Brandon’s Water Smarter program adds conservation items, rebates for residents

By: 
Kevin Smith, Brandon Water Conservation Committee
Amid battling subzero temperatures, snowstorms and deadly wind chills, it’s hard to think about summer activities. However, with the support of City Hall, Mayor Lundberg and City Council members, the Brandon Water Conservation Committee is looking ahead to the upcoming year to promote programs and initiatives that encourage water conservation for residents of Brandon.
This spring you will see the new “Water Smarter – Brandon Conservation” signs placed throughout our community. These lawn signs are intended to remind both residents and visitors that Brandon is committed to conserving water, one of our most precious natural resources.   
As a financial incentive to encourage “Water Smarter” practices, the city has established a rebate program available to any Brandon water utility customer. Rebates are intended to offset the purchase of a variety of devices to assist customers in managing outdoor water use. The rebate form is available on the city’s website at www.cityofbrandon.org.  
Water conservation rebate items and incentives include:
Weather-based irrigation controller: A rebate of up to $100, toward the purchase and installation of a controller system, that adjusts the irrigation system’s station run times, based on lawn watering needs rather than on a preset or fixed schedule.
Rain sensor: A rebate of up to $50, toward the purchase and installation of a rain sensor, which can interrupt the irrigation system during a rain event. 
Programmable irrigation timer: A rebate of up to $75, toward the purchase and installation of any irrigation timer, which works with an underground irrigation system to comply with all City lawn watering schedules.
Rain barrel: A rebate of up to $50, toward the purchase and installation of an enclosed device or system, used for capturing precipitation from a building rooftop. Qualifying rain barrels must have a minimum capacity of 40 gallons and be designed for the intended purpose of rain capture.
Residents and businesses can be active participants in the “Water Smarter” effort this summer as well. The easiest way is to become familiar and comply with the lawn watering program that was adopted in 2018. Brandon has three stages of lawn watering:
• Stage 1 (green) is in effect year-round. Users with even-numbered addresses are allowed to water their lawns on even numbered days and users with odd-numbered addresses are allowed to water their lawns on odd-numbered days. No lawn watering is allowed between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.
• Stage 2 (yellow) restrictions allow one-day a week lawn watering.
• Stage 3 (red) restrictions prohibit all lawn watering.
More detailed information on the lawn watering program will be mailed to all postal customers in Brandon this spring, so be watching for the large magnet in your mail.
As winter loosens its grip on Brandon and the summer lawn-watering season nears, the city of Brandon and the Water Conservation Committee will continue public engagement efforts. You will see us again at the Loyalty Day Parade and have an opportunity to win a free rain barrel. We will also be posting regular updates on the city’s website, and residents can sign up to receive text messages from the city by texting “Brandon” to 33222. 
By staying up to date on the lawn watering schedule and taking advantage of the rebate program, we can all be a part of the “Water Smarter” program this year.

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The Brandon Valley Journal

 

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Brandon, SD 57005
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