Eligibility
•
•
•
•
•
•
Rebates are for Fort Collins Utilities single-family residential water customers only. Stormwater- and
wastewater-only accounts, including those served by ELCO, Fort Collins-Loveland Water District or any
other water districts, are not eligible.
Rebates will only be issued for installation at a Fort Collins Utilities water service address.
Only two types of properties are eligible:
o Well-established, high water-use areas
o New construction built within 18 months of design package submission
Existing landscape properties must have verifiable outdoor water use, subject to water history check.
Participant must attend required classes and receive approval of their design package before installing a
landscape, requesting an inspection and receiving a rebate.
No lifetime limit applies to annual projects. This is subject to change based on funds, availability and
other factors.
Design
•
•
•
•
•
Design package should only be submitted for approval if project will be completed prior to October 15th
of the same year.
Design packages will be accepted and reviewed for approval between January 1 and July 31.
Landscape design plan must only include plant materials on the recommended XIP approved plant list.
Any substitutions must meet the following criteria:
o Maximum water requirement of 10 gallons per sq. ft. per season
o Deemed drought tolerant*
o Appropriate for USDA Hardiness Zones 2 to 5a
o Not on the Colorado Noxious Weed List or Watch List**
Design package must be submitted and approved prior to installation with the following:
o Design package proposal
o Landscape plan
o Irrigation plan
o Time-stamped “before” photos of the areas to be renovated (jpeg format). They must include:
 Wide view of property
 Complete views of each area to be renovated
 Existing plant/materials in and around the areas to be renovated, clearly shown
Staff reserves the right to deny a design if it does not follow the principles of xeriscape, principles of
landscape design and/or is not projected to achieve long-term water savings.
*Denver Botanic Gardens: navigate.botanicgardens.org/FindPlant.html
High Country Gardens: highcountrygardens.com/plant-finder/drought-resistant-perennials
CSU Extension Colorado Plant Database: jeffco.us/coopext/allwordsearch.do?name=drought+tolerant
**Colorado Noxious Weed List: cwma.org/noxweeds.html
4/4/17
Installation
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Unapproved installations or substitutions will not be eligible for the rebate.
Installations must be at least 300 sq. ft. and up to 1,000 sq. ft.
Installation of new irrigation systems are allowed if all irrigation requirements are met.
Installations larger than 1,000 sq. ft. are allowed to be installed and rebated in phases with a max of
1,000 sq. ft. rebated per year.
Soil amendment additions are required for areas that are disturbed or cleared and planned to hold
plants or grass. Customer must submit soil amendment form with final rebate application.*
Plant material installed must be from the XIP Approved Plant List.
Edging is required to separate turf from plant beds.
Participant must schedule an inspection between May 15 and October 15.
o Participant must be present during final inspection.
o Installation must be completely finished prior to inspection date.
Incomplete installations can apply for an extension prior to October 15 for eligible participation the
following year; maximum one 1-year extension.
Rebate
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
XIP rebate application must be submitted within 30 days after passing the inspection and include a copy
of itemized receipts for materials, soil amendment form, and W9 form.
Rebate rate is $0.75 per square foot of eligible area. Final measurements will be taken at the time of
inspection.
Eligible water customers are allowed one rebate per year per address.
Rebate program is subject to available funds.
Rebate not to exceed materials purchase price. Bill credit will be rounded down to the nearest dollar.
Allow eight weeks for bill credit processing.
Residential water conservation rebates totaling $600 or more during a program year may be considered
as taxable income by the IRS. A complete W9 form is required prior to rebate payment, regardless of
rebate amount. Visit fcgov.com/residential-water-efficiency or contact your tax advisor for additional
details.
Staff reserves the right to deny a rebate if the inspection reveals that the landscape has not been
installed properly or does not match the approved design plan.
Installations larger than 1,000 sq. ft. may be eligible for additional rebate funds depending on projected
water savings and availability of program funds.
*Any time earth is moved or removed using equipment, tools or explosives, the Utility Notification
Center of Colorado must be notified so that underground utilities can be located. Dial 811.
4/4/17