Lawn Removal Rebates: The National Directory

A lawn removal rebate pays you, usually per square foot, to replace irrigated turf with low-water landscaping. As of September 2026 the biggest programs pay $5 per square foot in Las Vegas (plus $2 more for Las Vegas Valley Water District customers), $5 in Los Angeles, up to $3 in much of Utah, $3 in Albuquerque and $2 in Phoenix. Colorado's programs are mostly full for 2026, and Texas relies more on coupons and caps than per-square-foot rates. This directory lists the major programs by state with amount, status and a link to the program's own page. Every figure was verified on the utility's site on September 24, 2026.

One rule applies almost everywhere: apply and get approved before you remove any grass. Nearly every program requires photos of living lawn and a pre-inspection. If you kill the grass first, you lose the rebate.

Our interactive rebate finder holds the same verified data, filterable by state. The article below explains how the programs work and how to use them.

The directory: major programs by state (as of September 2026)

How these programs work

Nearly every program follows the same sequence. You apply with photos and a simple plan, a technician visits in person or by video, you get written approval (often called a "Notice to Proceed"), you convert within a deadline of 90 days to 12 months, you pass a final inspection, and then you get paid by check or bill credit. The common conditions:

• Living lawn only. Dead grass, bare dirt and lawns that were never irrigated don't qualify. Phoenix, for example, requires grass at "a minimum of 75% density."
• A plant-coverage minimum. Most programs require 50% living plant cover at maturity: SNWA, Utah Water Savers, Aurora and Valley Water among them. Rock from fence to fence is zeroscaping, not xeriscaping, and programs pay for plants.
• Drip, not spray. Spray heads in the converted area have to be capped or converted to drip.
• Usually no artificial turf. Most programs won't pay for synthetic turf. SNWA and Washington County accept permeable turf as a surface, but it doesn't count toward plant cover.
• Mulch and permeability rules. Expect 2–4 inches of mulch and a ban on plastic sheeting and impermeable hardscape in the rebated area.

State by state

Nevada

The Southern Nevada Water Authority's Water Smart Landscapes Rebate is still the country's best-known turf program. As of September 2026, SNWA's program summary pays single-family homes $5 per square foot for the first 10,000 sq ft and $2.50 per square foot after that, per property per fiscal year. The minimum is 400 sq ft, and the converted area needs 50% living plant cover at maturity. Las Vegas Valley Water District customers get an additional $2 per square foot, and the district says the bonus has no expiration date.

You'll see lower SNWA figures quoted around the web, often $3 per square foot. That was the rate before SNWA raised the single-family rebate back to $5 in September 2025, and some older program-conditions text further down SNWA's own page still carries it. We're going by SNWA's current summary. Your approved rate is confirmed at the pre-conversion visit.

Reno and Sparks: Truckee Meadows Water Authority lists no turf rebate on its current conservation pages. Details: Nevada rebates · Las Vegas xeriscaping guide · Reno xeriscaping guide.

California

California has no statewide homeowner turf rebate in 2026. The state's drought-era turf money went to local agencies as grants in 2023. In Southern California, Metropolitan Water District's SoCal Water$mart program pays a $2 per square foot base (up to 5,000 sq ft a year for residential), and member agencies can add to it. LADWP customers get $5 per square foot combined, up to $25,000. Programs elsewhere in the state: the City of Sacramento pays a limited-time $2.50/sq ft for applications through February 28, 2027; Valley Water pays $2/sq ft; EBMUD pays $1–$2/sq ft; and BAWSCA's Lawn Be Gone! pays $1–$4/sq ft depending on the Peninsula agency. The full breakdown is in our California turf rebate guide and on the California rebates page.

Utah

Utah runs incentives through Utah Water Savers, which pays up to $3 per square foot in cities that have adopted the state's water-efficient landscape standards. Salt Lake City is on the eligible list and is routed to the Central Utah Water Conservancy District program at $3/sq ft. Jordan Valley pays $3, Weber Basin pays $2.50 or $1.25 depending on your city, and the Division of Water Resources pays $2 elsewhere. Park-strip conversions (Utah's "flip your strip" projects) are one project type within these programs, and Ogden has a separate Flip Your Strip rate of $1.25/sq ft. In St. George, the Washington County Water Conservancy District pays $2/sq ft plus a $1/sq ft supplement on the first 1,000 sq ft for projects finished by June 1, 2027. See the Salt Lake City and St. George guides and Utah rebates.

Colorado

Colorado funded turf replacement at the state level through HB22-1151, but the Colorado Water Conservation Board stopped taking applications in March 2025, and most 2026 local money is spent. Denver Water's discount through Resource Central and Resource Central's own Lawn Replacement program are closed for 2026. What's still available: Aurora Water's GRIP at $3/sq ft opens its next window November 1, 2026, and Fort Collins' XIP pays $0.75/sq ft (up to $750, or $1,000 with the native-plant bonus) while funds last. Program-by-program details are in our Colorado lawn rebate guide and on Colorado rebates.

Arizona

Arizona has no statewide program. Cities run their own. As of September 2026: Phoenix pays $2/sq ft (250 sq ft minimum), Scottsdale pays $2/sq ft up to $5,000 with applications through October 31, 2026, Mesa pays a tiered $1,000–$2,000 plus a tree bonus (maximum $2,100), Chandler pays $1.50/sq ft up to $2,000, and Glendale pays $1/sq ft up to $3,000. Tucson Water's turf rebate is now for commercial and multifamily customers only. For homes, Tucson offers rainwater-harvesting rebates. See the Phoenix and Tucson guides and Arizona rebates.

New Mexico

The Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority pays $3.00 per square foot of turf converted to xeriscape. An inspector has to approve the project before any turf comes out. Santa Fe offers rain-barrel, cistern and irrigation-equipment rebates but no turf-removal rebate. See the Albuquerque guide and New Mexico rebates.

Texas

Texas programs pay flat amounts or coupons instead of per-square-foot rates. Austin Water's WaterWise Landscape rebate pays up to $3,000 (Austin doesn't publish a per-square-foot rate on its live pages). SAWS in San Antonio offers WaterSaver Landscape Coupons worth $150 each in fall 2026 (up to four), plus an Outdoor Living rebate of $300–$1,000 and irrigation-removal rebates up to $5,000. Dallas, Fort Worth, El Paso and Houston offer irrigation evaluations, controllers or rainwater rebates, but no turf-replacement rebate. See Austin, San Antonio, Dallas–Fort Worth and Texas rebates.

Everywhere else

Oregon's City of Bend pays $3/sq ft up to $3,000 (the 2026 season ends October 31). Spokane pays $0.50/sq ft up to $500. Boise has no program: the City of Boise and Veolia Water Idaho list none for 2026, and nearby Nampa's $3/sq ft program is on hold (Boise guide). If your city isn't listed, search "[your water utility] turf replacement rebate," or call the conservation office. Small utilities often run pilots that never make the news.

Getting the most out of a rebate

1. Read the program rules before you design. Plant-coverage, mulch-depth and hardscape limits are design requirements. Plan to meet them from the start.
2. Photograph the living lawn from several angles before you apply.
3. Wait for written approval. Then remove the turf (methods compared).
4. Stack where allowed. LVVWD's $2 stacks on SNWA's $5, and LADWP's $3 stacks on Metropolitan's $2. Irrigation-upgrade rebates (sprinkler-to-drip conversions) often stack as well.
5. Treat the rebate as a bonus, not the reason. The long-term savings come from the water you stop buying. Our cost guide runs the payback math.

Many cities, including Colorado jurisdictions under SB24-005, now restrict new nonfunctional turf in commercial and HOA common areas. We cover those rules in our guide to nonfunctional turf bans.

Frequently asked questions

Which state has the best lawn removal rebate?

Nevada. As of September 2026, SNWA pays single-family homes in the Las Vegas Valley $5 per square foot for the first 10,000 sq ft, and LVVWD customers get another $2 per square foot. Los Angeles (LADWP, $5/sq ft combined) is next.

Can I get a rebate for grass I already removed?

Almost never. Every major program in this directory requires approval, and usually a site visit, before any lawn is removed. Grass that's already gone, dead or dormant beyond the program's density rule doesn't qualify.

Do lawn removal rebates count as taxable income?

Sometimes. Aurora Water, for example, says rebates of $600 or more are taxable and requires a W-9, and Chandler requires a W-9 above $599. Ask your program how it reports payments, and ask a tax professional about your situation.

Does artificial turf qualify for a rebate?

Usually not. Metropolitan, Utah Water Savers, Aurora, Valley Water and EBMUD all exclude it. SNWA and Washington County in Utah accept permeable artificial turf as a surface, but it doesn't count toward the required 50% plant cover.

How long does it take to get paid?

Typically 1–3 months after the final inspection. Phoenix pays by check in 1–2 billing cycles, Utah Water Savers pays about 90 days after the final visit and paperwork, and SNWA issues its check after the conservation easement is recorded.