Many new residents to the Las Vegas, Henderson and North Las Vegas areas are shocked to find out that they are not allowed to water their lawns whenever they want to. This seems especially strange to them when they notice that watering their lawns only during the times when they are actually allowed to under the city rules does not provide enough water to keep a lawn green and healthy in the desert heat. What is even worse is that the city is monitoring your water usage and can choose to fine you if you break the law with regards to wasting water. When you sign up for service and the water is turned on at your location, you have signed a legal agreement that you will abide by the “service rules,” and wasting water is a violation of these rules that can result in both fines and the complete disconnection of your water service until these fines are paid. The fines are quite substantial if you are found to be wasting water, and are as follows in Las Vegas:
| Meter Size (in inches) | 1st Violation | 2nd Violation | 3rd Violation | 4th Violation | 5th Violation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 or less | $80 | $160 | $320 | $640 | $1,280 |
| Over 1 but less than 3 | $160 | $320 | $640 | $1,280 | $2,560 |
| 3 or greater | $320 | $640 | $1,280 | $2,560 | $5,120 |
While it is standard practice for the city to investigate potential water waste practices before issuing a notice that the homeowner can correct and then send back to prove that steps have been taken to stop the waste, this is generally unsatisfactory as the violations are usually for watering outside of the specific days and times that you are allowed to do so. As many people watch their lawns start to dry up and die in the Las Vegas heat, they find that the only way they can keep it healthy is to break the law and water during restricted times. This does not correct the water wasting situation, and potentially opens that homeowner up to fines for not complying. Those who have just spent the money to install a beautiful lawn of green sod find it quite difficult to watch as their lawn dies due to watering restrictions. Our best advice is to have artificial turf installed instead of grass, which will remain green and lush without any watering at all.
If you have not taken the leap yet to install artificial turf or xeriscaping in your Las Vegas, Henderson or North Las Vegas home or business, it is important for you to know what the watering restrictions for your area are, and abide by them to avoid fines. Each city has their own restrictions, broken down by groups which are decided by your address. If you are in a specific group, then you are only allowed to water on certain days and at certain times. They are as follows:
| Watering Group | Winter (November-February) |
Spring/Fall (March-April/September-October) |
Summer (May-August) |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Monday | Monday, Wednesday, Friday | Monday-Saturday |
| B | Tuesday | Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday | Monday-Saturday |
| C | Wednesday | Monday, Wednesday, Friday | Monday-Saturday |
| D | Thursday | Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday | Monday-Saturday |
| E | Friday | Monday, Wednesday, Friday | Monday-Saturday |
| F | Saturday | Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday | Monday-Saturday |
There are additional watering restrictions in Las Vegas which are as follows:
- From May 1 through Aug. 31, landscape watering is prohibited from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Watering with a handheld hose and supervised testing of your irrigation system are allowed any time.
- Watering new or reseeded landscapes daily for up to 30 days is allowed once per calendar year. You need to call (702) 822-8571 before the planting takes place so they can make note of this on your water account.
In addition, these are the watering restrictions for North Las Vegas:
These are the watering restrictions for Henderson:
Over the past few years in Las Vegas and in surrounding areas, the average temperature in the summer has been rising. Last summer was the hottest ever on record across the nation. The temperatures that we are encountering are showing no signs of cooling, and are probably just going to get hotter. The restrictions put in place by the city do not provide enough water to keep a lawn healthy in nearly all cases, and you will eventually see your investment dry up and die. For this reason, we suggest the installation of artificial turf in order to get that green lawn look that you want but are not allowed to have as long as we are in a drought situation. Contact us today to find out more about fake grass and what we can do for you. There are even benefits that are offered by the city that are available to those who install low-water landscaping, we can help you with them.