NE Valley Times

Scottsdale Water has opened its rebate program earlier than usual this year, allowing residents and businesses to access water-saving opportunities and financial incentives for conservation efforts. The program typically begins in July, but due to increased demand, it is now available.

This year's program offers several rebates. Residential grass removal is set at $2 per square foot, with a maximum of $5,000 per property. Grass must be replaced with desert-friendly landscaping and pre-approved by the conservation office before removal. There is also a rebate for residential in-ground pool or spa removal, offering up to $1 per square foot of water surface area plus an additional $400.

Multifamily units, homeowners associations (HOAs), and commercial businesses can qualify for a grass removal rebate of up to $40,000 when removing large areas of grass. An extra bonus of up to $10,000 is available for removing strips of grass adjacent to streets. Additionally, rebates are offered for installing water efficiency and monitoring technology.

These initiatives aim to help residents and businesses contribute to Scottsdale's goal of voluntarily reducing water use by at least 5%. Last year's program saw a nearly 550% increase in participation compared to the previous year, reflecting Scottsdale's commitment to water conservation. The grass removal rebate received nearly 600 applications—a 164% increase—resulting in the removal of over 401,000 square feet of grass and saving more than 20 million gallons of water in subsequent years.

For more information or to apply for the rebates, visit ScottsdaleAZ.gov and search "rebate." Assistance is also available from Scottsdale Water’s conservation team via email at [email protected] or by calling (480) 312-5650.