Watts Passes First-of-its-kind Ban on Grass to Save Water

A new Nevada law will outlaw “non-functional” grass because of the region’s drought problem, in an effort to conserve water. The nonfunctional grass makes up 31 percent of all grass in the Las Vegas area.

The grass being targeted includes grass not routinely used in office parks, street medians, and entrances to housing developments. The ban excludes grass at single-family homes, parks and golf courses.

The bill, sponsored by Nevada Assemblyman Howard Watts III, has bipartisan support. Watts said he hopes to see other states take similar action leading up to 2026, when states will renegotiate the Colorado River’s Drought Contingency Plan.

Watts said he viewed the turf removal legislation as “the next step in a paradigm shift for the Southern Nevada Water Authority".

Read more from Eco Watch, Associated Press, Las Vegas Review Journal, and The Nevada Independent.