ACWD is committed to water use efficiency year-round at its office locations and operating facilities. These are a few ways ACWD is leading the way in using water wisely:

• Installation of a ReScape Rated Demonstration Garden located in front of the ACWD headquarters and available for all customers to visit. Visitors can enjoy a self-guided tour supported by interpretive signage throughout the garden. 
• Dry sweeping methods or a blower is used  to remove debris from pavement and walkways located at ACWD facilities instead of pressure washing.
• Fleet vehicles are washed at a commercial car wash that recycles water.
• Drought tolerant landscaping is standard at all ACWD facilities. Did you know that ACWD customers can receive a rebate for replacing lawns with water-efficient landscapes? Please visit ACWD's Rebate Page for more information.
• ACWD staff are certified landscape professionals with earned credentials from Qualified Water-Efficient Landscaper (QWEL) and ReScape (previously Bay-Friendly). Learn more about becoming QWEL certified.
• Before irrigation season, surveys are conducted on all facilities to find and fix outdoor leaks and avoid water waste from overspray, broken sprinkler heads, and broken pipes.
• Smart irrigation controllers that rely on real-time weather information and other water-efficient technology are installed at District facilities. Did you know that ACWD customers can receive a rebate for switching to smart irrigation? Please visit ACWD's Rebate Page for more information.
• Water-efficient fixtures are installed at all ACWD facilities. Did you know that ACWD customers can receive free water-efficient devices? Request your water-efficient devices.
• Modified the 2022 Main Cleaning Program (flushing) to include only dead-end mains, blow offs, and select areas that were identified as critical for water quality purposes.  This modification should result in approximately a 50% reduction in water used from the Main Cleaning Program in typical non-drought years. For more information visit ACWD's Main Cleaning Program Page. 
• Suspended routine fire hydrant flow testing. 

Making Conservation a California Way of Life

In 2018, then Governor Jerry Brown passed two landmark water conservation bills, AB 1668 and SB 606. Together they make up a framework called, “Making Water Conservation a California Way of Life.” Urban water suppliers, like ACWD, will be required to stay within annual water budgets, based on the implementation of this framework at a service area-wide level (not on an individual customer basis). ACWD has been tracking the legislation to ensure compliance in 2023. To learn more about the framework, click here.

Please join us in using water wisely this year! For more information on ACWD’s drought response, visit the Drought Resource Center.