Santa Clara County single family homes, multi-family and business properties with qualifying irrigated landscape can receive rebates for replacing high water using landscape, such as irrigated turf grass, with a minimum of 50 percent plant coverage consisting of low water using plants from the SCVWD Approved Plant List. The table below describes the rebate amounts available.
| Property Type |
Rebate Amount |
Maximum Rebate |
Single Family (any size) or Multi-Family property with less than 5,000 sq ft of irrigated landscape
|
$.75 per sq ft |
$2,000 |
Business Property and/or Multi-Family property with 5,000 sq ft or more of irrigated landscape
|
$.75 per sq ft
|
$20,000
|
Single Family (any size) or Multi-Family Property with less than 5,000 sq ft
of irrigated landscape located within a cost-sharing partner area*
|
$1.50 per sq ft for the first 1,333 sq ft
$.75 per sq ft for the next 1,333 sq ft
|
$3,000
|
Business and/or Multi-Family property with 5,000 sq ft or more of irrigated landscape located within a cost-sharing partner area*
|
$1.50 per sq ft for the first 13,333 sq ft
$.75 per sq ft for the next 13,333 sq ft
|
$30,000
|
*For cost-sharing area information, please call the Water Conservation Hotline at (408) 265-2607 ext. 2554.
Program Eligibility
- Rebates are available for residents, businesses, or institutions located within Santa Clara County.
- Participants must own the property to be eligible.
- Applicants must attain pre-approval by participating in a qualifying pre-inspection and submit a Request for Application Form to the Santa Clara Valley Water District.
- Areas to be converted must include approved high water using landscape at the time of pre-inspection.
- Landscape areas to be converted must be currently maintained and irrigated.
- Projects that have been started, landscape that has died, or projects that have already been completed prior to the Notice to Proceed are not eligible.
- New construction does not qualify as the Landscape Rebate Program is aimed at encouraging retrofitting of existing facilities.
- Rebate material must be purchased after receiving a written Notice to Proceed from the water district.
- Projects must be completed within 90 days of date on written Notice to Proceed. Extensions can be provided on a case by case basis, if requested.
Landscape Conversion Rebate Requirements:
- A minimum of 100 square feet of qualifying high water using landscape must be converted in order to participate in the landscape conversion rebate.
- Fifty percent of plant coverage in converted area must be listed on the SCVWD Qualifying Plant List. These plants are considered low and very low water using plants adaptable to our local climate. A copy of the SCVWD Qualifying Plant List is included with your application and can also be viewed by clickling here.
- The converted area must include a sufficient number of qualifying water efficient plants to ensure at least 50% of the area is covered with living plants when the plants are fully grown. To determine coverage value, consult the SCVWD Qualifying Plant List. Tree species will not be included in the 50% plant coverage requirement. Plants outside the converted area are not considered in the calculation even if they are adjacent to or overhanging into the converted area.
- Permeable hardscape such as permeable pavers, decomposed granite, rocks, and boulders are permitted within the converted areas as long as all other terms and conditions of the program are met. Impermeable surfaces, such as concrete and thick plastic (over 3ml), that do not allow water to penetrate into the ground are not permitted within the converted area.
- All planting areas must have a minimum of two (2) inches of qualifying mulch, including: chipped or shredded bark, rock, gravel, or weed free straw. If a weed barrier is used below the mulch, it must be permeable to air and water. Although compost, leaves, and grass clippings are important for providing valuable soil structure, nutrients, and water retention, these materials do not qualify as mulch for this program as they decompose quickly and do not adequately reduce soil evaporation.
- A limited number of groundcover plants listed on the SCVWD Qualifying Plant List may qualify as living groundcover provided the individual plants are installed at sufficient density to assure 100% plant cover.
- Irrigation systems, if used within the converted area, must be low volume drip, micro-spray, or bubbler. The system must be in good working order, free of leaks and malfunctions. Once installed, the irrigation system must not create run-off, overspray, or misting.
- There can be no net increase in the size of the irrigated area. The irrigation system must be designed so that any remaining lawn and shrubs are watered separately from the converted landscape area, meaning overhead irrigation is served through a separate valve that can be controlled independently on a separate irrigation zone and schedule.
- The sprinkler system for the remaining lawn must be modified to provide adequate coverage and may not spray onto the converted landscape area. Pop-up sprinklers must be removed from the converted landscape area.
- Non-qualifying materials include, but are not limited to the following: artificial turf, seed, sod, vegetable gardens, vineyards, high water use plants, lawn ornaments, impervious surfaces, cement, decking, curbing, hot tubs, pools, building extensions, retaining walls, sheds, trellises, play ground materials, and fences.
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