Agenda Item Name:
Title
No cost amendment to continue the Turf SWAP Landscaping Rebate Program
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Presenter:
Stacie Greco, 264-6829
Description:
Amendment to extend the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) from the Suwannee River Water Management District for the Turf SWAP landscaping Rebate Program to extend the program through 3/31/2023
Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Approve the extension to the MOU with the SRWMD for the Turf SWAP landscaping Rebate Program and authorize the Chair to sign
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Prior Board Motions:
The initial Turf SWAP rebate program was approved during the 12/13/16 BoCC meeting. The current contract was approved at the 4/28/2020 and contract amendment two was signed on 1/21/2022
Fiscal Consideration:
Fiscal Consideration
N/A, all other terms and conditions of the agreement remain in effect. No change in budget, just an extension in the amount of time to spend the funding. Existing EPD staff will continue to administer the grant funded program.
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Background:
Outdoor water use is commonly credited for up to 60% of residential water use; hence EPD largely focuses conservation efforts on reducing discretionary outdoor water use. Researchers at the University of Florida (Friedman et al, 2013) estimated that nearly 90% of new homes in the GRU service area are built with in-ground irrigation systems. This trend, up from only 10% in 1983, will continue to contribute to excessive outdoor water use. While Alachua County adopted an irrigation efficiency ordinance in 2015 for ensuring that future irrigation systems are installed efficiently, an incentive is needed for reducing water use from the over 10,000 existing irrigation systems in the GRU service area alone.
The County received $300,000 in funding from the North Florida Regional Water Supply Partnership FY2015-2016 Springs Water Conservation Cost-Share Funding opportunity for the Turf SWAP (Save Water, Add Plants) program to provide rebates to property owners th...
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