Projects Selected! Catalyzing Water Efficiency Investments through Debt Financing

This announcement was originally posted on WaterNow.org.

WaterNow and Pacific Institute are delighted to announce that we have selected the Bay Area Water Conservation and Supply Agency (BAWSCA) and Pueblo West Metropolitan District (PWMD) to participate in our Catalyzing Water Efficiency Investments through Debt Financing Accelerator.

BAWSCA and PWMD will receive 250 hours of pro-bono technical assistance from WaterNow and Pacific Institute to increase the reach and impact of their water efficiency programs. Learn more about the selected projects below.

BAWSCA: Scaling Investments in Efficiency Incentives Across the San Francisco Bay Area

BAWSCA provides regional water supply planning, resource development, and conservation services for 26 cities, water districts, a university, and an investor-owned utility in San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Alameda Counties. To meet growing demand, BAWSCA and its members aim to save an additional 4 million gallons per day by 2050 while complying with California water efficiency regulations, including limits on potable water use for non-functional turf. BAWSCA is also developing its 2050 Long-Term Reliable Water Supply Strategy to support regional water reliability and resilience.

This project will support BAWSCA's, and its members', scaled investments in water saving efforts. To achieve this goal, WaterNow and Pacific Institute, in partnership with BAWSCA, will identify potential water savings from larger-scale outdoor efficiency rebates for strategies such as smart irrigation controllers, turf change-outs, and rain barrels across the BAWSCA region. The team will also develop foundational policies enabling BAWSCA and its member agencies to use bonds or loans to fund these incentives alongside other water infrastructure investments.

PWMD: Scaled Investments in Efficiency Incentives in Southern Colorado

PWMD is a retail water supplier in Southern Colorado providing water to residential and commercial customers, and one non-potable customer-the Desert Hawk Golf Course. PWMD estimated that demand would exceed the available supply by 2041, and in 2020 set a goal to reduce annual water demand by 9.9 percent by 2038. As of 2026, PWMD has already achieved 9 percent savings.

This project will help PWMD go above and beyond its original water savings goal in several ways. First, by identifying funding options for PWMD's Desert Hawk Golf Course Irrigation Water Efficiency and Loss Reduction Project, which is designed to save over 60 million gallons per year, and by exploring opportunities for additional water savings at the golf course with non-functional turf identification and replacement. Second, by devising pathways to incentivize waterwise development to meet demands of population growth. Finally, by putting PWMD on the path to using bonds and loans to invest in increased efficiency measures at a larger scale.