The High-Efficiency Irrigation Rebate provides up to $500 in rebate funds towards the pre-taxed purchase price of high-efficiency components for single family residential customers. Eligible irrigation components include:

• EPA WaterSense labeled spray sprinkler bodies with integral pressure regulation
• High efficiency nozzles with low precipitation rate
• Rain sensors and flow sensors
• *EPA WaterSense labeled smart controllers

*The purchase of one or multiple smart controllers will be capped at $250 as a subtotal of the total rebate.

High-Efficiency Irrigation Rebate Terms & Conditions

Each project must adhere to the rebate terms and conditions. Read the terms and conditions for this rebate for single family residences:

Single-family Residential High Efficiency Irrigation Rebate terms and conditions

Note: The High-Efficiency Irrigation Rebate form below is a new form. The previous form is no longer accessible.

Educational institutions in the Tempe service area qualify for up to $3,000 toward the purchase price of irrigation efficiency supplies. 

1. Review the rebate terms and conditions. 
2. Call 480-350-8351 or email conservation@tempe.gov to start the process.
3. Create a customized plan for technology and practices to increase efficiency. 
4. Pre-approval is required for all projects.
5. Have school representative schedule educational presentations with Tempe.
6. Purchase and install the recommended technology. It is the responsibility of the owner to ensure proper installation and use of technology.
7. Complete a rebate application form and submit it to conservation@tempe.gov.
8. The applicant will be contacted to schedule an inspection of the installed technology. After the inspection is complete and any remaining application materials submitted, the application will be approved.
9. After approval, a check will be issued within six to eight weeks.

Adjusting the watering schedule at least four times per year can potentially reduce water waste by 30 to 50 percent. Plant water demands change depending on the weather, but it can be a hassle to manually change watering frequency. "Smart" controllers will do the adjustment for you, if programmed correctly and provided with accurate data. Connected to wi-fi, these new generation controllers communicate with local weather stations and make daily updates to irrigation schedules. For a directory of smart controllers applicable for the rebate please visit the EPA WaterSense smart controller product search. Learn more about smart controllers by visiting the Water Conservation Library.

Rain sensors detect if sufficient rainfall occurs and, if so, allows the irrigation controller to skip the next regularly scheduled irrigation. They are generally small, simple devices that are low cost. 

Flow sensors will monitor for low or excessive flows, providing alerts if a leak is detected.

An efficient sprinkler system distributes water uniformly and slowly. Uniformity is important so the entire lawn gets enough water. Spray heads are designed to operate at a specific amount of pressure, much lower than is typically available in an irrigation system. When the pressure is too high, this can lead to misting, high flow rates and uneven coverage. Investing in pressure regulating stem spray heads (also known as PRS spray heads) will help each spray head perform as designed. With pressure regulation, each spray head will distribute the same amount of water and provide more even coverage. Learn more from the EPA WaterSense: spray sprinkler bodies. For a directory of PRS spray heads applicable for the rebate, visit the EPA WaterSense spray sprinkler bodies product search.

Upgrading spray heads with high-efficiency nozzles can help increase the efficiency of a sprinkler system by ten to twenty percent. These nozzles apply water at a slower rate than the traditional spray head, which gives that water a chance to soak in the ground instead of running off into the street. Slow application of water allows the soil to accept the water deep enough to reach the roots. For grass, most of the water-absorbing roots are about six to ten inches deep. Some nozzles even apply larger drops of water to resist being carried away by a light breeze. Nozzles are also easy to replace by unscrewing the old nozzle and filter screen and then replacing it with a new nozzle and filter screen. Proper adjustment of the arc, distance and spray pattern is needed to ensure efficiency. Get help from an irrigation professional.