Projects Selected! Catalyzing Water Efficiency Investments through Debt Financing

BAWSCA: Scaling Investments in Efficiency Incentives Across the San Francisco Bay Area

BAWSCA provides regional water supply planning, resource development, and conservation services for 26 cities, water districts, a university, and an investor-owned utility in San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Alameda Counties. To meet growing demand, BAWSCA and its members aim to save an additional 4 million gallons per day by 2050 while complying with California water efficiency regulations, including limits on potable water use for non-functional turf. BAWSCA is also developing its 2050 Long-Term Reliable Water Supply Strategy to support regional water reliability and resilience.

This project will support BAWSCA’s, and its members’, scaled investments in water saving efforts. To achieve this goal, WaterNow and Pacific Institute, in partnership with BAWSCA, will identify potential water savings from larger-scale outdoor efficiency rebates for strategies such as smart irrigation controllers, turf change-outs, and rain barrels across the BAWSCA region. The team will also develop foundational policies enabling BAWSCA and its member agencies to use bonds or loans to fund these incentives alongside other water infrastructure investments.