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Redmond staff urge $200,000 annual rebate fund and phased tiered water rates to curb summer irrigation
Summary
City staff outlined a three-part conservation plan targeting residential irrigation: demonstration projects, a $200,000 annual rebate program for smart irrigation equipment, and a phased inclining-block (tiered) rate structure aimed at shaving peak summer demand.
City staff and a rate consultant told the Redmond City Council that residential outdoor irrigation is the largest driver of the city’s summer water demand and recommended a three-part conservation strategy: city-led demonstration projects, an annual $200,000 rebate program for outdoor-efficiency equipment, and a phased inclining-block rate structure to target peak seasonal use.
In a presentation, staff said Redmond’s indoor per-capita use (about 51 gallons per capita per day) is below the national average, but summer irrigation creates a sharp seasonal peak. Staff estimated Redmond residential customers used about 1.7 billion gallons in 2024, of which roughly 690 million gallons were indoor use, leaving over 1.0 billion gallons attributed to irrigation.
The proposed rebate program — highlighted by staff as a tool to help households adopt smart irrigation controllers,…
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