As Arizona grapples with persistent water shortages, Phoenix-area towns are offering incentives to residents to encourage them to switch to more sustainable yards.
Maricopa County is by far the most populous county in the Grand Canyon State, and it’s experiencing severe drought conditions. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, most of the county is at an extreme drought level. To address this issue, local municipalities are implementing rebate programs to encourage homeowners to conserve water.
With over 250,000 residents, Gilbert is one of the largest suburbs of Phoenix in the southeastern metropolitan area. It has several water conservation rebates for individual homeowners, businesses, and homeowners associations. Some qualifying households can claim up to $2,000 by ditching their water-guzzling lawns, depending on their size. Even yards as small as 200 square feet can take advantage of the incentives. The total rebate climbs to $3,000 if households take advantage of the desert plant bonus, provided the plants come from an approved list of desert plants or the Arizona Department of Water Resources’ low-water-use plants…