Las Vegas Turf Conversion: Keep the Irrigation Plan

Confirm the Program Route Before Removal

SNWA separates single-family residential enrollment from business, multifamily and association-property requests. Use the route that matches the property and confirm the water-service eligibility. Requirements for a commercial landscape should not be copied into a single-family project without checking their applicability.

The residential application requires a pre-conversion visit and authorization before lawn removal. If assistance matters to the project, make that approval a written hold point in the contractor’s schedule. Do not rely on a contractor’s estimate of a future payment or assume work already started will qualify.

Inventory Trees and Existing Irrigation

Walk the area with the landscape provider and mark every tree or shrub that will remain. Identify which valves currently serve them and whether those valves also operate the lawn sprinklers. Ask how retained plants will receive appropriate water after the turf zone is changed.

Request a drawing of the proposed zones, emitters and access points. A blanket instruction to turn off the lawn system leaves too much uncertainty. Include inspection of existing leaks or damaged components so new planting is not installed over an unresolved irrigation problem.

Compare Planting, Surface and Drainage Details

SNWA’s Water Smart Landscapes materials describe conditions for the converted landscape, including plant coverage and continued maintenance. Review the current conditions that apply to the approved project before finalizing the design. Ask the provider to show how the proposed planting plan meets those conditions without promising an automatic rebate.

Discuss shade, access and runoff alongside the new surface material. Identify where roof water or irrigation drainage will travel and how valves remain accessible. If the conversion includes a path or patio, separate that construction scope from the landscape work and confirm any applicable local review.

Make the Handoff About Operation

Have the installer demonstrate every irrigation zone and label the controller clearly. Request the initial watering plan and the process for adjusting it as plants establish and seasons change. The maintenance plan should distinguish retained mature plants from new ones.

Keep approval records, photographs and the final planting layout together. Ask who handles any program inspection corrections and which tasks remain the owner’s responsibility. Review the installed work before final payment, including capped or removed sprinkler components, accessible valves and the route of buried lines.

• Which SNWA application fits this property type and water service?
• How will retained trees receive water after the lawn zone changes?
• What approvals, inspection corrections and maintenance duties are included?

Sources And Local Resources

Official sources checked October 17, 2026. Confirm current requirements with the authority responsible for your property.

• SNWA Water Smart LandscapesLandscape conversion program and pre-conversion approval context; incentive amounts are intentionally omitted.
• SNWA Business LandscapesDistinct business, association and multifamily landscape context; not treated as a single-family mandate.