Officials in San Antonio have restarted a popular program that pays homeowners to replace their thirsty grass lawns with drought-tolerant plants, local CBS-affiliate KENS 5 reported.
Having temporarily paused the program to conserve water during the hot summer months, the San Antonio Water System is once again providing coupons totaling up to $500 that homeowners can use to purchase qualifying plants at local nurseries, according to KENS.
“By pausing new planting until the fall, new plants will have all fall, winter, and spring to establish their roots before the heat of next summer,” said Karen Guz, vice president of conservation for SAWS, per KENS. “The new plants will be hardy, but when freshly planted, they still need TLC in the form of hand-watering.”
In order to participate, homeowners need to submit a “before” photo showing the grassy area they intend to replace with low-water plants. After uprooting and replacing their lawn, participants then need to upload an “after” photo documenting the change, KENS explained.
Homeowners can receive up to $125 for each 200-square-foot lot of grass. SAWS allows homeowners to receive coupons for up to four such lots, for a total of $500, according to KENS.
The program is aimed at reducing water use in San Antonio, which has remained in Stage 3 water restrictions, according to KENS.
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Stage 3 restrictions take effect when the local aquifer drops below a certain pre-specified level, according to SAWS. The restrictions include significant limits on how and when residents are permitted to use water.
For example, watering landscaping “with an irrigation system, sprinkler, or soaker hose is allowed only once a week from 5 – 10 a.m. and 9 p.m. – midnight on your designated watering day, as determined by your address,” the SAWS website explained. Additionally, residential car washing is only allowed on weekends, and water waste is prohibited at all times.
According to the University of California, replacing a grass lawn with drought-tolerant landscaping can reduce water use by 50% or more. In addition to conserving vital water supplies, this can mean significant savings on your water bill, whether or not you live in an area that offers additional financial incentives.
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