Utah's lawn-replacement incentives run through Utah Water Savers. Up to $3 per sq ft is available in cities that have adopted the state's water-efficient landscape standards, delivered through Central Utah, Jordan Valley, Washington County, and Weber Basin water conservancy districts plus the Division of Water Resources. All of them require a site visit before any lawn is removed, 50% plant coverage, and drip irrigation. None posted a closure notice as of Sept. 2026.
Get pre-approval before you remove any grass. Programs pay for converting living, irrigated lawn. Most require photos or an inspection first, and grass removed early usually doesn't qualify.
$2 per sq ft, plus $1 per sq ft supplemental for the first 1,000 sq ft on projects completed June 9, 2026–June 1, 2027 (Santa Clara: $1 per sq ft supplemental for the first 500 sq ft), plus $100 per qualifying shade tree
$1.25 per sq ft of park-strip lawn removed and replaced with low-water landscaping
None published
Open
Program details
Landscape Incentive Program: Lawn Replacement (Central Utah Water Conservancy District)
Central Utah Water Conservancy District (via Utah Water Savers)
OpenLawn replacement
Amount
$3.00 per sq ft (lawn replacement); $1.00 per sq ft switch-to-drip; $50 per tree (up to 10)
Cap
$50,000 maximum per property (residential)
Site visit and approval to proceed required before starting
Minimum 200 sq ft (can combine smaller areas)
Existing well-maintained living lawn at the initial site visit
All 10 requirements
50% perennial plant coverage at maturity at ground level (not counting tree canopy, annuals, or bulbs)
3–4 inches of organic or inorganic mulch. Rubber mulch is not allowed.
Drip irrigation on its own zone with a filter and pressure reducer. Emitters no more than 5 GPH. No micro-sprays, bubblers, or soaker hoses.
No remaining lawn areas narrower than 8 ft
Park strips: plants no taller than 24 inches at maturity
Hardscape no more than 50% of the front yard or 75% of the back yard
Complete within 12 months. Final visits are typically unavailable Oct. 15–Apr. 15 in cities with secondary water.
Who qualifies: Utah Water Savers routes these cities to this page: Alpine, American Fork, Cedar Hills, Cottonwood Heights, Elk Ridge, Heber City, Holladay, Lehi, Lindon, Millcreek, Murray, Payson, Salem, Salt Lake City, Sandy, Santaquin, Spanish Fork, and Vineyard
Landscape Incentive Program: Lawn Replacement (Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District)
Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District
OpenLawn replacement
Amount
$3.00 per sq ft (lawn replacement); $1.00 per sq ft switch-to-drip; $50 per tree (up to 10 per property per year)
Cap
None published
Initial site visit completed and approved before any work begins or lawn is removed
Minimum project area 200 sq ft (multiple areas may be combined)
Application needs photos, a landscape design, and a recent water bill
All 9 requirements
Lawn must be living and maintained. Already removed or dead lawn does not qualify.
At least 50% perennial and shrub coverage at maturity at ground level
At least 3 inches of mulch (not needed where groundcover reaches 100% coverage)
Drip on dedicated zones with a filter and pressure regulator. Emitters no more than 5 GPH (up to 20 GPH for trees on a dedicated zone). No micro-sprays, bubblers, or soaker hoses.
Remaining lawn at least 8 ft wide
Hardscape no more than 50% of front yards or 75% of back yards. Artificial turf and impervious hardscape are not paid for.
Who qualifies: Utah Water Savers routes these cities to this page: Bluffdale, Draper, Herriman, Kearns, Magna, Midvale, Riverton, South Jordan, South Salt Lake, Taylorsville, West Jordan, West Valley City, and White City
Landscape Incentive Program (Division of Water Resources areas)
Utah Division of Water Resources
OpenLawn replacement
Amount
$2.00 per sq ft
Cap
$50,000 per application
Property must be in a municipality or county that adopted the division's minimum water-efficient landscape ordinances
Minimum 200 sq ft (exemptions when all lawn is removed from a parking strip or other isolated area)
50% plant coverage requirement
Who qualifies: Communities outside partner water district service areas. Utah Water Savers routes these cities here: Cedar City, Enoch, Moab, Tooele City, Tremonton, North Logan, Smithfield, Nibley, Hyde Park, Richmond, Wellsville, Blanding, Monticello, Beryl, Newcastle, and unincorporated Iron and Grand counties.
Utah Water Savers (Utah Division of Water Resources and partner water conservancy districts)
OpenLawn replacement
Amount
Up to $3 per sq ft (varies by district/city)
Cap
Varies by district
Must live in a qualifying city (one that adopted the state's water-efficient landscape standards)
Lawn must be living and maintained when you apply and at the first inspection (dormant is OK, neglected is not)
No work may start until a conservation technician does an in-person or virtual inspection
All 6 requirements
Application requires photos and a landscape plan unique to your property
At least 50% perennial plant coverage at ground level and approved drip irrigation. Rock-only or artificial turf does not qualify.
Complete the project within 12 months of approval. Payment arrives about 90 days after the final visit, agreement, and W-9.
Who qualifies: Eligible cities statewide, plus unincorporated areas of Duchesne, Iron, Juab, Summit, Utah, Wasatch, Washington, and Weber counties. Weber, Davis, Summit, and Morgan County residents apply through Weber Basin's MyWater site. Washington County residents apply through WCWCD.
$2 per sq ft, plus $1 per sq ft supplemental for the first 1,000 sq ft on projects completed June 9, 2026–June 1, 2027 (Santa Clara: $1 per sq ft supplemental for the first 500 sq ft), plus $100 per qualifying shade tree
Cap
$100,000 per property, per calendar year
The extra $1/sq ft applies to projects completed June 9, 2026 – June 1, 2027.
Pre-conversion site visit and authorization required before starting
Property owner of record. Property in St. George, Washington, Hurricane, Santa Clara, Ivins, La Verkin, Toquerville, Virgin, or unincorporated Washington County. Irrigates from a public water system account in good standing.
Minimum 300 sq ft of living, maintained grass (exemptions if an entire contiguous area such as a park strip or whole yard is removed)
All 8 requirements
50% living plant coverage at maturity
Drip irrigation required with dedicated valves, a filter, a pressure regulator, and emitters no more than 20 GPH
At least 2 inches of mulch. Impermeable weed barriers are prohibited.
Complete within 12 months
A Conservation Easement must be recorded (restricts grass, sprinklers, and water bodies in the converted area in perpetuity)
Who qualifies: Washington County, UT (St. George area) property owners on a public water system
$2.50 per sq ft in cities with water-efficient landscape ordinances; $1.25 per sq ft elsewhere in the district
Cap
$50,000 per property (stated in the 2026 program overview)
First-come, first-served; the district says applications may be put on hold if funds run out.
Apply and complete the pre-conversion video call before any work. Lawn killed or removed beforehand is ineligible.
Minimum 250 sq ft in ordinance-adopting cities, 500 sq ft elsewhere. Lawn must be living and well-maintained.
At least 35% plant coverage at maturity (park strips are exempt if they follow local code). One medium or large shade tree per 3,000 sq ft.
All 7 requirements
3–4 inches of permeable mulch in planting beds
Drip irrigation with a filter and pressure regulator per zone. Emitters no more than 5 GPH. No micro-sprays, bubblers, or soaker hoses. Lawn and drip must be on separate valves.
No artificial turf, concrete, or other impermeable surfaces are paid for. Remaining lawn must be at least 8 ft wide.
12 months from the initial video call, with no extensions. No final inspections after Oct. 31.
Who qualifies: Weber Basin district: Davis, Weber, Morgan, and Summit County communities (for example Bountiful, Layton, Kaysville, Farmington, and Ogden)
Confirm who supplies your water. Rebates follow the water bill, not the city name on your address. Find the utility on your bill, then open its program page from the list above.
Apply before you touch the grass. Submit photos of the living, irrigated lawn and wait for written approval, a site visit, or a Notice to Proceed.
Design to the program's rules. Most require a minimum area, plant coverage at maturity, drip or no irrigation in the converted area, and a mulch layer. Many prohibit plastic sheeting and artificial turf.
Finish within the deadline. Programs set completion windows. Keep receipts and take after photos.
Pass the final inspection and get paid. Payment arrives as a check or a bill credit, usually within one to three billing cycles.
Good to know in Utah
Utah Code 57-8a-231 (version effective 5/7/2025): an HOA may not enact or enforce a governing document that prohibits, or has the effect of prohibiting, a detached-home lot owner from incorporating water-wise landscaping. Except where reasonably necessary for erosion control, an HOA may not require lawn or turf in an area less than eight feet wide. Source
Landscape incentives are only available in communities that have adopted qualifying water-efficient landscape ordinances for new residential development. These ordinances require no lawn on parking strips and no more than 50% lawn in front and side yards (lots with less than 250 sq ft of landscaped area are exempt from the lawn limit). Source
Utah Water Savers does not pay incentives for artificial turf. Removed lawn must be replaced with at least 50% perennial plant coverage at ground level and approved drip irrigation. Source
What turf replacement rebates are available in Utah in 2026?
Utah's lawn-replacement incentives run through Utah Water Savers. Up to $3 per sq ft is available in cities that have adopted the state's water-efficient landscape standards, delivered through Central Utah, Jordan Valley, Washington County, and Weber Basin water conservancy districts plus the Division of Water Resources. All of them require a site visit before any lawn is removed, 50% plant coverage, and drip irrigation. None posted a closure notice as of Sept. 2026.
How much do Utah lawn-replacement rebates pay?
Landscape Incentive Program: Lawn Replacement (Central Utah Water Conservancy District) (Central Utah Water Conservancy District (via Utah Water Savers)): $3.00 per sq ft (lawn replacement); $1.00 per sq ft switch-to-drip; $50 per tree (up to 10); cap $50,000 maximum per property (residential). Landscape Incentive Program: Lawn Replacement (Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District) (Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District): $3.00 per sq ft (lawn replacement); $1.00 per sq ft switch-to-drip; $50 per tree (up to 10 per property per year). Landscape Incentive Program (Division of Water Resources areas) (Utah Division of Water Resources): $2.00 per sq ft; cap $50,000 per application. Landscape Incentive Program (Utah Water Savers (Utah Division of Water Resources and partner water conservancy districts)): Up to $3 per sq ft (varies by district/city); cap Varies by district. Figures as published by each agency, verified September 2026.
Do I need approval before removing my lawn?
Yes, in almost every case. 7 of the 7 lawn-replacement programs we track in Utah require approval, a site visit, or a Notice to Proceed before any grass is removed. Take dated photos of your living lawn before you start.
Which Utah programs are closed or paused right now?
All 7 programs we track in Utah were open as of September 2026. Funding is often first-come, first-served, so apply early in the season.
Verified September 2026 from each agency's program page. Programs change and funds run out; confirm the current amount on the official page before you start.
