Marlene Feist, 509.625.6505
Tuesday, May 22, 2018 at 9:46 a.m.
The City of Spokane is launching a new program to help residents reduce the amount of water they use for outdoor irrigation. The SpokaneScape rebate program allows for up to a $500 credit on a resident’s City utility bill for removing lawn and replacing it with water-smart plants and mulch.
“By far, outdoor irrigation on residential properties is our largest category of water use,” says Dan Kegley, the City’s Director of Water and Wastewater. “Lawns are thirsty, and different landscaping options are much more water efficient. Through this program, we want to demonstrate that SpokaneScape landscaping is beautiful, easy to maintain, and water smart.”
SpokaneScape is water-efficient landscaping that has been designed specifically for the Spokane area; its focus is on the replacement of lawn with low-volume irrigation and drought tolerant plant material.
City water customers may earn up to a $500 credit toward their City utility bill after removing lawn and replacing it with water-smart plants and mulch. To qualify, the new SpokaneScape areas must be visible from a public street so other community members can view them.
The rebate totals 50 cents per square foot of lawn removed; the program requires a minimum removal of 300 square feet. Trading out lawn for artificial turf does not qualify. A SpokaneScape program application and guidebook is available at www.waterstewardship.org.
The new SpokaneScape program is part of the City’s efforts to encourage conservation of water resources. The City’s new joint Mayor-Council Strategic Plan includes a strategic initiative around smart use of water resources.
Other efforts are planned to help advance this initiative, including replacing the irrigation system at Indian Canyon Golf Course, evaluating City property for possible turf removal projects, and ongoing work to reduce water loss within the City’s water distribution system.
Spokane’s Water Department operates the third largest water system in the state of Washington, with about 1,000 miles of water mains and more than 70,000 customers.
