A water and sewage utility company plans to pay San Antonio residents hundreds of dollars to maximize their savings in the long term by avoiding a common landscaping mistake.
In May, the San Antonio Water System announced the launch of its "Pause, Prep, Plant" program that will pay households up to $600 to convert sections of their grass lawns into garden beds with native plants. Each 200-square-foot plot is eligible for up to $150 in incentives.
First, residents must agree to put a hold on their garden plans until the fall. After that, they must apply for the WaterSaver Landscape Coupon by June 20 and submit photos of their prepped garden beds — topped with newspaper, mulch, or cardboard (which kills the grass and acts as weed control) — by July 1 to receive a $25 coupon on water accounts.
"For all the worry about killing grass, it's shockingly hard to really kill it," SAWS vice president of conservation Karen Guz told the San Antonio Express-News.
Guz added that residents under homeowners associations shouldn't have to worry about blowback over their lawns, as city code and SAWS user agreements prohibit HOAs from forcing residents to water their grass. SAWS also intends to work with HOAs to communicate its goals.
In September, when the summer heat is on the way out and less likely to stress gardens, participants will receive an additional $125 for native plants. Based on water supply conditions and levels, SAWS classified San Antonio as having its sixth year of drought in 2024.
However, native plants are better suited to local conditions than traditional turf lawns, reducing the need for watering. Favoring them rather than grass not only helps conserve resources and benefits food supply-supporting pollinators but also saves homeowners significant money and time on yard maintenance.
"The multi-year drought has been hard on home landscapes. You're probably eyeing unsightly grassy areas wishing for a solution," SAWS wrote. "Well, SAWS has one for you — and it doesn't involve standing out there with a hose all summer!"
As the Express-News noted, the "Pause Prep Plant" program isn't the first of its kind in San Antonio. SAWS has been offering incentives to replace grass with drought-tolerant plants for more than 10 years. Last year, a similar program offered $100 per plot rather than $125.
San Antonio is also part of the American Cities Climate Challenge, working to cut down on heat-trapping pollution threatening to increase the risk of water shortages and wildfires — along with raising energy costs — as the Earth's climate warms, supercharging extreme weather.
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As part of those efforts, it has initiatives to reduce building energy consumption and increase the adoption of non-polluting, renewable sources such as solar and wind.
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If you were to switch from a grass lawn to a more natural option, which of these factors would be your primary motivation?
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