Coalition of North County Fire and Water Agencies Prepared for Dry Conditions and Fire Danger 

San Dieguito Water District Newsletter

The District regularly publishes a newsletter containing key information such as; critical drought updates, conservation information, the latest news, and information about resources and programs.

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• January 2026
• October 2025
• July 2025
• April 2025

Social Media

The District utilizes Facebook and Instagram accounts to share information about drought, conservation, news, and information about resources and programs. X (formerly Twitter) and Nextdoor are used to share information about maintenance and operations issues that may cause disruptions in services.

San Dieguito Water District Embraces Water Efficiency

Water efficiency is a way of life in the Mediterranean climate of Encinitas. Over the past decade, the community has embraced water efficient practices such as investing in recycled water, upgrading indoor fixtures, and adopting efficient irrigation practices.

To continue this effort, San Dieguito Water District encourages customers to follow the voluntary measures listed below:

• Stop washing down paved and hard surfaces, such as sidewalks, driveways, and parking lots with potable water, except when necessary to alleviate safety or sanitation hazards
• Stop water waste resulting from inefficient landscape irrigation, such as runoff, overspray, etc.
• Use a bucket, watering can, hand-held hose with positive shut-off nozzle, or low-volume non-spray irrigation to water landscaped areas or wash cars
• Only irrigate landscape areas before 10 a.m. and after 6 p.m. to limit effects of evaporation
• Stop irrigating landscapes within 48 hours of measurable rainfall
• Serve and refill water in restaurants and food service establishments only upon request
• Offer guests in lodging establishments the option of not laundering towels and linens daily
• Customers must repair all leaks within 5 days of detection or notification
• Use recycled or non-potable water for construction purposes when feasible
• Stop operation of decorative or ornamental fountains unless re-circulated or recycled water is used

San Dieguito Water District remains in Level 1 of its Water Supply Shortage Response Program.

SoCalWaterSmart 

WaterSmart rebates and incentives are available to residential and commercial District customers through the Metropolitan Water District. Rebates and incentives are subject to availability. Visit www.socalwatersmart.com to see what programs are currently available.

Rebates & Incentives may include:

• Turf removal
• High-efficiency clothes washers
• Premium high-efficiency toilets
• Customer-purchased flow monitor devices
• Weather-based irrigation controllers
• Rotating sprinkler nozzles
• Rain barrels & cisterns
• Soil moisture sensor system

San Diego Businesses And Public Agencies Now Eligible for Increased Rebates

San Diego County businesses and public agencies looking to replace ornamental grass with more sustainable landscaping are now eligible for increased rebates from the Metropolitan Water District (MWD) of Southern California. MWD has added one dollar to its Turf Replacement Program base incentive to $3 per square foot for commercial, industrial and institutional sectors and $4 for public agencies that swap out non-functional grass with California Friendly® and native landscaping.  This makes it a great time to create or expand a water wise landscape. The rebate also helps businesses and municipalities comply with new state legislation taking effect in 2027. Assembly Bill 1572 phases out the use of potable water to irrigate non-functional grass that is not used for recreation or other purposes.

Funding for the program is provided by a $30 million grant from the California Department of Water Resources.

Water Efficiency Survey

Residential and commercial customers have access complimentary in-person commercial large landscape surveys as well as virtual and in-person indoor/outdoor residential surveys to assess their water usage on their properties. In addition, customer will be provided recommendations to improve water efficiency. For more information, visit waterefficiencysurvey.com.

Irrigation & Landscape Resources

• Landscape workshops (in-person and on-demand)
• WaterSmart tips
• Homeowner's Guide to a WaterSmart Landscape
• San Diego Sustainable Landscape Guidelines
• The Water Conservation Garden

Water Efficient Landscape Policies

For information on landscaping policies in Encinitas, please refer to the City’s Municipal Code. 

HOA Landscape Laws

HOA Prohibitions Fact Sheet from the State Water Resources Control Board (updated May 8, 2017)

4^th Grade Water Awareness Poster Contest and Calendar

North County Water Agencies (NCWA) host this annual contest which provides 4^th Grade Students an opportunity to exercise their creativity and learn about the value of water as a precious resource. Winners are chosen from each participating agency and are featured in the Annual NCWA Water Awareness Calendar.

WaterSmart Landscape Contest

This annual competition rewards water-efficient landscapes created by customers of participating water agencies. Winners are recognized for their work in water efficiency and neighborhood beautification. More information at: landscapecontest.com. 

Community Events

San Dieguito Water District participates in local community events to share information about water efficiency and provide resources to customers. If you are interested in requesting SDWD at your community event, please reach out to: conserve@sdwd.org. 

Outreach in Schools 

San Dieguito Water District is proud to sponsor educational programs that are made available to local schools:

• The Water Conservation Garden’s Ms. Smarty-Plants™ offers nature-based learning opportunities for students. Students learn the value of water conservation through this fun and interactive programming.
• San Diego County Office of Education's Splash Lab provides students with the opportunity to learn about watershed issues.  Students walk away with a better understanding of how water pollution affects the environment, humans, and wildlife by participating in three stations involving microscopes, water chemistry experiments, interactive watershed models, and much more.