Get WaterStar certified

The WaterStar program helps your business, hotel or restaurant save money by reducing its water consumption. Then, as a Certified WaterStar business, you will get exposure with over 400,000 of our customers. And who doesn’t love a little recognition, right? Learn more about the program at IRWD.com/waterstar. 

Be a WaterStar

Credits, rebates and incentives

$$ Water Savings Incentive Program: Your special water-efficient projects or upgrades for your business may qualify for the Commercial and Industrial Water Use Efficiency Incentive Program. Incentives can be as much as $15 for every 1,000 gallons of water saved in a year! For details, go to socalwatersmart.com or email WaterEfficiency@IRWD.com. 

$$ Evaporation credits: Cooling towers that are metered with make-up meters and blow-down meters are eligible for evaporation credits. Please submit one year of completed meter log sheets for both meters. For details, email WaterEfficiency@IRWD.com.

$$ Rebates: Your business may qualify for a rebate on many items ranging from high efficiency toilets, turf removal, irrigation controllers, ice machines and more! Commercial customers must apply for a rebate before making the purchase.

$$ Recycled water in cooling towers can help you save water and money. To convert your cooling tower to recycled water use, call IRWD's Recycled Water Department at 949-453-5300.

$$ The public agency Turf Replacement and Project Assistant Program provides an incentive and project assistance to encourage public agencies to remove non-essential turf on public property. Agencies are encouraged to be leaders in water conservation and sustainability by creating projects that demonstrate efficient water use in their communities.

Commercial Rebates

Site evaluation and water efficiency recommendations

Free water use evaluations: Property managers experiencing water usage in the Inefficient or Wasteful tiers are eligible for a free evaluation of your company's base index (water allocation). For details, email WaterEfficiency@IRWD.com. See overview of commercial, industrial, public authority, non-residential mixed usage rates

Estimate your rebate: Use the form at socalwatersmart.com to verify eligibility and identify the current rebate amounts.

Find those leaks: You may also have leaks or other unintended water use such as over irrigation or an increase in production. For details, email WaterEfficiency@IRWD.com. 

EPA WaterSense at work: check out water efficiency best management practices for commercial and institutional facilities. Designed to help you understand and better manage your water use, help you establish an effective water management program and identify projects and practices that can reduce facility water use. Read more

Important budget note: Water budgets for potable water accounts are based on 60% warm season turf and 40% drought tolerant landscape irrigated with a water-efficient system, such as drip. If you maintain your current watering schedule for grass, you will most likely go over your allocation and result in a high water bill. View the latest Prop 218 notices 

Irrigation water management tools

Free mixed-use meters log sheet: Help keep track of your weekly water usage. Commercial property meters measure both outdoor water usage such as outdoor spigots, indoor water usage, bathroom and kitchen fixtures, and production processes requiring water, etc. For assistance using this log sheet and to determine your current indoor and outdoor allocations, please contact Juan Garcia at 949-453-5429 or garciaj@irwd.com. Download the log sheet

For property managers & HOAs: View the Water Efficiency Guidebook for Multi-Family Properties

Large landscape resources: Helping our commercial and municipal customers maximize the efficient use of water for large landscape irrigation is a top priority for IRWD. Use our Large Landscape Resources to maximize efficiency for large landscape irrigation. For further information and site-specific help with the efficient irrigation of your large landscape, please call the IRWD Water Efficiency team at 949-453-5581 or email WaterEfficiency@IRWD.com. 

Free suggested weekly irrigation schedule: Download the free suggested weekly irrigation schedule, available in English and Spanish.

ET Weather & Data Center: Download weekly allocation data, CIMIS information and more. ET Hotline: 949-453-5351.

More for Large Landscapes