BOERNE — The city last week unveiled three rebates programs aimed at helping customers save water while reducing utility bills and encouraging sustainable practices.
The three rebate programs include rainwater harvesting, irrigation system consultation and irrigation system rain-freeze sensor installation. Amounts differ according to the plan but offer Boerne Utilities water customers between $100-$150 to be applied as a credit on future utility bills.
“These rebates not only promote water conservation but also help residents and ratepayers save money, two major priorities for City Council,” Mayor Frank Ritchie said. “Water conservation is a collective effort, and we’re excited to partner with our customers to make a difference. This truly is a win-win for both our natural resources but also the community.”
Back in March, Ryan Bass, the city’s environmental program manager, previewed the rebate programs during a public meeting on the benefits of rainwater harvesting and how it can aid county residents in times of drought.
“Since March 2022, we went into the extreme drought category and have not gotten out of it. Most of that is in the ‘exceptional’ drought category,” Bass said.
“That’s where this rainwater component can come in,” he said, “to try to help you supplement your irrigation needs at your house, and not have to be dependent on your utility water or your well.”
John Smith, extension program specialist with the Texas A&M Soil and Crop Science Department, joined Bass at that March meeting at the Heath Public Library, where he spoke of the many benefits of rainwater harvesting. About half of the audience already had systems, while the remainder sought Bass and Smith’s expertise on installing one.
Smith reviewed many of the benefits of rainwater harvesting: Rainwater is superior quality, with zero hardness. It’s sodium-free, with a near-neutral pH factor. Harvesting can reduce stormwater runoff and reduce pollutants entering waterways.
It reduces reliance on water suppliers, eliminating the high cost of water, especially during summer months.
The city’s rainwater harvesting rebate offers customers a $150 incentive for purchasing and installing a rainwater storage tank. To qualify for the rebate, customers must ensure their project includes a minimum of 50 gallons of storage capacity and submit proof of purchase along with photo documentation of the installed tank.
For those with sprinkler systems, a second rebate — the irrigation system consultation rebate — presents a significant opportunity for water savings. By completing a consultation with a licensed professional, customers can receive an additional $150 rebate.
“ This program is designed to help customers optimize their irrigation systems for efficiency,” Bass said.
“We’ll send an irrigation technician, a licensed irrigator, to your home,” Bass said. “They’ll fire up your system, look for leaks, look for broken heads, make sure your settings to make sure your duration of watering is correct.
“By ensuring that landscapes receive the right amount of water at the right time and on the right day, we can reduce waste and lower water bills,” he added.
The homeowner receives a final report on how the system is operating. The San Antonio Water System, he said, has a similar program in place throughout its service area “that has saved a tremendous amount of water in their utility, by getting out and making sure these smaller residential systems are operating properly.”
Boerne Utilities offers a third rebate of $100 for the purchase and installation of a compatible rain/ freeze sensor for irrigation systems. These sensors help prevent unnecessary watering during rain or freezing conditions, ultimately saving water and money.
“All of these rebates are geared toward empowering our customers to make environmentally conscious choices,” Ritchie said. “By taking advantage of these incentives, together, we can make a significant impact on water conservation in our community.”
Details on the application process can be found on the Water Conservation Rebate Program webpage. Questions can be directed to Bass at 830-331-9707.
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