Rebate Programs

Thank you for your interest in the Turf Removal and Spray to Drip Rebate Programs!

As of February 13, 2019, new program requirements are now in place. Please read through ALL program documents to see if your turf removal project qualifies for a rebate through this program!

FOR TURF REMOVAL PROGRAM INFORMATION CLICK HERE

FOR SPRAY TO DRIP PROGRAM INFORMATION CLICK HERE

Through this Program, residential and commercial customers of participating retail water providers are eligible to receive a rebate incentive for qualifying projects by removing turfgrass from their properties.

Turf Removal Program

IF YOU HAVE ALREADY REMOVED YOUR GRASS/TURF, YOUR PROJECT WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE PROGRAM.
The Municipal Water District of Orange County, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, and your local water agency invite you to participate in the Turf Removal Rebate Program. The main goal of this Program is to reduce outdoor watering by transforming water thirsty turfgrass to a California native and/or Friendly landscape that benefits the watershed by reducing runoff and utilizing natural resources, such as rainwater.

Current Base Rebate* Levels for both Commercial and Residential Projects (as of 2/13/2019) is $2.00 per square foot:

 * This is the current base rebate, additional funding may be available in your service area. Since funding is limited, this OFFER IS LIMITED and is available on a first-come, first-served basis to eligible participants only while funding lasts. Rebates are paid based on the funding amounts available at the point your Post-Inspection has been accepted.

Residential sites are eligible for an annual (July 1 to June 30) maximum of 5,000 square feet of turf removal. (Some retail water agencies may allow higher caps. Please contact your local water agency for more information). Your front yard must be included in your project.

  • Eligible areas are as follows:
    • Front yards, back yards, and/or side yards as long as a minimum of 250 square feet in the front yard is included. Parkways are not considered part of the front yard.
    • If you have less than 250 square feet in the front yard, the entire front yard must be included.
    • If your front yard was previously transformed, you may now do the side and/or back yard as long as the new project area includes more than 250 square-feet, or removes all remaining turf. When submitting your application, you must upload a minimum of two photos clearly showing your transformed front yard.
    • Parkways only - you are allowed to transform only the parkway if the property does not have any turf in the front yard.  Otherwise, the requirement of the front yard first applies. Transformations in parkways must meet all appropriate city requirements.

Commercial sites are eligible for an annual maximum of 50,000 square feet of turf removal, regardless of number of meters. (Some retail water agencies may have higher caps. Please contact your local water agency for more information.)

Public sites are eligible for an annual maximum of 50,000 square feet of turf removal, regardless of number of meters. (Some retail water agencies may have higher caps. Please contact your local water agency for more information.)

(If you remove more turf than the cap listed above your rebate will be capped at the amount listed for your property type. If you remove less than the listed cap, you will receive that square footage multiplied by the rebate level).

Additional Requirements:

  • Project areas to be converted must show evidence of turf (free of weeds and patches of bare soil) at the time the Pre-Inspection is performed. All sites are subject to a mandatory on-site Pre-Inspection prior to the start of the project in order to be eligible.

  • Well maintained turf areas that have gone brown due to not being watered are eligible as long as the brown turf grass area is free of bare or weedy areas. Bare areas will be subtracted out of the Project’s rebate eligible square footage.

  • The converted area must have a -Sustainability- design component to capture both excess irrigation water and rainfall through retention, infiltration or on-site storage for reuse. Infiltration, retention, and rainwater capture techniques can include: rain gardens, rain barrels, cisterns, berms, swales, or grades. Selected method should allow infiltration or capture of runoff, not channel to impervious surfaces, and must meet all local and regional requirements. Details of each of these are defined on the Resources Page.

  • Project area must have at least (3) plants per 100 square feet planted in the ground at the time of your Post-Inspection. To calculate your required plant coverage, divide the square footage of your project by 100 and then multiple that result by 3 (Ex. Project area is 890 sq-ft. 890/100=8.9 x3=26.7, round up to 27 plants). Plants will be counted during the mandatory Post-Inspection.

  • Synthetic Turf is not eligible for a rebate through this Turf Removal Program and could void your rebate. Contact your local retail water agency to find out if it is offering separate funding for synthetic turf components.

  • The irrigation system in the project area must be a low flow system (drip or high efficiency, low precipitation rotating nozzles). If part of a lawn is converted, the sprinkler system must be properly modified to provide adequate coverage to the remaining lawn without spraying the converted area.

  • If the irrigation system is not replaced with a low-flow system, it must be properly capped off or removed and hand-watered.

  • All exposed soil is covered with at least a 3” layer of mulch. Acceptable mulch includes but is not limited to: compost, bark, wood chip, decomposed granite, river rock. Mulch is not required in areas planted with creeping or rooting groundcovers

  • All approved applicants must complete their project within 60 days from the date of their Letter to Proceed. 

Your participation in this Program is voluntary and is encouraged by your local water agency.
The Turf Removal Program is available for Orange County residential and commercial customers, with the exception of customers served by the following retail water agencies: 
 
Not Currently Accepting Applications

  • Emerald Bay Service District
  • City of Garden Grove
  • Golden State Water Company
  • City of La Palma
  • Moulton Niguel Water District - Residential applications are accepted through OC Water Smart. Commercial customers can apply directly with Moulton Niguel. 
  • City of San Juan Capistrano

Contact City Directly for Information on Available Programs

  • City of Anaheim
  • City of Fullerton
  • City of Santa Ana

What to do next:

Read the Terms and Conditions, Eligibility Guidelines, Participation Process, and FAQs thoroughly as these documents will give you the rules and regulations for your successful participation in the Program.

 

Spray to Drip Program

IF YOU DO NOT HAVE WORKING SPRAY IRRIGATION IN THE PROJECT CONVERSION AREA OR YOU HAVE ALREADY INSTALLED DRIP IRRIGATION, YOUR PROJECT WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE PROGRAM.

To be eligible the proposed project’s conversion must replace working standard spray irrigation with drip irrigation.

Projects that are underway or already completed prior to the receipt of the “Letter to Proceed” are not eligible to participate.

The current RESIDENTIAL rebate level is up to $90 per kit, not to exceed 50% of the equipment/kit costs. The rebate can be applied towards eligible equipment costs only. Each site is eligible for a lifetime maximum of up to five (5) kits. Each kit is able to provide coverage for between 250 and 500 square feet of spray irrigation retrofit. The number of kits a property is eligible for is determined at the time of the pre-inspection and is based upon the square footage of the spray to drip conversion area.

The current COMMERCIAL rebate level is up to $0.20 per square foot of converted area, not to exceed 50% of the equipment costs, with a maximum of 45,000 square feet per customer, per fiscal year. Contact Spray-to-Drip@mwdoc.com for more information. 

A minimum of 250 square feet of irrigated area must be converted to drip irrigation. In addition, for RESIDENTIAL projects, each kit must convert a minimum of 250 square feet. (For example, if installing one kit, the converted area must be a minimum of 250 square feet. If installing two kits, the minimum converted area must be 500 square feet. For three kits, the minimum converted area must be 750 square feet, and so on).

Each kit must contain a minimum of one eligible Pressure Regulator and Filter and 200 linear feet of eligible Inline Emitter Tubing. 

The installed drip irrigation equipment must be listed on the Eligible Products List (found below). Only drip irrigation equipment on the Eligible Products List, as evidenced by the submission of a purchase receipt, will be eligible to receive a rebate. Microspray, point source emitters, and drippers are not rebate eligible for RESIDENTIAL projects under the Program. See samples of non-eligible equipment under the Eligibility tab.

Since funding is limited, this OFFER IS LIMITED and is available on a first-come, first-served basis to eligible participants only while funding lasts.

All invoices, including contractor invoices, must include price, SKU/model numbers, manufacturer, and quantities of the rebate-eligible products purchased. Labor, if any, must be listed as a separate line item.

The Spray to Drip Rebate Program is currently available for Orange County residential and commercial customers, with the exception of customers served by the following retail water agencies: 

Not Currently Accepting Applications

  • City of Anaheim
  • Emerald Bay Service District
  • City of Fullerton
  • City of Garden Grove
  • Golden State Water Company
  • City of La Palma
  • City of Santa Ana
  • City of San Juan Capistrano
  • Trabuco Canyon Water District
  • Moulton Niguel Water District (Not accepting applications from residential customers. Commercial/public agency customers may apply)

What to do next:

  1. Read the Terms and Conditions, Eligibility Guidelines, Participation Process, and FAQs thoroughly as these documents will give you the rules and regulations for your successful participation in the Program.
  2. Review the Eligible Products List