As a part of the efforts to conserve water in response to the ongoing drought in the state, Californians can now apply for two new rebate programs. The rebates are set up to help replace lawn turf in residential yards and old, inefficient toilets in homes. The Department of Water Resources recently announced the new program, which will use $24 million from the Proposition 1 water bond which was approved by voters in 2014. The “Turf & Toilet” program is a part of the mandatory plan by Governor Brown to reduce water use across the state.
The Turf rebate will provide up to $2 per square foot of lawn replaced, to a maximum of $2,000. It is expected this rebate program will benefit over 10,000 households. Priority for the rebate program will be given to Disadvantage Communities (DAC) until October 1st. A DAC is a community, which has a median household income (MHI) that is less than 80% of the state MHI. By replacing lawns with drought resistant plants you can save a lot of water. For more ideas on Converting Your Yard, check out my blog post from May of this year. With enough lawn replacements completed, the savings achieved will affect the entire state. There is an application process to complete, which can be found at the Turf Replacement section on the Save Our Water website. Before you begin your lawn renovation, be sure to review and understand the requirements and guidelines. You won’t be eligible for the rebate if work is begun before you apply.
For homes with inefficient toilets can get up to a $100 rebate for replacing it with a new water saving model. At this time the rebate is only good for one toilet replacement. There is a $6 million budget in the program, and is slated to support up to 60,000 homes. A high efficiency toilet uses 1.28 gallons or less of water per flush. The process to claim your rebate for a toilet replacement is easier than the Turf program, but it is recommended that you check the site for fund availability prior to getting your new toilet. You are required to purchase your new toilet before applying for the rebate. Once your application is approved you have 90 days to replace the fixture. All homes built before 1992, which still have the original toilet, will be approved for the rebate. For homes built after 1992, certification that the toilet is one with a 1.6 flush capacity is required to be eligible. The application and guidelines can be found at the High Efficiency Toilet Rebate section on the Save Our Water website.
If you are planning to sell your home soon, take advantage of these rebates and make improvements to your lawn and toilet fixture before you list. You will get the savings benefits, and potential buyers will be delighted to see the updates already completed. When you are ready to buy or sell a home, we at Haylen Group are here to help you with all of your real estate needs! If you are unsure what your options are, call Helen Chong at (408) 800-LIST or email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. You can also visit us at our website for available listings and additional information.
