California Native Landscaping Rebates

Rebate of $2 per square foot for turf removal, with a 250 sq ft minimum (projects under 250 sq ft may still qualify if they convert all existing turf on the property) and a 5,000 sq ft maximum per application per fiscal year. Additional $100 per tree rebate (up to 5 trees). No free landscape design assistance; up to $1,000 rebate available for professional design services that meet program design requirements (confirmed by MWDOC, August 2026).

Program is run through MWDOC (Municipal Water District of Orange County). Fall planting recommended for best results.

Combines LADWP ($3/sq ft) and Metropolitan Water District ($2/sq ft) rebates for removing turf and replacing with California-friendly or native plants. Additional $100/tree rebate (up to 5 trees). Maximum 5,000 sq ft residential.

Apply through the SoCal Water$mart portal.

Lawn-to-Garden (L2G) program: $3.00 per square foot of lawn removed for a total of up to 5,000 square feet, plus a design reimbursement of up to $1,500 for a professional landscape design. The prior front-yard ($3/sq ft) vs. side/back-yard ($2/sq ft) tiered rate has been simplified to a flat $3/sq ft for all conversions.

District-funded NatureScape program: $3 per square foot plus 50% off design fees to replace turf with California native, low-water, or very-low-water plants, for projects between 250 and 5,000 sq ft. Stacks on top of the MWDOC/MWD regional turf rebate (Moulton Niguel Water District, last verified July 2026).

The OC Stormwater Program pays $0.75 per square foot of impermeable surface treated, up to $1,500, for rain gardens and rain containers, and the program page notes that an average home treats 1,200 square feet and receives $900. New gutters are reimbursed at $5 per linear foot up to $300, and that gutter money sits inside the same $1,500 total rather than on top of it. Eligibility is by water agency rather than by city, so check which agency bills you before applying. This is a pilot: participation is limited and operates first-come, first-served (h2oc.org RainSmart Residential Rainwater Collection Incentives Program; last verified August 2026).

County Waterscape enhancement for residents of the unincorporated county (customers of districts like Helix, Otay, Padre Dam, Sweetwater, Vallecitos): enhanced per-square-foot rates plus a $1/sq ft bonus for California native plants, on residential projects up to 5,000 sq ft. City of San Diego residents qualify for the base SoCal Water$mart rebate of $2.00/sq ft through the same portal, without the county enhancement (County of San Diego watershed rebates + SoCal Water$mart pages, last verified June 2026).

City-funded rebate (locally funded by the City of Santa Monica, independent of the depleted MWD regional fund): $3.50 per square foot to replace living turf with climate-appropriate plants and mulch, single-family up to $6,000. Property must receive City of Santa Monica water service and the landscape maintained at least 5 years. Rate confirmed at $3.50/sq ft up to $6,000 from the City of Santa Monica Cash for Grass program guide, which the live program page currently serves (City of Santa Monica, last verified June 2026).

Base rebate of $2/sq ft for residential projects up to 5,000 sq ft, plus $100/tree (max 5 trees). Stacks with local water agency rebates. Apply through the SoCal Water$mart portal. LADWP customers in Los Angeles already receive the MWD base rebate bundled into their LADWP program - see the LADWP entry.

This is the regional base rebate for MWD member agencies outside Los Angeles.

Grass replacement rebates starting at $3 per square foot up to $30,000, plus $100 per tree for up to five trees. Grass Replacement Plus pays eligible residents in priority neighborhoods $5 per square foot up to $25,000. A free landscape design (valued around $1,500) is provided and required as part of applying (West Basin Municipal Water District, last verified June 2026).

The Coachella Water Authority & Sanitary District (CWASD), the City of Coachella water utility, pays $3 per square foot of potable-irrigated turf removed and replaced with water-friendly plants, up to $3,000. The converted area must reach at least 50% living plant cover at maturity (trees do not count), spray and rotor irrigation must be retrofitted to low-volume drip, and artificial turf and mulch-or-rock-only conversions do not qualify. Funding is limited and first come, first served. Separate from Coachella Valley Water District, which runs its own turf program (Coachella Water Authority & Sanitary District, Conserve Coachella, last verified September 2026).

Residential Turf Conversion Rebate: $2 per square foot of eligible turf removed (minimum 200 sq ft, up to a maximum of 10,000 sq ft per program year, July 1-June 30), requires pre-approval. Rate cut from a prior $3/sq ft. Grass must be replaced with desert-friendly landscaping with a minimum 25% plant canopy at maturity; artificial turf projects also qualify.

Pays $3 per square foot for the first 2,000 square feet of turf replaced, then $2 per square foot for additional square footage, with a 250 square foot minimum (Corona Department of Water and Power; last verified June 2026).

Standalone DWA program. $2/sq ft turf removal; City of Palm Springs adds $1/sq ft for combined $3/sq ft, no size limit. First-come, first-served.

EMWD adds $3/sq ft on top of the MWD regional base for $6/sq ft total, plus optional $100/tree (up to 5). Reserve via SoCal Water$mart.

Pays $2.25 per square foot of turf removed for residential properties, up to 5,000 square feet (artificial turf is not eligible). This is EVMWD own rate above the SoCal Water$mart base; applications are processed through SoCalWaterSmart.com. First-come, first-served (Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District; last verified June 2026).

Mission Springs Water District (MSWD) pays $2 per square foot to convert lawn to desert-friendly landscaping, up to $3,000 for residential customers ($10,000 for commercial customers). Half of the conversion area must be covered by plants at maturity, and the area needs a smart irrigation controller, a low-flow irrigation system on its own valve, and a pressure regulator and filter. Synthetic turf and hardscape do not qualify. A pre-conversion inspection, signed project agreement, and approved planting list come before the Notice to Proceed, and the project must be finished within 4 months. Funding is limited (Mission Springs Water District, Turf Rebates, last verified September 2026).

Mission Springs Water District serves Desert Hot Springs and nearby unincorporated Riverside County. Desert Water Agency also serves Desert Hot Springs, so apply to whichever utility bills you for water.

Pays $7 per square foot for the first 1,000 square feet of turf replaced, then $2 per square foot up to a total of 5,000 square feet (Riverside Public Utilities; last verified June 2026).

San Bernardino Municipal Water Department customers get $3 per square foot of turf removed, up to $3,000, plus up to $500 toward a professional landscape design used with an approved turf-removal project. Existing turf or traditional sprinklers must be present at the inspection (San Bernardino Municipal Water Department outdoor rebates, last verified June 2026).

Western Water adds $3/sq ft on top of the MWD regional base for the first 1,000 sq ft. Reserve via SoCal Water$mart.

Pays $1.00 per square foot of lawn converted to low-water landscaping, up to $500 for single-family residential (Atascadero Mutual Water Company; last verified June 2026).

Up to $1 per square foot of living lawn removed, up to $750 per property, for single-family and multi-family residences with 1-4 dwelling units. Dead grass and existing low-water landscapes are ineligible; not retroactive; new construction excluded. Requires pre-approval (Carpinteria Valley Water District, administered via CalWEP; last verified June 2026).

Pays $1.00 per square foot for replacing natural, irrigated lawn with low-water-use features, capped at $2,000 for single-family residential (Marina Coast Water District; last verified June 2026).

Pays $3 per square foot of lawn replaced with low-water landscaping, up to $10,000 for single-family residential (administered via CalWEP, distinct from SoCal Water$mart) (Montecito Water District; last verified June 2026).

Rebate of 50 cents per square foot of converted lawn (no published total cap; budget-limited and first-come, first-served). Plants must cover at least 50% of the converted area at maturity, with drip irrigation and mulch, and the conversion must be completed within 6 months. Requires a pre-conversion site review and a City of Morro Bay water account in good standing (City of Morro Bay; last verified June 2026).

Rebate of $1.00 per square foot of lawn removed, up to a maximum of 2,500 square feet per qualifying property. Minimum 250 sq ft removed; pre-qualification and a pre-inspection are required before removing any lawn; drip irrigation is required if the area is irrigated (no overhead spray); a 15-year recorded deed restriction against reinstalling lawn applies; complete within 120 days (Monterey Peninsula Water Management District; last verified June 2026).

Pays $0.50 per square foot of turf converted to drought-tolerant plants on drip irrigation (also artificial turf or permeable paving), up to $500 per water account. A pre-inspection of the turf area is required before any work begins (City of Paso Robles; last verified June 2026).

Pays $2.00 per square foot of grass removed; the rebate cannot exceed 50% of the total project cost, to a maximum of $10,000 (City of Pismo Beach; last verified June 2026).

Standard lawn replacement pays $2 per square foot, up to $1,500 for properties of 1 to 4 units. Projects that build a rain garden retention area earn a combined $5 per square foot, capped at $5,000 per residential property. Requires converting spray sprinklers to drip (or removing them), at least 3 water-wise plants per 100 sq ft, and 3 inches of mulch (City of Santa Barbara Water Conservation, last verified June 2026).

Turf-conversion rebate up to a maximum of $6,000 per property for replacing irrigated turf with low-water, County-approved plants. Minimum 500 sq ft; dedicated irrigation required at application; a pre-conversion inspection is required. Available in the Nipomo Mesa Water Conservation Area and the Paso Robles Groundwater Basin (County of San Luis Obispo; last verified June 2026).

Pays up to $2 per square foot of turf replaced with low-water-use plants, capped at $2,000 per fiscal year for single-family residential customers (Soquel Creek Water District; last verified June 2026).

Pays $3.50 per square foot for projects that replace turf with low-water-use landscaping, with a 200 square foot residential minimum (own program via Droplet, not SoCal Water$mart) (Ventura Water; last verified June 2026).

Pays $2.00 per square foot of turf converted to low-water landscaping, with a residential maximum of $2,000 per year (City of Watsonville; last verified June 2026).

$1-$4 per square foot for removing lawn and replacing with low-water or native landscaping, rate set by member water agency: Brisbane and Hillsborough $1/sq ft; Burlingame, Millbrae, Redwood City, San Bruno, and ACWD (Fremont, Newark, Union City) $2/sq ft; Menlo Park $3/sq ft; Mid-Peninsula WD (Belmont, San Carlos), North Coast County WD (Pacifica), and Foster City/Estero MID $4/sq ft. An optional Rain Garden Rebate adds $300 for most agencies (not Foster City/EMID, Hillsborough, or ACWD). Some agencies cap the total rebate (Hillsborough and North Coast County WD at $2,500; ACWD at $3,000 residential). Santa Clara County cities (Palo Alto, Mountain View, Sunnyvale, San Jose, Milpitas, Santa Clara) are NOT served by BAWSCA; those residents should use Valley Water's program instead.

Availability and rate vary by member agency, so verify with your specific water provider.

Lawn-and-drip-irrigation conversion rebate of $1 per square foot of lawn replaced, up to a $1,000 combined residential maximum. Requires at least 50% living-plant coverage at maturity from an approved low-water plant list; full artificial turf is ineligible. Requires pre-approval (City of Brentwood; last verified June 2026).

$1 per square foot for replacing lawn with low-water or drought-tolerant landscaping. Residential cap of $2,000. Pre-approval required before removing turf. CCWD serves central and eastern Contra Costa County.

CCWD serves Concord, Walnut Creek, Martinez, and surrounding Contra Costa County cities. Verify current funding availability before applying.

Two tiers. Standard rebate: $1 per square foot for replacing lawn with climate-appropriate low-water plants, capped at $2,000 in any 24-month period. Super Rebate: $2 per square foot (same $2,000 cap, twice the coverage area) for projects that use sheet mulching with cardboard, plant-based mulch plus a half-inch of compost, mostly California native plants, and planting between September and February.

EBMUD serves Oakland, Berkeley, and surrounding East Bay cities. Funding is allocated first come, first served each fiscal year.

Pays $0.75 per square foot for front yards and areas visible to the public, $0.50 per square foot for backyards, plus an additional $0.25 per square foot for sheet mulching, with a 300 square foot minimum. Pre-conversion site inspection and a Notice to Proceed are required, and rebates are paid by check. The program runs until June 30, 2027 or until funds last (City of Hayward; last verified September 2026).

City supplement of $0.50 per square foot of converted lawn ($0.75 per square foot for dedicated-irrigation-meter customers), capped at 50% of material cost up to $575 for single-family residential. Stacks with the Zone 7 Water Agency lawn-conversion rebate ($2/sq ft, up to $3,000) already in the directory, so Pleasanton residents can combine both. Requires pre-approval (City of Pleasanton; last verified June 2026).

Combined with the Zone 7 Water Agency rebate, Pleasanton residents can receive up to roughly $3,575 total.

City of Santa Clara supplemental rebate above the regional Valley Water amount: $4 per square foot for the first 1,000 sq ft and $2 per square foot after that, residential capped at a $5,000 lifetime combined rebate. Requires a written Notice to Proceed from Valley Water before starting; artificial turf and plastic sheeting are not eligible (City of Santa Clara Water & Sewer Utilities, last verified July 2026).

Rebate of $2 per square foot for converting approved high-water lawns and pools to low-water landscapes. Funding available through June 30, 2026 or until depleted. Applications accepted on an ongoing basis.

Valley Water serves San Jose, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, and surrounding cities in Santa Clara County.

$2 per square foot up to $3,000 for residential properties (effective October 1, 2025), serving customers of Livermore Municipal Water, the City of Pleasanton, and Dublin San Ramon Services District. Requires at least 100 sq ft of street-visible lawn and at least 50% low-water plant coverage at maturity; a Notice to Proceed is required before work begins (Zone 7 Water Agency, last verified July 2026).

This is a regional program, not the BAWSCA Lawn Be Gone program.

Pays up to $1.00 per square foot of lawn removed, up to a lifetime maximum of $500 per property, for City of Cotati water customers. A working irrigation system is required, though the green-lawn requirement is temporarily waived so brown lawns qualify. Open to residential and commercial customers (City of Cotati; last verified July 2026).

Pays $1 per square foot of turf converted to low-water landscaping for City of Healdsburg water customers. The existing turf must have been actively irrigated within the past two years; parking areas, plastic sheeting, bare dirt, sheds, hot tubs, pools, water features, and artificial turf are ineligible. A pre-conversion inspection is highly preferred, and reinstalling the lawn within 10 years triggers full repayment of the rebate (City of Healdsburg; last verified July 2026).

Standalone Marin Water district rebate: base $2.18/sq ft, $3.68/sq ft for sustainable-practice ("Best Practice") projects, plus a $1/sq ft bonus for rain garden / stormwater-capture features (up to $4.68/sq ft). Residential projects capped at 1,000 sq ft. Pre-approval site visit required before starting (Marin Municipal Water District, last verified July 2026).

Rebate of $2.00 per square foot of lawn converted, up to $2,000 for single-family residential (equivalent to about 1,000 square feet of lawn removed). Areas qualifying as rain gardens earn an extra $1.00 per square foot, which is exempt from the account maximum. Low-water climate-appropriate plants must cover at least 50% of the converted area at maturity; permeable hardscape is capped at 50%; pre- and post-inspection are required, and the lawn must not be removed before pre-inspection. Artificial turf does not qualify (City of Napa Water Division; last verified September 2026).

Standalone North Marin Water District rebate, separate from Marin Water and BAWSCA: up to $1.50 per square foot of lawn converted, single-family homes capped at $1,500. All projects must be approved in advance and the customer agrees not to re-install irrigated turf (North Marin Water District, last verified July 2026).

Pays a cash rebate of $1 per square foot of turf replaced with water-wise landscaping (City of Rohnert Park; last verified June 2026).

$1 per square foot of lawn removed and converted to a water-wise landscape, up to $1,000 for residential customers, through the Sonoma-Marin Saving Water Partnership. A pre-inspection is required before any work is started (City of Santa Rosa Water, last verified June 2026).

$1.50 per square foot, up to $1,500 (1,000 sq ft) per eligible residential site for the lifetime of the site, for customers of participating Solano County Water Agency member agencies. Minimum 300 sq ft conversion of living turf; a Notice to Proceed is required before starting and artificial turf is not allowed in the rebated area (Solano County Water Agency, last verified July 2026).

The City of Sonoma pays $1.00 per square foot for removing turf, up to a $1,000 total for single-family residential properties. The rebate is part of the Sonoma-Marin Saving Water Partnership; residents apply through the city's official turf removal rebate application (City of Sonoma; last verified July 2026).

Water Efficient Landscape Rebate (Cash for Grass) at up to $1.50 per square foot for City of Vacaville water customers, run in partnership with the Solano County Water Agency. Artificial turf is not eligible and rebates are not retroactive; subject to available funding (City of Vacaville rebates page, last verified July 2026).

For questions about this rebate, contact SCWA at 707-455-1113.

Pays $0.50 per square foot of qualifying turf replacement for Valley of the Moon Water District customers in the Sonoma Valley. A mandatory pre and/or post inspection is required, and program and funding restrictions apply (Valley of the Moon Water District; last verified July 2026).

Rebate of $2.00 per square foot of converted turf, up to a $4,000 maximum for residential properties (single-family, condominium, or dwellings of five units and under). Open only to Carmichael Water District customers whose water is supplied solely by CWD; one rebate per property and not retroactive. Requires pre-approval before removing turf (Carmichael Water District; last verified June 2026).

$1 per square foot of turf removed and replaced with water-efficient landscape, up to $2,000 per address. Applications must be submitted and approved before starting; the project must begin within 30 days of approval and finish within 90 days. First-come, first-served subject to funding (City of Folsom Environmental & Water Resources, last verified July 2026).

Pays $3 per square foot of lawn replaced with low-water landscaping, up to a $3,000 rebate for residential customers (Placer County Water Agency; last verified June 2026).

$1.50 per square foot of turf converted, up to $2,000 per address, with $3.00 per square foot for areas less than 10 feet in any direction. Pre-inspection site visit required before starting; projects must be completed within 90 days of the pre-inspection date. Rebate dollars run July 1 through June 30 each program year, first-come, first-served until funds are exhausted (City of Roseville utility rebates page, last verified July 2026).

SCWA program (distinct from City of Sacramento). $1/sq ft, up to $2,000/household. Drought-resistant landscaping with drip irrigation.

This program is currently on hold. Check with SCWA before applying.

Rebate of $1.50 per square foot for replacing grass with drought-tolerant or native plants. Preferred plant list includes 830+ varieties with 300+ California natives. Must include drip irrigation with WaterSense smart controller.

Sacramento allocates ~$1M annually for this program. Plant list expanded significantly in 2025 with 250+ new varieties.

Provides up to a $1,000 bill credit for replacing turf with low-water landscaping (San Juan Water District; last verified June 2026).

Rebate of up to $1,000 per address to convert grass to a water-efficient landscape (per-square-foot rate not published; total-cap program). A separate Lawn-Be-Gone compost/mulch voucher of up to $300 is also offered. Requires a City of West Sacramento water account and pre-approval (City of West Sacramento; last verified June 2026).

Pays $1.00 per square foot of turf replaced with drought-tolerant landscape, with a residential maximum of $500 and a 100 square foot minimum (City of Ceres; last verified June 2026).

The City of Fresno currently pays $4 per square foot to replace a front lawn with water-efficient plants, up to 10,000 square feet for residential customers, a temporary rate increase funded by the Urban Community Drought Relief Grant Program. The standard rate is $2 per square foot; the higher rate applies only while grant funds remain, and the City must approve the project by December 31, 2026. A Water-Wise Landscape Consultation is required before removing lawn, and the project must be approved before any work begins. First-come, first-served (City of Fresno Department of Public Utilities, last verified September 2026).

Pays $2.00 per square foot of turf removed and replaced with water-efficient landscape (or $3.00/sq ft for artificial turf), up to a 1,000 square foot maximum (City of Madera; last verified June 2026).

Pays $1.00 per square foot when a grass lawn is replaced with water-efficient landscaping suited to the semi-arid climate, up to a $650 residential maximum. Applies only to front yards and parkways; design must be approved before grass removal (City of Manteca; last verified June 2026).

City of Modesto water customers in good standing get $2 per square foot of turf converted, up to $6,000 per residential account in the July 1 to June 30 program year. Existing grass or traditional sprinklers must be present at the pre-inspection, and projects finish within 60 days of approval (City of Modesto Water Services Turf Replacement Program, last verified June 2026).

The City of Patterson pays residential utility customers $1.00 per square foot of turf removed and replaced with drought-resistant or lower-water landscaping. A minimum of 200 square feet must be removed, up to a maximum of 2,000 square feet. One rebate per household per fiscal year; front-yard conversions must maintain 50 percent landscape coverage. The program has exceeded its fiscal-year budget but is still accepting applications as of August 2026 (City of Patterson, Cash for Grass Pilot Rebate Program; last verified August 2026).

Up to $1.00 per square foot of lawn/turf removed, up to $1,500 for single-family residential customers. An intact lawn with in-ground spray irrigation is required at the pre-inspection; synthetic turf and non-permeable hardscape are ineligible; complete within 6 months of the Notice to Proceed. Requires pre-approval (City of Tracy; last verified June 2026).

Pays $3.00 per square foot of lawn replaced with water-wise, native landscaping, up to 1,500 square feet for residential properties (maximum $4,500). Minimum 250 square feet; at least 50% plant coverage at maturity; pre-project inspection and Notice to Proceed required before starting (City of Tulare; last verified June 2026).

Cal Water offers $2.00–3.50 per square foot for turf removal and replacement with water-efficient or native landscaping. The rate varies by service district. Cal Water operates multiple separate service areas across California including Bakersfield, Chico, Salinas, Stockton, Livermore, Los Altos, and Redwood City. Check your district's specific rate at the Cal Water rebates portal.

Livermore and Los Altos customers may also qualify for the BAWSCA Lawn Be Gone rebate, so check both programs.