Hi all,
Climate change is worsening drought conditions, making it imperative to promote water conservation. Southern Nevada Water Authority’s Water Smart Landscapes (WSL) program pays residents to replace their non-native, ornamental lawns with drought-tolerant native plants that consume less water because they are more adaptable to the dry climate. Through the WSL rebate program, residents are paid $5.00 per square foot for the first 10,000 square feet, then $2.50 per square foot thereafter. Businesses are also eligible, with slightly different rebate payment amounts.
After applying for the program, each applicant receives an initial site visit to their property. The purpose of the site visit is to ensure that the property meets the minimum requirements for conversion to native landscaping; for example, the lawn is alive and irrigated. Once approved, the resident replaces their lawn with drought-tolerant native plants (xeric landscaping) or artificial turf. The converted areas must contain at least 50% living plants at maturity. A final site visit verifies that the conversion is suitable and meets program requirements. Then, the resident receives their payment. The rebate covers up to three-quarters of a resident’s out-of-pocket expenses, and the average time between application and completion is about five months.
The WSL program is promoted through local media, advertising (radio, television, print and digital), the Southern Nevada Water Authority’s website, water bill inserts and direct mail, community events, social media, conservation classes, a Speakers’ Bureau, presentations, and through Southern Nevada Water Authority’s member agencies. The promotional posters are interesting, stating “We’re not playing around. Useless grass has got to go.” These posters appeal to residents’ notions of what is the right thing to do, thereby capitalizing on social norms.
Results? On average, for an individual home, the WSL program reduced water consumption by 20% throughout the year. These savings were maintained for up to a decade after the landscape conversion because xeriscaped landscapes usually use automated irrigation timers. In terms of overall impact, by 2022, residents in the Las Vegas Valley had removed over 200,000 square feet (18,000 square meters) of grass, converting the area to drought-tolerant landscaping. During that same period, the Valley’s population increased by 49%, while the amount of water it drew from the Colorado River shrank by 26%.
For more details on the Water Smart Landscapes Program, including before-and-after photos, click here and here.
Climate change is worsening drought conditions, making it imperative to promote water conservation. Southern Nevada Water Authority’s Water Smart Landscapes (WSL) program pays residents to replace their non-native, ornamental lawns with drought-tolerant native plants that consume less water because they are more adaptable to the dry climate. Through the WSL rebate program, residents are paid $5.00 per square foot for the first 10,000 square feet, then $2.50 per square foot thereafter. Businesses are also eligible, with slightly different rebate payment amounts.
After applying for the program, each applicant receives an initial site visit to their property. The purpose of the site visit is to ensure that the property meets the minimum requirements for conversion to native landscaping; for example, the lawn is alive and irrigated. Once approved, the resident replaces their lawn with drought-tolerant native plants (xeric landscaping) or artificial turf. The converted areas must contain at least 50% living plants at maturity. A final site visit verifies that the conversion is suitable and meets program requirements. Then, the resident receives their payment. The rebate covers up to three-quarters of a resident’s out-of-pocket expenses, and the average time between application and completion is about five months.
The WSL program is promoted through local media, advertising (radio, television, print and digital), the Southern Nevada Water Authority’s website, water bill inserts and direct mail, community events, social media, conservation classes, a Speakers’ Bureau, presentations, and through Southern Nevada Water Authority’s member agencies. The promotional posters are interesting, stating “We’re not playing around. Useless grass has got to go.” These posters appeal to residents’ notions of what is the right thing to do, thereby capitalizing on social norms.
Results? On average, for an individual home, the WSL program reduced water consumption by 20% throughout the year. These savings were maintained for up to a decade after the landscape conversion because xeriscaped landscapes usually use automated irrigation timers. In terms of overall impact, by 2022, residents in the Las Vegas Valley had removed over 200,000 square feet (18,000 square meters) of grass, converting the area to drought-tolerant landscaping. During that same period, the Valley’s population increased by 49%, while the amount of water it drew from the Colorado River shrank by 26%.
For more details on the Water Smart Landscapes Program, including before-and-after photos, click here and here.
