CONVERSION COUNTDOWN

Take out your calendars and note the following: There are only 26 days until the first night of Hanukkah and 47 days until Christmas. But the date that's really important is Dec. 31; it's the last day property owners can convert water-thirsty grass yards to xeriscape and receive a rebate from the Water Smart Landscape program.

Well, at least within the rules of the current program.

J.C. Davis, public information coordinator for the Southern Nevada Water Authority, said the program now in place rebates customers $2 per square foot of grass for the first 1,500 square feet removed and replaced with xeriscape (water-efficient landscape). The rebate becomes $1 per square foot in excess of 1,500 square feet.

"What's happening is that SNWA staff is reviewing and restructuring the program that will become effective on Jan. 1, 2008," said Davis. "The rebate program itself isn't going away. It's just being changed again since it was first offered in 1999. Back then, we offered 40 cents per square foot and moved it to $1 in 2004. It went to $2 per square foot in 2006. At this time, I don't know what the new rates will be. Maybe they'll go up, maybe down. Our technical people are still studying a great amount of data to determine next year's incentive."

Davis said the 2006 increase was an incentive to encourage homeowners to remove small unused areas of grass, such as those that came with the home when it was purchased.

"After lengthy research, we determined two things," said Davis. "One was that people wanted to convert and second, the average residential conversion was about 1,500 square feet. The $2 rebate made it more feasible to meet the costs involved in conversion because the most frequently asked question was how much is this conversion going to cost. Most homeowners spend $2-$3 per square foot to xeriscape. More elaborate ones with retaining walls and lighting can climb to $5 per square foot or more. We suggest attending one of the free classes at the Springs Preserve. More info is at springspreserve.org."

Studies show that converting grass areas to xeriscape can reduce irrigation water use by as much as 75 percent, in addition to reducing maintenance time and costs.

Locals banks are participating in the landscaping conversion program by offering home-improvement loans. And since SNWA issues rebate checks in less than 60 days after the project is completed, the rebate can be applied against the principal of the loan.

While many homeowners are xeriscaping lawns with drought-resistant grasses and shrubs, others are discovering the joy of an artificial green yard. Joe Wadkins knows all this. He is chief executive officer of Turf Depot Direct, a company that handles several synthetic turf products. He is also a certified installer and has seen dramatic advances over the years.

"Everyone knows about Astroturf," he said. "Now there are companies specializing in synthetic turf where fibers are a little yellowish-green to show iron deficiency. It mimics grass perfectly. Homeowners just have to make sure that the turf is permeable, allowing air and water to pass freely."

Wadkins said synthetic turf, when properly installed, does not require a great deal of maintenance as long as there is a good drainage system. It can be incorporated into a qualifying water-smart landscape, although not as a substitute for plants. And, he remarked, it's safe for pets.

As if Lassie really cares.