State offers cash for ‘turf and toilet’ rebates
The California Department of Water Resources on Thursday announced two new rebates to help residents replace inefficient toilets and tear out water-guzzling lawns to conserve during the state’s drought.
The “turf and toilet” rebate program is financed by a portion of the $24 million in the Proposition 1 water bond, which was approved by voters in 2014, according to the department.
The program provides a $100 consumer rebate to replace one old toilet per household and up to $2 per square foot for lawns.
Some Merced County cities are still well below their targets for water conservation, according to the latest numbers from the State Water Resources Control Board. Officials said Merced County residents will need to continue to conserve, especially during the hottest months of the summer.
The rebate program is meant to carry out Gov. Jerry Brown’s April 1 executive order to reduce water use in homes by replacing more than 10 million square feet of lawn and upgrading more than 60,000 water-wasting toilets in the state.
Consumers are eligible to replace turf that is living or dead at the time of the rebate application. But bare earth areas with no sign of turf are not eligible for a rebate.
The turf rebate program is estimated to be able to benefit more than 10,000 homes in the state, with a focus on disadvantaged communities hardest hit by the drought.
The state has been dealing with the effects of drought for four years. To learn about other actions the state has taken to manage the water system and cope with the impacts of the drought, go to ca.gov/drought.
This story was originally published August 13, 2015 at 12:48 PM with the headline "State offers cash for ‘turf and toilet’ rebates."