Tear out your lawn, get more free cash. LADWP ups rebates for customers in drought-plagued CA.
The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is offering incentives to customers in California drought-affected areas where water is becoming scarce.
The department said Monday that its $1 million rebate program will target property owners with landscaped lawns that are not getting water as much as they should. Customers with landscaped lawns that are getting less than normal amounts in water will receive a $250 rebate.
Drought-impaired customers in areas where LADWP provides service will get more water, including for landscaped lawns and gardens, the utility said.
“These are not simple rebates,” said LADWP general manager David Schramm in an email to media. “The water districts will be offering rebates to customers who install landscaping or water features that are not receiving the same water as customers in drought-affected areas.”
Schramm said that in some of the areas affected by drought-stricken conditions, such as El Dorado County, customers may be paying to install water features, such as water irrigation and water features.
“These customers will get a $250 rebate,” Schramm said.
The state’s water agencies have cut back on water deliveries in California due to severe drought conditions that persist to this day. LADWP provides water service to more than 7 million customers in Los Angeles, southern San Bernardino County and small parts of Ventura, Long Beach, Riverside and Merced counties, and also provides water to customers in Imperial County, the Inland Empire and other areas.
In Imperial County, more than half a million customers, or more than 5% of the total county population, are receiving less water than they need and are paying more than they owe the water agency.
As more water becomes scarce in California, the water agencies are making desperate, but unpopular, demands to cut back water deliveries to cities and farmers.
But the drought is the result of too much water being used before it gets its chance, and in many parts of the state — except for parts of Los Angeles and the Inland Empire where the drought has been especially severe — it would be good to see a return to the original pattern.
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