How to Get the Soil Saver Rebate
City of San Marcos Water/Energy Conservation Division · Central Texas, TX
What you get
The Soil Saver Rebate pays 50% of the cost of service, equipment rental, or materials for core aeration of lawn areas, top-dressing lawns or beds with compost, and plant-based mulch on beds, gardens, and trees. Single-family residential caps: $50 for core aeration, $75 for compost, and $75 for mulch, so about $200 combined. Commercial and institutional caps are $200 for each practice. Core or plug aeration only (not spike, liquid, or chemical); compost a quarter to half inch on lawns or one to two inches on beds, with blends at least 50% compost; plant-based mulch such as wood chips, not stone, fabric, or rubber. The rebate is issued as a credit on the utility bill (SMTX Utilities Soil Saver Rebate Program PDF, sanmarcostx.gov/DocumentCenter/View/15566, verified September 2026).
- Residential: 50% of cost: up to $50 for core aeration, $75 for compost, $75 for mulch
- Commercial: 50% of cost: up to $200 each for core aeration, compost, and mulch
Are you eligible?
- Be a City of San Marcos Water/Energy Conservation Division customer
- Property located in: San Marcos
- City of San Marcos water utility customer with an account in good standing; single-family residential properties for the residential amounts
- Work must be performed within the San Marcos water utility service area
- Mark irrigation heads and valves, meter boxes, shallow wires, and exposed roots before aerating
- Submit the completed application with itemized invoices or receipts and photos of the completed work within 30 days after purchase or work completion
- Applicant is responsible for permits and for compliance with HOA, local, state, and federal regulations
Before you start
Email the completed packet to jdelacruz3@sanmarcostx.gov (Conservation Department, 512-393-8310). Rebates are first come, first served and subject to availability of funds.
Full San Marcos guide
San Marcos has a complete rebate guide with every local program, qualifying plants, and a step-by-step application walkthrough.
San Marcos water rebates: full guideThe application checklist
How to apply for the Soil Saver Rebate
These are the steps this application actually takes.
- 1
Check eligibility and mark the yard
You must be a single-family residential SMTX Utilities water customer with an account in good standing, inside the SMTXU service area. Before aerating, mark every irrigation head and valve, meter box,
- 2
Aerate, top-dress, or mulch
Hire a contractor or do it yourself; core aerators rent at most equipment stores. Only core or plug aeration qualifies, not spike, liquid, or chemical aeration. Compost: a quarter to half inch over la
- 3
Submit within 30 days
Within 30 days after purchase or work completion, fill in the fields below, export your packet, and email the completed application, itemized invoices or receipts, and photos of the finished work to j
Get help applying
Want a hand with the application?
A 30-minute call with Stephen, the founder. He reads the Soil Saver Rebate rules with you, tells you what to photograph and file first, and answers anything this page does not cover.
Confirm your project ZIP first. If this program does not serve your address, do not buy; check your city or utility on the rebates page instead.
One-time $29.99. Guidance, not filing: you submit to the program yourself. Not legal or financial advice. Rebate amounts and approval are decided by the program.
Every program listed cites its official source, and each program page shows the date we last verified it against that source. Program details change throughout the year, so always confirm requirements, amounts, and eligibility directly with the program before starting work. Pollinator Patch is not affiliated with any rebate program and does not guarantee approval.
See a problem with a program? Report it
Programs change throughout the year. If something here is out of date or wrong, tell us and we'll check it against the provider.