Water Smart Home Survey
North Marin Water District offers free Water Smart Home Surveys to its customers. This free service includes indoor and outdoor water efficiency checks, a landscape irrigation system efficiency test and a leak detection test.
Our friendly, knowledgeable survey technicians can show how you can easily conserve more water and save money, and we’ll even give you money-saving rebate and incentive information to get you started. Best of all, your appointment can be scheduled at a time that is convenient for you.
Outdoors, we will inspect:
· Flow and leaks
· Sprinklers and irrigation systems
· Hoses
· Faucets
· Landscaping
· Water meter
As part of this program, our survey technicians will teach you how to read your water meter so you can keep track of your own water usage. They will also create a free, custom irrigation schedule based on your particular landscape, designed to save you water and money! Additionally, they will relay rebate and incentive offers to further increase your outdoor water savings.
"Cash-For-Grass" Turf Rebate Has Gone Native!
Native Plant Flyer PDF
To be eligible for these rebates, the customer must:
- Agree to brief pre- and post-installation inspections.
- Replace the regularly mowed and automatically irrigated lawn with California native low water use plant material.
- Mulch new landscape to a depth of at least 4 inches.
- Agree not to re-install turf in the project area.
You are ineligible for the program if:
- The lawn area is replaced with a pool, building extensions, patio, deck or other hardscape feature.
- The dwelling is a commercial building or is owned by a commercial or government entity.
- The replacement project is irrigated with the same sprinklers used to water the previous lawn area.
- You do not own the property where turf will be replaced.
How can I participate?
- Call NMWD’s Water Conservation Office at (415) 897-4133 ext. 8421 and schedule a brief pre-inspection. Rebates are issued only for projects which have been approved in advance.
- After the pre-inspection has been completed, replace your lawn.
- When your project is completed, schedule a post-installation inspection.
- Mail the completed application to NMWD, along with original receipts for plant materials, mulch and irrigation equipment. Be sure to make copies for your own files. If you hire a landscape contractor, ask that materials and labor be billed separately.
- The rebate will be mailed within 4-6 weeks after the application (with original receipts) is received and the post-installation inspection has been completed.
Water Smart Seminars
NMWD typically holds an annual Water Smart Seminar each Spring/Summer. The seminars usually include demonstrations and presentations on installing and using drip irrigation equipment and on selecting low water use plants for the Novato area.
Future Water Smart Seminars will be advertised in the Novato Advance, NMWD’s The Water Line newsletter, and on this website.
Water Smart Landscape Rebate
Efficient landscapes can be achieved through a number of strategies including efficient irrigation devices and equipment, and soil maintenance. You may be eligible for rebates when you install District qualified water efficient landscape equipment including:
· Drip irrigation systems
· Water pressure-regulating devices
· Check valves
· Multi-stream rotating sprinkler nozzles (for lawn areas only)
· Rain shut-off devices
· Mulch
· Soil conditioner/amendment
Rebate amount: 50% of the actual cost of District approved items, up to a maximum of $200 for residential customers.
How to participate: Confirm eligibility during your Water Smart Home Survey to identify water efficient landscape actions to be taken, or call 415-897-4133 ext. 8711 to schedule a brief pre-inspection.
Landscape Rebate Form
Smart Irrigation Controller Rebate
A weather-based irrigation controller, or Smart Controller, is an effective technology for reducing water usage outdoors, replacing the standard automatic timer that controls landscape sprinkler systems. Unlike a standard automatic timer that turns water on at set intervals regardless of plant needs, a Smart Controller uses weather data and site information such as plant type and sprinkler system output to automatically adjust watering times and frequency. This provides more efficient water, reduces water run-off and improves the health of your landscape. A Smart Controller irrigation system can save 30% or more on your landscape water use, and is less expensive that you might think. With Water Smart Savings rebates from North Marin Water District, you can get a new one for as little as $75 after rebate.
Rebate amount: $200 or $25 per active station up to $1,000 per controller, whichever is greater. Rebate cannot exceed the purchase price of the Smart Controller.
How to participate: Confirm eligibility during your Water Smart Home Survey, or call NMWD at 415-897-4133 ext. 8711
Smart Irrigation Controller Rebate Form
Large Landscape Water Audit Program
NMWD has an auditing program for Novato businesses with irrigated, large landscape areas. Thorough on-site audits can be performed to make sure that water is being applied efficiently to help reduce the business cost of water, and will include a “catch can” test, flow tests, and irrigation inspections and scheduling. Please call NMWD at (415) 897-4133 ext 8421 to schedule an audit. (Note: Audits may be scheduled from April through July only.)
Large Landscape Budget Program
NMWD has developed large landscape water budgets for all dedicated irrigation accounts. NMWD compiled measurements of irrigated turf and shrubs at these sites and developed budgets based on the calculated area and local evapo-transpiration data. The budget allows those business maintenance staffs to compare the current landscape water use compared with calculated water needs and to prioritize audits at the poorest-performing sites. Currently, all dedicated irrigation accounts receive a letter, shortly after their bimonthly bill, advising them of their water budget performance.
Please call (415) 897-4133 ext 8421 to request that the District develop a budget for your landscape sites.Irrigation Efficiency
California Irrigation Management Information System (CIMIS)
A CIMIS station provides evapo-transpiration (ET) data, or how much water your landscape will use, in inches, either through plant transpiration or evaporation. This data allows you to manage your landscape irrigation by matching the watering times to reflect the current ET rates. To determine how many inches per hour your irrigation system can apply, call the NMWD for a free water smart home survey. The Novato station has recently been relocated to better reflect the local area landscape water needs. The new station is titled Black Point #187.
Pool Cover Rebate
District customers are eligible for a 25% rebate (up to $50) for purchasing District-approved pool covers. Eligible covers must be a solar or safety cover with non-netted type material, at least 12 mil in thickness, and at least 450 square feet. Please call the District Water Conservation Office at 415-897-4133 ext. 8711 for participation details.
Demonstration Garden
NMWD’s Water Conservation Demonstration Garden is located behind the Administrative Office building at 999 Rush Creek Place in Novato. The garden was designed and installed by local firms and contains popular, colorful, and locally-available, low-water use plants. Visit the garden to get ideas for low water use landscaping at your property.
Cistus Dark Pink
Fremontodendron
Pacific Coast Iris “Raspberry”
Salvia Leucantha
Demonstration Garden Plant List
More Demonstration Garden Pictures
Garden Guide