Rebate guideTurf and the Washington County rebate: what qualifies

Does artificial turf alone qualify for the rebate?

No. The district's FAQ asks, "Is there an incentive for replacing my lawn with artificial turf?" Its answer starts with "Not exactly." It accepts turf in place of mulch, but only if the turf is permeable to air and water. Every other rule still applies, including plant cover and drip irrigation¹. A yard that swaps grass for wall-to-wall turf gets $0.

Other hard swaps don't pay either. Concrete where grass used to be earns nothing, and the district subtracts it from the measured area. Trading your lawn for a low-water grass doesn't count. Ungrouted pavers or flagstone that let water and air through can count as mulch, as long as the other rules are met¹. That matters if you're planning a paver patio as part of the project.

Check eligibility with the district before you start; pre-approval is required. Removing or killing your grass before approval and the pre-conversion site visit makes the project ineligible²¹. If an ad promises a turf rebate, check it against the district's own terms before you sign.

What does the district pay right now?

The program agreement sets the amounts. It pays $2 per square foot for qualifying converted areas. Projects completed between June 9, 2026 and June 1, 2027 get a supplemental $1 per square foot on the first 1,000 square feet. Projects in Santa Clara get another $1 per square foot on the first 500 square feet².

• Treebate: $100 for each qualifying shade tree added to the project².
• Cap: $100,000 per property, per calendar year².
• Minimum: 300 square feet of grass. Exemptions can apply when all the grass comes out of one area, like a whole park strip or a front or back yard².
• Not eligible: projects required to comply with a regulation, code or policy, and areas the district already ruled ineligible².
• Payment: checks go to the property owner within 30 days after the district has all required documents. A check is void after 90 days².

The district's program page headline says it pays $3 for each square foot¹. The agreement shows how that works: $2, plus the temporary $1 on the first 1,000 square feet². Every square foot past 1,000 gets $2.

When can turf be part of a project that qualifies?

Turf can be part of a real water-efficient conversion. The converted area needs living plants covering 50% of it at maturity, drip irrigation on its own valves, and at least 2 inches of mulch. Rock, bark, ungrouted pavers and permeable artificial turf all count as that mulch. You also grant a conservation easement that never expires².

• Plant cover: the district counts each tree as 350 square feet and each shrub, groundcover or perennial as 35 square feet, at mature size¹.
• Drip: dedicated valves, a filter, a pressure regulator and emitters rated at 20 gallons per hour or less, all visible for inspection².
• Leftover grass: grass next to the converted area must be at least 8 feet wide. Sprinklers can't spray or flow into the converted area².
• Weed barrier: impermeable barriers like plastic are prohibited².
• Easement: no irrigated lawn, spray irrigation, pools or water features in the converted area, ever. It's recorded with the Washington County Recorder¹.

True Turf builds the turf, rock, paver and planter parts of a yard like this. Ask True Turf about the drip work and the plant layout before you apply. See desert landscaping with plants on drip for how the pieces fit.

What does the math look like on a real yard?

Here's one 1,000 square foot lawn done two ways, for a project outside Santa Clara finished by June 1, 2027. Plan B uses the district's own plant-counting guide. The district's site visit and final inspection set the real qualifying area, and payment is based on the area that qualifies at completion¹².

In Santa Clara, Plan B would get $500 more, from the extra $1 on the first 500 square feet²; see Santa Clara's bonus. Unlike concrete, permeable turf used as mulch isn't subtracted from the measured area². For what each plan costs to build, see what turf costs in St. George.

Which towns can use which program?

The district program covers properties in St. George, Washington, Hurricane, Santa Clara, Ivins, La Verkin, Toquerville, Virgin and unincorporated Washington County². Cedar City, Enoch and unincorporated Iron County use the state's program through Utah Water Savers³. Several nearby towns, including Kanab, Leeds and Springdale, weren't on the state's eligible list when we checked⁴.

Mesquite isn't a Utah program, but people ask. Its water district says it encourages conservation through its rate structure and education, and its conservation page lists no turf or lawn rebate⁷⁶.

How is the Cedar City and Enoch program different?

It's run by the Utah Division of Water Resources and pays $2.00 per square foot of grass removed and replaced, up to $50,000 per application. It excludes turf in plain words: water-efficient landscaping "does NOT include; artificial turf, a swimming pool, water feature, or concrete"⁵. Pavers and other permeable materials are allowed if plants cover 50% of the project area⁵.

• Project size: at least 200 square feet of living, maintained lawn⁵.
• Plants: waterwise perennials or shrubs must cover 50% at maturity, and trees don't count toward it⁵.
• Drip: emitters no bigger than 5 gallons per hour, with a filter and a pressure regulator⁵.
• Mulch: 2 to 4 inches of permeable gravel, rock, bark or similar wherever there aren't pavers or stone⁵.
• Payment: a check from the State of Utah after the final inspection and a W-9, which Utah Water Savers says takes about 90 days⁵⁸.

See landscaping in Cedar City and Enoch for local lawn rules and winter weather.

How do you apply without losing eligibility?

Apply first, then wait. A district representative contacts you within 14 business days to set up a pre-conversion site visit. If you start work before approval and that visit, the conversion is ineligible². Keep the grass alive until then. The district says current Utah law requires living grass for program participation¹.

1. Apply on the district's site before any demolition².
2. Keep watering. Shutting the water off for up to a month before the visit is OK if grass blades still show. Don't clear the area¹.
3. After approval, finish the project and request inspection within 12 months².
4. Sign the conservation easement in front of a notary, and turn in all documents within 6 months of finishing¹².
5. Owner-occupied primary homes without rental income skip the W-9. Second homes, rentals and businesses send one²¹.