Helpful Resources

Create a design and select plants that will save water and beautify your yard:

WaterSmartSD – Find even more resources, like landscape design templates you can adapt for your yard, advice on turf removal strategies, and educational offerings to help you plan your project and get a Waterscape rebate.
Homeowner’s Guide to a WaterSmart Landscape — San Diego County Water Authority – A Step by Step process for creating your sustainable landscape.
Calscape Garden Planner – Find the perfect native plants for your garden with just 4 questions!
California Native Plant Society-San Diego Chapter – Find out where to buy native plants.
California Native Plants – bewaterwise.com – Learn about the benefits of native plants in California.
San Diego Planting Guide- bewaterwise.com – A native planting guide and templates for San Diego residents!
Sustainable Landscape Guide- San Diego County Water Authority – A comprehensive guide to San Diego sustainable landscapes.

Get tips and resources to help you capture rain and use it in your yard:

Education and Assistance: Take advantage of these FREE classes and professional help with your project:

Three-Hour Workshops – San Diego County Water Authority – These classes are taught by professionals and offer a guided, do it yourself approach.
Four-Class Series – San Diego County Water Authority – The Landscape Makeover Series offers you one-on-one coaching and design help from a certified professional.
Garden Happenings – The Water Conservation Garden – The Conservation Garden offers regular classes and workshops on various landscape design and maintenance.
Classes – bewaterwise.com – Check out classes on turf removal, design, and more!

Permeable Pavement: Find contractors to help with your project:

Read about the basics of irrigation, and how you can use smarter techniques to reduce your water use.

Irrigation Runoff - County of San Diego - This page discusses why irrigation runoff is prohibited and ways to mitigate runoff from leaving your property.
Landscape Watering Calculator — City of San Diego – This tool helps you to estimate the right watering schedule for your garden.
California Irrigation Management Information System (CIMIS) — California Dept. of Water Resources – CIMIS is a network of over 140 automated active weather stations in California, who produce reports for irrigators to use for more efficient water management.

Septic System Training Resources - County of San Diego - A comprehensive guide that discusses how your septic system functions, how your system relates to water quality, ways to prevent failures and how to address failures.
Homeowners’ Guide to Septic Systems – EPA – Helpful resource for homeowners about what you need to know about the long-term main maintenance of your septic systems.