Xeriscape Rebates in Denver: How to Get Money Back for Replacing Your Lawn
Denver Water and several Front Range utilities help pay for replacing water-hungry turf with drought-tolerant landscaping. In 2026, demand was high enough that Denver Water's turf-removal discounts were fully allocated early in the year. If you're planning a conversion anyway, our lawn removal service covers the tear-out, and we'll tell you which programs apply to your address and build to their rules where you're eligible.
For the statewide picture — Colorado Springs, Fort Collins, Aurora, and other providers in one table — see our Colorado xeriscape guide. This page focuses on the Denver metro: what Denver Water offered, what's still open nearby, and how these programs actually work.
Why Denver Pays You to Xeriscape
Denver Water has been under Stage 1 drought restrictions since March 2026, and lawns are the biggest outdoor water draw on most residential lots. From October 1, 2026, lawn watering is banned outright in Denver Water's service area — and the ban carries into spring 2027 until the board lifts it. For a utility, paying to take turf out is cheaper than finding more water. For you, a converted yard is one that doesn't care what stage gets declared next.
A finished xeriscape conversion — drought-tolerant and low maintenance.
Denver Water's 2026 Program: What Happened
Denver Water partnered with Resource Central to offer residential customers up to $750 off Resource Central's turf-removal service in 2026. It ran first-come, first-served, and it's done for the year. Denver Water's turfgrass removal page says: "Due to popularity, the turfgrass removal discounts for 2026 have all been allocated to customer projects for the year. Resource Central no longer accepts new applications."
One detail matters if you're comparing options: the discount applies to Resource Central's own removal service. Resource Central does the work with its own crews — you can't bring your own contractor and apply the discount to their bill.
What the Program Required
- Minimum 200 square feet of turf removed
- No artificial turf as the replacement
- Resource Central's program requires at least 50% waterwise plants in the new area, and a commitment to adjust irrigation afterward
Denver Water notes that program timing and terms can change year to year, so treat these as a guide, not a promise for 2027.
How to Get Ready for 2027
- Get on Resource Central's 2027 interest list through resourcecentral.org/lawn
- Watch Denver Water's turfgrass removal page — if discounts return, that's where they'll post it
- Measure and plan now — know your square footage and what you want in its place, so you can apply the day a program opens
Other Front Range Programs
Denver Water isn't the only provider in the metro. If your water comes from someone else, check their program — some are run on different timelines.
Aurora Water (GRIP)
Aurora's Water-Wise Landscape Rebate pays $3/sq ft for a traditional water-wise landscape and $0.50/sq ft for water-wise grass. Aurora Water must approve the project before installation, and the rebate isn't retroactive. The 2026 spring application window ran March 1–August 15, 2026.
Castle Rock Water
Castle Rock Water offers ColoradoScape renovation rebates. The design has to include plant material — it can't be all hardscape — and artificial turf doesn't qualify for any part of the rebate. Check Castle Rock Water's current program.
Parker Water & Sanitation District
PWSD offers turf-removal discounts through Resource Central, first-come, first-served. Check PWSD's current program.
Broomfield
Broomfield runs its lawn replacement program with Resource Central. Check Broomfield's current program.
Thornton and Other Providers
Thornton Water lists water-wise landscape and lawn replacement programs on its residential rebates page. For Westminster, Superior, Erie, and other providers, check your utility's current program — many partner with Resource Central.
What a Conversion Costs
Rebates are a discount, not the budget. Our xeriscape installs start at $6/sq ft, and most land between $6 and $10/sq ft:
| Area converted | Typical install cost ($6–10/sq ft) |
|---|---|
| 500 sq ft | $3,000–5,000 |
| 1,000 sq ft | $6,000–10,000 |
| 2,000 sq ft | $12,000–20,000 |
Design is $500, credited toward the project on installs over $5,000. Any rebate you qualify for comes off from there. The full breakdown is in our xeriscaping cost guide.
Rock mulch, native plants, and gravel paths in place of water-hungry turf.
What Qualifies as a Rebate-Eligible Xeriscape?
Every program writes its own rules, but the pattern across the Denver area is consistent:
Usually Counts
- Native and drought-adapted plants — shrubs, perennials, grasses, groundcovers
- Mulch and rock, as long as the design still includes real plant coverage
- Permeable surfaces like decomposed granite or flagstone
- Drip irrigation in place of spray
Usually Doesn't
- Artificial turf — excluded by Denver Water's program and Castle Rock's; assume it won't count elsewhere
- All-rock or all-hardscape designs with no plants
- High-water plants that need as much irrigation as the lawn did
A xeriscape design built on native and adapted species meets these rules without stretching.
How These Programs Actually Work
There are two basic models in the metro, and it's worth knowing which one you're dealing with.
Discount on a partner's service (Denver Water 2026, Resource Central partners). You apply to Resource Central. If approved, Resource Central removes the turf with its own crews and the discount comes off their price. Resource Central also runs a do-it-yourself path where you remove the lawn yourself and plant a waterwise replacement under their guidance.
Rebate after pre-approval (Aurora GRIP, for example). You apply with your plan, the utility approves it before any work starts, you complete the project to their rules, and the rebate follows. Skip the pre-approval and you don't qualify.
Either way: check the program is open, get approved before you remove anything, and follow the approved plan.
Other Ways to Save on Water
Denver Water's outdoor rebates page lists a rebate for high-efficiency sprinkler nozzles, separate from turf removal. If you're keeping some spray zones, it's worth a look. If you're converting beds, drip is the bigger win — and it's still allowed after October 1 when spray irrigation isn't.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I do the work myself?
For Denver Water's 2026 program, the discount applied to Resource Central's removal service. Resource Central also has a DIY path. Check the terms for whatever program your provider runs in 2027.
Can I hire my own contractor and still get the Denver Water discount?
Not under the 2026 program — the discount came off Resource Central's own service, done by their crews. Other utilities (Aurora, for example) pay a rebate on a pre-approved project instead. Check your provider's rules.
Does my rental property qualify?
Programs generally apply to the water customer on the account. Check with your provider directly.
What if I only want to remove part of my lawn?
Denver Water's program required at least 200 square feet — roughly a 14×14 ft area. You don't have to convert everything at once.
Can I use artificial turf as the replacement?
Not for Denver Water's or Castle Rock's programs. Assume it won't qualify elsewhere unless the program says otherwise.
Will the rebate cover my entire project?
No. A $750 discount against a 1,000 sq ft conversion at $6,000–10,000 is a meaningful offset, not a full subsidy.
I'm outside Denver Water's service area. What do I do?
Check your water bill to see who your provider is, then look up their current lawn replacement or landscape rebate program. Resource Central partners with many Front Range providers.
Getting Started in the Right Order
- Identify your water provider — your bill tells you
- Check current program status — don't assume last year's program is still open
- Get on notification lists — Resource Central emails its interest list when applications open
- Plan your project now — measurements, photos, and a planting concept ready before a program opens
- Get approved before any demo — most programs require it
The Bottom Line
Denver Water's 2026 turf-removal discounts are gone. Aurora, Castle Rock, Parker, Broomfield, and Thornton customers should check their own programs, and Denver Water customers should get on Resource Central's list and watch for a 2027 program.
Want to see what a finished conversion looks like? Browse our projects.
Ready to Plan Your Conversion?
Xeris designs and installs xeriscapes across the Denver metro. We'll walk your yard, tell you which programs apply to your address, and build to their rules where you're eligible. Request an estimate.