IE Business Daily Business news for the Inland Empire.
The Desert Water Agency, a nonprofit that manages groundwater in the Coachella Valley, has added $2 million to its grass removal program, according to a statement.
The program, which the agency started in 2014, began the 2022-23 fiscal year on July 1 with $1.65 million, nearly 80 percent of which has been committed.
“Removing grass is the best thing most property owners can do to reduce their water footprint,” said Kristin Bloomer, president of the agency board, in the statement. “For us, these incentives are a tool to weather drought and be sustainable in the long run. These projects empower our community to be part of the solution.”
In July, the agency raised from $2 to $3 per square foot the amount of money it allots to a customer. At $3 a square foot a customer would get about $4,500 to replace grass with water-efficient plants or artificial turf.
More than 70 percent of the Coachella Valley’s water is used outdoors, according to the statement.
