Did you know?
More than 50% of the water used in the average California household is used outdoors, much of it wasted in overwatering lawns and gardens.
Save water and money by using the Sprinkler Times online program and app to get a customized irrigation schedule for your landscape!
Learn about the rebates, FREE water saving devices, home water audits and conservation programs offered by the City of Napa Water Division.
Do you live in the county unincorporated area? You can pick up FREE water-saving devices such as: faucet aerators, showerheads, shower timers, hose nozzles, and hose timers at the Flood Control District at 804 First Street in Napa.
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The time for conserving water is now!
Because precipitation levels in California can vary so greatly from year to year it is important to make water conservation a priority.
This page was created to provide you with information about conserving water at home, inside and out. Not only are many of these water conservation measures free or low-cost, but they will actually save you money over time while helping to ensure the reliability of our water supply!
Click on the headings below to learn more about each topic:
5 Basic Tips for a Low Water Use Yard
1. Determine the watering needs of your lawn.
Do the ‘walk test” on your lawn. If your lawn needs to be watered, it cannot stand up straight after it has been walked on. If you see your footprints for several minutes on your lawn, it needs water. If the grass quickly pops back up, it does not need to be watered.
 What a waste! A sprinkler watering the pavement! 2. Properly irrigate lawns and gardens
Water plants, not your driveway or sidewalk! Adjust sprinklers so that only planted areas are being watered, and hand water any hard to reach areas of your lawn, so water is not wasted. Use meters, timers, or other measuring devices to control water use. Observe irrigation carefully, if water is running off its intended landscape, you are likely applying too much water in too short a time period. Water smart! The early morning hours are the best time to water your lawn so that water does not evaporate. Watering in the middle of the day wastes water, which leads to higher water bills!
3. Create a rain garden in your yard.
Rain gardens are areas of landscaping that collect runoff from rain, filter it, and
release it into the ground. These garden areas help to replenish groundwater and can absorb 30% more water than an area of lawn that is the same size!
 A beautiful, drought-tolerant landscape! 4. Landscape with low maintenance native plants
Minimize your lawn area and maximize other plantings! Native plants are more tolerant of drought conditions and are better suited to local soils and pests. Check out the RCD’s Caring for Creeks for a list of recommended native plants and gardening books, such as Designing California Native Gardens by Glenn Keator and California Native Plants for the Garden by Carol Bornstein.
5. Harvest rainwater during the rainy season
Cisterns and rainbarrels collect clean rainwater from your roof when water is
plentiful that can be used for irrigation in times with little or no rain. As little as 1/4” of rain running off a 500 square foot roof can fill a 50 gallon rainbarrel.
 This functional and attractive barrel can harvest 85 gallons of rainwater! Looking to conserve water inside your home?
To calculate your home water usage, learn about efficient appliances, and see some real-world water conservation implementation by other Californians, click here.
Visit the County of Napa’s water conservation page for the latest water conservation newsletters, tips, and events. Un-incorporated Napa County residents can also learn about FREE water-saving devices available through the Public Works Department.
City of Napa residents can schedule a home water audit, learn about appliance rebates, and get FREE water-saving devices for inside and outside the home through the City of Napa Water Division. Other helpful links:
Want to learn about water conservation in the vineyard?
The California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance provides helpful information on winery and vineyard water conservation. Other helpful links:
Want to start harvesting rainwater?
Rain tanks, barrels, and cisterns can be placed outside buildings to store water collected from roof downspouts. The stored water can then be used for irrigation. The system pictured above stores roughly 700 gallons of rainwater which provides water for potted plants and fruit trees for about two months after the rainy season ends.
Other helpful rainwater harvesting links:
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