Yes, in order to qualify for our lawn-to-garden rebate, at minimum, three approved low-water-use plants per 100 square feet of the converted project area must be added to the landscape and must contain low-water-use, climate-appropriate, native, and non-invasive plants. Artificial turf does not qualify.

For a searchable list of approved plants in your climate zone, you can access the Conservation Programs and Rebates Portal and click the “Eligible Plants” button under the Lawn-to-garden (turf replacement) rebate program.

Measurement

Below are instructions for calculating the footage of simple landscaping. For more complex landscaping, it may be necessary for you to request assistance from your contractor or landscaper. (There are also online satellite imagery websites that may be able to help you measure your lawn’s square footage.)

Measuring the square footage of your landscaping

To measure your landscape area, you will need:

• A Measuring tape or measuring wheel
• Graph paper (free templates available online)

With those materials in hand, follow these steps to find the square footage of your lawn:

1. On the graph paper, make a drawing of your home and the borders of your yard. Write in any descriptions of nearby items such as driveways, fences, or sidewalks.

2. Divide the landscape area into easily measured shapes such as rectangles, squares, and triangles.

3. Take measurements as needed to calculate the square footage of each shape in your yard (helpful formulas are listed below). Add up the square footage of each shape for total square footage. If a shape with no landscaping (such as a pool) is inside a larger shape (such as a square of lawn), calculate the square footage of the larger shape and subtract the square footage of the smaller shape.

Helpful formulas to find square footage

You can easily calculate the area of common shapes yourself. If you prefer, there are many online “area calculator tools” that will calculate the square footage of common shapes after you enter in the required measurements (for example, this tool on the Math is Fun web site.)

Squares, rectangles, and triangles are the most common shapes in most yards. The formulas for finding their square footage are below. If you have more unusual shapes, you can find out how to calculate their square footage on many websites such as Math is Fun.

Square or Rectangle

Height multiplied by Width = Square Footage

Triangle

Height multiplied by Width and divided by 2 = Square Footage

Photo guidelines

Photos submitted as part of a request to change your landscape classification should:

• Be in color.
• Not be up-close shots of grass or plants. We recommend you stand back far enough to include your home, street, or fence as a reference point.
• Represent the landscape area footage. You may need to submit multiple photos to adequately represent your landscaping.
• Be in JPEG or PNG format. (Videos are not accepted.)

Plants that are adapted to long, dry summers and short, rainy winters are called “Mediterranean-zone” plants. These include plants that are native to California, as well as those that originated in southern Europe, South America, and other “Mediterranean” climates. These plants don’t need much water in the summer and have thrived in water-scarce conditions for thousands of years.

For a searchable list of approved plants in your climate zone, you can access the Conservation Programs and Rebates Portal and click the “Eligible Plants” button under the Lawn-to-garden (turf replacement) rebate program.

We offer a variety of conservation rebates, tips, and resources to help customers save water every day. You can find out more on our Conservation page.

To help maintain safe, clean, and reliable water service to our residential and business customers in all climates and seasons, Cal Water follows a set of drought severity stages to determine the level of water conservation and assess potential water-use restrictions.

The 6 stages of Drought:

Stage 1

When Stage 1 drought conditions are declared:

• We implement policies and guidelines for reducing water usage by 10 percent.
• Residential and business customers are subject to water-use restrictions
• Outdoor irrigation is subject to limited times
• Leak repairs must be made in a timely manner
• Shut-off nozzles are required when using a hose to wash a car
• Outdoor watering is prohibited within 48 hours of rain

Stage 1 violators are subject to:

• Installation of water measurement devices
• Fines of up to $50 for subsequent violations
• Possible installation of a flow-restricting device for egregious violators

Stage 2

When Stage 2 drought conditions are declared:

• We implement policies and guidelines for reducing water usage by 20 percent
• Residential and business customers are subject to additional water-use restrictions
• Outdoor irrigation by residential and business customers is limited further to 1-3 days per week, depending on local ordinance
• Use of non-recirculating systems in all new conveyer car wash and commercial laundry systems are prohibited
• Use of single pass cooling systems in new connections is prohibited

Stage 2 violators are subject to:

• Installation of water measurement devices
• Fines of up to $100 for subsequent violations
• Possible installation of a flow-restricting device for egregious violators

Stage 3

When Stage 3 drought conditions are declared:

• We implement policies and guidelines for reducing water usage by 30 percent
• Residential and business customers are subject to additional water-use restrictions
• Water usage for construction and dust control is prohibited
• Irrigation of ornamental turf on public street medians is prohibited
• Filling ornamental lakes or ponds is prohibited

Stage 3 violators are subject to:

• Installation of water measurement devices
• Fines of up to $200 for subsequent violations
• Possible installation of a flow-restricting device for egregious violators

Stage 4

When Stage 4 drought conditions are declared:

• We implement policies and guidelines for reducing water usage by 40 percent
• Residential and business customers are subject to additional water-use restrictions
• Vehicle washing is prohibited, except with recirculated water or low-volume systems
• Use of water for recreational purposes, such as water parks, is prohibited
• Filling swimming pools is prohibited

Stage 4 violators are subject to:

• Installation of water measurement devices
• Fines of up to $400 for subsequent violations
• Possible installation of a flow-restricting device for egregious violators

Stage 5

When Stage 5 drought conditions are declared:

• We implement policies and guidelines for reducing water usage by 50 percent
• Residential and business customers are subject to additional water-use restrictions
• Net zero demand increase is required on new water service connections
• Single-pass cooling systems are prohibited
• Swimming pool covers are required

Stage 5 violators are subject to:

• Installation of water measurement devices
• Fines of up to $800 for subsequent violations
• Possible installation of a flow-restricting device for egregious violators

Stage 6

When Stage 6 drought conditions are declared:

• We implement policies and guidelines for reducing water usage by more than 50 percent
• Residential and business customers are subject to additional water-use restrictions
• All landscape irrigation is prohibited
• New water service connections are prohibited

Stage 6 violators are subject to:

• Installation of water measurement devices
• Fines of up to $1,600 for subsequent violations
• Possible installation of a flow-restricting device for egregious violators

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Explore FAQs

Find answers to common questions about billing, water quality, conservation programs, and more in our comprehensive FAQ section.

Frequently Asked Questions

Currently, all districts within Cal Water’s service areas are in drought Stage 1. Please be sure to continue observing any local ordinances in effect.

While California has received significant rainfall in 2023 so far, the state has frequently endured drought conditions over the years. It’s important that all customers use water wisely so there is enough water for everyday and emergency needs, especially as drought periods get more frequent, longer, and more severe.

Currently, local and/or regional water providers determine how these reductions are achieved. If we are not able to reduce usage enough, the state could implement mandatory water-use reduction requirements. Additionally, in some cases, regional suppliers, such as the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California can enforce reduction requirements on local providers that receive water from them.