Graywater: Laundry to Landscape Rebate

Step 1 

Review the Program Terms & Conditions and Release of Liability (see link below)
    
Step 2

Review the training presentation (required). 

The training presentation explains what materials are required and provides a step-by-step description of how to successfully install a L2L system.

Step 3

Request a copy of the Graywater Design Manual for Outdoor Irrigation.

The Graywater Design Manual provides detailed additional step-by-step guidance on designing, installing, and maintaining a L2L system and other residential graywater systems. To request a copy, please email waterconservation@sfwater.org or call 415-551-4730.

Step 4

Purchase your L2L components and save receipts.

Save the receipt (s) that shows what you paid for the three essential components eligible for rebate: PVC pipe, three-way valve, and auto-vent.

Step 5

Install and photograph your L2L system.

Use the training presentation and manual for guidance during installation. Take a photo of your installed three-way valve, your clothes washer, and the landscape area irrigated by your L2L graywater. If your photos aren’t sufficient, we may require a site visit to confirm your L2L system is installed and functioning properly.

Step 6

Assemble documentation.

Before you start your application, gather the following materials and information you’ll need: your SFPUC water account number, photos described in Step 5 above, and a photo (or scan in pdf format) of your receipts.

Step 7 

Apply Online for Your Rebate 

If you haven’t applied for any previous SFPUC conservation assistance, you’ll be prompted first to register for our application portal.

Click APPLY NOW and complete the application. Partial applications cannot be saved in our system.

After completing the online application, send a completed and signed IRS Form W-9 to the San Francisco Controller’s Office. You can email them to supplier.management@sfgov.org  or you can mail a hard copy to: Supplier Management, 1 Dr. Carlton B Goodlett Place, Room 300, San Francisco, CA 94102.  
 

Rebates cannot be issued without a W-9 form on file with the Controller’s Office. This is because some people receive $600 or more in rebates from the City of San Francisco in a year. These people will receive an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Form 1099 and may have to pay federal taxes. The Social Security number you provide in the application will remain confidential. The SFPUC operates under the terms of the Privacy Act. Social Security numbers will not be shared with people or organizations outside the Controller's Office. The SFPUC's request for Social Security or Tax ID numbers follows federal law. This law is the Federal Privacy Act of 1974, 42 UCS 405 (c) (2)(c).
 

• L2L Training Presentation
• SAMPLE Application for L2L Rebate - printable for reference; note that actual applications should be submitted online; applicants without computer access should call 415-551-4730.
• Property Owner Release Form - for participants who are renters

More Graywater Links

• Greywater Action
• Wholly H2O
• Rainwater Harvesting Program
• San Francisco Water Efficient Irrigation Ordinance

For more information on this program, please email waterconservation@sfwater.org or call 415-551-4730.

What is graywater?

Graywater is water from showers, bathtubs, washing machines, and bathroom sinks. It is water that contains some soap but is clean enough to water plants. Water from toilets or wash water from diapers is never considered graywater. Water from the kitchen sink water is not considered graywater in California.

Why use graywater?

The use of graywater helps preserve our drinking water supplies by limiting the amount needed for landscape irrigation. Another benefit of using graywater is that it connects us to our water supply, helping us understand where our water comes from and where it goes. Becoming conscious of our water supply encourages healthier product choices and engagement with our landscapes. In concert with water-wise landscaping, rainwater harvesting, and conservation, using graywater as a resource helps reduce dependency on imported water and protects the urban watershed.

Is it legal? 

Yes! In August 2009, California’s graywater regulations changed, allowing for lower-cost graywater systems to be installed legally, including some without the need for a permit. In San Francisco, a permit is not required for a one- or two-unit residential building that installs a simple laundry-to-landscape graywater system, which does not alter the plumbing and follows 12 guidelines. Any other graywater system will require a permit from the San Francisco Department of Building Inspection (DBI).

Do I need a permit? 

A permit is required for a graywater system for outdoor irrigation that includes any of the following conditions: 

• Graywater system collects water from showers, sinks, or baths.
• Graywater system alters the plumbing (cutting into the drainage plumbing to access the graywater).
• Graywater system is installed in a building that is not a one- or two-unit residential building.
• Graywater system includes a pump or tank (besides the washing machine’s internal pump in the case of a laundry-to-landscape system). 

Is it safe to use graywater? 

Yes. If you follow simple guidelines while constructing your graywater system, such as minimizing contact with graywater and allowing graywater to percolate through topsoil, graywater is very safe to use. 

To help your plants thrive, you should consider using a “plant friendly” laundry detergent products that does not contain sodium (i.e., salt) or boron.

How much water can I save using graywater?

A graywater system captures and redirects water from specific plumbing waste lines to a separate irrigation system in your landscape. The graywater system and potable water system are completely separate. Popular graywater systems include laundry-to-landscape systems, gravity-based branched drain system, and a pumped system.

What is a laundry-to-landscape (L2L) system and how does it work?

A laundry-to-landscape system captures graywater from the drain hose of a washing machine and connects to a three-way diverter valve which allows graywater to be directed to either the landscape or the sewer system. The water is distributed subsurface through 1- inch irrigation tubing with ½” outlets to water specific plants. This system does not require a permit in California as long as basic guidelines are followed. The L2L system is typically the lowest in cost and easiest to install. Materials cost around $200 and professional installations typically cost between $700 and $2,000. To see what a laundry-to-landscape system looks like from start to finish, watch this episode from PBS’ Ask This Old House featuring one of our local program participants! 

How do I get started?

Request and review the San Francisco Graywater Design Manual to learn about the design, installation and maintenance of residential graywater systems.

Terms and Conditions 

• Only one L2L rebate per property for components installed at a SFPUC water service address in San Francisco.
• Rebate application must be submitted within 90 days of purchase date and installation of essential components.
• The rebate amount will not exceed $100 or the amount paid in total for the eligible essential components, whichever is less.
• The rebate amount will be based on what you paid for the essential components noted below.
• You must meet the following eligibility and documentation requirements:
• Be the water account holder of single family or two-unit multi-family properties or have water account holder approval.
  • If the account holder is not the property owner, a Property Owner Approval Form signed by the property owner must be submitted.
  • Have a working clothes washing machine onsite. A photograph of the clothes washer is required.
  • Have a yard that is level or down-sloping from the location of the clothes washer. A photograph of the landscape area irrigated by L2L graywater is required.
  • Provide a receipt (s) that shows the itemized amount you paid to purchase each of the following components (receipts can be uploaded as photos or scans in jpeg or pdf formats). Receipts and/or invoices that do not include the itemized cost of each essential L2L graywater component will be rejected:
    • Schedule 40 PVC pipe (max rebate of $25)  
    • One (1) full port diverter valve / three-way valve (max rebate of $50
    • One (1) air admittance valve (Auto vent or inline vent) (max rebate of $25)
• Provide a photo (s) that shows the essential graywater components have been installed at your property (at a minimum, this could be a photo of the installed three-way valve).
• Agree to install and maintain the essential L2L graywater components and system according to the guidelines in the SFPUC Graywater Design Manual, available online at https://sfpuc.org/learning/conservewater/graywater-laundry-landscape. Installation of the L2L graywater components must also comply with California Plumbing Code Chapter 16.
• The SFPUC reserves the right to verify the installation of the L2L components via a site visit if your photos are not sufficient. Your application will be rejected if you fail to allow an inspection of the installed system within 60 days of the SFPUC’s request.
• The SFPUC reserves the right to alter this program at any time. Funding is limited and on a first-come, first served basis, until funds have been depleted, or the program terminates.
• The SFPUC endeavors to issue a rebate check within 8 weeks of final approval of an eligible rebate.
• Submission of an application constitutes an applicant’s acknowledgment and agreement that the applicant shall comply with these Terms and Conditions.

Rebate Agreement – Release of Liability 

The SFPUC may deny any application that does not meet the requirements. The applicant agrees to allow the SFPUC to inspect their greywater system installation site as a potential condition to obtaining a rebate under this program. Funding for this program is limited to available resources. Rebates are processed on a first come, first served basis.  

SFPUC shall bear no responsibility or liability for the cost, expense, operation, maintenance, or repair of a greywater system. SFPUC shall likewise bear no responsibility or liability for delay in accepting an application, rejection of an application, or termination of the program.