The City of Lake Oswego, Oregon, has been recognised for a water conservation programme that combines professional irrigation assessments, financial incentives and water-use data to improve outdoor water efficiency. The award highlights how municipalities can work with qualified irrigation professionals and residents to reduce consumption and support more sustainable water management.
The city’s Water Use Assessment Rebate Program provides rebates of up to $200 to residents who hire qualified irrigation professionals to evaluate their systems and recommend property-specific improvements.
The initiative is designed to help homeowners identify opportunities to improve irrigation performance while making more informed decisions about outdoor water use. Access to advanced metering infrastructure data also helps participants understand consumption patterns and identify potential areas for conservation.
The programme prioritises assessments by trained professionals holding recognised industry credentials, including certifications for irrigation design, contracting, landscape irrigation auditing and irrigation technology.
According to programme data, participating properties have achieved year-over-year reductions of 22% to 45% in peak-season water use. In one reported comparison, four participating accounts saved nearly 22,000 gallons collectively in a single month.
These results demonstrate the potential benefits of combining technical assessments with targeted system improvements and customer education.
Outdoor irrigation efficiency is increasingly important for municipalities, property owners and landscape professionals seeking to manage water resources responsibly. Programmes that connect residents with qualified specialists can help identify inefficient systems and encourage improvements based on actual property conditions and consumption data.
The Irrigation Association announced Lake Oswego as the recipient of its 2026 Smart Water Application Technologies (SWAT) Outstanding Industry Partnership Award on October 22 during the WaterSmart Innovations Conference. Applications for the 2027 awards are expected to open in early 2027.
The recognition highlights a practical approach that other communities could consider when developing water conservation initiatives for residential landscapes and irrigation systems.
Source: Irrigation.
