Turf Replacement Rebate

These biodiverse landscapes are colorful, thrive in our High Desert climate and also conserve water, making them a smart and sustainable choice for your yard.

How to Apply

Check Eligibility: You must be a current City of Bend Water Services customer.
Plan Your Project: Include an entire irrigation zone in your project. Partial zone conversions aren't eligible, and converted zones through this program can't receive other outdoor rebates.
Complete a Project Plan: Your plan should include project dimensions, proposed efficient irrigation, and the plant species and their locations.
Submit Your Application: Fill out the Rebate Application, including a W-9 form, and receive a project confirmation email from the City of Bend.
- Submit the application:
  - By email: conservation@bendoregon.gov
  - By mail or in-person: City of Bend Water Services Department, Public Works Campus Headquarters, 21051 NE Talus Place, Bend, OR 97701
  - All rebates require the submission of a W-9 form prior to rebate application approval.
Schedule a Project Consultation: Attend the consultation where City of Bend staff will evaluate site conditions and eligibility. You'll receive a written Approval to Proceed.
Call 811: Request locates at least 2 days before starting work.
Complete the Project: Finish your project within 90 days of receiving Approval to Proceed. All projects must be completed before October 15.
Notify the City: After completing your project, schedule a Follow Up Evaluation before October 31.
Submit Project Documentation: Summarize your project expenses and submit them to the City of Bend.
Attend the Follow Up Evaluation: When all project conditions are met, you'll receive Final Approval.
Receive Your Rebate: You'll get a rebate check within 60 days of Final Approval and receipt of your Project Documentation.
Maintain Your Landscape: Keep up with regular maintenance of your new landscape. Projects must remain in compliance with all program terms and conditions for five years after receiving the rebate.

NOTE: Rebates are available while funds last and are given on a first-come, first-served basis. The City of Bend may change or end the Turf Replacement Program at any time.

Project Resources

Participation Requirements

Eligibility

Applicants may only apply once per calendar year.
Applicant must own the property or have owner authorized letter to be eligible.
Applicant must be a City of Bend water utility account holder; the Applicant's utility account must be in good standing.
Applicant must submit a complete application form; incomplete applications could be denied and returned to Applicant or result in a delay of the issued reservation number.
The City may contact the Applicant by phone or email to verify the information provided in the application and/or to schedule an inspection.
Property must receive water service from the City of Bend and have an operational and dedicated irrigation system complete with a backflow; no hose end, hose bib, or manual setups are eligible.
Project area must have living turf; areas with previously removed turf, or other circumstances where turf is non-living, are not eligible.
Eligible projects are subject to available funds; after successful application completion, a reservation number will be granted during the approval to proceed, which will solidify the holding of funds.
An application does not guarantee funding. Funding is dependent upon a completed project that meets the program requirements and the terms listed in this application.
The City of Bend reserves the right to modify or terminate the program at any time.

General Retrofit Requirement

The irrigation system must be in good working order and free of leaks and malfunctions.
Project must be applied to the entire irrigation zone(s), may not result in a mixed hydrozone.
Right-of-way trees must be protected, remain healthy, and cannot be removed as part of the project.
Sufficient irrigation to existing trees is required.
Impervious surfaces added within the project area do not qualify for the rebate (ex., plastic, concrete, asphalt, etc.).
Weed barriers of impermeable plastic are prohibited.
To ensure water savings are achieved, all converted landscapes and irrigation hardware upgrades must be maintained for a period of at least five (5) years; if this requirement is violated, the applicant may be required to refund all or a portion of the rebate.
The system shall have no run-off, overspray, or other water waste as defined by Bend Code 14.20.30.
The system shall not contribute illicit discharge (ex., pollutants, sediment, and garbage) to a stormwater system as defined by Bend Code 16.20.010.
Avoid the use of herbicides in the project site and adjacent stormwater infrastructure.
Projects must result in water savings, which will be measured after construction and plant establishment; an estimated water reduction will be calculated during the project consultation.
All equipment in a single zone must match; there must be no mixed equipment at the station.

Landscape Conversion Retrofit Requirements

Existing areas to be converted must contain 75% or more healthy turf stands; non-living or unmaintained turf will not qualify.
Only projects removing turf/grass qualify for a rebate; removal of existing hard surfaces or shrubs/plantings does not qualify.
Suggested methods of turf removal include sod removal and sheet mulching; sheet mulching is not acceptable in the Right-of-Way.
The converted area must be completely covered by a 3" layer of mulch permeable to both air and water; common mulch materials include rock and organic mulch.
Turf cannot be replaced with artificial turf or bare soils.
The converted area must not include any live lawn and invasive plant species.
The converted area must be landscaped with enough water-efficient plants to result in an expected coverage of 50% within five years of planting (approximately ten plants per 100 square feet of area).
Plantings are encouraged to be a low or very low water use plant (as referenced by the OSU Extension WaterWise Gardening in Central Oregon publication).
Establishing plant cover from seed is ineligible.
Pervious pathways (ex., decomposed granite, gravel, ungrouted flagstones, stone slabs) will qualify if the overall plant density meets the total plant coverage requirement.
New plantings in the converted areas must be irrigated with drip irrigation and include all required devices for successful long-term maintenance including but not limited to pressure regulators, filters, and flush valves. Microsprays and other equipment that applies overhead irrigation are prohibited on the drip system.
If the converted area is greater than 8ft. wide, high-efficiency irrigation with a precipitation rate equal to or less than 1 in/hr. may be used if the following conditions are met: does not produce runoff or overspray of any kind and must have a Distribution Uniformity (DU) of 70% or greater.

Terms and Conditions

The effective start date of the program is April 1 and ends October 31; all approved projects must be completed by October 31 to accommodate the end of the irrigation season.
Applicant must participate in a Project Consultation with a City of Bend representative prior to any work or turf removal; all consultations shall occur during regular business hours.
The project must be completed within the required time period of 90 days from the project approval date; extensions may be granted with notification of the City of Bend prior to the end of the irrigation season, October 31.
Participate in a Follow-Up Evaluation with a City of Bend representative after the project is completed; all inspections shall occur during regular business hours.
All receipts and invoices must be itemized and submitted at the completion of the project before the rebate is issued.
Applicants are required to complete and sign an Internal Revenue Service W-9 form before rebates can be applied or issued.
The rebate will be $3 per sq. ft. of removed turf; the maximum rebate amount is $3,000.
Rebate will be administered through a check to the Applicant within 60 days of final approval.
With participant permission, staff may be allowed to take photos of landscapes prior to, during, and after being renovated; additionally, photos and water consumption history may be used for reproduction or promotional purposes.
Completed projects must be maintained and remain in compliance with all program terms and conditions for a period of five (5) years following receipt of the rebate.

Past Projects Gallery

Check out these before and after pictures of turf removal projects.

City of Bend

Turf Replacement Rebate

2025 Season is OPEN!

Contact

How to Apply

Project Resources

Participation Requirements

Past Projects Gallery

2024