Las Vegas homeowners are getting paid up to $7 per square foot to rip out their lawn.

What your yard could be worth.

Quick reference at the LVVWD residential rate ($7/sq ft) for typical Vegas front and back yards. Cap of 10,000 sq ft per residence per fiscal year applies; values below sit well under it.

Subtract $2/sq ft from each figure if your water provider is not LVVWD. Final amount depends on inspector-measured qualifying square footage and SNWA approval.

SNWA Water Smart Landscapes Rebate

The single largest landscape rebate in Southern Nevada. Pays you per square foot to convert thirsty grass to a SNWA-approved desert landscape with live plants and drip irrigation. Administered by the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) and its member agencies, including the Las Vegas Valley Water District (LVVWD).

LVVWD residential bonus — additional $2/sq ft

If your water service is with Las Vegas Valley Water District (check your water bill — LVVWD is one of several SNWA member agencies), you qualify for an additional $2/sq ft on top of the SNWA base. Combined rate for LVVWD residential customers:

Who's eligible

• Single-family residential property within the SNWA service area (Las Vegas, Henderson, North Las Vegas, Boulder City, and unincorporated Clark County).
• Must be the property owner or authorized water-account holder.
• There's a separate commercial/HOA/multifamily program with different rates (see program terms for details).

Key requirements

• Pre-application before you remove the grass. This is the step everyone misses. Remove grass first and you forfeit the rebate entirely.
• 50% living plant coverage at maturity — at least half the conversion area must be covered by live plants (trees, shrubs, groundcover) from the SNWA-approved plant list.
• Drip irrigation with filters and low-flow emitters. Spray heads and bubblers generally don't qualify.
• Per-property, per-fiscal-year cap (fiscal year is July 1 – June 30).
• Rebate is paid after the install is inspected and approved.

SNWA residential program terms · Start a residential application · LVVWD rebate page

5 mistakes that cost Vegas homeowners their rebate.

Every one of these is documented on the official SNWA program terms page. They're also the reasons we keep hearing about from local landscapers about why their customers' rebates got rejected.

1. Pulling the grass before you apply. The Water Smart Landscapes rebate requires a pre-conversion inspection — SNWA verifies you have qualifying turf before the project starts. Remove it first and there's nothing left to measure. The rebate is gone, full stop.
2. Going under 50% live plant coverage at maturity. Pure rock-and-gravel "moonscapes" don't qualify. SNWA wants real desert landscape: at least half the converted area covered by live plants from the approved list once they reach maturity. Plan plant counts and species in advance.
3. Reusing your old spray-head irrigation. Conversions must be on drip irrigation with filters and low-flow emitters. If your installer wires the new beds back into the existing pop-up zone, the inspector flags it and the rebate is denied or reduced.
4. Picking plants outside the SNWA-approved list. Several common big-box-store landscape plants (some palms, fescues, certain ornamental grasses) are excluded. Cross-check the approved plant list before you buy. Your contractor should know it cold; if they don't, that's a flag.
5. Hitting the fiscal-year cap by accident. The 10,000 sq ft cap resets July 1. Splitting a big project across two fiscal years can max your benefit; collapsing it into one year past the cap means the overage is paid at the lower $2.50/$4.50 rate. Worth a 30-second phone call to SNWA before you schedule.

Source: SNWA Water Smart Landscapes residential program terms.

From lawn to rebate check — the seven steps.

Realistic timeline for a typical front-yard conversion, start to deposit. Most of the calendar time is plant maturity and SNWA's queue, not actual install work.

1. Apply online

   Submit the residential application on the SNWA portal. You'll describe the area, water provider, and project plan. snwa.com application.

2. Pre-conversion inspection

   SNWA confirms your existing turf qualifies and locks in your eligibility. You cannot remove grass before this step.

3. Approval to proceed

   Once approved, you have a window (currently 365 days from approval per SNWA's residential terms) to complete the conversion.

4. Install with a licensed C-10 contractor

   Drip irrigation, approved plants, 50%+ live coverage at maturity. Document everything — the inspector will check it.

5. Final inspection request

   Submit your completion request to SNWA with photos and any required documentation. They schedule a final visit.

6. SNWA verifies + measures

   An inspector measures qualifying square footage on-site, checks irrigation type, and confirms plant coverage and species against the approved list.

7. Rebate paid

   Approved rebate is paid out to the homeowner of record per SNWA's payment process. Timing varies; check the program page for current expectations.

Step durations and policy specifics are set by SNWA and can change. Always confirm against the official program page.

SNWA Smart Irrigation Controller Rebate

A weather-based smart controller adjusts run times to conditions automatically. SNWA offers a coupon rebate on qualifying brands (Rain Bird, Hunter, Toro, Rachio, and others — the official page has the current approved list).

How to claim

• Apply online for the coupon, then buy a qualifying controller within 30 days.
• Install within 90 days and redeem the coupon at a participating retailer or by mail.

Related, not landscape: NV Energy PowerShift rebates cover pool pumps, water heaters, HVAC, and thermostats — worth checking if your landscape project is bundled with equipment upgrades.

Nevada AB 356 — the nonfunctional turf rule

AB 356 (2021) prohibits SNWA-delivered water from irrigating nonfunctional turf — decorative grass at commercial, multi-family, government, and HOA common areas. Deadline: December 31, 2026. The law does not apply to single-family homes — you can keep functional grass in your own yard. It matters here because it's part of why SNWA subsidizes the residential rebate so aggressively: every converted residential lawn frees up a share of the regional water supply.

Before you start

• Pre-apply. Most landscape rebates require application before work begins. Removing grass first forfeits the rebate.
• Verify current rates. Rebate amounts and eligibility change — especially at fiscal-year transitions (July 1). The official program page is always the ground truth.
• Not affiliated with SNWA / LVVWD / NV Energy. Mojave Match is a referral service. Rebate approval is determined solely by the administering agency.
• Not tax advice. Rebate payments may have tax implications — consult a professional for your situation.