Popular Rebate Returns in July Under Metropolitan’s New Landscape Transformation Program Promoting Outdoor Water Savings

MWD board also approves biennial budget, 3 percent annual rate
increase to fund capital program, conservation, California WaterFix

LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Residents and businesses across Southern California interested in
swapping out their thirsty grass for more water-efficient, California
Friendly® plants will have an added incentive to do so with a new turf
removal program approved by the Metropolitan Water District Board of
Directors.

The revamped landscape rebate was among several modifications to
Metropolitan’s water use efficiency incentives approved by the board
Tuesday (April 10). Under the new Landscape Transformation Program, the
district will offer a rebate of $1 per square foot of turf removed
accessed via bewaterwise.com,
starting in July. The
program—to be offered annually—will
accept up to $50 million in applications each year. Some Metropolitan’s
member agencies also may add additional incentives on top of the $1 per
square foot.

“Metropolitan made a huge mark on the landscape of Southern California
with our turf removal rebate during the five-year drought. We hope to
continue the region’s transformation and build on that momentum through
our new rebate,” said board Chairman Randy Record.

During the drought, as part of the nation’s largest conservation
program, Metropolitan’s popular turf
removal rebate spurred the removal of 160 million square feet of
grass across Southern California—expected to annually save 21,600
acre-feet of water, enough to serve about 64,000 households. Since the
program ended in 2015, Metropolitan has been working with its member
agencies to create and launch an even more effective program.

The Landscape Transformation Program includes new
rules with a rebate maximum of 1,500 square feet of turf removed for
residents and 10,000 square feet for businesses. Rules also require a
landscape plan, a watershed approach, efficient irrigation, a certain
number of water-saving plants and mulch coverage. Synthetic turf is
prohibited.

In addition, homeowners must remove turf from their front yard. If they
do or have done their front lawns in the past, they are eligible to
receive a rebate for removing turf from their side or backyard.

“Part of the success of the Landscape Transformation Program is the
multiplier effect,” said Bill McDonnell, Metropolitan’s water use
efficiency manager. “Neighbors see neighbors replace their grass with
colorful California Friendly plants. They see the beauty, the birds, the
butterflies it attracts, and they want to do the same. That’s why we
want to focus on front yards.”

The long-term nature of the new program provides some reliability to
residents and businesses who are planning to redo their yards in the
coming years, he added. “We recognize that replacing your lawn is a big
project. If you can’t do it this year, but plan to next, the rebate will
be back next year,” McDonnell said.

Under the new program, Metropolitan also will offer classes to landscape
professionals to become certified water-efficient landscapers.
Metropolitan already offers a variety of landscaping classes to the
public via its online water-saving portal, bewaterwise.com.

In a separate action Tuesday, Metropolitan’s board also approved a 3
percent rate increase in each of the next two years as part of the
agency’s biennial budget for fiscal years 2018/19 and 2019/20.

Metropolitan General Manager Jeffrey Kightlinger said the new two-year
spending plan will allow the agency to upgrade parts of the region’s
water distribution system, increase its investment in conservation, and
begin to fund its share of California WaterFix.

“This budget strikes an equitable balance between funding our strategic
priorities and maintaining the agency’s smart financial policies and
sensible rate increase,” Kightlinger said.

“Rate increases are never popular, but when you look at what we are
doing in this budget—starting to fund California WaterFix to modernize
our state’s water delivery system, local conservation programs, and
extensive improvements to aging infrastructure—these modest increases
are reasonable and smart investments in our future,” he added.

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is a
state-established cooperative of 26 cities and water agencies serving
nearly 19 million people in six counties. The district imports water
from the Colorado River and Northern California to supplement local
supplies, and helps its members to develop increased water conservation,
recycling, storage and other resource-management programs.

Contacts

Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
Rebecca Kimitch,
(213) 217-6450; (202) 821-5253, mobile
Bob Muir, (213) 217-6930;
(213) 324-5213, mobile