A whole new round of turf replacement rebates is available through the city of San Diego starting Wednesday.
The flood of $1.2 million in rebates comes as the city implements new water restrictions to reach its state-mandated goal of 16 percent savings. Residents can apply to get $1.50 per square foot of lawn they replace with native or drought-resistant plants.
While the city hopes the funds will last, the previous round of grass rebates – a reserve of $750,000 launched in April – ran dry within a week. Officials admitted they were inundated with applications beyond expectations.
Outdoor watering makes up more than 50 percent of residential water use, city officials say, so they are taking a number of steps to cut down that usage.
The first is replenishing the turf replacement program; the second is cutting outdoor irrigation for residents and businesses to two days a week, five minutes per station.
Beginning on July 1, residents living at odd numbered addresses can water only on Sunday and Thursday, while even numbered addresses are limited to Saturday and Wednesday. Apartments, condos and businesses can water only on Monday and Friday.
The city also plans to significantly reduce its potable water use within the Parks and Recreation Department by reducing irrigation to two times a week for passive grass areas, like turf around picnic tables and fields.
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Cres will be planning drought-tolerant landscaping in new parks, and they will stop using potable water for dog off-lease areas and turf medians – except when it’s needed to save trees.
For more on how to apply for a turf rebate, click here.
