If you're looking to save money on your water bill, get cash, and help the environment, the City of Santa Barbara has a new rebate program that does all three.

The city's new lawn replacement and rainwater garden rebate program offers cash payments to customers who replace their water-thirsty lawns with water-wise gardens that can capture and filter stormwater.

"Ordinarily, stormwater runs off from your roofs, from your driveway, runs down into the street, into the curb and gutter, into a storm drain and eventually right to our creeks and ocean untreated," said Erin Markey with Santa Barbara's Creeks Division.

That untreated water carries pollutants to local creeks and oceans while contributing to flooding during storms. One solution is simply to disconnect your downspouts.

"These down

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