County Turf Replacement
This turf replacement option is available if you don’t get your water from a member agency of the San Diego County Water Authority or Eastern Municipal Water District, or have a turf replacement project that is not eligible for the SoCalWaterSmart program.
Avoid water waste by replacing turf or high-water use shrubs along pavement.
To reduce your water bill and stop runoff, replace turf or high-water use shrubs along the edges of pavement or in parking lot planters with sustainable landscaping.
Turf replacement helps rain and irrigation water stay in your yard instead of running off to a nearby street or storm drain.
Types of sustainable landscaping include ground cover like mulch or river-rock, and native or drought-tolerant California-friendly plants. Artificial turf is not permitted.
What are the benefits?
Use less water.
When you install a County turf replacement project, you’ll use less water in your yard and waste less, helping to lower your water bill.
Improve the look of your landscape.
Take a look at the native plants offering for beautiful low-water use alternatives to turf. Adding variety to your landscape, like diverse textures, colors and flowers, creates a more designed look, a pollinator-friendly habitat and improves your home’s curb appeal.
Keep pollutants out of our storm drain system.
When runoff stays in your yard, pollutants that pile up in the street, like pesticides, chemicals, and motor oil, won’t be transported into our waterways, keeping them safe for all to enjoy.
Get the look you want.
Not looking to replace your entire turf landscape? A County turf replacement project is a good way to dip your toes into a drought-tolerant yard. You’ll see how much better life is with less maintenance, less water and more beauty.
How much is my rebate?
Residential and commercial property owners can get up to $4 per sq. ft. of replaced turf, or up to $5 per sq. ft. if all native plants are used.
Commercial and multi-family property owners can get up to $4 per sq. ft. on high-water use shrub areas replaced.
There is a lifetime rebate cap for all participants of $5,000 for residential properties and $8,000 for commercial properties.
Who's eligible?
Commercial and residential property owners in unincorporated San Diego County.
County Turf Replacement projects must be ineligible for the SoCal WaterSmart turf replacement rebates. County Turf Replacement project area cannot duplicate the project area for a SoCal WaterSmart turf replacement rebate.
Check your eligibility for that program here: https://socalwatersmart.com/
Please consult with a Waterscape Rebate Program staff member if you are unsure if your project is eligible for SoCal WaterSmart turf replacement rebates. If a project is in an area eligible for the SoCal WaterSmart Program, written documentation of ineligibility may be requested by Waterscape Rebate Program staff.
What are the requirements?
VERY IMPORTANT: PROJECTS MUST NOT BE STARTED BEFORE APPLYING FOR AND RECEIVING APPROVAL TO PROCEED.
1. Project area must be adjacent to a street, driveway, or walkway to be eligible.
- For commercial projects replacing high-water use shrubs, area within the first 10 feet from the street or parking lot is eligible.
2. Project must transform at least 100 square feet of eligible pre-project landscaping.
3. Eligible pre-project landscaping includes:
- Turf grass with spray, drip, or hand irrigation
- Dormant, dying, dead, or unmanage turf grass
- High-water
use shrubs with spray irrigation (for commercial properties
only)
- High-water use shrubs must be confirmed by Program staff using the Water Use Classification of Landscape Species (WUCOLS) Database.
4. Eligible post-project landscaping includes:
- Sustainable, low-water use landscaping including the following
locally produced organic mulches at least 3” deep (bark nuggets or
dyed mulch does not qualify):
- Shredded wood
- Wood chips
- Inorganic rock mulch may be substituted in place of organic mulch in CalFire designated Very High Fire Severity zones.
OR
- Non-irrigated, erosion-resistant surface, including:
- Decomposed granite pathways
- River rock dry stream beds
- River rock covered yards
- Landscaping fabric or weed block may be used if documented that it is permeable to water.
5. The project area possesses a clear edge or lip along the pavement adjacent border of the project to prevent mulch, soil and organic material from washing off the site. This edge must be at least two inches taller than the landscape. Mulch, soil, and other qualifying ground cover must remain on property during heavy rain.
- Lip may consist of a paved walkway or curb, rock, wooden planks, earth berm, hard plastic edging or other barriers deemed acceptable by Waterscape Rebate Program staff.
- Flat areas with less than a 25% (4:1) gradient, there must be at minimum 3 plants for each 100 square feet of the project area.
- Slopes greater than 3 feet high and a gradient of 25% (4:1) or more shall be planted to achieve 70% coverage of plants after three years. The minimum slope plant spacing shall be 10 feet on-center.
- Artificial turf does not qualify for the Waterscape Rebate Program rebate
7. Eligible post-project irrigation systems include:
- Drip irrigation
- Hand watering
- Overhead spray irrigation upgraded to high-efficiency, low precipitation spray nozzles
- Removed or capped overhead spray irrigation
8. Projects must include a rainwater capture or stormwater feature integrated into the project area to help reduce runoff into the street and capture rainwater for reuse. The WRP offers additional rebates for Rain-Saving Features and Containers that satisfy this requirement.
- Visit our Rain-Saving Rebates page to earn additional rebates for this stormwater feature.
- Learn about different eligible stormwater feature types on this page - Sustainable Approach – English – SoCal WaterSmart
- WRP Program staff must approve placement of this feature in the application process.
9. Projects must meet any site-specific requirements identified by Waterscape Rebate Program staff during the rebate process.
Submit an Interest Form to Get Started
If you’d like free one-on-one support to plan your project, check your eligibility, or apply for rebates, just fill out our Interest Form. A member of our team will reach out to walk you through everything.
If you would like to proceed with an application
You may access the application form to the right
What documents are needed from me?
VERY IMPORTANT: PROJECTS MUST NOT BE STARTED BEFORE APPLYING FOR AND RECEIVING APPROVAL TO PROCEED.
For all applications, you will need to submit:
- Two clear photographs of the pre-project area, showing both
the irrigated turf and adjacent pavement. Grass must be in place
(dormant/brown/dying is okay) at the time of application and
approval.
- Refer to Waterscape Rebate Program Project Photo Guidance.
To receive the additional $1/sq ft. Native Plants rebate, the plants must be listed on the Calscape website and be documented via:
- A nursery receipt listing plant species and quantity purchased, or
- Photos and a list of plant names.
For more information on requirements for the native plant incentive,
visit the Native Plants rebate page.
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