SAN ANTONIO \u2013 San Antonio Water System is putting money back in residents\u2019 pockets \u2014 but only if they\u2019re willing to make some water-saving changes at home.<\/p>\n
SAWS offers free consultations for homeowners to assess their irrigation systems and identify opportunities to conserve water. For those who qualify, the rebates can be significant.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo for taking out the whole thing, your maximum available rebate would be 2,150 bucks,\u201d said Cleve Powell, a SAWS conservation planner.<\/p>\n
KSAT\u2019s Daniela Ibarra received a firsthand look at how the process works, starting with something most homeowners rarely think about \u2014 the water meter.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is basically where all the water comes into your house. And if you suspect that you have a leak, this is the first place to start,\u201d Powell said.<\/p>\n
Powell showed Ibarra how to read the meter to detect a potential leak. If the meter reads zero, there\u2019s nothing to worry about.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you were to have a leak, it would say like zero point something,\u201d Powell said. When Ibarra asked if zero meant she was in the clear, Powell confirmed: \u201cYeah, you\u2019re zero, and you\u2019re good.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rebates tied to irrigation systems<\/p>\n
For homeowners with sprinkler systems, the savings can add up quickly. Powell explained that rebate amounts are tied to the number of irrigation zones in a system.<\/p>\n
Ibarra\u2019s home has a seven-zone system \u2014 a setup she rarely uses.<\/p>\n
\u201cI really don\u2019t know how to use this other than turning it on,\u201d Ibarra said.<\/p>\n
Powell was quick to offer help but also pointed out that a system that sits unused still has value, at least when it comes to rebates.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo since you don\u2019t use it, I can\u2019t save you any water. But the cool thing is that if you want to get a rebate, you\u2019ve got a seven-zone system. So for taking out the whole thing, your maximum available rebate would be 2,150 bucks,\u201d Powell said.<\/p>\n
When asked what she thought seeing that number, Ibarra didn\u2019t hesitate.<\/p>\n
\u201cI mean, that\u2019s a lot of money,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Powell agreed and explained the thinking behind the program.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe idea is like, we\u2019re buying that water back,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Conservation still matters, even after a rainy stretch.<\/p>\n
Even with San Antonio receiving recent rainfall, SAWS says water conservation remains a priority \u2014 especially heading into the height of summer.<\/p>\n