City of Wichita encourages participating in Water Conservation Rebate Program

WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) - As drought conditions persist across much of Kansas, more people are relying on sprinklers to generate green lawns. For those on city water, that can add a substantial expense with more frequent watering. This has the City of Wichita encouraging people to think about its Water Conservation Rebate Program.

For Wichita residents, the Water Conservation Rebate Program provides up to $100 returned for new water-efficient devices. So far, about $20,000 of the $100,000 for this year has been allotted. This includes rebates on water-efficient clothes washers, toilets, and showerheads. Upgrades on irrigation systems can also qualify water customers for a rebate. This includes smart controllers for the systems.

12 News tagged along with Reddi Industries Wednesday as they set up an irrigation system at a Wichita home. Reddi Industries Irrigation Division Service Technician Dean Nester said with the drought last year, they were seeing some people with systems on wells running dry or people on city water running the system much more frequently.

Nester said smart controllers pull in weather data to help determine the best time to run sprinklers. They also provide an alert if there’s a break in the system. Nester said Reddi Industries is encouraging people to consider controllers with the available rebate and prices coming down.

Online, you can find smart controllers for irrigation systems in a price range from less than $100 to $300 and up. It’s a tool that, Nester said, could make a difference for those trying to manage costs while keeping their lawns consistently watered.

You can find a complete list of items that qualify Wichita’s Water Conservation Rebate Program and see where to apply here: https://www.wichita.gov/PWU/Pages/SaveWichitaWater.aspx.

Copyright 2023 KWCH. All rights reserved. To report a correction or typo, please email news@kwch.com