Garcetti Convenes LA 'Water Cabinet', Ups Turf Removal Rebate
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (DWP) is increasing its rebate for replacing your lawn with drought-resistant landscaping to $3.75 a square foot from the prior $3 a square foot, Mayor Eric Garcetti announced Monday.
Garcetti announced the incentive as he convened his first Water Cabinet meeting Monday to discuss the citywide drought response with managers from several city departments, officials said.
The new rebate under the Cash in Your Lawn program marks the highest for residential customers of any utility in Southern California, according to Garcetti's office.
The rebate is effectively immediately and available to all LADWP residential water customers and applicable for the first 1,500 square feet of turf removed, officials said.
Garcetti said the additional incentives were unlikely to curb the effects of what has so far proven to be one of the most stubborn droughts in recent memory.
"It's unfortunately going to potentially be a super-drought, something that we are living with for a decade or two or more," said Garcetti. "If targets aren't met, make no mistake, we don't have a choice but to have mandatory measures that will go into effect with our incentives.
The mayor issued a directive in October that established the Water Cabinet, which is tasked with ensuring city departments hit water conservation targets and developing initiatives to ensure long-term sustainability of the Los Angeles water supply.
Deputy Mayor Doane Liu will chair the Cabinet and will serve alongside the city's first-ever Chief Sustainability Officer, Matt Petersen, and representatives from the DWP, Bureau of Sanitation, Recreation and Parks, the Metropolitan Water District and the city's Proposition O Citizens Oversight Advisory Committee.
Following Monday's meeting, the Water Cabinet is expected to meet at least monthly as it coordinates with key county and state agencies on local conservation efforts.
