Non-Residential Grass Removal Program

Phoenix Offers Financial Grass Co​nversion Incentives to Non-Residential Customers to Help Conserve Water. 

Choosing desert-adapted plants and watering them efficiently can greatly reduce customers’ water use. Phoenix non-residential​ customers can receive $2 per square foot of grass removed by converting to low water use, desert-adapted landscapes. ​

Benefits to Customers and Phoenicians

Opting for desert landscaping is one of th​​e most important things Phoenix customers can do to save water. Choosing desert plants can reduce your outdoor water use by 85% and can reduce landscape maintenance.

Eligibility Requirements - How to Qualify:

Applications are subject to approval and must meet the eligibility requirements. Funds will be issued on a first come, first serve basis. All incentive guidelines and requirements are subject to change at any time. To qualify for the grass incentive, you must meet the following requirements:

1.  Grass must be alive and in place to be eligible. Removals of grass occurring before receiving a Notice to Proceed do not qualify.​

2.  Applicants must be a Phoenix Water non-residential customer and receive a water bill or city services bill from the City of Phoenix. Non-residential properties include: HOA and multifamily common areas, commercial properties, industrial sites, and schools. Contact us to see if your property qualifies.​

3. Applicants must be participants of either the City of Phoenix Business or HOA Water Efficiency program. To become a participant, visit https://www.phoenix.gov/savewaterhoa for HOAs and https://www.phoenix.gov/conservationcatalyst for Commercial, Industrial, and Institutional (CII) customers.

​​4.  The applicant must be the current property owner or an HOA board president. A designated representative, such as a property manager or HOA committee member, may also apply for an incentive with written permission.

5.  A minimum of 1,000 square feet of grass must be removed. Grass removed cannot be reinstalled while ownership of the property is maintained. See terms and conditions.​

6.  A landscape plan by an Arizona registered landscape architect must be submitted to the Planning and Development Department (PDD). Plans must comply with PDD guidelines. Visit the Planning & Development Landscape Review section​ for more information.

7.  The final irrigation system must be an automatic and permanent drip irrigation system.

Required Documentation:

The following documentation is needed to complete the application process. For all required documentation and links, please see the Application Process section.

An IRS W-9 form submitted through myPHX311​.

An approved landscape plan and associated permits issued by the City of Phoenix Planning and Development Department (PDD) through their​ plan review webpage.

A conversion cost bid or estimate.

A documented Notice to Proceed (NTP) from the City of Phoenix Water Services Department (WSD).

A final inspection document from PDD. 

Final cost documentation, following the completed landscape conversion. 

 

Application Process:

1.Participate in a Business or HOA water efficiency consultation.

2. Go through the Planning and Development review process for your landscape plan to be approved and permitted. You must obtain a Civil Landscape (CLS) Permit to apply for the grass incentive. 

3. Submit a W-9 form through myPHX311. This will require you to create an account in  myPHX311 if you do not already have one setup. For Request Type select "Nonresidential Grass" to upload your form.  Retain your Service Request number for the incentive application. BUSINESSES ONLY: Register as a vendor with the City on our website, Finance ProcurePHX if not already registered. This is necessary to receive payment and requires you to complete a W-9 form. Retain your Vendor ID for the incentive application. 

4. Apply for the grass incentive here.

5. Wait for a Notice to Proceed (NTP) document from the Water Conservation Office. DO NOT start work until the NTP has been issued.

• After all documents have been approved and the efficiency checkup is completed, Water Conservation Office staff will issue you a Notice to Proceed. Any work completed before issuance of the NTP will NOT be covered for the incentive payment. DO NOT start work until the NTP has been issued.

6. Begin the Project.

• You have 6 months from the date of the NTP to complete the conversion work.

7. Schedule a final inspection with PDD inspections at pdd.inspections@phoenix.gov and obtain the CofC (Certificate of Completion). 

8. Obtain the final conversion cost documentation (invoice/receipts).

9. Email the following final documents to the Water Conservation Office at wsd.incentives@phoenix.gov:

• CofC (Certificate of Completion) obtained after final inspection (issued by PDD inspections pdd.inspections@phoenix.gov)
• Final cost document for the landscape conversion project in the form of an itemized invoice or receipts.
• HOAs, nonprofits, and schools must submit an IRS W-9 form through myPHX311.

All documents must be in PDF(.pdf) or Word (.doc/.docx format). We cannot accept .jpg files.

Applicants will receive the incentive in the form of a check. Checks will be mailed to the account address on file for your City Services Bill. Please allow up to 60 days to receive the check.

​Additional Information:​

• Eligible costs that meet PDD landscape plan requirements and fall under the grass removal incentive include:
  • Necessary plants and landscape materials.
    
  • Labor for installation.
    
  • Cost of conversion to drip irrigation systems. 
    
• Owners of multiple properties may apply for incentives for each property. Submit one application per property.
  
• A designated representative, such as a property manager or HOA committee member, may apply for an incentive with written permission from the property owner or HOA board president.​

Links Specific to the Detailed Non-Residential Grass Removal Flyer 

Business Water Efficiency Consultations

HOA Water Efficiency Consultations

Arizona Licensed Landscape Architects

Register as a City Vendor

Planning and Development Department Landscape Plan Requirements

Electronic Plan Review System

Planning and Development Department Fee Schedule

A, C, or K Licensed Contractors

Water Services Department Non-Residential Grass Conversion Incentive Application

Schedule a Planning and Development Department Inspection

Contact the Water Services Department Incentives Team

Landscape Plan Checklist

Contact the Planning and Development Department

Arizona Department of Water Resources Low Water Use Plant List

Landscape Plan Review Extension Application

Water Conservation Office Contact Information 

wsd.incentives@phoenix.gov