Valley residents, businesses honored by water authority for landscaping

photos Special to ViewLeft, the yard of Damon Schuetze and Elizabeth Delgado received third place in the single-family residential professional category by the Southern Nevada Water Authority in its annual contest. The landscaping was designed by Schilling Horticulture. Right, the Northwest Career & Technical Academy was awarded with third place in the commercial/institutional professional category. Southwick LA manages the landscaping for the school, located at 8200 W. Tropical Parkway. photos Special to ViewLeft, the yard of Damon Schuetze and Elizabeth Delgado received third place in the single-family residential professional category by the Southern Nevada Water Authority in its annual contest. The landscaping was designed by Schilling Horticulture. Right, the Northwest Career & Technical Academy was awarded with third place in the commercial/institutional professional category. Southwick LA manages the landscaping for the school, located at 8200 W. Tropical Parkway. Advertisement

Who says xeriscaping isn't pretty? The Southern Nevada Water Authority's annual contest brought out the best in yards and landscaping.

The contest encourages homeowners and businesses to swap water-chugging landscaping with drought-tolerant plants and rock scaping to save water. Such landscapes can use up to 75 percent less water than turf.

The Southern Nevada Water Authority received about 50 entries for the contest. A panel of professionals from the landscape industry drove to each site to select the award winners.

"They looked at each entry, not just for the aesthetics, but that it is very water efficient," said Kristen Howey, the water authority's public information coordinator.

This year marks the 11th year since the inception of the competition. There were 46 participants. Northwest Las Vegas-area winners include:

* Northwest Career & Technical Academy, 8200 W. Tropical Parkway, Professional Category (Commercial/Institutional), landscaping by Southwick LA -- third place.

* Los Prados Country Club, 5150 Los Prados Circle, Professional Category (Multi-Family/HOA), landscaping by SB Landscaping -- third place.

* Damon Schuetze & Elizabeth Delgado, Back Yard, Professional Category (Single-Family Residential), landscaping by Schilling Horticulture Group -- third place.

There were no properties awarded in North Las Vegas.

"The awards are a perfect opportunity for us to exhibit how attractive desert landscaping can be, and allows us to recognize those who are saving water by embracing water-efficient landscaping," said Doug Bennett, the water authority's conservation manager.

Those who switch to desert landscaping not only save on their water bill, they get a rebate.

The Water Smart Landscapes rebate gives customers $1.50 per square foot of grass removed and replaced up to the first 5,000 square feet converted per property, per year. Beyond the first 5,000 feet, the water authority will provide a rebate of $1 per square foot.

The maximum award for any property in a fiscal year is $300,000.

Bennett said all the winners were "really proud of what they'd accomplish ... A yard ... it's a significant part of their living space."

The water authority reports that more than 125 million square feet of turf have been removed since 1999, resulting in nearly 25 billion gallons of water saved. It averages out to 7 billion gallons a year.

"Every day, they (the winners) can look at their yard and think: 'I did that,' " Bennett said.

For more information, visit www.snwa.com.

Contact Summerlin and Summerlin South View reporter Jan Hogan at jhogan@viewnews.com or 387-2949.