigation system. Receive 50% of the total rebate at the time of project inspection by District personnel; the remaining amount is paid after one year of demonstrated increase in water use efficiency.

Contact Carrie Pollard, (707) 547-1968.

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Commercial/Industrial Sustained Reduction Rebate Programs

SANTA ROSA:

In April, 1996, the city passed a resolution which authorizes rebates for commercial/industrial/institutional efficiency upgrades. The city now offers rebates of $100 for every 1,000 gallons per month of sustainable reduction in water use and wastewater flow achieved through measures other than toilet/faucet/showerhead replacement. This program is for commercial, industrial, and institutional customers only.

SONOMA VALLEY COUNTY SANITATION DISTRICT:

The district offers an incentive of $5.40 for every 1000 gallons in flow reductions. Participants must be SVCSD customers and agree to a pre- and post-program water use analysis of each fixture.

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Vineyard Water Management: Best Management Practices

• Reduce irrigation water usage
  • Irrigation avoidance:
    • Don’t start to irrigate too early in the season (wait until shoots stop growing before irrigating – assuming that shoots reach proper length before stopping)
    • Manage cover crop to minimize its competition (closely mowing is best option)
    • Limit use of overhead sprinklers for cooling:
      • Leave some leaves and laterals to protect fruit from direct sunlight.
      • Leave one side of VSP loose to shade fruit.
      • North or northeast row orientations are less sensitive to heat stress than east-west oriented rows.
      • Limit or eliminate late-season sulfur and horticultural oil applications – these materials promote leaf burn during hot weather.
      • Increase trigger temperature for start-up of system.
      • Apply overhead sprinklers in pulses. Allow for evaporation between cycles. Less than 50% duty cycle should be effective.
      • Reduce system pressure for this purpose. Use just enough pressure to get sprinklers to turn.
  • Irrigation reduction:
    • Smaller vines use less water – leaf area transpires water. Begin irrigation later in the season and hedge vines to constrain canopy.
    • Short & frequent drip irrigation is much better than large, infrequent applications – may allow for less overall water application.
    • Install additional drip tubes to selectively irrigate weaker zones in the vineyard earlier in the season without irrigating the entire vineyard block.
    • Use soil moisture devices in weakest soils of each block to discover how long irrigation may be applied before water is wasted (i.e. moving past root zone).
    • Employ a moderate deficit irrigation program while monitoring soil and/or vine water status. Vine water status monitoring (using a pressure chamber or Porometer) is highly desirable, since soil moisture instruments are not easily calibrated.
    • Reduce post-harvest irrigation:
      • Refrain from using overhead sprinklers for irrigation of vines.
      • Use drip irrigation for post-harvest fertigation and irrigation of the vines.
      • Vine irrigation is not necessary if vines are senescing. Irrigate only if leaves are green following harvest. Some fertilizers (e.g. phosphorus, potassium and micronutrients) may be applied if vines are not active, but do not apply nitrogen if vines are senescing.
      • Use overhead irrigation only for shallow irrigation of cover crop seeds. Consult local farm advisor for best practices for cover crops.
      • Use permanent (self re-seeding or perennial) cover crop to avoid re-seeding every fall.
  • Improve system and irrigation efficiency:
    • Perform frequent (at least once per week) and repetitive inspections of drip laterals and emitters, valves, filters, etc. Look for leaks in the system. Repair any leaks immediately.
    • Perform system uniformity evaluations at least once per season using timed collection of water output in catch cans. Less than 65% uniformity triggers system flush.
    • Reduce height of drip emitters where possible to reduce evaporative losses from splashing.
    • Apply mulch under the vines (or under drip emitters) to reduce surface evaporation – use caution with mulch cover, however, if voles are a potential problem
    • Nighttime irrigation is more efficient than daytime irrigation.
    • Apply short and frequent irrigation applications (as mentioned above).
    • Monitoring vine water status will allow for decisions regarding whether improved efficiency will allow for an overall reduction in irrigation volume.
  • Perform rotational (nighttime) pumping:
    • Pump during the night, when water demand on the river is at its lowest.
    • Recharge ponds at nighttime or irrigate at night, if direct feed.
    • Rotate with neighbor growers or within your own vineyard blocks.
    • Electric pumps: Install time-of-use meter to significantly save PG&E costs.

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