In Southern California, through the Bureau of Reclamation's Water Conservation Field Services Program (WCFSP), Reclamation encourages and facilitates water conservation and efficiency improvements, and assists agencies in meeting their demands for limited water resources.

Grant Opportunities & Technical Assistance

The Southern California Area Office actively promotes water conservation in the area through several funding opportunities including:

• Water Conservation Field Services Program grants - These grants assist local districts in developing plans to support and complement existing State and local agency conservation programs. FY2006 - 2012 Grants Awarded
  
  
• WaterSMART grants - Through the WaterSMART program, Reclamation provides 50/50 cost share funding to irrigation and water districts, Tribes, States and other entities with water or power delivery authority to develop projects that seek to conserve and use water more efficiently, increase the use of renewable energy, protect endangered species, or facilitate water markets. FY2010 - 2012 Grants Awarded
  
  
• CALFED grants - These water use efficiency grants fund agricultural and urban projects that focus on improving ecosystem health, water supply, reliability, or water quality of the Bay-Delta, or help reduce Southern California's reliance on Bay-Delta water. FY2007 - 2012 Grants Awarded
  
  
• American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grants - ARRA-funded water marketing and efficiency programs help increase the efficiency of existing water delivery systems across the West that can result in increased supplies for farms, cities, and the environment. FY2009 Grants Awarded
  
  
• Technical Assistance - Reclamation also offers local agencies technical assistance to promote water conservation planning, or provides textbooks and computer software to help agencies develop plans for water savings. This program's partnerships with water agencies encourage:
  • development of quality water conservation plans;
  • progressive outreach and educational programs;
  • demonstrations of innovative conservation technologies; and
  • implementation of effective efficiency measures.
    

Technical Reports and Resources

The following publications provide information that may be helpful for Southern California agencies and businesses in implementing water conservation practices:

• West Basin Municipal Water District Water Efficiency Master Plan - 2011-2015 and 2015 Master Plan Highlights (2011) - Provide information on water efficiency accomplishments between 2005-2010 and shows how West Basin plans to build on those successes.
  
  
• Analysis of Selected Potential Water Conservation Technologies and Equipment (October 2011) - Analyzes selected technologies for improved long-term irrigation efficiencies.
  
  
• Public School Retrofit Program, Riverside County, Final Report (December 2011) - Describes the very successful results of a program that was launched to save water in local public schools through the installation of water-efficient devices.
  
  
• Apple Valley Ranchos Water Company Water Conservation Technical Assistance White Paper (December 2010) - Describes techniques used by Reclamation to provide technical expertise for water conservation efforts by the Apple Valley Ranchos Water Company, a member of the Mojave Water Agency, to help reduce overall water consumption within the city.
  
  
• Municipal Water District of Orange County Water Loss Management Program Assessment (December 2010) - Provides the results of a study conducted between 2008 and 2010 to research accountable management of water supplies, performed through water utility supply and demand auditing and the implementation of appropriate and cost-effective water loss control techniques.
  

  Appendix A

  Appendix B

  Appendix C

  Appendix D

  Appendix E

  Appendix F

  
  
• California Friendly Landscape Pilot Rebate Program for New Homes and Groundwater Infiltration Using Porous Concrete Pilot Rebate Program (Sept 2010) - Provides the results of a program that ended on June 30, 2010 with ten builders and 226 homes participating. The target for California Friendly landscaping was exceeded with over 392,000 square feet of water efficient landscaping installed.
  
  
• Water and Energy Efficiency Program for Commercial, Industrial, and Institutional Customer Classes in SoCal (April 2009) - Provides the results of a 2007 study among energy utilities, water districts, wastewater sanitation districts, and state and local agencies to research the potential for integrated water and energy efficiency programs.
  
  
• Urban Drought Guidebook (2008) - Offers information and examples of successful efforts to conserve water resources by suppliers throughout California, and is intended to assist water managers facing the challenge of water shortages by employing tried-and-true methods of the past as well as making use of new tools and methods now available.
  
  
• Coordinating Government Programs and Policies to Advance Water Use Efficiency in California (Dec 2006) - Identifies the many government programs that are available in Calfornia aimed at improving water resource efficiency.
  
  
• Additional publications can be found on Reclamation's water conservation website.

Need More Information?

If you have any water resources questions, need technical assistance, or want to learn more about water conservation in Southern California, contact Deb Whitney, Water Conservation Specialist, at dwhitney@usbr.gov or by phone at: (951) 695-5310.