Solano County Water Resources

WATER-EFFICIENT LANDSCAPE REBATE PROGRAM: The Solano County Water Agency is offering the Water-Efficient Landscape Rebate Program to water customers who install sustainable water efficient landscaping that meets Bay-Friendly Landscape Guidelines.

Find the 2020-2021 Terms & Conditions for the Water-Efficient Landscape Rebate Program here.

Click here to learn more.

Find out about the Solano County Water Agency’s rebates for water-conserving products, smart irrigation controllers, a free residential water survey and more under Residential Rebates.

This video provides simple and inexpensive techniques for residential water capturing and diversion systems that you can use to keep your garden lush and flourishing all year long! Check out what some of our very own Solano County neighbors have to share about using rain and greywater to feed their gardens!

Water Wisdom Talk with Lydia Neilsen

Hear permaculture expert Lydia Neilsen’s talk on water and the importance of small water cycles.

Resources from Lydia’s Talk

Rain for Climate – www.rainforclimate.com (Slovakian land management and climate research group)
Walter Jehne – Healthy Soils Australia –  healthysoils.com.au
Didi Pershouse – Soil Carbon Coalition –   www.soilcarboncoalition.org
Permaculture: A Designer’s Manual – Bill Mollison
Gaia’s Garden – Toby Hemenway
Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond – Brad Lancaster – www.harvestingrainwater.com
 
Hidden Nature: The startling Insights of Viktor Schauberger – Alick Bartholomew
Sepp Holzer’s Permaculture – Sepp Holzer
The Fourth Phase of Water – Gerald Pollack
Water in Plain Sight – Judith Schwartz
California Native Plants for the Garden – Carol Bernstein, David Frost and Bart O’Brien
Plants and Landscapes for Summer Dry Climates of the San Francisco Bay Region – EBMUD
Create an Oasis with Greywater – Art Ludwig

 

Water Harvesting Design Principles

Brennan Blazer Bird of SolutionCraft went over ways to capture rainwater using earthworks and rain barrels, how to properly size your water harvesting system, greywater and other waterwise topics in this talk.

 

Resources from Brennan’s Talk

Drip Irrigation Basics

Interested in drip irrigation? Learn the basics from components to calculating coverage in this talk from Seth Wright of Water Service.

 

Elements of a Food Forest Garden

Learn how to create an edible, waterwise food forest garden in this series of short, informative videos. You can watch all six below or find individual videos on rainwater capture, swales, drip irrigation and more here.

 

Greywater Action

Greywater Action is a great resource for general greywater information, laws, and training.

 

Where Does Your Water Come From?

Check out this illustration from the Solano County Water Agency for information on where water comes from in the county and how to conserve it.

 

 

Qualified Water Efficient Landscaper Training (QWEL)

Qualified Water Efficient Landscaper (QWEL) Training is recognized as an EPA WaterSense professional certification program and its curriculum is focused on the most relevant and up-to-date practices in sustainable landscaping and irrigation efficiency. Attendees in QWEL programs have an opportunity to take the QWEL exam and become certified at the end of the training. The class is being facilitated by the California Water Efficiency Partnership (CalWEP).

Learn more here

Water Conservation Technician Program

Lane Community College is offering a new Water Conservation Technician Program (a two-year associate science degree) available online. 

Students learn to become competent water stewards and contribute to their communities, obtaining skills to acquire meaningful water conservation jobs. Those interested in the topics can also take specific classes without pursuing a degree to get up to date on current practices, policies and technologies around rainwater, greywater, blackwater and other non-potable water supplies. 

 

Wise Water Workshop

Watch this video of our “Wise Water” workshop that covered the creation of swales to capture rainwater and roof water and nourish the garden.