Water Credits on the Monterey Peninsula

There is a lot to know about water credits and how they impact property value here on the Monterey Peninsula. Lots of folks have unique situations. If you have questions or want to talk through your options, feel free to give me a call 831-601-4740.

Have you wanted to add a bar sink, or thought about adding a half bath but are just a credit short? The Monterey Peninsula Water Management District (MPWMD), the folks who oversee our water use on the Monterey Peninsula, recognize that voluntary water savings should be rewarded. So, under "Rule 25.5" property owners are rewarded with water credits when they take certain water saving steps on their property, and file the paperwork with the MPWMD.

The MPWMD also has rules that they tighten from time to time. One such rule change happens at the end of this year.

On January 1st, 2017, all homes that transfer in the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District will be required to have toilets that use no more than 1.28 gallons per flush at the time of sale or transfer. Property owners will need to change out their 1.6 gallon toilets when they sell, no matter how recently the 1.6 gallon toilets were purchased.

You can make a water saving modification to your home and earn water fixture credits good for as long as 10 years. *

If you only have a vague idea of what water fixture credits are, please take a moment and read this article (Understanding water and fixture units) to understand how they are calculated.

The Process

The MPWMD recognizes that voluntary water savings benefit everyone. In other words, if a property owner removes a less efficient appliance and replaces it with a more efficient one, than the owner receives a credit that he or she can apply towards the installation of another water fixture.

• Your home has two toilets 1.6 gallon flush toilets. (Which is most likely the case unless you have upgraded your bathroom in the last few years)
• Replace the two 1.6 gallon toilets with two 1.28 gallon toilets
• Complete the required paperwork (discussed below)
• Earn .5 credits per toilet for a total of 1.0 credits.
• MPWMD will make a note in your file and send you letter.
• The more toilets you have the more credits you earn.

If you want to use the earned credits towards installing a bar sink, vegetable sink, or other water fixture you proceed through the building process in your jurisdiction. When MPWMD receives the plans from your jurisdiction (city or county department) they stamp your application and apply the credits.

If you don't use the credits, they remain with the property and are an asset that transfers upon sale. (The credits are good for five years, renewable for another five.)

It's Easy to earn the credits

The process is fairly straightforward (and free except for the cost of the toilets.) For instructions on how to earn the credit, the required form, and contact info, click the link below, enter your email and download the forms.

Securing Water credits

Questions, please feel free to call me at 831-601-4740 or email at malone@malonehodges.com. Or, if you would prefer to receive the forms by US Mail, email us your postal address

(*) Since first posting this article, I have learned that the Water Management District has elected to continue this credit beyond the original deadline which was December 31st of this year.