California Water Rebates
BAWSCA Lawn Be Gone! — $1–$4/Sq Ft for Peninsula California
BAWSCA (Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency) runs the Lawn Be Gone! program for Peninsula and select Bay Area cities. The program pays $1–$4 per square foot to remove existing lawn and replace it with water-efficient, drought-tolerant native plants. Rates vary by water agency. The rain garden bonus adds $300 flat for eligible projects that include a qualifying rain garden. Pre-approval is required before removing any turf — projects started before receiving a Notice to Proceed are not eligible for reimbursement.
Common steps for every program in this guide
- Check which water agency serves your address. BAWSCA covers San Mateo County Peninsula cities and ACWD in Alameda County (Fremont, Newark, Union City). Santa Clara County residents are not eligible and should visit valleywater.org. Use the dropdown at bawsca.dropletportal.com to confirm your agency.
- Download the BAWSCA Approved Plant List. Download the current Approved Plant List (updated January 2025). All plants replacing lawn must come from this list, or receive prior agency approval. Choose at least enough species to cover 50% of the converted area at maturity.
- Submit your application online — before removing any lawn. Create an account at bawsca.dropletportal.com using your water account number. Submit the application with a project plan that includes your proposed plant list confirming at least 50% plant cover at maturity, plus photos of the current lawn.
- Complete the Pre-Conversion Site Inspection. Your water agency will review your application and conduct a pre-conversion inspection — usually virtual via photos. Do not remove any turf until this is done. Once your project is approved, you will receive a Notice to Proceed letter.
- Remove lawn and complete the conversion within 4 months. You have 4 months from the Notice to Proceed to finish the project. Remove turf, install 3+ inches of mulch on all bare soil, plant from the Approved Plant List, and convert or remove existing sprinklers. Keep all receipts for plants and irrigation equipment (labor and equipment rental are not reimbursable).
- Schedule the Post-Conversion Inspection and receive your rebate. Notify your agency that the conversion is complete and schedule a post-conversion inspection. Bring your final plant list and receipts. If the project passes, the rebate is issued as a check or water bill credit. Processing can take up to 10 weeks.
Full application guide for BAWSCA Lawn Be Gone!: required documents and how to avoid rejection
Rebates available
Which cities are covered and at what rate?
Open the official program site (opens in new tab)What does the replacement planting need to look like?
Open the official program site (opens in new tab)Why pre-approval matters
Open the official program site (opens in new tab)BAWSCA Lawn Be Gone! — $1–$4/Sq Ft for Peninsula California FAQs
Can Sunnyvale, Palo Alto, or San Jose residents use the BAWSCA program?
No. Santa Clara County cities are served by Valley Water, not BAWSCA. Residents of Sunnyvale, Palo Alto, Mountain View, San Jose, Milpitas, and Santa Clara should visit valleywater.org for Valley Water's turf rebate program. East Bay MUD customers (Oakland, Berkeley) should visit the East Bay MUD program page.
What is the rain garden bonus and who qualifies?
The $300 rain garden bonus is funded by the Flows To Bay / C/CAG stormwater program and is available to most BAWSCA member agencies — except ACWD, Hillsborough, and Foster City/EMID. A qualifying rain garden is a shallow landscaped depression at least 10 feet from the foundation that captures roof or driveway runoff, planted with deep-rooted native plants.
Is there a maximum rebate amount?
Most agencies have no stated maximum. Exceptions: ACWD caps at $3,000 for residential accounts ($20,000 for commercial/industrial/HOA); North Coast County WD caps at $2,500; Hillsborough caps at $2,500. All rebates are also capped at actual documented costs for plants and irrigation equipment — labor is not reimbursable.
What happens if I start removing lawn before I get a Notice to Proceed?
You lose eligibility for that square footage. BAWSCA's terms are strict: any removal that occurs before a Notice to Proceed is issued is not reimbursable, even if you applied first. Submit your application, wait for approval, then start digging.
Can I use gravel or decomposed granite instead of plants?
Yes, up to 50% of the converted area can be permeable hardscape including gravel, decomposed granite, or flagstone with permeable grout. The other 50% must be living plants from the Approved Plant List. Impermeable concrete and artificial turf are not eligible.
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