San Antonio Offers Rebates For Water-Wise Lawn Renovations

Based on the amount of water it takes to maintain grass, San Antonio officials estimate that every customer who gets the rebate would reduce their outdoor irrigation by 4,000 gallons of water a year. If so, the program would pay for itself, because the cost of conserving water is less than finding new water supplies for San Antonio.

The San Antonio Water System (SAWS) is preparing to offer rebates to customers who replace part of their lawns with plants that require little or no water.

On April 2, the SAWS board approved a measure to open negotiations with local nurseries to set up the program.

The new system, expected to begin in May, is designed to reduce year-round water use, and is not in response to the drought, said Karen Guz, SAWS' director of conservation.

To participate, customers would fill out a form and pledge to remove either 150 or 250 square feet of grass. Once approved, customers would receive a voucher to redeem at a local nursery that would cover at least half the cost of plants from an approved list and mulch.

To make sure the plants are being used as intended, SAWS staff would do periodic checks on the homes.

Guz envisions offering rebates several times a year so customers could systematically work through their yards and replace most of their lawn with plants that require little to no water. She hopes the program will attract 1,000 participants.

SAWS offers several different rebates for homeowners interested in becoming more water-efficient. To find out more, visit this page.