The California Department of Water Resources has announced two new rebate programs to help Californians replace inefficient toilets and tear out water-guzzling lawns.

DWR will oversee the two rebate programs, which provide a $100 consumer rebate to replace one old toilet per household and up to $2 per square-foot for lawn replacement. Californians may visit www.SaveOurWaterRebates.com to apply for the rebates.

Turf program

With $24 million in Proposition 1 funding, the turf replacement program will rebate $2 per square-foot of turf replaced, up to $2,000 per household through state or local turf replacement programs. Consumers are eligible to replace turf that is living or dead at the time of the rebate application.

Qualified turf for removal may be dead or alive at the time of application, but bare earth areas and artificial turf are not eligible for rebates.

Until Oct. 1, half of the funds are reserved for disadvantaged communities. After Oct. 1, any funds not reserved by disadvantaged community applicants can be used in non-disadvantaged communities. All applications are processed on a first-come, first-served basis, and being in a DAC will not result in expedited rebate processing.

Visit www.saveourwaterrebates.com/turf-replacement-rebates.html for more information about the Turf program rebates.

Toilet program

The $6 million toilet rebate program, also funded through Proposition 1, will help Californians replace about 60,000 old, inefficient toilets by offering a $100 customer rebate per household to replace with a high-efficiency toilet.

Single-family residences in California are eligible for rebates. Single-family residences are houses, townhomes, condominiums and mobile homes. One rebate is allowed per household.

Even if a homeowner has received a rebate in the past for a new toilet they are still eligible for the state program if they have purchased a new, high-efficiency toilet on or after Aug. 12, 2015. They also must follow all other terms and conditions listed.

The new toilet must replace a toilet that flushes at more than 1.6 gpf with a high-efficiency toilet that flushes at 1.28 gpf or less and is WaterSense-certified.

The “turf and toilet” rebate programs are financed by the Proposition 1 water bond, which voters approved in 2014. The program helps carry out Gov. Brown’s April 1 Executive Order on drought to further reduce water use in homes by replacing more than 10 million square-feet of lawn and upgrading more than 60,000 water-wasting toilets.

 

How to apply for rebates

Visit www.saveourwaterrebates.com for details or questions.

Process for turf rebate

Complete the reservation application process to reserve funding for your project (Part 1).

Receive your reservation approval notice by email or mail.

Start and complete your re-landscaping project.

Complete the rebate application process (Part 2).

Receive your rebate approval notice.

Receive your rebate check.

Toilet rebate process

Check the website to determine if funds are still available for the program.

Identify a qualified U.S. Environmental Protection Agency WaterSense-certified. high-efficiency toilet (1.28 gallons per flush or less).

Purchase a toilet from the qualifying models list.

Complete the online toilet rebate application.

Receive your rebate approval notice.

Receive your rebate check.