OMWD wants to help you lose the lawn

ENCINITAS — To aid in the cost of replacing turf grass in its service area and thereby reducing water use, Olivenhain Municipal Water District is participating for a limited time in a turf removal incentive program for customers.
The program, offered through the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California’s Socalwater$mart program, will provide a $1 per square foot rebate for turf replaced with an approved alternative.
Turf grass commonly used for home landscapes consumes a large percentage of a home’s water use, and the amount of water it takes to keep a lawn green during Southern California’s hot, dry summers can be very high. By electing to remove irrigated turf grass and replacing it with water-saving alternatives, such as climate-appropriate plants or mulch, the water needs of a landscape can be reduced.
All projects must be pre-approved and must not have started prior to applying for turf removal rebates. Rebates are offered on a first-come, first-served basis while funding is available.
Additional program details are as follows:
— The project must remove at least 250 square feet of live turf that has been irrigated for at least one year. There is no maximum square footage requirement, but the incentive is only available once per household.
— The converted area must be replaced with permeable plant or surface coverage and no invasive plants can be utilized.
— Before starting the project, customers must reserve a rebate by submitting Part 1 of the Turf Removal Program rebate request form, along with 1) a copy of a recent water bill and 2) four to five photos of each area where turf will be removed. A site visit and water use evaluation will be required.
— After the reservation is confirmed and the project is complete, sign and submit Part 2 of the rebate request form, along with at least two photos documenting the changes to the irrigation system and the installation of a drip irrigation system (if applicable). This needs to be completed by Dec. 1.
— OMWD customers may download the Turf Removal Application Package located on OMWD’s home page at www.olivenhain.com and follow the instructions for the two-part process.
For more information, call (760) 632-4641 or visit www.olivenhain.com.
Olivenhain Municipal Water District is a public agency providing water, wastewater services, recycled water, hydroelectricity and operation of the Elfin Forest Recreational Reserve. It includes portions of the cities of Encinitas, Carlsbad, San Diego, Solana Beach, and San Marcos, as well as the communities of Olivenhain, Leucadia, Elfin Forest, Rancho Santa Fe, Fairbanks Ranch, Santa Fe Valley and 4S Ranch.