The East Bay Municipal Utility District Garden is one of the largest within the Garden. The original garden was designed and planted in 1987 as an example of plantings for low water use. The Thomas Long Foundation gave a generous grant to build the original landscape and dry creek bed that serves as streambed in the winter that helps collect water to be recharged in the ground.
In 2004 EBMUD released a new book called Plants & Landscapes for Summer-Dry Climates. East Bay Municipal Water District gave the Gardens a generous grant to renovate the garden to include plants and sustainable landscaping practices in this demonstration garden. At that time to include three small pathways made of pervious material; all of these are examples of ways to reduce run-off from the garden as well as recharging the ground water. New plantings were grouped according to water needs (hydrozoning), and an inline drip and weather based controller was installed. All of these demonstrate ways to water the garden more efficiently.