Submeter & Private Well Rebates

Valley Water offers $150-$300 rebates for installing qualifying submeters and water meters. Find information about if you qualify, rebate amounts, and how to apply:

New submeters for multi-family residential properties
New meters on private wells
Dedicated irrigation meters

These programs have many benefits beyond receiving a rebate! They can help you:

Better monitor your water use.
More accurately report on water usage.
Detect leaks and other well-maintenance issues.
Capture water savings due to conservation measures.

Submeter Rebate Program

Submeters are water meters installed for individual tenants within a multi-family home or mobile home park. Submeters allow measurement and billing of tenant water usage.

A Valley Water study found that complexes adding submeters reduced water use by 15 to 30 percent. This can help reduce water bills at your complex, lower rent and HOA dues by excluding water costs, encourage residents to fix or report leaks, help with long-term maintenance, and make residents responsible for the cost of their own water use.

Rebate amount

Receive a $150 rebate per installed water submeter to multi-family properties including mobile homes parks, apartments, HOAs, and condominium complexes.

City of Palo Alto Utility customers are eligible for a $300 rebate.

Eligibility requirements

The rebate is only available for properties that have not yet installed submeters. There is no maximum rebate when you follow these application steps.

How to apply

Complete the following steps before installing new submeters. Submeter installation must be completed within 90 days of receiving a Notice to Proceed. Valley Water will issue a check approximately 8 weeks after all application requirements have been met.

Current program funding lasts until June 30, 2026 or until depleted. Applications will be accepted and evaluated on an ongoing basis in the order received as long as funds remain available.

After receiving the Notice to Proceed:

Select submeters that comply with the Uniform Plumbing Code. This list of water submeters are approved by the State of California. To determine whether an unlisted submeter you selected can be certified, please contact the Santa Clara County Department of Weights & Measures.
Certify the selected submeters with the Santa Clara County Department of Weights & Measures.
Check with your local city office or municipality to determine whether your project needs a permit, and obtain one if necessary. Mobile homes need to apply for permits with the California Department of Housing & Community Development.

Submit the following documentation to Valley Water as soon as the installation is completed:

Paid installation invoice
Paid submeter purchase invoice
Submeter certification from the County Dept. of Weights and Measures
Mobile home properties: Permit from the California Dept. of Housing and Community Development (if applicable)

Submissions should be sent by email to [email protected] and [email protected].

Testimonials

Submeters can benefit your complex by reducing water bills at your complex, lowering rent and HOA dues by excluding water costs, encouraging residents to fix or report leaks, helping with long-term maintenance, and making residents responsible for the cost of their own water use.

"I manage a 392-unit town home complex. Since installing the submeters and billing the residents for their individual water, overall water use has dropped 24%. We were also able to reduce the monthly HOA fee for residents by $70. As the water used most residents costs less than $70, the majority of the residents saw an overall reduction in their monthly expenses. I would recommend sub-metering to encourage water conservation and repairs to plumbing which wastes water."
“I was instrumental in convincing my HOA Board to install sub-meters in June 2016. Once residents were paying for their own water consumption, they became much more aware of the value of water conservation. We saw a significant decrease in water usage (approximately 20% from 2013 usage) since the sub-meters were installed. From the bi-monthly water usage reports from our sub-meter service company, we are able to track excessive usage and notify residents. We have also been able to keep our HOA dues low as a result of the decrease in water costs to the HOA.”

Private Well Meter Rebate Program

To qualify, the well must be located within one of the district’s active groundwater charge zones (Zones W-2, W-5, or W-7) and the account associated with the well must be in good standing (no outstanding delinquent payments due). Receive $150 rebate by installing a new and Valley Water approved water meter on your qualifying well.

Rebate amount

Receive a $150 rebate by installing a new, Valley Water-approved water meter on your qualifying well.

Eligibility requirements

To qualify, the well must be:

Located within one of the district’s active groundwater charge zones (Zones W-2, W-5, or W-7)
The account associated with the well must be in good standing (no outstanding delinquent payments due)

How to apply

Applicant must contact Valley Water for pre-approval before the start of the project by calling (408) 630-3400.
Select and install qualifying equipment.
Submit a completed Private Well Meter Rebate Program Application with the required documentation (see application for more information).
The Santa Clara Valley Water District will issue a check within approximately 12 weeks after all application and system requirements have been met.

Rebates are available until June 30, 2026, or until funding is depleted.

Questions

For more information about the Submeter Rebate Program, call (408) 630-2205 or email [email protected].