LADWP turf replacement rebate

The steps, in order

1. 1. Plan the project: measure the area, design the landscape (LADWP's Transform Your Lawn booklet, free classes, design templates, and low-water plant list are offered)
2. 2. BEFORE removing any grass or starting work, reserve the rebate at socalwatersmart.com: create an account and submit at least 5 color photos of the areas where turf will be removed, the first page of the LADWP bill, project measurements, and a simple landscape plan showing the area and the stormwater feature type/location
3. 3. Wait for the email approval to start ("Do not begin your work until you receive an email approval to start your project. This may take approximately two weeks")
4. 4. Complete the project within 180 days (LADWP page phrases it as six months) of approval; the reserved amount is the ceiling of what can be paid
5. 5. Claim the rebate: log back in and submit a minimum of 8 color photos of the completed project showing plant coverage, the sustainable landscape, replaced turf areas, and irrigation
6. 6. Final review takes up to 2 weeks; the site may be inspected (applicant or designee must be present for the whole inspection); after final approval the rebate check arrives within 8-10 weeks and is void 90 days after issuance

Timeline: No waitlist was posted as of the verification date; LADWP page shows an active "Apply Now" link. Stated timings: about 2 weeks for start-approval review; 180 days to complete the project after approval; up to 2 weeks to review the completed-project submission; rebate check within 8-10 weeks of final approval; check void after 90 days. Funding caveats as printed: "Metropolitan's funding for SoCal Water$mart's base rebate is not guaranteed and is allocated based on availability" and "This program shall at all times be subject to change or termination without notice."

Who qualifies and what the project must include

Serves: LADWP residential customers (single-family, and multi-family properties with 4 or fewer units under the residential program) within MWD's service area; higher-rate tiers exist for Commercial/Multi-Family 5+ units ($6/sq ft first 50,000 sq ft) and Public Agencies ($7/sq ft first 200,000 sq ft)

• Must be an LADWP customer; apply online through socalwatersmart.com (project must be within MWD's service area)
• Area must have existing living turf; dead/dying turf or bare dirt does not qualify
• Minimum 250 sq ft of turf removed, or if the entire site has less than 250 sq ft of turf, all of it must be removed
• At least 3 plants per 100 sq ft of transformed area (existing trees remaining count as 1 plant; new trees meeting tree-rebate conditions count as 3); California Friendly / native low-water plants
• A stormwater capture feature is required. Applications are adjudicated through SoCal Water$mart, whose eligibility page lists rain gardens, rock gardens, dry river beds, swales, berms, rain barrels and cisterns. A rain barrel or cistern qualifies only if the property already has gutters around the full roof perimeter with downspouts
• No synthetic turf allowed; no overhead spray sprinklers in the completed project (convert to drip/micro-spray/bubblers or cap and hand-water)
• Project area must remain permeable; no hardscape except permeable hardscape (broken-concrete or flagstone paths allowed but cannot be grouted with cement)
• Mulch required: a three-inch-deep ring of mulch must surround all plants; organic mulch unless in a CalFire Very High Fire Severity Zone
• Converted area must remain in compliance with all program requirements for 5 years (LADWP page); SoCal Water$mart terms call the conversion a permanent change, with refund of the rebate plus processing costs if it is not maintained/verified
• Property owner or water account holder must remain constant from application through verification of completion
• W-9 required for rebates over $600; IRS Form 1099 issued for rebates of $600 or more

Stacking with other rebates: The $5/sq ft already IS the stack: MWD's $2.00/sq ft base plus LADWP's $3.00/sq ft add-on, paid through one SoCal Water$mart application (do not apply separately to MWD). On top of the turf rate, the program pages list a tree rebate ($100 per tree, up to 5 trees/$500) and separate SoCal Water$mart device rebates (weather-based irrigation controllers, soil moisture sensors, rotating nozzles, rain barrels/cisterns). LADWP also runs a separate Parkway Landscaping Rebate for parkway areas. No prohibition on those combinations is printed; supplemental member-agency funding is conditioned on complying with all terms.

Watering rules from the same agency

Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) sets the watering days as well as running this rebate. Once the new planting is in, the days and hours on that page are the ones that apply to it.

Los Angeles watering schedule