Find out how much Irvine Ranch Water District (IRWD) will pay you to remove your lawn.
Rate
$2/sq ft
Min area
250sq ft
Max area
5,000sq ft
Per tree
$100bonus
Have you removed any grass yet? IRWD Turf Replacement Program requires written pre-approval before any work starts — starting early is an automatic disqualification.
You qualify if all of these apply:
You will be disqualified if any of these apply:
Your estimated rebate
Enter your lawn size in Step 2 to see your estimate →
$2.00/ sq ft
Data verified August 9, 2026. Not affiliated with IRWD.
$2 per square foot for residential customers, on projects between 250 and 5,000 square feet, so up to $10,000. You can add $100 per new tree for up to five trees through MWDOC. Commercial customers get $3 per square foot for lawn irrigated with drinking water and $2 for lawn irrigated with recycled water.
That is IRWD's commercial rate for lawn irrigated with potable water, and several third-party sites repeat it as though it were the residential rate. Residential customers receive $2 per square foot regardless of whether the lawn is on potable or recycled water. Public agencies also receive $3, capped at 200,000 sq ft per fiscal year.
It is IRWD's written approval, and it is the thing that protects your rebate. You must receive it before removing any grass. Starting demolition first is the most common way applicants lose the rebate entirely, because the district cannot verify what was there before.
Not for a residential rebate — potable and recycled both pay $2 per square foot. It matters commercially, where potable-irrigated lawn earns $3 per square foot and recycled-irrigated lawn earns $2, reflecting the larger drinking-water saving.
Yes. IRWD counts front yards, back yards, and side yards, so long as at least 250 square feet is removed in total. You do not need 250 sq ft in a single area.