The SNWA Water Smart Landscapes Rebate, Explained for Las Vegas Homeowners

If you are thinking about replacing your lawn, the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) may pay you to do it. The Water Smart Landscapes rebate is one of the most generous in the country, but it has rules, and the biggest one trips up a lot of homeowners. Here is how it works.

How much is the rebate?

For homes, SNWA currently pays $5 per square foot of grass removed and replaced with desert landscaping, for the first 10,000 square feet converted in a fiscal year, and $2.50 per square foot after that. A 1,000 square foot lawn could mean a $5,000 rebate.

The rule that matters most: apply before you touch the grass

You must be approved before you remove your lawn. SNWA requires a pre-conversion site visit, and removing grass without their approval makes the project ineligible. At that visit, your yard needs to have living grass and a working irrigation system. If your lawn is already dead or already torn out, it will not qualify.

What the finished yard has to include

1. Plants covering at least 50 percent of the converted area once they are fully grown.

2. Low-flow (drip) irrigation for those plants.

3. The conversion finished within 12 months of approval.

Can artificial turf be part of a rebate project?

Yes, with conditions. SNWA accepts artificial turf as a ground cover in place of rock or bark mulch, as long as the turf is permeable, meaning air and water pass freely through it. The other program rules still apply, including the 50 percent plant coverage. In practice, that means a design that combines turf with planted areas, rather than turf from wall to wall.

How we help

When we come out for your free design consultation, we look at your existing lawn, talk through whether a rebate project makes sense for your yard, and design a layout that mixes turf, plants and hardscape. We will also tell you plainly if the rebate is not a good fit for what you want, since some homeowners prefer more turf than the program allows.

Check the current rules first

SNWA updates this program, and the amounts and requirements above are what SNWA lists as of October 2026. Always confirm the current details and apply at snwa.com before starting any work.

Want to see what your yard could look like? Book a free design consultation, or call or text (702) 716-2809.