Burbank Water and Power recently expanded its “Go Native” program, offering Burbank residents up to a $3 per square foot rebate when they convert their lawns to synthetic grass. The expanded rebate coupled with the low maintenance of artificial grass and the ongoing California drought make this summer a great time to convert your lawn.
Go Native
Last summer Burbank’s Metropolitan Water District (MWD) began offering rebates for homeowners who replaced their backyards with an artificial lawn, and then expanded the program to include front lawns in the fall.
Initially residents who received rebates under the original program were not eligible to apply for the new rebates, but rules were recently changed to allow residents to get a cumulative rebate of $6,000. Residents can also apply for city rebates, which could bring the total up to $9,000.
Installing artificial grass can cost anywhere from $7 to $11 per square foot if you use professional installers (for DIYers the cost is around $2 to $3 a square foot). A resident who received the maximum MWD and city rebate could install 818 to 1285 square feet of artificial lawn at no cost.
Cutting Costs, Saving Water
Thanks to no watering and maintenance costs, artificial grass typically has a return on investment of just over two years. With some or all of your upfront costs covered by rebates, residents will start seeing savings in their household bills much sooner.
Along with saving money, artificial grass helps save a water – a lot of water. Grass lawns require about 37 gallons of water per square foot annually. In one year a 500 square foot lawn needs around 18,500 gallons of water, versus no water needed to maintain a synthetic grass yard. Given the amount of water that can be saved by converting lawns to artificial grass, it’s no surprise that Burbank Water and Power expanded its rebate program.
Save Your Yard Too
Average daily residential water use in California is 77 gallons, but in some southern California communities that average can be as high as 644 gallons in the summer. Maintaining a live turf lawn in southern California is water intensive, and in the face of ongoing drought and a mandate to reduce water usage by 25% it’s unlikely homeowners can keep their yards properly hydrated.
Along with the benefits of conserving water and reduced costs, artificial grass looks great. Making the eco- and wallet-friendly choice doesn’t mean sacrificing your landscaping plans. Synthetic lawns can be installed with pets in mind and Purchase Green stays on top of the latest artificial turf technology to build lawns that look and feel like real grass.
Don’t Delay
The Burbank Leaderreported that weekly requests for artificial turf conversation have quintupled since the 25% water use reduction mandate was put into place. Burbank Water and Power officials predict the additional $350 million allocated for the Go Native program won’t last long as residents opt to save water and money with synthetic grass.
Burbank residents can find out more about the rebate program on the Burbank Water and Power website. Many other communities have started offering similar rebates, so even if you live outside Burbank you may be eligible for a rebate program.
