Residential Rebates

 FREE Water Conservation Items

FREE Faucet Aerators
Faucet aerators (the part with the screen) are easy to install and help save water. If no aerator is installed, check to see if there are threads just inside the tip of the faucet. Most modern faucets are threaded to accept aerators. Free aerators (limited to two per household) are available at the Water & Sewer Utilities office in City Hall during normal business hours.

FREE Showerheads
Low-flow showerheads are easy to install and help conserve water, and they are free (limited to two per household) to Santa Clara residents with showerheads using more than 2.5 gallons per minute. Aerating - mixes air into the water stream. This maintains steady pressure so the flow has an even, full shower spray. The showerheads can be obtained at the Water & Sewer Utilities office in City Hall during normal business hours (may be limited to one per household). You may need to purchase an inexpensive adapter to install the showerhead.

FREE Hose Shut Off Nozzle
Use a spray nozzle with a shutoff handle on your hose so water doesn’t flow continuously. Hose nozzles are available free to City residents at the Water & Sewer Utilities office in City Hall (limited to one per household).

FREE Toilet Flappers
If your toilet is leaking you may need a new flapper. The City can provide you with a replacement toilet flapper that fits most toilets that were made after 1994 (Limited to one per household). If your toilet is older than this, it may be time to think about getting one of the toilets that use less water each flush. See the High-Efficiency Toilet Rebate information above. To troubleshoot the leak and determine if a new flapper will fix your leak, keep on reading.

Signs of a leaky flapper valve:

• Water level in toilet tank is too high (the correct water fill line is inscribed on the inside of the tank)
• Toilet fill valve broken
• Flush valve flapper is not sealing properly (due to age deterioration of the plastic flapper or use of certain toilet cleaners placed in the tank)

For more information on how to trouble-shoot and repair some common leaky toilet problems get the free booklet “Practical Plumbing Handbook” available at the City.

You may hear the sound of running water inside the toilet tank when you are not using it. Then again, you may not. To check for those sneaky quiet leaks, use the free toilet leak detection dye tablets available at the City to double check. 

REBATES 

PROGRAM UPDATE- CERTAIN REBATES TEMPORARILY INCREASED. RESTRICTIONS APPLY

The following water conservation programs are offered by the Santa Clara Valley Water District to help homeowners conserve water and save money. For more information about the available programs, contact the District’s Water Conservation Hotline at (408)630-2554.

Landscape Rebate Program* 
The Landscape Rebate Program is designed to assist homeowners and commercial, industrial and institutional property owners increase their outdoor water use efficiency by converting qualifying high water use landscape and/or upgrading to qualifying high efficiency irrigation equipment. Simple changes in plant type and irrigation methods can greatly reduce the water required for an attractive landscape. There are many plants that use surprisingly little water. There are also several irrigation equipment upgrades that can increase your irrigation system’s efficiency which can result in saving water and saving money. The District’s Landscape Conversion Rebate Program offers $2.00 per square foot for converting high water using landscape (i.e. irrigated turf or functional swimming pool) to low water using landscape. The City of Santa Clara is now adding $1.00 per square foot of qualifying landscape conversion for a total rebate of $3.00 per square foot for properties within Santa Clara. Irrigation hardware upgrades for the installation of high efficiency equipment as also available. For more information call the District’s Water Conservation Hotline at (408) 630-2554.

*District funding for the Landscape Rebate Program has been exhausted for the current fiscal year.

Residential High-Efficiency Clothes Washer Rebate Program
If you purchase and install a qualifying Energy Star Most Efficient clothes washer between January 1 and December 31, 2016, you can receive a receive a rebate up to $150 from the Santa Clara Valley Water District (SCVWD). All rebate applications must be postmarked or received online by PG&E no later than 60 days after the purchase date. On average, a typical household will save 6,450 gallons of water, between $80-100 in electricity, and $54 in detergent costs on a yearly basis. For more information, call SCVWD at (408) 630-2554 or visit their website.

Graywater Laundry to Landscape Rebate Program
The Santa Clara Valley Water District provides a Graywater Laundry to Landscape rebate of $200 per residential site for properly connecting a clothes washer to a graywater irrigation system based on the completion of the program requirements. Additionally, the City of Santa Clara will cover the cost of the building permit required to install a laundry to landscape system. For more information or to pre-qualify and receive a Graywater Laundry to Landscape Rebate Program Application, please email jburks@valleywater.org or call (408) 630-2554.