Metropolitan Water District's SoCal Water$mart rebate program pays a baseline $3 per square foot for replacing live turf with California-friendly landscaping across LA County, with city retailers like LADWP and Long Beach Water adding top-up amounts.
MWD's SoCal Water$mart program funds residential and commercial turf-replacement rebates throughout its service area, which covers nearly all of LA County. The 2026 baseline is $3 per square foot of removed live turf, with project caps that vary by year and budget. Replacement landscaping must include qualifying low-water plants, permeable surfaces, and inert ground covers, and may not use artificial turf as the sole replacement. LADWP, Long Beach Water, Pasadena, and other member retailers frequently top up the rebate by another $1 to $2 per square foot for in-city customers. Pre-inspection and approval are required before any turf removal; post-removal photos and plant lists must be submitted to claim the rebate.
Removing turf before pre-inspection approval voids the rebate. Submitting false photos or non-qualifying plants for reimbursement constitutes program fraud and triggers repayment plus disqualification.
El Monte, CA
Artificial turf is allowed in El Monte as a water-efficient alternative. California law prohibits requiring natural turf where drought-tolerant alternatives ...
El Monte, CA
California law prohibits cities from banning drought-tolerant and native plant landscaping (Gov Code 65595). El Monte's MWELO compliance encourages water-eff...
See how El Monte's turf replacement rebates rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.