Landscape Budgets Program Can Help Money, Water Savings Flow
The free management tool helps property owners, managers and contractors track irrigation to improve efficiency.
Do you know how much you paid for water last year? Do you know how much you should have paid?
The California Landscape Budgets Program is a free water management tool that gives property owners, property managers and landscape contractors the tools to use water efficiently. By taking part in the program, participants can monitor water use, save water and money.
The program is available to properties served by an irrigation water meter in the city of Santa Barbara or the Goleta Water District.
Participants track their irrigation meter’s monthly water use and compare it with a custom water budget, which demonstrates how close irrigation was to the needs of plants. It identifies overwatered areas and improves irrigation efficiency.
Participants can use the online monthly irrigation performance report to:
» Easily track irrigation water use.
» Help reduce water bills.
» Improve the health, appearance and value of landscapes.
» Protect the environment by decreasing urban runoff.
Once participants are registered, the free reports can be accessed at www.landscapebudgets.com.
A recent study shows that properties participating in this program save an average of 765 gallons of water per day (a savings of more than $100 a month) compared with properties that are not part of this program.
Who should sign up? Property owners with an irrigation water meter in the city of Santa Barbara or Goleta Water District, HOA board members and landscape committee chairs, property managers that actively manage sites and landscape contractors that manage sites.
For more information or to sign up for the program, contact water conservation coordinator Alison Jordan at 805.564.5574 or .
Alison Jordan is the city of Santa Barbara’s water conservation coordinator.