Rebate?

I purchased my Rachio Smart Irrigation controller in late May and applied for rebate shortly thereafter. I have yet to receive rebate. I have now sent 3 emails to Rachio inquiring about status and no response. Is this typical customer service? Was this rebate program a “come-on”?

Hey @virusgal!

After reviewing our support records, I do see three emails from you regarding rebates, however I also see responses to these interactions from our support team. Is there a chance these responses are going into you spam folder?

Also, to resolve the issue with the rebates, this rebate is actually processed through California Water Services. I did some digging, and on page 3 of your application near the bottom of the page, there is an address that you mail your application into to start the process of getting your rebates from your municipality. Hope this helps, let me know if I can answer any other questions!

McKynzee :rachio:

Rebates are available through your water purveyor as your qualifying agency. In Southern California we use Bewaterwise.com and SoCal Water Smart. I log in through my water purveyor and it automatically forwards me to the right place.

Check your water bill online and look for the links that are titled “Rebates”. Follow their guidelines and fill out the forms.

Some agencies only allow one irrigation rebate per house. Typically the controller, pressure compensating sprinkler heads, conservation nozzles, flow sensors, and drip irrigation can all be combined on the one time rebate. I have seen people lose out on free money by only doing one of the items and than trying to apply for the other items later.

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Rebates come from a water utility and are available until funds run out. I have mixed emotions about the success of rebates, since Rachio’s water savings is enough of an incentive. In California, smart controllers are a requirement, but I hear stories from water conservation officials where most of the smart controllers in California are not using smart features. It seems like pressure regulated heads or efficient nozzles would have more successful outcomes.

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There are a few cities that require Smart controllers, regulated heads and only MP rotator nozzles. Precision nozzles are out of the question since the nozzles must be under 1 inch per hour. Santa Monica is one of them and they have the lowest rebates available but as you said,

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It is California law that any new irrigation installation must include a smart controller. I cannot remember the exact wording (smart, weather based, ET based, etc.), but I represented my company at a hearing session in Los Angeles when the bill was in process. This sounds good, but water utility water conservation folks complain that very few of these controllers are actually programmed correctly. I blame it on the contractors and property owners.

That is correct. Smart controllers or WBIC’s are a requirement for all new construction as in: Homes being built and new systems being installed.