ALACHUA COUNTY, FL - The Alachua County Environmental Protection Department is receiving three grants to continue local springs protection and water conservation efforts.
A $9,000 grant from the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission Protect Florida Springs Tag Grant program will be used to purchase media time for a water conservation television commercial as well as Facebook marketing designed to encourage low water and fertilizer use in landscapes.
Grants from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the Suwannee and St. Johns River Water Management Districts will go towards two rebate programs. The first program provides $105,000 in funding to incentivize the State’s voluntary Florida Water StarSM certification program for water conservation. Through the program, builders can receive a $700 rebate for new residential and commercial properties that achieve certification.
The second rebate program includes a total of $300,000 for property owners that replace irrigated turf with Florida Friendly LandscapingTM (FFL). A $0.50/ft2 rebate will be offered to property owners that switch to non-irrigated FFL, while $0.35/ft2 will be offered for switching to FFL with correctly installed micro-irrigation. Rebates will be available for residential and commercial properties, with no single rebate to exceed $2,000. UF/IFAS Extension Alachua County and their Master Gardeners are partners for this project.
The rebate programs are expected to be available starting in the fall of 2016. Information will be posted on the Alachua County Environmental Protection Water website as soon as the rebate programs are open.
For more information, contact Alachua County Environmental Protection Department Water Conservation Coordinator Stacie Greco at 352-264-6829 or Sgreco@alachuacounty.us.