Metropolitan Water District and Caltech to Plant Turf Program’s 4,000th Tree Wednesday in Pasadena

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and Caltech will mark the planting of the 4,000th tree through Metropolitan’s Turf Replacement Program at 10 a.m. Wednesday on the Caltech campus in Pasadena.

Caltech is replacing nearly 100,000 square feet of grass with California-friendly and native plants, including 60 new trees, as part of an effort to reduce outdoor water use, Metropolitan said in a media advisory. Eleven trees will be planted during the event.

The Turf Replacement Program pays rebates to residents, businesses and institutions that remove grass and install water-efficient California Friendly and native plants. It had removed more than 230 million square feet of grass as of August 2025, saving enough water annually to meet the demands of more than 83,000 homes, according to the district. Participants who add trees can receive $100 per tree for up to five trees, an incentive Metropolitan added in March 2024.

The conversions come as California phases in a ban on using drinking water to irrigate nonfunctional turf — decorative grass not used for recreation or community purposes. Commercial, industrial and institutional properties must comply by Jan. 1, 2028.

Announcing a rebate increase last year, Metropolitan board Vice Chair Michael Camacho pointed to ornamental lawns across the region — “grass that isn’t played on, or picnicked on, or even walked on.”

Need to know: Metropolitan and Caltech mark the planting of the program’s 4,000th tree Wednesday, Aug. 19, at 10 a.m. on the Caltech campus in Pasadena. Metropolitan will provide the exact on-campus location and parking instructions to those who RSVP to press contacts Rebecca Kimitch, 213-217-6450 or rkimitch@mwdh2o.com, and Maritza Fairfield, 213-217-6853 or mfairfield@mwdh2o.com. Property owners can apply for turf and tree rebates through Metropolitan’s conservation program.