Program Guidelines

Overview

The intent of the turf buy back incentive is to reduce outdoor water use in Cary and to promote water wise irrigation habits. This initiative expands the financial incentive component of Cary's nationally recognized water conservation program.

Details

The Turf Buy Back Program begins effective July 1, 2008. This program will offer a one-time, $500 incentive per property for the replacement of irrigated turf with one of two waterwise landscape options:

• Option 1: Conversion of turf to natural area
• Option 2: Conversion of turf to warm season grass

Though the Turf Buy Back Program offers an incentive to utility customers who replace their historically irrigated turf with a waterwise landscape, each homeowner assumes sole responsibility for the successful conversion and establishment of their new landscape.

The Town anticipates many more applications than available incentives, so customers are encouraged to apply early. Program eligibility and receipt of application does not guarantee an incentive. The Town will issue incentives to qualified applicants on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Program Requirements
(Please Read Carefully)

Step 1- Eligibility

1. Applicants must be Town of Cary utility customers (including Morrisville) who are either property owners or the parties legally responsible for paying the water bill. If the applicant is not the property owner, they must obtain signed consent from the property owner in order to apply for the program.

2. Conversion area must be a minimum of 1,000 square feet

3. Conversion area must be historically irrigated with potable water by an automated system — hose/sprinkler or automatic irrigation system — using a minimum average of 2,500 gallons per month (GPM). Directions for calculating your monthly average are detailed below:

To verify historical irrigation, customers must have at least a year of water use records starting on or after January 2006 that indicates a minimum average monthly water use of 2,500 gallons per month for irrigation. To determine your average monthly outdoor water use you will need either your 2006 or 2007 water consumption history from your utility bills/account. If you do not have this information, you may access it by either registering your utility account on the Town of Cary Web site under "Pay My Utility Bill or by calling (919) 380-2147 or (919) 469-4387 for assistance. By registering your account, you will have access your utility account information in the future as well.

• Irrigation Meter Consumption: If you have an irrigation meter, please provide your average water consumption between May and September of either 2006 or 2007. To find your average monthly water consumption, add your water consumption from each month and divide by five as illustrated in the example below. Your monthly average must be a minimum of 2,500 gpm.

  Example:
  May 06: 5,635g
  June 06: 8,002g
  July 06: 10,240g
  August 06: 9,837g
  September 06: 14,592g

  Step 1: 5,635 + 8,002 + 10,240 + 9,837 + 14,592 = 48,306
  Step 2: 48,306 divided by 5 = 9,661 average gallons per month

• Domestic Meter Consumption: If you have a domestic water meter, subtract your average January and December water consumption from the average of your May through September water consumption to get your approximate monthly outdoor water use. Your monthly average must be a minimum of 2,500gpm.

  Example:
  May 07: 15,635g
  June 07: 18,002g
  July 07: 20,240g
  August 07: 19,837g
  September 07: 24,592g

  Jan 07: 12,004g
  Dec 07: 10,369g
  
  Step 1: (12,004 + 10,369) divided by 2 = 11,186
  Step 2: (15,635 + 18,002 + 20,240 + 19,837 + 24,592) divided by 5 = 19,661
  Step 3: 19,661 – 11,186 = 8,475 average gallons per month

Step 2- Conversion Requirements

Program participants must replace at least 1,000 square feet of historically irrigated turf with one of the two waterwise landscape options within 90 days of application approval:

Option 1: Natural area

Only materials suited for a sustainable landscape in the North Carolina climate, such as native or drought-tolerant plants and permeable landscaping materials should be used.

Any spray or rotor irrigation system in naturally landscaped conversion area must be capped or disabled. The only irrigation allowed inside the new natural area is drip or soaker hose which may require a new irrigation zone.

Option 2: Warm-season turf
Determine the best warm season turf for your yard by evaluating your soil quality, the amount of sunlight available, and degree of traffic your turf will need to withstand.

• Irrigate as appropriate to establish the new turf. Afterward, your water budget will be reduced by 21 percent.
• Taper off irrigation as appropriate.
• Successful establishment of new landscape must be confirmed by a Town of Cary staff person before an incentive will be issued.

To establish new landscape, customers may apply for a three-week exemption period from the alternate day watering restrictions. After this period, customer water budgets will be reduced.

Accepted participants will receive a contract from the Town of Cary requiring their signed agreement to the conditions of the incentive program:

• Installation of new landscape within 90 days of application approval
• A reduction in water budget
• A post-conversion site visit to verify successful establishment of the new landscape
• Follow-up by Town staff to evaluate irrigation use

 Step 3- Application Process

Obtain an application from the Town of Cary Web site, the Town of Cary Operations Center (400 James Jackson Ave.), or the Finance Window at Cary Town Hall (316 N. Academy St.). Complete the application and submit it with a description of conversion project that includes:

Option 1: Natural Area Conversion Description

• Provide a description of conversion project and conversion area
• Attach copies of receipts for retroactive applications for conversions initiated after March 13 and before July 1, 2008
• Provide a list of plants and materials used in the area
• Indicate anticipated installation date/project completion date for new landscape

Option 2: Warm Season Turf Conversion Description

• Provide a description of conversion project and conversion area
• Attach copies of receipts for retroactive applications for conversions initiated after March 13 and before July 1, 2008
• Indicate the variety of warm season turf to be installed
• Indicate method of turf installation (sod, seed, or plug)
• Indicate anticipated installation date/project completion date for warm season grass

Submit your application:

• By postal mail to: PUBLIC WORKS AND UTILITIES DEPT., ATTN: Turf Buy Back Program, P.O. Box 8005, Town of Cary, NC 27512
• By fax: (919) 469-4304; ATTN: Turf Buy Back Program (indicate total # of pages)
• Via e-mail- turfbuyback@townofcary.org. To use this option, download the HTML version of the application and save it as a text file to complete. You can also request the application be sent to you as a Word file.

Step 4- Post-Conversion Requirements

After the initial watering exception period, monthly water budgets for Tier 1 irrigation rates (or Tier 3 if no irrigation meter) for properties receiving an incentive will be reduced by 21 percent for warm-season conversion or 25 percent for natural area conversion. For more information about water budgets, please visit www.townofcary.org or call (919) 319-4555.

Post-conversion site review is required to:

• Confirm successful establishment of replacement landscape (This will vary depending on site conditions. The water conservation tech will discuss an appropriate time frame for establishment with each customer)
• Explain the customer's water budget reduction
• Provide education about irrigation water use and distribute additional resources.

Conversion project should demonstrate a reduction in water consumption.

The Town will issue a check within four weeks of the site visit confirming the establishment of the new waterwise landscape. Please note: If you receive $600 or more in rebates from the Town this year from the High Efficiency Toilet Rebate and/or Turf program, Federal law requires you to provide the Town with your Social Security Number so you can be issued a 1099 form.

Waterwise Landscape Resources

Natural Landscape Links
Drought Tolerant Plants
Xeriscape NC- Drought tolerant landscape conversion information
Drought-tolerant plants for North Carolina landscapes
Principles of Natural Landscape Design

Warm-Season Turf Links
Landscaping Cary Style
Carolina Lawns- Planting, caring for and maintaining your lawn
Turf Selection
Establishing and Maintaining a New Lawn
Soil Sample

Irrigation Links
Efficient irrigation
Wise water use in landscaping
Turf Irrigation Water Management