Clovis residents may get cash back if they switch to water efficient lawns.

The New Mexico American Water Company is offering rebates of up to $800.

The city’s water provider announced the program. The company will cover lawns between 500 and 2,000 square feet and pays 40 cents per square foot.

Company spokesman Evan Jacobs said lawns must be inspected prior to any  landscaping.

 The water company filed for a 16 percent rate case last June to recoup expenses from infrastructure improvements that increased water supply, according to company officials.

The proposed rate will increase the average water bill in Clovis by $5. A hearing for the rate increase is scheduled for Jan. 20.

The cities of Clovis and Edgewood have filed to intervene in the case.