January Topics: landscape water budgeting partnership, improved incentives, water wise landscape awards, grant opportunity, business spotlight, CII customer survey and three simple ways to save water

New partnership with SRP

On December 1, 2022, Tempe City Council passed a resolution for the Water Utilities Division to enter into a water conservation related agreement with Salt River Project (SRP). This agreement provides the city with no cost access to Waterfluence, a landscape water budgeting software. Landscape water budgets are customized reports that allow the user to compare actual irrigation water use against a targeted efficient water use. The target is derived from site conditions, such as vegetation type and density, as well as local weather. The Waterfluence software is designed to calculate the percentage of the targeted water budget that has been utilized each month, which was previously a manual process. 

Through this new partnership, four Water Utilities Division's landscapes will be enrolled in the Waterfluence program and have a unique water budget developed for each that will identify irrigation efficiency opportunities. Approximately 18.5 acres of landscape will be monitored monthly. This opportunity to partner with SRP will expand on the city's many on-going water conservation efforts. 

New turf replacement rebate rates

Tempe Water Conservation has increased the project cap for the Non-Residential Turf Replacement Rebate program. Beginning in 2023, businesses may receive up to $10,000 per fiscal year for converting grass to low-water use plants. Terms and conditions apply. For more information, visit our rebates webpage. 

Water wise landscape awards

The Water Wise Landscape of the Year Award honors Tempe residences and businesses that maintain water wise landscapes by demonstrating excellent horticulture maintenance and design standards, while highlighting the beauty of native and other desert plants. Any home, business or neighborhood in Tempe is eligible to win the award if they maintain a water-efficient landscape with an exceptional design that features native and desert adapted plants while following the seven principles of xeriscape.

Nominations are now open and will be accepted until February 15, 2023. The nomination form can be found here and can be submitted to Tempe Water Conservation at [email protected]. Winners of the awards will be presented at the Neighborhood Celebration event on Saturday, April 1, 2023. 

Water efficiency and education grant

Tempe Water Conservation is accepting applications for the Water Efficiency and Education Grant (WEEG). This grant is open to all non-residential customers in Tempe that are interested in undertaking significant water efficiency upgrades. Eligible projects may include industrial process modifications and upgrades in water efficiency for domestic consumption, landscaping and cooling towers. The WEEG program is a reimbursement-based grant that covers 50 percent of project costs, with a maximum cost share of $60,000 for all projects. Applicants must complete a pre-approval process that involves contacting conservation staff for a water efficiency consultation. Consultations are a complimentary service where staff check for leaks, assess flow rates of fixtures, and walks the property to provide recommendations on irrigation controller schedules, pruning and watering practices. To schedule a consultation, contact [email protected] or 480-350-8351. For landscape conversion projects, it is required that applicants contact Tempe's Planning Division prior to applying, to ensure compliance with landscape and zoning code requirements. 

An informational webinar will be held at 10 a.m. on January 25, 2023, to review the WEEG program and to outline the application process. Register here.

Tempe business spotlight

L3 Harris recently converted over 16,300 square feet of grass to low-water use plants through Tempe Water Conservation's Non-Residential Turf Replacement Rebate program. In addition to the removal of non-functional grass, this project included the planting of multiple acacia species, agave, golden barrel cacti and other desert-adapted plants. This landscape conversion project is estimated to save over 440,000 gallons of water annually.

Thank you to this business and the many Tempe businesses doing their part to efficiently manage their water usage. For more information on the turf replacement program, click here. 

CII customer survey

Tempe's Commercial, Industrial and Institutional (CII) Program launched a new survey for non-residential customers. Feedback from the community will guide improvements to program offerings, such as rebates and future programming. To visit the survey, click here. 

Three simple steps to save

Tempe Water Conservation offers several resources to increase water use efficiency. Consider registering your utility account on WaterSmart, evaluating outdoor water use for leaks and reviewing the available incentives.