LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A new bill set to take effect in just over two years aims to address water conservation in Nevada.
“We’ve seen our community replace more than 230 million square feet of grass with drip-irrigated trees and plants. That saves our community 13 billion gallons of water every single year,” Bronson Mack, outreach manager for Southern Nevada Water Authority, said.
Landscaping is the largest consumer of water in Las Vegas, with grass being the biggest user. A new bill will take effect by 2027, imposing watering restrictions on most grass in the valley.
“Grass is a huge consumption of water, and trees and plants can provide the same aesthetic and beauty and benefit to wildlife without using nearly the amount of water that grass does,” Mack said.
Assembly Bill 356, set to take effect on Jan. 1, prohibits the watering of nonfunctional decorative grass. This includes areas like streetscapes, medians, parking lots, and other spaces intended for aesthetic purposes rather than recreation. The law applies to homeowners’ associations (HOAs), multifamily developments, and commercial properties.
“We have certainly seen good response from HOAs in replacing their nonfunctional grass to be in compliance with Nevada law,” Mack said.
Watering will be allowed for functional grass at schools, parks, and other community locations.
The Water Smart Landscapes Program is currently offering a $3 rebate for every square foot of non-functional grass that one replaces with trees and plants. That will decrease to $2 per square foot on Jan. 1.
For more information on the program, visit Water Smart Landscapes Rebate.
The Southern Nevada Water Authority provides a list of plants that can be used to replace or enhance gardens for a more water-efficient landscape.
One can find the list by visiting the link here.
