Austin Water Landscape Rebates: Turf to Native Beds

St. Augustine lawns drink a lot of water in an Austin summer and still turn brown in drought. Austin Water pays customers to replace some of that turf with native and adapted plant beds, and offers smaller rebates for related work. If you're planning a patio or landscape overhaul, the rebate can offset part of the planting cost. Pre-approval is the step people miss.

What Austin Water offers

Austin Water's rebates page lists, among other programs:

The city's WaterWise Landscaping Rebate guide explains eligibility and steps. Austin Water also offers rainwater harvesting rebates based on storage capacity. Check the page for current terms.

Pre-approval is everything

These rebates generally require approval before work starts. Typical steps:

1. Apply through Austin Water's online system, with photos of the existing turf.
2. Get approval and any pre-inspection the program requires.
3. Do the work to the program's requirements, such as plant lists, coverage and mulch depth.
4. Submit completion documentation for final review and payment.

Tearing out turf first and applying later can disqualify you. Read the current requirements on the city's guide before you dig.

Designing a conversion that qualifies and looks good

• Choose native and adapted plants from the program's guidance. Central Texas natives handle heat and drought once established.
• Group plants by water need. Irrigate the thirstiest group separately or not at all.
• Use mulch generously to suppress weeds and hold moisture.
• Keep paths and seating in decomposed granite or flagstone. Hardscape areas may be treated differently from planted areas under the rebate, so check how they're counted.
• Keep beds back from the foundation and grade them away from the house, which matters on clay soils.

Pairing with hardscape projects

A patio or path project is a natural moment for turf conversion:

• Plan the patio and planting together so the rebate area is clearly planted bed, not paving.
• Watch impervious cover. Turf to planting bed doesn't add impervious cover, but turf to patio does. In southwest Austin, that distinction matters. See our hardscaping guide and Circle C hardscape page.
• Rainscape features such as rain gardens and berms can manage runoff from new hardscape.

Irrigation changes

Converting turf often means changing or capping sprinkler zones. In Texas, irrigation system installation and repair must be done by a TCEQ-licensed irrigator. Converting spray heads to drip in new beds saves water and keeps foliage dry.

Before you dig

Call Texas 811 before removing turf with equipment or digging new beds. Irrigation lines, cable and gas lines can be shallow.

Outside Austin Water's service area

Many suburbs have their own water providers, which may offer different programs or none. See utility programs outside Austin Energy for how to check.

Planning a conversion step by step

1. Measure the turf area you plan to convert, and photograph it. Before photos are typically part of the application.
2. Read the current program rules on Austin Water's site. Requirements on plant coverage, mulch depth, and permeable surfaces can change.
3. Apply and wait for pre-approval before removing grass or buying plants.
4. Remove turf by solarizing, sheet mulching or cutting the sod. Avoid herbicide drift onto neighbors' beds.
5. Install plants, mulch and permeable hardscape per your approved plan. Group plants by water needs.
6. Convert or cap irrigation in converted zones; drip irrigation is usually the best fit for beds.
7. Submit after photos and receipts for the final inspection or verification.

Plants that handle Austin conditions

Native and adapted plants survive summer heat and occasional hard freezes with little water once established. Good choices include Texas sage, flame acanthus, autumn sage, Lindheimer's muhly, blackfoot daisy and native sedges. Plant in fall when possible so roots establish before summer.