Pasadena Water Rebate Program Temporarily Tapped Out

Pasadena’s water rebate program has temporarily run dry.

Officials said this week that the rebates, which were funded through the Metropolitan Water District’s SoCal Water $mart program, have been so popular that the budget has been expended.

Phyllis E. Currie, General Manager of Pasadena Water and Power, said that the Metropolitan Water District will discuss future funding of these rebates at the next board meeting on May 26.

The SoCal Water $mart program offers financial incentives in the form of rebates to home and business owners who choose to remove turf, install water efficient toilets, clothes washers and other appliances.

The state’s water troubles prompted Gov. Jerry Brown to issue an executive order that required a 25 percent reduction in water usage through February 28, 2016 and directing the California Department of Water Resources to launch a program to replace 50 million square feet of lawn and ornamental turf with drought-tolerant landscapes.

Since the Governor’s declaration, interest in the Water $mart program has increased, and as a result, requests for rebates have surpassed the available funding.

As of May 12, Pasadena customers of the Metropolitan Water District are encouraged to continue submitting applications for water rebates through the SoCal Water$mart program, but are warned that funding of those rebates is on a first-come, first served basis, based on availability of funding. Applications made prior to May 12 will be honored and are not affected by this first-come, first served policy.

More information is available on the Pasadena Water and Power web site, and citizens are encouraged to check the SoCal Water $mart program’s web site (http://socalwatersmart.com) for updates.