The short answer
| City | Overseeded grass | Dormant Bermuda | Desert landscape | Saved per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix | $2,837 | $2,064 | $929 | $1,909 |
| Tempe | $2,044 | $1,486 | $669 | $1,375 |
| Mesa | $2,040 | $1,484 | $668 | $1,372 |
| Gilbert (2025 rate) | $1,814 | $1,319 | $594 | $1,220 |
| Scottsdale | $1,476 | $890 | $272 | $1,204 |
| Chandler | $1,214 | $883 | $397 | $817 |
Multiply by your own square footage: a 40,000 square foot common area is four times these numbers. These are planning estimates for grass watered exactly as much as it needs. Most real-world turf gets more, so actual bills usually run higher.
How much water grass actually uses here
AMWUA says Bermuda grass overseeded with winter rye needs "more than 55 inches" of water a year in the Phoenix area, and Bermuda that goes dormant in winter needs "over 40 inches." A desert landscape needs less than 18 inches (AMWUA).
One inch of water over one square foot is about 0.62 gallons. So 10,000 square feet of overseeded grass takes about 343,000 gallons a year, dormant Bermuda about 249,000, and a desert landscape about 112,000.
University of Arizona research lands in the same place: high-quality overseeded Bermuda in the Phoenix area uses about 57.7 inches a year, and acceptable-quality turf about 49.9 inches, before rain and sprinkler efficiency are counted (UA Extension AZ1314).
Uneven sprinkler coverage is the hidden multiplier. If one head is clogged, controllers often get turned up for the whole zone, and every square foot pays for the driest one.
2026 landscape water rates by city
| City | Rate class | Usage rate | Effective | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mesa | Commercial landscape water | $5.95 per 1,000 gal (first 3,000 gal/month included), plus $2.99 per 1,000 gal on use above your Dec to Feb average | April 1, 2026 (as reported) | City Council schedules; Mesa Independent |
| Gilbert | Landscape / irrigation | $5.29 per 1,000 gal (latest posted rate); a 25% increase took effect April 1, 2026 | April 1, 2025 rate | Town rates; KTAR |
| Tempe | Landscaping | $5.96 per 1,000 gal | Not stated on the city page | City rates |
| Scottsdale | Landscape / irrigation | $1.72 to $6.27 per 1,000 gal in four monthly tiers (top tier over 20,000 gal) | Nov 1, 2025 | Rate schedule |
| Chandler | Landscape irrigation | $3.54 per 1,000 gal (inside city) | March 2, 2026 | City rates |
| Phoenix | All customers | $4.93 to $6.13 per unit (748 gal) by season, plus $0.62 per unit environmental charge | March 1, 2025 | City rates |
How we did the math: gallons per year divided by 1,000 (or by 748 in Phoenix), times the usage rate. Scottsdale's tiers were applied to an even monthly split, and Phoenix uses the average of its three seasonal rates. Both are a little low in real life, because grass drinks most of its water in summer, when Scottsdale's top tier and Phoenix's high-season rate apply.
Mesa's summer surcharge isn't in the table either. It applies to use above a property's own winter average, which is exactly what summer turf does, so Mesa grass can cost up to $2.99 more per 1,000 gallons than shown. Gilbert's numbers use the 2025 posted rate because the new 2026 rate isn't on the Town's page yet; with the approved 25% increase, expect roughly a quarter more.
What winter overseeding adds
Overseeding is the green winter lawn, and it isn't free. AMWUA says overseeding takes about 8,000 gallons per 1,000 square feet for the season, versus about 500 gallons for dormant Bermuda (AMWUA).
For 10,000 square feet that's about 75,000 extra gallons each winter: roughly $446 in Mesa, $447 in Tempe, $397 in Gilbert (2025 rate), $266 in Chandler and $621 in Phoenix, before seed, mowing and labor. Skipping overseeding on grass nobody uses in winter is the fastest savings most HOAs can find.
Where the money goes for most HOAs
The Valley's Water Use It Wisely campaign says up to 70 percent of a household's water use happens outdoors (Water Use It Wisely). HOA common areas are almost all outdoor water, so the grass is usually the single biggest line on the landscape water bill.
- Decorative grass along streets, entries and parking islands costs the same to water as a park, and nobody plays on it
- Slopes and narrow strips waste water to runoff and overspray
- Grass people actually use for play, pets and events is usually worth keeping
What converting saves, and who helps pay
Replacing 10,000 square feet of overseeded grass with a desert landscape saves roughly $800 to $1,900 a year in usage charges alone, depending on your city, and more where Mesa's surcharge or summer tiers apply. AMWUA says a xeriscape can save 50% or more on outdoor water use.
Several cities will also help pay for the conversion. Mesa pays $2 per square foot, up to $50,000 per property in a 12-month period; Phoenix pays $2 per square foot; Tempe covers half the cost up to $20,000; and Chandler covers a quarter up to $20,000. Approval comes before any grass is removed. See our city-by-city rebate comparison and the Mesa HOA water incentives guide.
Want the number for your own property? Try our water savings calculator with your grass area and your rate from the water bill.
How Pro Turf helps
We measure the grass, separate what's used from what's just watered, check the irrigation, and give boards an itemized plan with the rebate paperwork the city asks for. Contact us and we'll walk the property with you.
Sources
- AMWUA: Grass facts to help you re-evaluate your yard
- AMWUA: Rethink your winter lawn and skip overseeding
- Water Use It Wisely: Grass and artificial turf
- University of Arizona Extension AZ1314: Turfgrass consumptive water use values for the Phoenix area
- City water rate pages for Mesa, Gilbert, Tempe, Scottsdale, Chandler and Phoenix, linked in the rate table above. All checked November 1, 2026
