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By Aila Slisco
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Residents of Austin, Texas, are being offered a rebate of up to $3,000 to ditch their traditional lawns in favor of drought-friendly "WaterWise" landscapes.
Austin Water announced the WaterWise Landscape Rebate Program in a release last week, promising to "help residents save on monthly water bills and help protect our city's natural resource for future generations."
The announcement comes just before water usage is expected to spike with hot summer temperatures. The area has also recently been experiencing a drought that has raised concerns about long-term water supplies.
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To qualify, residents must take steps that include replacing water-hungry lawns with plants that are native to the area, such as including Texas sage, agave, lantana, salvia and mountain laurel.
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Residents must also switch their irrigation systems to drip or low-flowing nozzles and help to prevent water loss by adding mulch or compost to their new WaterWise landscapes, which Austin Water says will "reduce or end the need for extra watering."
Austin Water Conservation Program Coordinator Christopher Charles said Texas A&M research "shows that native plants use a fraction of what people are putting on their lawns or their turf grass."
Those who change their landscapes will be reimbursed $1 per square foot, up to $3,000. The rebate can be claimed by submitting photos to Austin Water after current grass is removed and replaced with approved native grasses and plants.
Kevin Kluge, Austin Water division manager for water conservation, described the program as "a win-win opportunity for everyone to do their part to conserve water."
"Austin remains in a drought and has had watering restrictions in effect since last August," Kluge said. "Hot weather is just around the corner, and using drought-tolerant landscape principles helps the effort and extends our water supply."
Changing to a WaterWise landscape will also likely significantly decrease residents' monthly water bills, especially as usage and demand increase during the hot season.
The city of Austin is offering several other rebates targeting water conservation, including up to $200 to install swimming pool covers, $250 to upgrade to efficient pool filters and up to $5,000 for rainwater harvesting systems.
Additionally, a limited number of free shower heads and faucet aerators are available for residents, as are devices to monitor soil moisture levels.
Newsweek reached out for comment to Austin Water via online contact form on Monday.
In addition to environmental concerns, droughts often negatively impact the finances of local governments. Officials in the drought-stricken Austin suburb of Kyle are expected to spend up to $1.5 million on purchasing water from the nearby city of San Marcos through 2026.
A study released last month by think tank Texas 2036 found that "Texas droughts are likely to become more severe due to rising temperatures and greater rainfall variability," with average temperatures in the Lone Star State expected to continue to rise in the coming years.
But there will likely be some short-term relief in Texas, as a recent wave of heavy rain has dramatically increased water reservoir levels in many areas.
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