Utah Water Rebates
St. George, Utah Water Rebates
The Washington County Water Conservancy District runs the Water Efficient Landscape Program (WELP) for St. George and the surrounding southern Utah cities. It pays up to $3 per square foot to replace grass with water-efficient landscaping, with a 300-square-foot minimum. Applicants must pass a pre-conversion site visit before starting, convert the area to a permeable surface (rock, bark, artificial turf, or living groundcover) with the yard on drip irrigation that includes a filter and pressure regulator, and accept a perpetual conservation easement on the converted area, so it stays water-efficient permanently. WCWCD reports that a missing drip-system filter or pressure regulator, and not having enough plants or trees, are the most common reasons an application fails.
Up to $3 / sq ft · Verified September 2026
Water Efficient Landscape Program (WELP)
Open the official program site (opens in new tab)How to apply
- Confirm your property is in the WCWCD service area and has at least 300 sq ft of grass to convert
- Complete the WELP application (the property owner applies; no photos of the existing grass are required)
- Pass the pre-conversion site visit and get approval before starting any work
- Convert the area to a permeable surface on drip irrigation with a filter and pressure regulator, reaching at least 50% living plant cover at maturity
- Notify WCWCD when the project is complete for a final site visit, then sign the conservation easement to receive up to $3 per sq ft
What you'll need
- WELP application (property owner)
- Pre-conversion site visit approval
- Drip irrigation with filter and pressure regulator, installed before the final visit
- Signed conservation easement agreement
Pollinator Patch can help: It picks southern Utah and Mojave Desert natives suited to St. George, designs an HOA-friendly layout that meets the 50% living cover rule, and assembles your before-photo packet for the pre-conversion visit.
Avoid these mistakes
- Don't start the project before approval and the pre-conversion site visit. Starting early makes the conversion ineligible.
- Don't fall below 50% living plant cover at maturity. The converted area has to meet that threshold.
- Don't overlook the perpetual conservation easement. The area must stay water-efficient permanently.
St. George Water Rebate FAQs
How much does Washington County pay to remove grass?
Can I start my project first and apply later?
How much plant cover do I need?
Is there a long-term commitment?
Rebate Concierge
Free step-by-step help with every rebate above
Every program above comes with a free guided checklist in the Pollinator Patch app: the steps in order, warnings before the mistakes that disqualify applications, and a photo locker that keeps your before and after photos and receipts together. A few high-value programs also offer an optional ready-to-file application packet for a one-time $29.99.
Get started
Plan a native yard with Pollinator Patch.
Pick the right native plants for your region, design an HOA-friendly layout, and generate documentation that supports your rebate application.
