This post is part of a series of case studies developed with utility partners and the Water Utility Climate Alliance Equity Subcommittee to spotlight practical climate approaches and lessons from the field. Below is an abridged version; for the full narrative and details, download Equity and Affordability in Water Conservation.
Climate change impacts like more intense storms and more frequent droughts strain water supplies, damage infrastructure, and make it increasingly difficult for utilities to provide affordable, safe, and reliable water supplies. Many water utilities have identified water conservation and water use efficiency as key climate adaptation strategies— recognizing that such measures can preserve scarce resources and delay or reduce the need to invest in new and potentially more expensive water supplies, which are not only costly to develop but also to operate and maintain. Moreover, conservation and efficiency programs reduce utilities’ current operating costs by decreasing water treatment and distribution volumes, thereby saving on energy, chemical usage, and maintenance expenses.
The financial benefits of conservation and efficiency programs are significant, helping utilities meet rising resource demands and decrease greenhouse gas emissions from water treatment while ensuring access to safe, reliable, and affordable water and maintaining fiscal health. These programs also offer financial relief at the household level, where many across the United States face challenges paying bills and expenses.
There is tremendous potential for demand-side water conservation strategies in households whose toilets, lawns, gardens, and undetected leaks are primary drivers of inefficient water use. When these savings are realized, not only does the household benefit from lower monthly bills, but the whole system benefits as well. Importantly, these programs foster a relationship between utilities and their communities regarding the importance of conservation, leading to community-wide climate resilience and long-term water sustainability by mobilizing residents to reduce demand.
Examples of Equity and Affordability in Water Conservation
Multifamily Property Toilet Replacement Program—Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) serves 26 public water agencies that deliver water directly or indirectly to 19 million people in Southern California. In addition to its large investments in supply-side water conservation incentives and programs to support conservation by industrial and commercial water users, residential water conservation programs remain critical to helping MWD achieve its climate adaptation and water use goals.
MWD launched its Multifamily Property Toilet Replacement Program in 2019. This is one component of an initiative developed as part of the utility’s efforts to increase water efficiency in historically underrepresented communities in its service area. The program, now in its fourth cycle, targets the replacement of older and inefficient toilets installed in multifamily properties built before 1994. To help cover the cost of the product and installation of premium high-efficiency toilets (1.1 gallons or less used per flush) in these properties, the program offers a $250 per toilet rebate, much higher than the normal $40 per toilet rebate—both offered through the SoCal Water$mart program. A little over 70 percent of the toilets inspected for participation in the program were eligible for the rebate, with the remaining already considered high efficiency. Rebate applications are submitted by multifamily property owners and managers with assistance from plumbing contractors who perform toilet replacement work. Contractors typically deliver program information to property owners/managers to market the program and encourage participation.
The program’s construction date and property type qualifications allow MWD to capitalize on clear opportunities for water savings while providing services to low-income and renter communities who might not have received water efficiency upgrades at the same rate as others. The rebates for multi-family buildings accelerate investments in the properties by landlords or rental agencies who directly benefit from water bill savings and provide upgraded appliances to residents. Though not directly targeting these communities, about 45 percent of the properties in the program are located in disadvantaged communities.
Since 2019, the utility has incentivized the retrofit of nearly 20,000 toilets in multifamily properties across Southern California and aims to replace another 8,000 to 10,000 toilets this fiscal year. MWD is also working directly through Southern California Gas Company and indirectly through Southern California Edison on additional direct install programs for low-income, single-family homes across Southern California.
Insights
- Capitalize on the scope of regional wholesale water distributors to implement standardized conservation programs with greater collective impact. Wholesalers can work across traditional utility jurisdictions to coordinate more unified messaging and programming than individual utilities could produce on their own.
- Deploy creative solutions to reach residents who might benefit most from water bill savings. Thinking creatively about program qualifications can help utilities achieve affordability outcomes in target demographics despite restrictions on funding allocations.
- Research the product and installation cost to ensure rebate amounts either incentivize new customers or drive contractors to proactively seek out customers. If too low, rebates may not overcome traditional financial barriers to participation experienced by disadvantaged communities or may not incentivize contractors to participate.
- Find partners in the community and other utility departments that have experience implementing similar programs. Consulting or partnering with other local agencies that operate successful customer assistance programs or sharing assistance information lowers the time and cost of program design and implementation.
Direct Install Program—San Diego County Water Authority
Image courtesy of San Diego County Water Authority
San Diego County Water Authority is a wholesale water provider that serves 24 member agencies in the county of San Diego. The Water Authority has a long history of supply diversification and water use efficiency programs that focus on building water resilience in the face of climate-driven water scarcity. This is the result of the proactive inclusion of all residents in conservation activities, strong collaboration between energy and water utilities, and a county-wide ethos that prioritizes water-smart living.
The Water Authority’s current Direct Install Program provides no-cost replacement of inefficient toilets (1.6 gallons or more used per flush) with premium high-efficiency toilets (1.1 gallons or less used per flush) and installation of smart irrigation controllers in disadvantaged communities including manufactured housing communities, deed-restricted multifamily properties, and single-family homes. Residential customers who have previously or are currently participating in income-qualifying energy efficiency programs are also eligible. The program began in 2021 and has already installed over 5,000 premium high-efficiency toilets in these communities. Like most of the Water Authority’s water use efficiency programs, the Direct Install Program is funded entirely by grants and Metropolitan Water District of Southern California programs, which includes over four million from the California Department of Water Resources Integrated Regional Water Management and Urban Community Drought Relief programs. Grant funding allows the Water Authority to invest in solutions that will benefit the entire community and more evenly allocate support for its residents.
While the current program has been in place since 2021, the Water Authority is in the process of finalizing a new addition to its Direct Install Program. This added element will support a community-based “WaterSmart” landscaping education and efficient irrigation assistance pilot project. Several commercial landscape direct installations will be implemented, supporting new California state legislation that will ban non-functional turf on commercial properties starting in 2027. The goal of this program element is to showcase ways to enhance climate resilience through landscape changes that promote efficient water and energy use, reduce stormwater runoff, and incorporate education and workforce development to support growth and success.
Insights
- Income-based qualifications allow programs to reach a wider range of participants, regardless of their address. Many low-income households are in disadvantaged communities, but others may be in high-income and low-social vulnerability neighborhoods. Income provides a simplified metric of need that is universal and household specific.
- Use state and local regulatory conditions to forge unlikely partnerships for water conservation. Utilities and departments are often bound by the same or similar state and local mandates and policies, both requiring actions and programs with little to no funds. This shared regulatory reality can facilitate creative and productive connections and communication.
- Leverage diverse funding sources to support conservation work in underserved communities. In areas where water use efficiency programs are not grant-funded or supported by state and regional programs, utilities might look to partner with other utilities, local or national philanthropy groups, and/or nonprofits.
- Lean on established strategic partnerships when developing new programs. Look into other agencies’ established programs to see if they can be expanded to incorporate your agency’s needs and goals. These mutually beneficial partnerships can create bigger impacts with smaller budgets.
The US Water Alliance would like to especially thank the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and the San Diego County Water Authority for lending their time to share project insights and provide support. The Alliance would also like to thank the Water Utility Climate Alliance and the utilities featured in this case study for their partnership. For additional acknowledgements and the read the full study, download Equity and Affordability in Water Conservation.
