For anyone living in the desert, a lush green lawn is a constant battle against nature. It's a huge drain on water and a big expense. But now, Southern Nevada is offering to pay residents to give up that battle and make a smart change.
A report from Fox5 Las Vegas lays out the details of a boosted incentive program from the Southern Nevada Water Authority. The agency is now offering homeowners an impressive $5 for every square foot of grass they replace with "water-efficient, drip-irrigated plants and trees" for the first 10,000 square feet and $2.50 per square foot thereafter.
There are even additional local incentives available, as covered on the water authority's website, including a Tree Enhancement Program that pays $100 for every new tree installed within certain criteria.
The reason for this push is serious. "Because landscape irrigation accounts for about 60 percent of Southern Nevada's overall water use, converting grass to water-efficient landscapes is vital as the community continues to face federally mandated reductions in the amount of water it can draw annually from Lake Mead," a news release stated, referencing the source of 90% of the area's supply.
This kind of conservation is critical on a global scale. As detailed by Earth.Org, with less than 1% of the planet's water accessible for us to use, overuse puts immense strain on vital ecosystems and threatens long-term water security. The switch to drip-irrigated landscaping makes a huge difference, using just 18 gallons of water per year per square foot, compared to the 73 gallons required for grass.
This is a smart trend that's catching on elsewhere.
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In California, another utility is offering residents cash incentives for similar water-saving upgrades. Some communities are getting even more creative, such as a city in Utah that has turned its water conservation efforts into a game. Efforts like these are making a real difference, and the Utah initiative helped the iconic Lake Powell recently reach its highest water levels in years.
It's a simple idea, really. Pay people to make a choice that saves them money and protects a resource everyone needs — a true win-win.
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