Want to tear out your thirsty lawn? December is the last month to apply for double rebates from the City of Sacramento
(Sacramento, CA - Dec. 1, 2021) Sacramento utility customers need to act fast to take advantage of double rebates from the city for replacing thirsty grass with drought-tolerant landscaping and swapping out inefficient fixtures. The current rebate program of up to $3 per square foot expires on Dec. 31.
As long as a utility customer starts the application process before the end of 2021 they will be eligible for the higher rebates, even if the entire process is not completed by the Dec. 31 deadline.
Rebates will continue in 2022 but will only be at half the value they have been since July 2021, when the City boosted them temporarily to encourage water savings during the ongoing drought. Residents interested in watering schedules, fines, rebates and the most up-to-date information about watering in the City of Sacramento should visit SacWaterWise.com
The City offers rebates for outdoor projects to customers who replace turf with drought-tolerant landscaping and install more efficient irrigation systems:
Single-family customers can receive up to $3 per square foot of grass removed, or a maximum of $6,000, through Dec. 31. The maximum rebate will drop back down to the previous rate of $3,000 in 2022. Single-family applicants also have access to the city’s Landscape Design Assistance Program
Commercial and multi-family customers can receive up to $100,000 in rebates, but the amount drops back down to $50,000 in 2022.
Customers who install an irrigation upgrade to drip or rotating nozzles can receive up to $800. A Smart Controller can be added for free if purchased through the SMUD Energy Store, or there is a rebate of up to $400.
Indoor rebates currently offered by the city include up to $150 per toilet (pre-1992) when replaced with a WaterSense High Efficiency Toilet and up to $250 per toilet (pre-1992 or pre-2014) when replaced with a MaP Premium High Efficiency Toilet. Replacing a washing machine with a high efficiency washer can currently earn a rebate of $250.
The majority of water use in Sacramento homes is for outdoor irrigation. Since the beginning of 2021, the City of Sacramento has received 1,070 applications to convert grass landscaping and swap out inefficient fixtures, faucets, and toilets. The City since 2014 has helped people convert more than 830,000 square feet of grass to drought-tolerant landscaping.
For the turf conversion program there is an easy six-step process for residents to follow to receive rebates. The first step is to submit a completed Turf Conversion application that includes photos of existing turf, plant coverage worksheet and landscape sketch. Once the application is approved by city water conservation staff, a pre-inspection can be scheduled with the city. After the inspection, the landscape conversion project must be completed and submitted with receipts and photos within the 120 days following project approval. Water Conservation staff will review receipts and photos and schedule a post-inspection of the installation. Completed projects will receive a rebate check within 10-12 weeks of post-inspection appointment and approval.
