Sacramento County Cash for Grass Rebate 2026

Name: Pollinator Patch
Author: Pollinator Patch

Sacramento County, California Water Rebates

The Sacramento County Water Agency (SCWA) runs a Cash for Grass rebate that is distinct from the City of Sacramento grass-conversion program. It pays $1 per square foot of grass converted to drought-resistant landscaping with drip irrigation, up to $2,000 per household. Two steps catch people out: you need SCWA pre-approval before you start, and your grass (dead or alive) has to be intact when you apply.

$1 / sq ft, up to $2,000 · Verified June 2026

Cash for Grass Rebate

Open the official program site

How to apply

Confirm you are a Sacramento County Water Agency (SCWA) customer
Apply with your grass (dead or alive) still intact and get SCWA pre-approval before beginning work
Wait for acceptance before removing any grass
Convert to drought-resistant landscaping with drip irrigation within 120 days of acceptance
Submit your after photos and receipts to receive $1 per sq ft, up to $2,000

What you'll need

SCWA water account information
Before photos with the grass intact
Pre-approval and acceptance confirmation
Drought-resistant plant list
After photos and itemized receipts

Pollinator Patch can help: It picks Sacramento-County-appropriate Central Valley natives, designs an HOA-friendly drought-resistant layout with drip irrigation, and assembles your grass-intact before-photo and plant-list packet for the SCWA application.

Avoid these mistakes

Don't remove your grass before you apply. It has to be intact (dead or alive) when you submit, and you need SCWA pre-approval before beginning work.
Don't skip the drip irrigation. The conversion has to use drip irrigation with drought-resistant landscaping.
Don't let the 120-day window lapse. The project has to be completed within 120 days of acceptance.

Sacramento County Water Rebate FAQs

How much does Sacramento County pay to remove grass?

$1 per square foot of grass converted to drought-resistant landscaping with drip irrigation, up to $2,000 per household for residential customers (Sacramento County Water Agency Cash for Grass, verified June 2026).

Do I have to keep my grass before applying?

Yes. Your grass (dead or alive) has to be intact when you apply, and you need SCWA pre-approval before you begin any work.

How long do I have to finish the project?

The project has to be completed within 120 days of acceptance. The rebate is then issued within roughly 6 to 8 weeks after the project inspection is approved.

Is this the same as the City of Sacramento grass conversion rebate?

No. This is the Sacramento County Water Agency (SCWA) Cash for Grass program, which is separate from the City of Sacramento Utilities grass-conversion rebate.

Free step-by-step help with every rebate above

Every program above comes with a free guided checklist in the Pollinator Patch app: the steps in order, warnings before the mistakes that disqualify applications, and a photo locker that keeps your before and after photos and receipts together. A few high-value programs also offer an optional ready-to-file application packet for a one-time $29.99.