June 2026 Greenovation Award Winners

Congratulations to Bill and Lisa Justice for receiving the June 2026 Greenovation Award! 

A happy couple stands outside, posing with a gift basket surrounded by greenery and a sunny landscape.

The LVMWD Greenovation Award, created in 2022, is issued yearly from June to September to recognize outstanding customers who have transformed their yards into beautiful, water-conscious landscapes through our Landscape Transformation Program. Winners are chosen based on 4 main criteria: aesthetics, functionality, biodiversity, and water budget impact. 

A landscaped front yard featuring a path, rocks, various plants, and a house with a blue door under a clear sky.

Bill and Lisa first became interested in the Landscape Transformation Program after receiving another high water bill, and looked toward their lawn for a solution. This program encourages homeowners to transform their yard by offering rebates for different outdoor water efficiency transformations. The Justice Family utilized the Turf Replacement Rebate, saving around 25% of the total turf replacement cost, with an expected return on investment in less than 10 years. With the help of this program, the Justice family built a beautiful sustainable landscape with various colorful plant species all watered by drip irrigation. The combination of drip irrigation and a drought tolerant landscape resulted in great savings for the Justices, who now spend $70 to $80 less per month on their water bill.  

A landscaped area with various plants and shrubs surrounded by pebbles, creating a tidy and decorative garden space.
A young pepper plant with a tag, labeled "Peppers," growing in soil next to a railing and surrounded by greenery.
A landscaped garden featuring various plants, flowers, pebbles, and a pathway with palm trees in the background.
A landscaped area featuring a yellowish-green plant, a rock, and decorative pebbles, along with a garden light.
A decorative garden area featuring various plants, a small palm tree, and decorative stones along a curved pathway.
A landscaped area with various plants and shrubs surrounded by pebbles, creating a tidy and decorative garden space.
A young pepper plant with a tag, labeled "Peppers," growing in soil next to a railing and surrounded by greenery.
A landscaped garden featuring various plants, flowers, pebbles, and a pathway with palm trees in the background.
A landscaped area featuring a yellowish-green plant, a rock, and decorative pebbles, along with a garden light.
A decorative garden area featuring various plants, a small palm tree, and decorative stones along a curved pathway.
A pathway leads to a house with a blue door, surrounded by blooming purple flowers and tropical plants in a sunny area.

When asked about their favorite part of their new yard, Bill and Lisa Justice had different answers. Bill talked about the beauty of the garden, and how nice it feels to return to such a varied and interesting landscape compared to the lawn before. Lisa highlighted the pathways through the garden and how they immerse everyone walking through the plants. She noticed delivery drivers always seem to enjoy themselves walking amongst the garden, rather than walking up the driveway like before. 

This beautiful transformation couldn't have been made without the Turf Replacement Program, in partnership with Socal WaterSmart. The aim of this program is to replace water-intensive grass lawn with more sustainable landscapes, offering rebates on grass per square foot replaced with water conscious landscaping. The Turf Rebate is part of LVMWD's overarching Landscape Transformation Program, which also includes our Irrigation Retrofit Program, in partnership with WaterWise Consulting, Inc. The Irrigation Retrofit Program offers free irrigation system consultations, and covers replacements for certain water efficient controllers, sprinkler heads, and more. 

If you are interested in transforming your lawn and saving water, like Bill and Lisa, visit Yoursmartyard.org to begin brainstorming a design, or read about the Landscape Transformation Program on our website.  

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