Below are some frequently asked questions about the City's grass conversion rebates:

Plants and organic material

What plants can I use in my water-efficient landscape?

The City does not require specific plants, but plants must be non-invasive and have very low or low water needs. At maturity, plants must cover at least 60% of each converted area.

The City encourages drought-tolerant and native plants. Customers can use the River Friendly Landscape Program Plant List to find commonly used very low- and low-water-use plants in the Sacramento region. The list includes each plant's mature size to help customers meet the 60% coverage requirement.

Plants not included on the City's list may also be eligible. Before beginning the project, customers must provide a valid source showing the plant's water use and mature coverage for review by Water Conservation staff.

Customers are encouraged to keep existing trees, which provide shade for homes and landscapes and may count toward the 60% plant coverage requirement. High-water-use plants and trees and invasive species are not eligible.

Can I receive credit for replacing my lawn with artificial turf?

No. Artificial turf is not eligible for the City’s grass conversion rebate.

Do I have to remove all my grass lawn in my front yard to qualify?

No. You may keep some grass, but there must be a barrier between the remaining grass and the converted area.

Customers may also be eligible for the City’s Irrigation Upgrade Rebate to improve irrigation efficiency in remaining grass areas.

I turned off the water on my grass and it has started to die. Can I still qualify for the program?

Yes. Grass must be present and maintained at the time of the pre-inspection to qualify for the grass conversion rebate.

Dirt or dead lawn areas may qualify for a separate rebate of up to $1 per square foot when converted to water-efficient landscaping.

What is mulch and why is it required?

Mulch is material, such as decorative rock or bark, placed over soil to help retain moisture, regulate soil temperature, reduce weeds and erosion, and protect plants. Wood mulch can also add organic material to the soil.

A two- to three-inch layer of mulch is required, and mulch pieces must be six inches or smaller.

Do I get credit for removing my high water-use plants other than grass?

No. The City does not provide a rebate for removing high-water-use plants other than grass.

Customers may be eligible for an Irrigation Upgrade Rebate to convert eligible irrigation systems to more efficient drip irrigation.

I have plants surrounding the grass that I’m removing. Will they count toward the 60% plant coverage requirement?

No. Plants outside the converted area do not count toward the 60% plant coverage requirement, even if they are adjacent to or overhang the converted area.

For eligible existing trees located within the converted area, up to one-quarter (25%) of the tree’s mature canopy may count toward the 60% plant coverage requirement.

What if I want to change my plants after I have been approved?

Please email any changes, along with your name and address to: riverfriendly@cityofsacramento.org.

Are vegetable gardens allowed?

Vegetable gardens are not eligible for the grass conversion rebate. If installed within an area being converted, the vegetable garden area will be excluded when calculating the eligible square footage.

Customers installing a vegetable garden may be eligible for the City’s Irrigation Upgrade Rebate for qualifying irrigation improvements.

Does the City help with plant selection, grass removal or other parts of the project?

The City does not provide landscaping or grass removal services. However, single-family customers may be eligible for a rebate of up to $200 for professional landscape design assistance, including help with plant selection and landscape planning.

View the City’s list of participating landscape designers for more information.

Can I receive a rebate for replacing high-water-use grass with low-water-use grass?

No. The grass conversion rebate is for replacing grass with water-efficient landscaping, such as trees, shrubs and groundcovers.

Customers who choose to keep or install grass may be eligible for the City’s Irrigation Upgrade Rebate to improve irrigation efficiency.

If I have children or pets, can I keep some grass in my yard?

Yes. You can keep a portion of your grass for children, pets or other uses while converting the remaining eligible area to water-efficient landscaping.

What if my homeowners association or covenants, conditions and restrictions (CC&R) require me to keep grass in my yard?

Customers are responsible for complying with all applicable laws, rules and homeowners association requirements related to their landscaping project.

If your property is subject to homeowners association or CC&R requirements, check with your association before applying for the rebate or beginning your project.

Why does the City require plants?

Plants are an important part of a healthy, water-efficient landscape. Trees, shrubs and groundcovers provide shade, reduce soil erosion and stormwater runoff, support wildlife and help conserve water.

Do plants have to cover 60% of the converted area when the City inspects my landscape?

No. Plants do not need to provide 60% coverage at the time of inspection. The City uses each plant’s expected size at maturity to determine whether the landscape will meet the 60% plant coverage requirement.

Customers may use plants of any size or maturity.

I don’t like the desert look. What are my options?

Water-efficient landscaping can include much more than rocks and cacti. There are many low-water-use trees, shrubs, groundcovers and other plants that can create a variety of landscape styles while using less water.

Irrigation

Why do I need a filter and pressure regulator for my drip system?

The emitters on a drip irrigation system have very small openings for the water to pass through.

A filter prevents sediment from clogging emitters, ensuring that plants will get the correct amount of water.

A pressure regulator keeps the irrigation system at the manufacturer’s recommended pressure (usually between 20 and 40 pounds per square inch).

Not installing a pressure regulator may cause fittings and lines to fail, creating wasteful breaks and leaks in your system.

How do you define an efficient irrigation system?

The installation of an efficient irrigation system begins with good design.

A low volume drip system is a proper choice for trees, plants and shrubs applying water directly to the plants roots.

For turf areas, systems must apply water uniformly over the desired area with a minimum of overspray into adjacent areas.

There are sprinkler heads on the market today that offer low precipitation rates (such as rotating spray heads) that save water and allow the soil to absorb the applied water minimizing any runoff.

The City recommends installing a Water Sense labeled smart irrigation timer that (after proper programming) automatically adjusts itself to provide the right amount of water to your landscape.

Smart Controllers are required for turf grass conversion projects, unless the customer will hand-water the landscape.

What is a “Smart” irrigation controller?

A “smart” or weather based irrigation controller uses local weather data (temperature and rainfall) and landscape conditions tailor watering schedules to actual conditions on the site.

Conventional controllers irrigate using a controller with a clock and a preset schedule, WaterSense labeled controllers allow watering schedules to better match plants' water needs.

See a list of qualified WaterSense labeled smart irrigation controllers.

Are WaterSense labeled smart controllers required for all new grass conversion projects?

No, it is not a requirement if you plan to irrigate your new landscape by hand and have no existing irrigation system.

If I do not have existing irrigation system in my front yard, am I required to install one in order to participate in the program?

No. However, you must irrigate your new landscape regularly during the establishment period without allowing water to runoff your property.

The new drought-tolerant landscape must be maintained for at least five years.

Non-organic elements

Can I receive credit for putting in a patio or a walkway?

If the applicant will be removing turf and installing a patio, the City will subtract the patio from the converted area. For walkways, if a permeable product is used and the pathway is less than four feet wide, the area will not be excluded, but you will not reimbursed for this expense.

Permeable products include pervious pavement, gravel, or brick or flagstone with permeable, mortar-less materials for grout lines (such as sand and gravel).

All of these options reduce the amount of water runoff by allowing water to pass through the surface and be absorbed into the soil beneath.

Keep in mind that the conversion area must still meet the 60 percent living plant coverage requirement.

Can I receive credit for extending my driveway?

If you choose to expand your driveway into an area that was formerly a grass lawn, we would subtract that area from your total convertible area.

Do I have to use a weed barrier?

No.

Weed barriers are generally recommended in areas that have a particular weed problem (i.e. areas where Bermuda grass is being removed or under permeable surfaces such as patios and walkways where plants will not be grown).

If a weed barrier is used, the City requires that it be permeable allowing both water and air to penetrate.

What is the average savings on a grass conversion project?

A preliminary savings study was conducted on “Cash for Grass” participants in the City of Roseville.

Initial results found that each square foot of turf removed (and replaced with water efficient landscaping) saved 37 gallons per year per square foot.

This equates to a 17 percent overall reduction in use.

For established landscapes, savings improve resulting in savings of 46 gallons per year per square foot removed and a 21 percent overall reduction in water use.

Applications and rebates

How do I get approval to get started?

Read and fill out the Customer Agreement. Research landscape designs and submit a list of plants on the plant coverage worksheet along with a sketch of your design.

Include as much detail as possible, showing walkways, plant location, and the amount of space taken up by the plant at maturity.

Do not proceed with your project until you get approval from the River Friendly Landscape staff.

Do I have to mail the application in?

No, you can hand deliver it, email it or submit it online.

How is my rebate calculated?

Your rebate is based on the eligible expenses shown on the receipts you submit and cannot exceed the applicable per-square-foot rebate amount.

Eligible expenses may include mulch, irrigation components, water-efficient plants and qualifying labor performed by a licensed landscape contractor (C-27).

Grass conversion rebates are calculated separately from smart irrigation controller and landscape design assistance rebates.

What do I have to do to ask for an extension or deferment?

After your pre-inspection is approved, River Friendly Landscape staff will contact you with start and completion dates.

For an extension of your project, email riverfriendly@cityofsacramento.org.

What items do you not cover in the turf rebate?

We will not reimburse you for labor for anything else not mentioned above and not done by a licensed landscape contractor (C27).

A short list of items we will not cover include tree removal, equipment rental, tools, herbicides, cardboard, border materials, soil amendments and boulders, but if you have any questions, please reach out and ask us.

Do not assume that we will cover an expense not listed.

Contractors

Can the City provide the names of contractors who are familiar with this type of landscape?

The City of Sacramento does not endorse or support any specific contractors. 

I am using a contractor, are there special receipt requirements?

Yes there are; please contact water conservation staff and we will send you a packet of information for you to pass on to your contractor outlining the River Friendly Landscape Program’s receipt requirements.