The Nevada law prohibiting use of Colorado River water to irrigate nonfunctional grass at businesses, multi-family properties, HOAs and other commercial properties takes effect in 18 months. It will be illegal to irrigate decorative grass at non-single-family residential properties as of Jan. 1, 2027.
Southern Nevada relies on the Colorado River for 90 percent of its water supply, and grass irrigation makes up the largest consumptive use of that water each year. A decades-long drought has significantly reduced flows in the Colorado River Basin, resulting in the fourth consecutive year of a federally declared shortage that has reduced Nevada’s allocation.
The conservation law prohibiting nonfunctional turf will help Southern Nevada save 4.5 billion gallons of water annually once fully implemented.
“If you represent a business, multi-family property, HOA or other commercial entity with grass, we encourage you to contact us as soon as possible,” said Michael Bernardo, Enterprise Conservation Manager for the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA). “SNWA can provide you with maps classifying that grass as functional or nonfunctional, so you understand how your property is impacted and the rebate programs that are available to you.”
The SNWA Water Smart Landscapes (WSL) rebate is still offering a cash incentive for properties that replace grass with drip-irrigated plants and trees. The rebate for conversions at non-single-family properties has decreased to $2 per square foot for the first 10,000 square feet of grass replaced, and $1 per square foot thereafter.
“It’s uncertain whether the incentive will continue to decrease as the law’s deadline approaches, so we encourage impacted properties to comply with the law sooner rather than later,” Bernardo said.
Visit snwa.com for WSL rebate details and to enroll online.
