Quick answer
Most Front Range lawn replacement money is spent for the year. The main near-term option is Aurora's GRIP, which takes applications Nov 1, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027 ($3 per sq ft for a water-wise yard). Thornton's own rebate takes projects finished by Oct 31. Castle Rock, Denver Water, the Resource Central cities, Highlands Ranch, Parker, Pinery and Fort Collins are full or closed until 2027. Castle Pines North lists a rebate but not whether 2026 money is left.
Water providers up and down the Front Range will pay you to swap bluegrass for plants that drink less. The catch is timing: most of the money opens in late winter or spring and is gone by summer. Below is every program we could check, what it pays, the rules that cost people their rebate, what your HOA can and can't say about it, and what you will actually save on water.
Program by program
Ordered by how soon you can get money. Each card says when we checked it and links the official page, because these change mid-season.
Opens Nov 1, 2026Aurora
Aurora Water: Grass Replacement Incentive Program (GRIP)
$3 per sq ft for a water-wise landscape, $0.50 per sq ft for water-wise grass. Max: No per-project cap published.
- Next window: apply Nov 1, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027, then install by July 31, 2027. (The spring group closed Aug 15 and had to install by Oct 15, 2026.)
- Approval comes first. Aurora's words: "Do not remove your grass until your application, design and plant list calculator are approved." Rebates are not retroactive.
- The grass has to be healthy when you apply. Dormant is fine; dead grass, weeds and bare dirt do not count.
- Minimum size: the whole front yard or a 500 sq ft section of it (same rule for the curbside strip). In back, the larger of 300 sq ft or 35% of the backyard grass.
- At least 50% living plant coverage.
- Rebates of $600 or more are taxable: expect a W-9 and a 1099.
Checked Oct 2026 · Aurora GRIP page · 2026 GRIP residential manual (PDF)
Open now, projects due Oct 31, 2026Thornton
Thornton Water: Water-Wise Landscape Rebate
Up to $2 per sq ft, based on your total project cost. Max: 1,000 sq ft per account, lifetime (about $2,000).
- This is Thornton's own rebate. Its 2026 completed-project deadline is Oct 31, and the city page does not say the money has run out. If you cannot finish by then, plan for the 2027 rules.
- Projects run from 200 to 1,000 sq ft, and the rebate never pays more than the project cost.
- Thornton Water (and your HOA, if you have one) has to approve the design before work starts.
- No more than 50% bare mulch at mature plant size, no more than 30% moderate-water plants, and all-rock projects do not qualify.
- Rebates of $600 or more are taxable.
- Thornton also offers the Resource Central discount (up to $750), but that part is full for 2026.
Checked Oct 2026 · Thornton Water rebates · 2026 landscape rebate rules (PDF)
Full for 2026, usually opens Mar 1Highlands Ranch
Centennial Water (Highlands Ranch Water): Turf Replacement Program
$2.50 per sq ft for ColoradoScape, $1.50 per sq ft for low-water turf. Max: 2,000 sq ft (up to $5,000 for ColoradoScape).
- Centennial Water: "All rebate funding for 2026 has been exhausted." The usual window runs Mar 1 to Oct 1.
- Minimum 250 sq ft. For ColoradoScape, plants must cover at least 75% of the converted area at mature size, the strictest coverage rule on this page.
- Apply online before you start, get HRCA (or Solstice ACC) approval, and expect a site inspection.
Checked Oct 2026 · Centennial Water turf replacement
Full for 2026, 2027 not announced yetDenver Water customers
Denver Water: Turfgrass removal discount (through Resource Central)
Up to $750 off turf removal (a discount, not a rebate check). Max: $750.
- Denver Water says its 2026 turfgrass removal discounts "have all been allocated to customer projects for the year," and that it will post an update if discounts return.
- The discount runs through Resource Central's Lawn Replacement Program, so its rules apply: 200 sq ft minimum and at least 50% plant material.
- Resource Central says its 2027 applications open in spring. Whether Denver Water funds another round is Denver Water's call, so watch its page.
Checked Oct 2026 · Denver Water turfgrass removal
Full for 2026, reopens spring 2027Boulder, Lakewood, Westminster, Arvada, Longmont and other Resource Central cities
Resource Central (nonprofit) with your water provider: Lawn Replacement Program
Removal at $1 per sq ft instead of $2.75, or DIY plant kits. Max: $750 discount.
- Resource Central: "Our Program Is Full For 2026 And We Have Closed Applications." The 2027 application opens in spring (2026's opened March 9).
- How the money works: removal normally costs $2.75 per sq ft. Your provider pays $1.75 of that, up to a $750 discount, so you pay $1 per sq ft for roughly the first 428 sq ft. The DIY route covers up to 400 sq ft of Garden In A Box kits.
- Rules: 200 sq ft minimum, and the new area has to be at least 50% plant material.
- 2026 partners included Denver Water, Boulder, Westminster, Thornton, Arvada, Lakewood, Longmont, Golden, Broomfield, Louisville, Lafayette, Erie, Northglenn, Englewood, Littleton, Wheat Ridge, Jefferson County and the South Metro Water Supply Authority, among others. Each provider decides whether it joins again in 2027.
By city
- Boulder: Up to $750 in discounts, "while supplies last." City of Boulder water conservation.
- Lakewood: Reported at up to a $750 discount for at least one 200 sq ft section of lawn. The DIY option sold out in 2026. Lakewood outdoor water programs. Amount seen in search results for the city page; confirm there.
- Westminster: The city lists free turf removal service and DIY options but no current dollar figure, so check with the city. Its HOA-only neighborhood grants are fully allocated for 2026. Westminster drought page.
- Arvada: No dollar figure published that we could confirm. Check with the city. Arvada water-saving programs.
- Longmont: The city page gives no dollar figure. Check with the city. Longmont water conservation.
Checked Oct 2026 · Resource Central Lawn Replacement · Resource Central FAQ
Full for 2026, reopens spring 2027Parker Water customers
Parker Water and Sanitation District: Turf removal discount (through Resource Central)
Up to $750 off turf removal (a discount, not a rebate check). Max: $750.
- Parker Water offers "$750 turf removal discounts" through Resource Central with the South Metro Water Supply Authority, first come, first served, closing when the year's money runs out.
- You apply on Resource Central's Lawn Replacement site, which is full for 2026 and opens its 2027 application in spring. Its rules apply: 200 sq ft minimum and at least 50% plant material.
Checked Oct 2026 · Parker Water rebates · Resource Central Lawn Replacement
Full for 2026Pinery Water customers (Parker area)
Pinery Water and Wastewater District: Turf Replacement Program
Reported at $5 per sq ft of grass removed. Max: Reported at $2,000 per project.
- Pinery Water's program page: "Turf Replacement Program FULL FOR 2026."
- The 2026 guidelines are reported to require at least 100 sq ft and to pay first come, first served.
Rate, cap and minimum seen in a search excerpt of the 2026 guidelines; confirm there.
Checked Oct 2026 · Pinery Water turf replacement · 2026 guidelines (PDF)
Closed, check back Jan 2027Fort Collins
Fort Collins Utilities: Xeriscape Incentive Program (XIP)
$0.75 per sq ft, plus $0.25 per sq ft for 80% Colorado natives. Max: $750, or $1,000 with the native bonus.
- Fort Collins: "Applications for the residential Xeriscape Incentive Program are closed. Please check back for updates in January 2027." It is first come, first served.
- The base rebate covers up to 1,000 sq ft. The native bonus applies when at least 80% of the plants are Colorado natives.
- Projects must be approved before installation, finished within a year, and reach 50% plant coverage at maturity.
- XIP is funded by a state grant.
Checked Oct 2026 · Fort Collins XIP
Closed for 2026, 2027 details expected April 2027Castle Rock
Castle Rock Water: Residential ColoradoScape Renovation rebate
$3.25 per sq ft for ColoradoScape. Max: 1,500 sq ft per account (about $4,875).
- Castle Rock Water: "The 2026 Residential ColoradoScape Renovation rebate program is now closed. Program details and eligibility requirements for 2027 will be available in April 2027." The rules below are 2026's and may change.
- At least 400 sq ft or the entire front yard of healthy, high-water grass. Apply and get an initial site visit before you start.
- Areas turned into concrete, decks or other non-permeable surfaces earn $1 per sq ft, as long as the design also includes plants. Artificial turf does not qualify for any part of the rebate.
- Rebates of $600 or more are taxable.
Checked Oct 2026 · Castle Rock Water rebates
Full for 2026, reopens spring 2027Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs Utilities: Native Grass Lawn Program (free seed, not cash)
Free native grass seed (up to $150 value) and sprinkler nozzles (up to $100). Max: In kind, no cash.
- "Registration for the 2026 program is closed after reaching maximum capacity." There is a notification list for spring 2027.
- You take classes (in person or on demand) and grow the lawn from seed. It suits spots with 6 or more hours of sun.
- We found no cash rebate for converting an existing home lawn. The New Home Landscape Incentive is for new construction only.
Checked Oct 2026 · CSU Native Grass Lawn Program
Listed, 2026 funding not postedCastle Pines North
Castle Pines North Metropolitan District: Sod Replacement Rebate
Up to $3 per sq ft for residential. Max: Minimums and maximums in the district's fact sheet.
- The district lists "Up to $3/sq. ft. for residential" sod replacement but does not say whether 2026 money is left. Call 303-688-8550 before you count on it.
- Get your design approved first: the district says there is no guarantee a sod removal rebate will be approved otherwise. Designs need roughly 50% ColoradoScape plants.
- Rebates have to be submitted in the same calendar year and are not retroactive to past years.
Checked Oct 2026 · Castle Pines North conservation rebates
Not confirmed for 2026Loveland
Loveland Water and Power: Lawn replacement
Check with your utility.
- We could not confirm a 2026 lawn replacement program, and Loveland is not on Resource Central's 2026 partner list. Call or check Loveland Water and Power before you plan on any money.
Checked Oct 2026 · Loveland Water and Power residential programs
ClosedState of Colorado
Colorado Water Conservation Board: Turf Replacement Grant Program
Grants to local programs only. Max: Homeowners cannot apply.
- "As of March 2025, CWCB is no longer accepting applications," and it expects the program's money to be used up.
- Homeowners and HOAs were never able to apply directly. The state money flowed through local programs (Fort Collins XIP is one), so your water provider is the door.
Checked Oct 2026 · CWCB turf replacement
What your HOA can and can't require
Colorado law limits how far an HOA can push back on a water-wise yard. The main rules come from SB23-178 (2023), now C.R.S. 38-33.3-106.5(1)(i.5). This is our plain-English summary, not legal advice.
Who it covers
Detached single-family homes in an HOA. It does not cover townhomes that share a wall or condos. Townhomes fall under an older, weaker rule: the HOA cannot ban xeriscape outright, but it can regulate the type, number and placement of plants.
What the HOA cannot do
- Ban xeriscape or drought-tolerant landscaping on the property you are responsible for, including a tree lawn or right-of-way strip you maintain.
- Unreasonably require rock or other hardscape on more than 20% of the landscaped area.
- Refuse you an option that is at least 80% drought-tolerant plantings.
- Ban vegetable gardens (which the law says include pollinator plants and flowers) in the front, back or side yard.
- Skip the pre-approved designs: every HOA has to pick at least 3 water-wise front-yard designs that are approved in advance. Use one and it counts as approved, and you can swap in reasonable substitute plants. The designs can come from Plant Select or a city or utility, and the HOA has to post them on its website if it has one.
What the HOA can still do
- Run design review and set aesthetic guidelines, including the type, number and placement of plants and hardscape, within the limits above.
- Enforce real safety rules, wildfire defensible space, and limits on changing grading or drainage.
Two practical notes. The law sets no plant-coverage percentage; the 50% to 75% minimums you run into come from rebate programs, not the HOA statute. And rebates often need HOA sign-off anyway (Thornton asks for it where it applies, Highlands Ranch requires HRCA approval), so ask your HOA for its 3 pre-approved designs early.
We read the signed 2023 act and found no later amendment to this section as of Oct 2026. If you are heading into a dispute, check the current statute text: SB23-178 bill page, signed act (PDF).
What you save on water (less than you'd think)
Here is the math for a Denver Water customer converting 1,000 sq ft. Other utilities charge different rates, so treat this as a ballpark.
- Grass: Denver Water says a typical customer puts 18 gallons or more per sq ft on bluegrass each year, and has put it at roughly 20 elsewhere. (It also says only 12 is actually required.)
- Water-wise plants: about 7 gallons per sq ft per year, per Denver Water.
- Saved: 11 to 13 gallons per sq ft, or about 12,000 gallons a year for 1,000 sq ft.
- Price: outdoor water lands in the upper tiers of the bill. Denver Water's 2026 rates run from $5.44 per 1,000 gallons (Tier 2, inside Denver) to $10.49 (Tier 3, suburban Total Service customers).
- Result: 12,000 gallons at $5.44 is about $65; at $10.49 it is about $126. Call it $65 to $125 a year per 1,000 sq ft for a typical household.
Denver Water's temporary 2026 drought charge adds $1.10 (Tier 2) or $2.20 (Tier 3) per 1,000 gallons through April 30, 2027, or until the board ends it, which nudges the savings up while it lasts. We did not count sewer charges or the fixed monthly charge, and new plants need extra water for their first season or two, so the savings start after that.
Now the other side. Resource Central's regular removal price is $2.75 per sq ft, or $2,750 for 1,000 sq ft, before you buy a single plant. At $65 to $125 a year, water alone takes something like 20 to 40 years to pay that back. A rebate like Aurora's $3 per sq ft covers it in one go. That is why the timing of these programs matters more than the water bill. You also stop mowing and fertilizing, which we have not priced.
Sources: Denver Water, 2019, Denver Water, 2023, Denver Water 2026 rates, Denver Water drought charges, Resource Central.