This Bay Area county will pay you to replace your lawn with a sustainable alternative

MARIN COUNTY, Calif. - The Marin Municipal Water District is rewarding homeowners who cut down on their water use. 

The county is now boosting the amount of rebates home and business owners can get as part of it's "Cash for Grass" program. The rebate increase is in an effort to drive more applicants before the next drought. 

The rebate amount has increased from $1.50 per square foot to $2.18 per square foot, the water district announced in its February newsletter.

The offer provides a rebate for homeowners who install low-water-use gardens in place of lawns. 

The county first launched the program during a drought in 2021. Hundreds of homes and businesses have signed up for the program in the years since. 

According to the water district, the rebate is limited to 1,000 square feet for homeowners and 5,000 square feet for businesses. 

How to apply

Dig deeper:

Rebate applicants are required to submit an application before starting their landscaping project. Home and business owners will then have a pre-inspection before starting the project. 

Once your application and project are approved, you're required to complete your landscaping within 180 days. 

To qualify for the $2.18 per square foot rebate, applicants have more flexibility with replacing their grass, the water agency says. 

For a larger rebate, the water district also offers a stricter, best practices program, which helps with long-term water savings. This program comes with a rebate of $3.68 per square foot. 

For the higher rebate, home and business owners have to meet stricter water requirements, like installing sheet mulch in place of lawn, planting low-water-use plants and installing a rain garden. 

For more information on the program, including how to apply, click here.