The city of Bend will continue to offer cash incentives to homeowners who remove water-thirsty lawns in 2026, building on a program officials say is steadily reducing outdoor water use. Now entering its third year including a pilot phase, the turf replacement rebate program offers residents $3 per square foot to remove grass and install drought-tolerant landscaping, with payments covering roughly a third of total project costs. The conservation effort also helps to shave down expensive water bills and also trims demand even as the population increases. Any water savings is critical in drought years — snowpack in the Central Cascades is currently just 6% of normal. City officials say participation grew in 2025, with 113 applications submitted and 80 projects completed — up from 58 completed projects in 2024. “We’re happy about that,” said Dan Denning, the city’s water conservation program manager. “No major changes to the program this year.…