City of Hendersonville, NC Water Rebates: What Each One Pays and the Limits

Rebate 1: a customer-side shut-off valve

The City's fee schedule lists a rebate of up to $300.00 for a customer-side shut-off valve, limited to one per account. It is the rebate most tied to plumbing safety: a working valve on your side of the meter lets you stop a leak in seconds without opening the City's meter box.

The billing policy defines the customer side as starting where your plumbing connects to the meter box, including a shut-off valve connected directly to it. Ask the plumber where they propose to install the valve and make sure it is somewhere you can reach in an emergency.

The installation is plumbing work. Henderson County's permit trigger covers additions and changes in the design of plumbing, so ask the plumber whether a permit applies; the county's plumbing trade permit is $75.00.

Rebate 2: high-efficiency toilets

Residential high-efficiency toilets earn $50.00 per toilet, with a limit of two per account. The schedule notes that toilets must use 1.1 gallons per flush or less. Commercial accounts have a separate limit of four.

Old toilets are common sources of hidden leaks, through worn flappers and fill valves. Replacing one both cuts normal use and removes a likely leak point, which helps protect the once-in-24-months leak adjustment for when you really need it.

Check the model's rated flush volume before you buy, since the rebate depends on it.

Rebate 3: a weather-based irrigation controller

A weather-based irrigation controller earns 50% of the purchase price or $200, whichever is less, one per account. These controllers adjust watering to weather data instead of running on a fixed timer.

Irrigation matters for bills because outdoor water goes through the meter and is charged as sewer as well, even though it never reaches a drain. An irrigation system or hose left running unattended is also listed as ineligible for a leak adjustment under the City's 2026 policy.

If your irrigation system has its own leaks, fix them before the controller goes in; the leak detection checklist covers yard lines.

Rebates 4 and 5: dishwasher and washing machine

An ENERGY STAR high-efficiency dishwasher earns $75.00 and an ENERGY STAR high-efficiency washing machine earns $100.00, each limited to one per account.

Both appliances connect to the plumbing. A washer swap often deserves new supply hoses and a check of the shut-off valves behind it, and a dishwasher install includes a supply line, a drain connection and an electrical connection. Ask the installer whether any of that work changes the existing plumbing.

Keep the receipt and the model information. Rebate programs generally ask for proof of purchase and the model, and the fee schedule notes that a limited number of rebates are offered each year.

How the rebates fit with leaks and bills

Conservation rebates and leak adjustments are separate programs. A rebate rewards a purchase; a leak adjustment credits part of a bill after an eligible leak is repaired. Doing one does not affect eligibility for the other.

The City also invites customers to sign up for its Aquahawk monitoring service on the leak adjustments page, which shows meter data and can flag unusual usage. Paired with a shut-off valve you can reach, it is the cheapest leak protection on offer.

To see what your current usage costs at the City's tiers, try the leak cost calculator with your normal monthly gallons.

Before you buy

Because the schedule says only a limited number of rebates are offered each year, check availability with the City before you buy something you are counting on a rebate to pay for. Customer Service is listed on the City's rates and billing page at (828) 697-3052.

For the shut-off valve and toilets, get the plumber's quote in writing, including the model numbers. For appliances, save the receipt and the ENERGY STAR model listing.

If the work is part of a bigger remodel, the county permit fees are on the permit checklist.

A quick order of operations

If you are planning more than one of these, do the shut-off valve first. It is the one that protects the house while the other work is being done, and a plumber installing it can look at the rest of your supply plumbing at the same visit. Toilets come next, because they are the most common silent leak and the rebate applies to two of them.

Leave the appliances and the irrigation controller for when they are due for replacement anyway. A washer or dishwasher that still works is not worth replacing just for the rebate, but when one fails, the ENERGY STAR model and the rebate together soften the cost.

Throughout, keep the receipts and model numbers together, check with Customer Service that rebates are still available that year, and ask the plumber whether any of the work needs a county permit. The answers take a phone call or two, and they keep the rebate from turning into a surprise.

What the rebates do not cover

The schedule's rebates are for specific products and one valve. They do not pay for leak repairs, pipe replacement, water heaters or labour beyond what each line describes, and they do not change the leak adjustment rules. For those, the leak adjustment checklist and a written plumber's quote are the right tools.

Checked against: City of Hendersonville, NC: Fee Schedule (water, sewer, meter, rebate and billing fees); City of Hendersonville, NC: Utility Billing Policy (effective October 1, 2026); City of Hendersonville, NC: 2026 Leak Adjustment Policy (PDF); City of Hendersonville, NC: Leak Adjustments; City of Hendersonville, NC: Rates & Billing (customer service contact); Henderson County, NC Permits & Inspections: 2026-2027 Fee Schedule (PDF). Checked 2026-10-30.