A new turf replacement program, set to roll out in Colorado in 2023, will pay to convert some of the grass in urban areas and residential yards into more water-efficient landscaping. The first step of retrofitting your turf with water-wise landscaping is to remove the existing turf! SNWA has been running a turf replacement rebate program nearly 20 years and has saved almost 13 billion gallons a year. Please see the GRIP manual for rebate coverage details. Projects must be completed and visited by a Town employee by Oct. 20, 2023. The Southern Nevada Water Authority, which provides water to Las Vegas and surrounding cities, has been collecting data on its turf replacement program for almost 25 years, providing a helpful resource for Colorado officials. Looking to save money on your water bill, reduce outdoor water use and beautify your yard with Colorado native plants and landscaping? Save with a $250 rebate on a furnace and a $500-$1,000 rebate on a heat pump. The CWCB worked with BBC Research and Consulting on an. A 500-square-foot minimum size applies to all projects unless it is for the entire front yard or curbside area (the grass between the sidewalk and the street). That program, designed by the Colorado Water Conservation Board, is expected to launch after July 1, 2023. The Colorado state Capitol building in Denver. Subscribe to Colorado Politics today! If passed, the Colorado Water Conservation Board would "develop a statewide program to provide financial incentives for the voluntary replacement of irrigated turf with water-wise landscaping . Funding for new CWCB staff to do both. Applications must include matching funds that provide a dollar-for-dollar match for the funds being requested. Earlier this year, Colorado lawmakers passed a GOP-sponsored bill that allocated $2 million to establish a statewide turf replacement program for residential, commercial, institutional and industrial properties. Always check with your local water provider to see if they offer rebates. Turf can use up to 80" of water per year in the San Benito climate and only receives from 11-13" of rain on average. Broomfield residents can apply to receive up to $500 off lawn removal services (you pay just $1 per sq. A new turf replacement program, set to roll out in Colorado in 2023, will pay to convert some of the grass in urban areas and residential yards into more water-efficient landscaping. The Colorado Water Conservation Board mission is to conserve, develop, protect and manage Colorados water for present and future generations. If funds remain, CWCB will consider additional funding cycles. Install savings with smart controllers . Residential Efficiency Tip Replace & Retrofit Replace or retrofit old fixtures and save. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Colorado Water Plan Grant Program and the Water Supply Reserve Fund Grant Program. * Amendments passed in committee are not incorporated into the measure unless adopted by the full House or Senate. Turf replacement requires that irrigation systems are upgraded/updated. Los Angeles front yard design by Yardzen. If passed into law the bill would create a statewide turf replacement program, which would either pay property owners to replace their lawns with more water-efficient landscaping or offer matching dollars for the approximately 19 existing replacement programs already in place across Colorado. Native grass conversions are one of the easiest and most cost-effective water and maintenance reduction options available. Turf Replacement Program Please visit engagecwcb.org to learn more about turf replacement funding. Since the late 1990s, the Nevada agency has converted about 4,600 acres of turf, saving 467,000 acre-feet of water. The Rebate Program assists customers with reducing their overall water consumption. This column takes a slight detour from the usual ag-related focus; however, I think you'll see a connection to our own sector of the irrigation industry. Irrigation design if applicable. This new bipartisan law is a win-win: it will save Coloradans money on their water bills and reduce water use in the metro areas, all while promoting the innovative landscaping industry.. Measure your space and determine sun exposure (200 sqft or more). When buying cowboy boots, there are a few aspects to consider, such as how far up they go on your legs and their design. Colorado lawmakers want to pay homeowners to get rid of the grass on their lawns in exchange for cash. This funding has expiration dates built into in legislation, but because the program has a seasonal component CWCB anticipates breaking the funding into two funding/rebate cycles. Thirsty lawns covered with Kentucky Bluegrass and other grasses not native to Colorado suck up about half of all the water used in Colorados cities. Every turf replacement project must include: 3 plants per 100 sq. First, it can be used to directly heat buildings, where hot water near the earths surface is piped into buildings. The turf replacement initiative comes on the heels of Colorado House Bill 1151 passing in June 2022. Create a Department of Natural Resources portal account to manage your CWCB email notifications. Business Turf to Native Rebate Request 1 This program provides Colorado Springs Utilities business water customers with a $0.50 per square foot incentive to help pay for qualifying native grass conversions. You may still install artificial turf per the city code, but you will not be eligible for the rebate. You can be in the know right alongside Colorados political insiders. The property must be provided water service by the Los Angeles . No grass in medians or decorative spots near offices. Amounts may be lower if demand is high. Aurora Water must approve all projects before installation. Colorado River Indian Tribes, 73-19L-1 Canal Lining Project Reclamation Funding: $209,182 Total Project Cost: $443,229 . The second runs from July 1 - September 30. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.). In order to receive a rebate, you must apply to reserve rebate funds prior to starting your project. Residential projects must be front yards that are readily visible to the public. The district has developed a tiered rate system that charges more as water use goes up. 5. Turf replacement programs across the American West have seen great success. water utility). Date Chamber Action; 2022-06-08 : Governor Signed: 2022-05-25 : Sent to the Governor Eligible turf replacement projects can receive up to $25,000 in rebates per residential propertythat's huge! Want the real scoop? Rebates include $2 per square foot for low-water use garden plantings or $1 per square foot for low water use grasses. Qualifying projects must replace at least 200 square feet and up to 1,000 square feet of existing and maintained irrigated turf grass. The money is appropriated to the department of natural resources for use by the board to implement the turf replacement program, with $11,400 of the money reappropriated to the office of the governor for use by the office of information technology to provide information technology services to the department of natural resources. CWCB is planning two funding cycles in 2023. Yes. Younger programs in Colorado cities like Castle Rock and Greeley are also saving millions of gallons of water. The state treasurer is required to transfer $2 million from the general fund to the turf replacement fund, which fund is created to finance the turf replacement program. Conrad Swanson covers Colorados environment and politics for The Denver Posts political team. Areas to be converted must have existing grass. The program will target 120 Local governments, certain districts, Native American tribes, and nonprofit organizations with their own turf replacement programs may apply to the board for money to help finance their turf replacement programs. Refer House Bill 22-1151, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole. Aerial view of your property from an online mapping program. There are also many local turf replacement programs offered at this time through local governments and municipalities. The book is divided into three parts. We have plenty of resources to help with your DIY landscape, to find them head over to our education page. If you have a question about the program, we'd love to hear it. The objectives of the program are accelerating the state mandate of 20% reduction in water use by 2020, increase public awareness, and create the snowballing effect of market transformation, he said. water utility). If implemented, the program in Colorado would be completely voluntary. Not for the "stupid price" of $150 an acre foot. Following-up on the Southern Nevada Water Authority's and others' turf replacement programs, proposed Colorado House Bill 1151 would create a $2 million to $4 million . The turf replacement program will provide rebates for professional site assessments, design, turf removal, and installation of climate-appropriate plants. Remove lawn through us or do-it-yourself. House Bill 22-1151 defines water-wise landscaping as one that emphasizes native and drought tolerant plants and calls for a state turf replacement program to be developed on . Staff will not follow-up with eligible entities who submit an application until the close of the intake period in April. Email addresses for the Colorado legislature have changedfrom the, Deadline Schedule for the 2023 Regular Session, Loaned Water For Instream Flows To Improve Environment, Authorize Water Use Incidental Sand And Gravel Mines, Public Utilities Commission Deregulate Nonprofit Water Utilities, Colorado Open Records Act Maximum Hourly Research and Retrieval Fee, Rules & Regulations of Executive Agencies, Salaries for Legislators, Statewide Elected Officials, and County Officers, Solicitation for Members for the Behavioral Health Task Force, 2023 Remote Testimony and Remote Participation Policies, Services for Persons with Disabilities and Grievance Resolution Procedures, State of Colorado Accessibility Statement, House Considered Senate Amendments - Result was to Concur - Repass, Senate Third Reading Passed - No Amendments, Senate Second Reading Special Order - Passed with Amendments - Committee, Senate Committee on Appropriations Refer Amended to Senate Committee of the Whole, Introduced In Senate - Assigned to Appropriations, House Third Reading Passed - No Amendments, House Second Reading Special Order - Passed with Amendments - Committee, House Committee on Appropriations Refer Amended to House Committee of the Whole, House Committee on Agriculture, Livestock, & Water Refer Amended to Appropriations, Introduced In House - Assigned to Agriculture, Livestock, & Water. Jared Polis for final approval. Colorado is planning a program to further incentivize residents to replace their grass lawns with landscaping that needs less water to maintain. It is expected to support no more than $25,000 per applicant per funding cycle. ft. and maximum of $5,000. (PLEASE NOTE: If you do not have a Google Account you can use the Alternative Intake Form). Projects must be submitted between Jan. 15th, 2023 and Aug. 1st, 2023. CWCB is rolling out a new Turf Replacement Program! In 1942, Colorado entered into an interstate compact (compact) with Nebraska and Kansas regarding the allocation of water from the Republican river basin (basin). This website requires javascript to run optimally on computers, mobile devices, and screen readers. Local governments, certain districts, Tribal Nations, and nonprofit organizations may apply to CWCB for funding to help finance their own existing turf replacement programs as well. You mow, water, and then cover the lawn with plastic for 6+ weeks, which will kill most organisms and prevent photosynthesis, all for very little cost, and no need for intense chemicals. . A recent project led by the Colorado Stormwater Center has made training, planting guides and examples of water-wise landscaping available to homeowners. Seems like you are already registered, please provide the password. The money is appropriated to the department of natural resources for use by the board to implement the turf replacement program, with $11,400 of the money reappropriated to the office of the governor for use by the office of information technology to provide information technology services to the department of natural resources. Be Proactive. They may be able to obtain funding by working with an eligible entity who has received funding (e.g. Be Truthful. Take the Transformative Landscape Change (TLC) Challenge. The board will contract with one or more third parties to administer one or more turf replacement programs in areas where local turf replacement programs do not exist. After paying for staff and database development, CWCB has about $1.5M to spend across the funding cycles - that's approximately $750,000 for each of the two identified funding cycles. In Colorado, Greeley's turf replacement program, called Life after Lawn, is younger but still successful, said Water Conservation Manager Dena Egenhoff. DENVER (KDVR) The great American West drought is the driest it's been in 1,200 years, but a house bill that passed through a Colorado House committee on Monday aims to help remedy this crisis.. The Grass Replacement Incentive Program rebates are intended for customers who currently have grass front and side yards visible to the public and wish the replace them with water-wise landscaping. 17 members of your community are following this project, CWCB Turf Replacement Program Frequently Asked Questions, CWCB September Board Meeting - Turf Replacement Program Update. Since launching in 2018 the program has helped property owners replace more than 150,000 square feet of turf, saving an estimated 32 million gallons of water. Staff will evaluate applications based on applicant eligibility, compliance with program requirements, and the merit of the program (i.e. The Colorado River Basin which provides water to Colorado and six other states has experienced the driest 22 years on record. In 2018, Denver Water set a water use goal of no more than 12 gallons per square foot per year for outdoor use. During a state House committee meeting in March, Rep. Marc Catlin, R-Montrose, said the bill allows property owners willing to replace their lawns to take advantage of the program while not forcing others to participate. Contact us for any help on browser support. A site visit is required once the project is completed and before the rebate can be given. Rebates are not retroactive. Feds sue water company for rupture damaging Rocky Mountain National Park -- again, Family gets unexpected bill after Kaiser Permanente Colorado software error that resulted in refunds to thousands, Skygazers will have a great view Wednesday of two planets that look like they are almost touching. The climate-conscious, first-in-Colorado edicts proposed by the City of Aurora are clear: No new golf courses flooding grass with precious water. Rebates could double from about $1 a square foot of lawn replaced to about $2. Geothermal energy refers to heat that is found within the Earth. ), (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house. In an effort to ensure that our water resources are put to good use, Montrose County's turf replacement program compensates landowners interested in replacing turf with more water-wise landscaping. This memorandum memorializes the process for requesting and preparing greenhouse gas emissions reports (GHG reports) pursuant to Section 2-2-322.3, C.R.S., starting at the 2023 legislative session. The water authority has been able to set aside funding to pursue a turf rebate program. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. The WRASBC is offering a program to reduce or limit turf in residential areas. In example, drip system retrofit kits, switching to hand-watering, etc. CWCB also offers grants like Water Plan Grants and Water Supply Reserve Fund Grants that can be obtained to work on water conservation efforts including turf replacement. DENVER (KDVR) Getting rid of irrigated turf could pay off now that Gov. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Threats of harming another ft. up to 1,000 sq. Exploratory Analysis of Potential Water Savings, Costs and Benefits of Turf Replacement in Colorado. No, you can do your project yourself or hire a contractor. Michael Booth 4:08 AM MST on Feb 9, 2022 Submit an online application. If funds remain, CWCB will consider additional funding cycles. April 5, 2022. Can you plan a turf replacement project if you live in an HOA? Concerning measures to incentivize water-wise landscapes, and, in connection therewith, creating a state program to finance the voluntary replacement of irrigated turf, and making an appropriation. Refer House Bill 22-1151, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations. Jared Polis on Wednesday. Inspired by House Bill 22-1151, the county budgeted for and created a Turf . Pictures that show the area of viable turf (green grass, not crab grass). If you are a large property customer commercial, multifamily, industrial or institutional contact Water Conservation staff at 303.739.7195 or [emailprotected] to discuss the project scope. The act requires the Colorado water conservation board (board) to develop a statewide program to provide financial incentives for the voluntary replacement of irrigated turf with water-wise landscaping (turf replacement program). All parts of your design must be submitted before you start your project. I. Jodeh, Rep. C. Kipp, Rep. M. Lindsay, Rep. S. 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