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Albuquerque pays up to $3.00 per sq ft to ditch your lawn.

The Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority (ABCWUA) pays homeowners to replace thirsty grass with a planted, water-wise yard. The catch: you need an inspector's approval before you touch the grass, a planting plan that uses ABCWUA's plant list, and a final inspection within six months. Here's how it works, what it pays, and what tends to grow well here.

Albuquerque rebate at a glance

Rebate
Up to $3.00 per sq ft of grass converted
Before you start
Inspector pre-approval, before any grass comes out
Time to finish
6 months from approval
How often
One rebate per fiscal year (July 1–June 30)
Paid as
A credit on your water bill, 1–2 billing cycles after the final inspection
Funding
Limited each year; apply early

Estimate only. Checked against Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority on October 22, 2026. Official rebate rules

Who qualifies

Residential ABCWUA water customers with living grass they want to replace. Sewer-only accounts don't qualify, and each household can get one xeriscape rebate credit per fiscal year (July 1 to June 30). If you're in Rio Rancho, Corrales or another nearby town, your water may come from a different provider with its own rules.

What you'll save on water

We're still confirming ABCWUA's current residential rates, so the calculator uses a conservative placeholder for the dollar savings. Your water bill shows your actual rate. The bigger, steadier win is gallons: our working estimate is that a bluegrass lawn in Albuquerque's heat drinks roughly 25 gallons per square foot a year, and a planted xeriscape on drip about a quarter of that.

The 5 steps to your Albuquerque rebate

Do them in this order. Skipping ahead, especially pulling grass before step 4, can cost you the rebate.

  1. Make a planting plan

    Pick plants from the ABCWUA Xeriscaping Guide and list each one by its scientific name with its rebate points. A pro can do this for you.

  2. Apply online

    Submit the application and plan at abcwua.org.

  3. Book the first inspection

    Call 505-289-3026 (weekdays 8am–2pm). Slots usually take 1–2 weeks.

  4. Get approved, then start

    Once approved, your rebate is reserved and you have 6 months to finish.

  5. Final inspection, then the credit

    After it passes, the rebate shows up as a credit on your water bill.

Source: ABCWUA xeriscape rebate rules

The full rules, in plain English

  • Get an inspector's pre-approval before removing any grass. Call 505-289-3026 (weekdays 8am–2pm; allow 1–2 weeks).
  • Submit a landscape plan listing each plant by scientific name with its rebate allowance points, using plants from the ABCWUA Xeriscaping Guide.
  • Replant at least half of the approved area (plant allowance equal to 50% of the turf removed).
  • Plants must be at least one-gallon container stock.
  • Cover the soil between plants with at least 3 inches of mulch.
  • Spray irrigation doesn't qualify: convert it to drip, bubbler, or hand watering. Areas watered by sprinklers or micro-sprinklers are excluded from the rebate area.
  • Finish within 6 months of approval, then pass a final inspection.
  • One rebate credit per fiscal year (July 1–June 30), paid as a credit on your water bill within 1–2 billing cycles (up to 90 days).
  • Program funds can run out.

Plants that thrive in Albuquerque

Albuquerque sits at about 5,000 feet with hot summers, cold snaps and alkaline soil. These plants are well proven here. Before you buy, check each one against the ABCWUA Xeriscaping Guide: only plants on that list count toward your plan's rebate points, and they must be one-gallon size or larger.

  • Desert willow (Chilopsis linearis)

    Small shade tree with orchid-like pink to purple flowers all summer.

  • Apache plume (Fallugia paradoxa)

    Tough native shrub; white flowers turn into feathery pink seed heads.

  • Blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis)

    New Mexico's state grass. Fine, wispy texture with eyelash seed heads.

  • Red yucca (Hesperaloe parviflora)

    Grassy clump with coral flower spikes that hummingbirds love.

  • Penstemons (Penstemon spp.)

    Spring spikes of red, pink or purple; many local natives to pick from.

  • Chocolate flower (Berlandiera lyrata)

    Yellow daisies that smell like cocoa in the morning.

  • Desert marigold (Baileya multiradiata)

    Bright yellow blooms from spring to frost on silvery leaves.

  • Globemallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua)

    Apricot-orange cups; thrives on almost no water once established.

  • Fernbush (Chamaebatiaria millefolium)

    Aromatic, fern-like leaves and white summer flowers.

  • Threeleaf sumac (Rhus trilobata)

    Dense native shrub with red fall color; good for screening.

Rebate-ready landscapers in Albuquerque

We're hand-picking our first Albuquerque landscapers now. Check your rebate today and we'll match you as soon as they're on board.

Albuquerque rebate questions

How much does ABCWUA pay?

Up to $3.00 per square foot of grass you convert, paid as a credit on your water bill within one to two billing cycles after the final inspection. There's also a bulk organic mulch rebate for xeriscape participants; ABCWUA hasn't published that amount on its rebate page, so ask when you apply.

Can I just put down gravel?

No. The plan has to replant at least half of the converted area (measured in ABCWUA's plant allowance points), the soil between plants needs at least 3 inches of mulch, and spray sprinklers have to go. A living yard is what earns the rebate, and it's cooler and better looking than rock.

What happens if I remove the grass before the inspection?

You risk losing the rebate entirely. The inspector needs to see and measure the living grass first. Book the initial inspection at 505-289-3026 (weekdays 8am to 2pm) and allow one to two weeks.

How long do I have to finish?

Six months from approval, then call for the final inspection. Spring and fall are the easiest planting windows in Albuquerque, so many people get approved in late winter or late summer.

What about my sprinklers?

Spray irrigation doesn't qualify. Switch the converted area to drip, bubblers or hand watering. Any part you keep watering with sprinklers or micro-sprinklers is left out of the rebate area.

Do I need a landscaper?

No, you can do it yourself and still get the full rebate. A pro who knows the program saves you the plan, the plant math and the inspection back-and-forth. Our calculator shows both DIY and pro cost ranges.

See what your Albuquerque yard is worth

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