Landscape Incentive Program
Cash for Grass!
Landscape Lawn Exchange Program
The Landscape Lawn Exchange program is intended to remove landscape lawn and replace it with low-water landscape materials including low-water plants, to create attractive, low-water alternatives to grass areas.
- The incentive for this program will be $3.00 per square foot for any area in your yard that is currently grass lawn that is removed and replaced with a more water-efficient alternative.
- The application must be completed in full and District staff will review applications as they come in to approve participation in the program.
- Applicants must be approved before removing the lawn and starting the program.
General Requirements:
- Project area must be currently landscaped with a living, well-maintained lawn. If lawn has been killed or removed prior to a pre-conversion site visit, you are not eligible for this program.
- Project area must be greater than 250 square feet.
- Project area maximum reimbursement is $45,000 for a residential customer and $75,000 for a commercial customer.
- Applicant must be in good standing with Mountain Regional Water. Unpaid water bills will disqualify applicants from the landscape rebate program.
- Applicant must be participating voluntarily. Projects required by governmental codes are not eligible for this program.
- Applicant acknowledges and verifies the lawn conversion project will not violate any applicable law, regulation, ordinance, zoning requirement, contractual obligation, or other legal limitation.
- Applicant must be the property owner and have the legal authority to authorize the removal and replacement on the project area.
- Applicant may not have received a rebate for this project area in the past.
- Applicant agrees not to return a project area to lawn after replacing it with drought-resistant landscaping and receiving an incentive to do so.
- Project should remove all lawn from the project area and replace it with drought-resistant landscaping. See Planting Requirement below.
- Rebate checks will be made payable to the property owner.
Property Requirements:
• Must be a privately owned residence or place of employment.
• May not be agricultural land, golf courses, parks or athletic fields.
• Must be a Mountain Regional Water customer.
- Review the eligibility tab to ensure that your project qualifies for a rebate.
- Begin your application by creating your account online at MYWATER.WEBERBASIN.GOV You will be asked to provide photos of your project site and an estimated conversion area in square feet.
- Request a pre-conversion site visit. (Remember, killing or removing your lawn before this visit will make your park strip ineligible for a rebate).
- Complete your park strip conversion.
- Submit completion photos of your project online.
- Request a post-conversion site visit.
- Get money!
Can I apply if I have already started my project?
No, you must have living lawn in your park strip at the time of the pre-conversion visit. If you have already killed or removed lawn, your application will be denied.
I am renting or leasing. Can I apply for a rebate?
If you are renting or leasing, you must have the owner of the property apply for the rebate and be present at the pre-conversion visit. Rebate checks will be issued to the name on property's water bill.
Are multi-family residences eligible for this program?
No, this program is intended for single-family residences only.
What if my park strip is just full of weeds and the lawn is dead?
Your park strip needs to have living lawn to be eligible.
If I have a tree in my existing park strip, does it need to be removed?
No, we do not promote the removal of trees from landscapes; however, trees must be watered with the installed drip irrigation system following conversion.
Can I remove my lawn and just replace it with bark, gravel, or hardscape?
No, this program requires plants and drip irrigation to be installed. This rule is in place to follow local city ordinances.
I live in an H.O.A., can I still apply?
Yes, but it is your responsibility to clear the project with your HOA.
I am installing a landscape for a new home. Can I apply?
No, This program is only for exisitng landscapes with grass park strips.
How long do I have to complete my project?
You have 1 year after your application to complete your park strip project.
Planting Requirements:
• Perennial plants must cover at least 35% of the converted project area at maturity. Trees are encouraged but will not be considered in density calculations.
• Completed projects must be covered with 3-4 inches of permeable gravel, bark, rock or compost mulch, or similar material in areas not covered by artificial turf, concrete, brick or stone.
• If landscape fabric is used (not recommended), it must be permeable to water and air.
• Concrete areas do not qualify for a square foot rebate, but pavers, bricks, stone and other permeable materials are permitted provided the project area satisfies the 35% plant and shrub cover requirement.
• Artificial turf must be permeable to water and air. It does not count as contributing toward the 35% plant and shrub cover requirement.
Irrigation Requirements:
Completed project area must be irrigated with a low-volume drip system that:
• Replaces the existing irrigation system servicing the project area
• Minimizes evapotranspiration losses
• Maintains the project area’s drought-resistant plants, shrubs and trees in a healthy state
• Will be verified by MRWSSD staff inspecting the project area
• Bubblers, micro-spray emitters and foggers are not allowed.
