As Southern Nevada moves closer to the state-mandated deadline regarding decorative grass, property managers are encouraged to start landscape projects now to avoid contractor bottlenecks and ensure compliance with the law.
Beginning January 2027, Nevada law prohibits the use of Colorado River water to irrigate decorative, nonfunctional grass at properties not exclusively used as single-family residences.
The law impacts businesses, office parks, retail centers, multifamily communities, and HOA-managed common areas. Replacing decorative grass with drip-irrigated, water efficient landscaping can reduce outdoor water use by up to 75 percent.
To continue incentivizing property owners and help address the rising costs of labor and materials, the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) recently approved an increase to the Water Smart Landscapes (WSL) rebate for commercial, industrial and multifamily properties.
The WSL incentive increased from $2 to $5 per square foot for the first 10,000 square feet and from $1 to $1.50 per square foot thereafter for grass replaced with drip-irrigated trees and plants at these properties.
One of the first steps in planning a landscape conversion is to contact the SNWA, the authorized agency that identifies what areas of a property are impacted by the nonfunctional grass law.
SNWA conservation experts will provide property maps classifying the grass so businesses and HOAs can ensure they comply with the nonfunctional grass law, which will save the community 4.5 billion gallons of water annually when fully enacted.
Many properties have taken steps to comply with the nonfunctional turf law. The City of Las Vegas replaced more than 107,000 square feet of turf at the Police Memorial Park through multiple phases. The conversion projects will save more than 6.1 million gallons of water annually.
Find more information about the Nevada nonfunctional grass law and SNWA rebates at snwa.com.
