The City of San Diego conducts surveys for both residential and commercial properties upon request to determine how water is being used and to make recommendations on how to save water and use water more efficiently.
These surveys can provide helpful guidance and information to make sure water is not being wasted on your property.
Below is information about water use surveys for residential and commercial customers, as well as information on how you can do a self-conducted survey of your property.
Water surveys can help residents and property owners identify water-saving opportunities and evaluate your irrigation system. Free residential survey programs are available to property owners and tenants located within the City of San Diego Public Utilities Department's service area. If you receive your water bill from a different agency, please check with that agency for its available resources and survey programs.
To schedule any of the surveys below, or for more information, please call 619-980-9754, or email us at watersurvey@sandiego.gov and provide your name and daytime phone number.
This citywide program is offering free-of-charge single-family and multifamily (up to eight units) water surveys to water customers who pay their water bills to the City of San Diego. As part of this program, a Water Conservation representative will tour your property to identify leaks and options for saving water. Please see the 
Residential Water Survey Brochure for more information.
Participants can receive water-saving equipment and information, including low-flow showerheads, faucet aerators and other free items. The representative will also evaluate your landscape and irrigation systems. Since this program emphasizes customer education, it is important the tenant/occupant be present at the time of the survey.
The Multi-Family Survey program helps multi-unit properties decrease their water use.
A water surveyor trains the property maintenance person on how to check for water leaks, measure water flow (showerheads, toilet and kitchen faucets) and check for toilet leaks. The maintenance person then conducts a survey of each unit, completes the required paperwork, and submits it to the City's Water Conservation section.
If the property has landscaping, an irrigation specialist will review irrigation and landscape and make recommendations to reduce water. Showerheads and faucets aerators will be given, if needed, after the raw data is received from the property owner/manager. To train the maintenance person, City staff needs one to two units available for access at the time of appointment.
The water survey programs below are provided free of charge to commercial, industrial and institutional (CII) customers in the City of San Diego.
CII customers with a property less than 1 acre will receive an Irrigation Checkup and water-saving recommendations. Commercial landscape irrigation can make up 25% to 30% of total water use. Skilled surveyors will review the water-use history of the property to determine where water savings are possible.
CII and residential customers with a property larger than 1 acre can apply for a landscape survey at www.watersmartcheckup.org.
This program provides a customized review of commercial landscape water usage, including an on-site visit to identify areas where water use efficiencies can be achieved and effectively implemented. Recommendations can help customers use water more efficiently and save energy. Download a Water-Wise Business Survey Brochure for additional information.
To schedule a Water-Wise Business Survey, please complete this Water-Wise Business Survey Request Form and email it to waterwisebusiness@sandiego.gov. You can also call 619-570-1999 to speak to a representative.
The Guaranteed Water for Industry Program exempts research and development or industrial manufacturing firms from mandatory water restrictions in times of drought in exchange for their participation in daily water conservation programs, including the use of recycled water. More information about the program and how to participate is available on the City's Economic Development website.
