These Phoenix programs will pay you to help save water
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Illustration: Gabriella Turrisi/Axios
Phoenix residents looking to cut back on their water usage — and bills — can benefit from several city programs built to encourage water efficiency.
Why it matters: With looming cuts to the city's share of Colorado River water, the city could institute drought surcharges on water bills, making household water savings all the more valuable.
Catch up quick: Phoenicians are actually pretty good at conserving water.
- Per an April presentation to the Phoenix City Council, per-capita residential water use was lower in 2025 than at any point at least since 1990, despite the population nearly doubling.
- The city has avoided mandatory reduction measures because it finds voluntary conservation efforts to be longer-lasting.
- "People aren't angry that the water cop is driving around," says city water resources management adviser Max Wilson.
Residents certainly can save more, though, and Phoenix takes a carrot-not-the-stick approach to helping them.
Grass removal program
The city's biggest and most popular incentive city will pay $2 for each square foot of grass removed in favor of "low water-use landscape."
- Outdoor residential use accounts for 27% of city water usage, so ripping out grass for desert landscaping can save a lot.
- Caveat: A minimum of 250 square feet of grass must be removed to qualify for the program and grass cannot be reinstalled by the same homeowner.
By the numbers: Since the grass removal program started in 2024, the city has approved 1,053 applications and reimbursed $2 million.
- About 1.26 million square feet of grass has been converted to desert landscaping.
Free consultations and kits
Homeowners can also schedule free in-home water conservation consultations with city personnel.
- The city also will provide a free AZ Water-Wise Kit, which includes a water-efficient shower head, a bathroom faucet aerator, an automatic hose timer and a drip irrigation repair kit, among other items.
Low-flow toilets and smart irrigation controllers
The city will pay residents $75 each for installing low-flow toilets and smart irrigation controllers.
- Yes, but: Phoenix has received only 145 toilet applications, approving just 57 and reimbursing $5,100.
Zoom out: Even if you're not looking to remove your grass — or if you already have — the Water Services Department offers copious resources on how to water efficiently.
- That includes three desert landscaping plans, with specifics on plant choice and watering cadence.
The bottom line: "We're seeing customers reduce their water use really, really rapidly on a day-to-day basis," Wilson says. "And so far, that's been sufficient for us to be able to meet all of our all of our goals."