SNWA offers $100-per-tree bonus in grass removal rebate | The Locally Times
The incentive targets commercial, multi-family, and government properties required by state law to remove nonfunctional turf by 2027.
The Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA) is offering a $100 bonus for each new tree installed by certain property owners participating in its Water Smart Landscapes rebate program. The program, which provides cash rebates for replacing grass with water-efficient desert landscaping, is part of a broader conservation effort that SNWA records state has been in place for more than 25 years to address regional drought and potential water supply cuts. ## Rebate Tied to 2027 Turf Ban The rebate program incentivizes early compliance with a 2021 Nevada Legislature law that prohibits using Colorado River water to irrigate specific types of grass beginning in 2027. The prohibition targets what the law defines as nonfunctional turf on commercial, multi-family, and government properties. SNWA documents define this as grass in areas like streetscapes, medians, and building frontages that provides no functional use. To help implement the law, the SNWA Board of Directors established a citizens advisory committee to assist in defining the term. ## Eligibility and Unspecified Details Eligibility for both the Water Smart Landscapes rebate and the associated $100 tree bonus is limited to the property types affected by the 2021 law. The program explicitly excludes single-family residences, and available documents do not indicate whether a similar tree-planting incentive is available to residential homeowners. Available SNWA documents do not specify the program's full scope or requirements. The total budget allocated for the Water Smart Landscapes rebate program, or for the tree bonus specifically, is not detailed in the records. Furthermore, the documents do not outline criteria the new trees must meet to qualify for the bonus, such as approved species or minimum size. The records also lack information on any long-term maintenance or survival requirements for the trees, making it unclear how the SNWA will track the program's sustained impact on the urban canopy.