Coordinated by the Association of California Community and Energy Services (ACCES), the Low-Income Residential Water Measure Project helps California residents in disadvantaged communities and low-income households save money by optimizing water and energy use within their homes, all while reducing GHG emissions and residential water use.

Thanks to a $1.9 million grant awarded by the Department of Water Resources (DWR) and funded by California Climate Investments’ Water Energy Grant Program, ACCES partner agencies replaced 1,090 washing machines and 855 dishwashers with water- and energy-efficient machines, saving more than 181.5 million gallons of water and reducing GHGs by at least 3,348 MTCO2e. These energy and water savings will continuously provide cost savings across various communities in Kern, Madera, Contra Costa, Kings, San Francisco, and Merced counties and other low-income homes in San Mateo, Shasta, and Tehama counties.

“Equity can be a concern for energy efficiency programs, especially for more rural areas. Families were very happy to receive these services, and our agency was appreciative of DWR and the program for assisting these rural low-income households,” said Val Martinez, Executive Director with the Redwood Community Action Agency, an ACCES partner agency.

This effort coincides with state and federal weatherization programs such as the California Public Utilities Commission's Energy Savings Assistance Program, US Department of Energy's Weatherization Program, US Department of Health & Human Services’ Low-Income Energy Assistance Program and the state Cap-and-Trade Low-Income Weatherization Program administered through the California Department of Community Services and Development.