Avoid water waste by replacing turf or high water use shrubs along pavement.
To reduce your water bill and stop runoff, replace up to 10 feet of turf or high water shrubs along the edges of pavement or in parking lot planters with sustainable landscaping.
Watersmart edgescaping provides a discreet, organic barrier between your lawn and the street. This means that rain and irrigation water stay in your yard instead of running off to a nearby street or storm drain.
Types of sustainable landscaping include non-irrigated ground cover like river-rock or native California-friendly plants. Artificial turf is not permitted.
What are the benefits?
Use less water.
When you install watersmart edgescaping, 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 this list of 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? Edgescaping 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 $5 per sq. ft. of replaced turf, or up to $6 per sq. ft. if all native plants are used.
Commercial property owners can get up to $4 per sq. ft. on parking planter areas.
There is a lifetime rebate cap for all participants of $2,000 for residential properties and $8,000 for commercial properties.
Only commercial parking lots are eligible for
planter area rebate.
Who's eligible?
Commercial and residential property owners in unincorporated San Diego County.
See if you’re in the Unincorporated Area of San Diego County by checking your address in the embedded map on the Program Eligibility page.
What are the requirements?
VERY IMPORTANT: PROJECTS MUST NOT BE STARTED BEFORE APPLYING FOR AND RECEIVING APPROVAL TO PROCEED.
- Maximum area to be replaced: 10 sq. ft in width.
- Project area must be adjacent to paved area.
- Turf grass
or high water use shrubs with spray irrigation must be replaced with
non-irrigated ground cover or sustainable, low water use
landscaping, including a minimum of three inches of organic mulch or
qualifying ground cover.
- Artificial turf is not permitted.
- Replacement landscaping must be drip-irrigated or hand-watered.
- Sprinklers that are set back must be:
- Capped or removed, or:
- Upgraded to high-efficiency nozzles.
- Organic mulch or qualifying ground
cover includes:
- Shredded bark
- Bark nuggets
- Wood chips
- If you are applying for the native plants rebate then you will need to verify that all plants used are native. To do so, use the Calscape website to confirm plant species names.
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.
If you are applying for the $6/sq ft. native plants rebate, you will also need to submit:
- Verification that the plants you are using are native, using the Calscape website to confirm species names. Verification documents considered valid are: a landscaper invoice, nursery receipt, OR photograph of plant in pot with species name shown;
AND
- Photographs of complete project with all listed plants in place.
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