What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, as the saying goes, but that might not include grass for much longer. The Southern Nevada Water Authority is asking the Nevada Legislature to outlaw “nonfunctional turf” in Las Vegas, which they say is the grass that no one ever walks on, such as in roadway medians. There’s some pushback on the idea, but not as much as you might think.
This isn’t a new fight; the Water Authority banned developers from planting green front yards in new subdivisions in 2003. They also offer owners of older properties up to $3 per square foot to tear out sod and replace the grass with plants like cactus and succulents, all in an effort to cut down on water usage.
Are they going to make people switch to a yard full of dirt and sand? The officials pushing the proposal say they’re not; a member of the Water Authority’s board, Justin Jones, says “We are not coming after your average homeowner’s backyard.” Last year was one of the driest in history for the area, with a record 240 days with no rainfall.
Source:ABC News