The San Diego County Water Authority is offering a rebate for homeowners willing to replace their lawns with more water-friendly landscape.
Residents in the water authority's service area can apply to get a rebate of $3 for every square-foot of lawn they replace with drought-tolerant plants; $2 will be provided by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and $1 will come from the water authority. Use this calculator to estimate your rebate amount.
Residents can apply for a rebate, which are processed through SoCal WaterSmart, for up to 5,000 square-feet of lawn converted in their front or back yards, according to the water authority.
The application has two parts. Residents must first reserve rebate funds prior to starting your project. After the reservation, you will have 180 days to complete the project and submit your request for a rebate.
To qualify, a turf replacement project should include: three plans for every 100 square feet of transformed area, a stormwater retention feature, no hardscape, and replacement sprinklers. Learn more here.
Joni German, water resources specialist at the San Diego County Water Authority, urges residents to visit the WaterSmartSD.org website for free landscaping advice. The website also has other rebate programs available for water authority customers.
Resources are also available here.
