SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio Water System is offering coupons for plants as part of its WaterSaver Program.
SAWS residential customers can apply for up to four landscape coupons per year, with a lifetime limit of eight coupons per service account. The coupons are valued at $100 each and can be used to purchase drought-tolerant plants.
“We all experienced the dry or non-existent grass in our yards after the severe drought and heat this summer,” Karen Guz, vice president of conservation with San Antonio Water System said. “Trying to keep it alive, especially during a drought, is not sustainable.”
You must purchase 15 plants from the approved WaterSaver Coupon list (no substitutions). Small plants must be purchased in 1-gallon containers and small trees in 5-gallon containers, according to SAWS.
“Pouring more and more water on it, that just seems like a losing battle,” Guz said. “Grass is that it’s the largest non-edible crop in the United States, and we use more water on it than anything else that we grow in the US. And that’s seems kind of crazy.”
Guz said it’s why in order to promote sustainability, support our local economy and grow our urban ecosystems, San Antonio Water System is offering coupons for plants as part of its WaterSaver Program.
Depending on your choice of plants, the $100 discount can vary greatly, so be sure to budget your project accordingly as you will probably still incur some costs.
To qualify for the coupon, customers have to take photos of where they plan to remove at least 200 square feet of grass and install a new garden bed. Customers should then apply online. No permanent irrigation is allowed in the new beds.
Once SAWS approves your application, you will be sent an eCoupon that must be used by Oct. 31. You should receive the coupon within two weeks via email.
Customers who apply for multiple coupons will receive them in separate emails. Each coupon may only be used once with a single vendor. If you receive multiple coupons, you may use each one at different participating vendors.
WaterSaver landscape coupons can be redeemed at four participating retailers across five San Antonio locations.
After you redeem your coupon, you will receive an email with a link to submit photos for inspection. Save that email.
Once you’ve completed your beds, take photos and find the email SAWS sent when you redeemed your coupon. Open the inspection form in the email and attach your photos to that form and send it to SAWS by Nov. 15. Don’t attach photos to the email.
Photos will be reviewed by SAWS and anyone who doesn’t meet the criteria for success will be contacted with ideas on how to make their new gardenscape successful. Customers who don’t make the required improvements will be ineligible for future programs.
Want to learn how to get help with an irrigation system? SAWS also offers customers a free service that helps homeowners save water while protecting their landscape. To schedule a free consultation call 210-704-SAVE (7283).