Skip to main content
Home/Rebates/California/Sacramento

California Water Rebates

Sacramento Area Turf Removal Rebates — $1–$3/Sq Ft

Sacramento area homeowners can receive $1–$3 per square foot to replace lawn with drought-tolerant or native plants. Six water agencies operate active programs across the metro: City of Sacramento, Sacramento County Water Agency, Sacramento Suburban Water District (Fair Oaks, Orangevale, Citrus Heights area), City of Roseville, City of Folsom, and American Water Sacramento. Each program has its own rate and application process. Which one you qualify for depends entirely on which water agency bills your address. Pre-approval is required by every agency before removing any turf.

Common steps for every program in this guide

  1. Find your water agency. Use the ZIP code lookup at saveourwater.com/yardrebates to identify which water agency serves your address. Your water bill also shows the agency name. This determines which program, rate, and application process applies to you.
  2. Review your agency's plant list and project requirements. Each program has a qualifying plant list and coverage requirements. City of Sacramento requires 60% plant coverage and at least 5 plants. SSWD requires 25% low-water-use native coverage. Download your agency's requirements before designing your planting to avoid rejection at the post-inspection.
  3. Submit an application and schedule your pre-inspection — before touching any turf. Apply through your agency's website or portal. Most agencies conduct a virtual pre-inspection via photos rather than an in-person visit. You must receive written approval before removing any turf. All programs are first-come, first-served and subject to available funding.
  4. Complete the conversion within the agency's timeline. Most programs allow 90–120 days after approval. Roseville gives 90 days with a hard deadline. Folsom requires you to start within 30 days and finish within 90. Keep all receipts for plants, irrigation equipment, and eligible labor.
  5. Schedule the post-inspection and receive your rebate. Notify your agency when the project is complete and submit after photos. After the post-inspection passes, most agencies issue a rebate check within 4–8 weeks. Sacramento Suburban Water District and American Water Sacramento may issue a 1099 for rebates of $600 or more.

Full application guide for Sacramento: required documents and how to avoid rejection

Rebates available

Sacramento Area Turf Removal Rebates — $1–$3/Sq Ft FAQs

Does SMUD offer a turf removal rebate?
No. SMUD (Sacramento Municipal Utility District) is an electricity utility and does not offer lawn conversion rebates. Water conservation rebates in the Sacramento area come from your water agency, not your electric utility. The programs listed here are all through water agencies.
What if I already removed my lawn?
You are not eligible. Every Sacramento area program requires pre-approval before any turf is removed. Projects that were started or completed before receiving written approval are explicitly excluded from reimbursement.
Can I stack rebates from two different agencies?
Generally no — each property is served by one water agency. You cannot receive rebates from both the City of Sacramento and the County Water Agency for the same project. The only possible exception is if two different programs cover clearly distinct parts of a property served by two meters, which is rare.
What is the City of Sacramento's extra $200 landscape design rebate?
The City of Sacramento offers an additional $200 rebate for front-yard landscape design assistance through their River-Friendly Landscaping program. This is separate from the $1.50/sqft grass conversion rebate and covers the cost of a landscape design consultation. Contact riverfriendly@cityofsacramento.org for details.
Do I need a licensed contractor to qualify?
Most programs allow self-installation. Sacramento Suburban Water District offers up to $150 reimbursement for licensed contractor labor, but self-installation is eligible at the base rate. City of Sacramento does not reimburse labor at all — only plants and irrigation equipment costs count.

We're considering this

Want help applying for one of these rebates?

We're considering a guided concierge service that walks you through the paperwork for your local rebate. Tell us if you'd use it.

Get started

Plan a native yard with Pollinator Patch.

Pick the right native plants for your region, design an HOA-friendly layout, and generate documentation that supports your rebate application.

Open on desktop

iPhone appAndroid app

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.

We compile these programs from utility and city pages, and not every amount here has been independently confirmed. Program details also change throughout the year. Always verify requirements, amounts, and eligibility directly with your water utility before starting work. Pollinator Patch is not affiliated with any rebate program and does not guarantee approval.