LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — The city of Las Vegas is making changes to some parks as part of water conservation efforts, raising concerns from some residents about the impacts of replacing grass with artificial turf.
Several projects are underway or complete at 15 city parks. The city says in most cases it is not replacing popular grass fields and recreation areas with artificial turf. In some cases, unused grassy areas are being removed, such as patches in parking lots, or replaced with new facilities like pickleball courts or an outdoor pool. Only one park has removed unused grass to make way for new fields of artificial turf.
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Water authority approves rebate
Last week, the Southern Nevada Water Authority approved a rebate of up to $4 million for the city’s projects. The rebate was met with pushback from the community, citing concerns over rising heat from grass removal and possible pollution from artificial turf.
Norm Schilling opposes replacing grass with artificial turf.
“And every once in a while, I measure temperatures. And every single time, I have never found a hotter surface than artificial turf,” Schilling said. “It runs 10 to 25 degrees hotter than asphalt. It bakes the soil beneath it. It kills all microorganisms. It is a huge heat sink in our already heating up valley.”
Julie Wignall also opposes replacing grass with artificial turf.
“Living grass does far more than consume water. It produces oxygen. It cools the environment. It captures carbon and reduces the pollutants in the air while providing a living surface for people to gather, to play, and exercise,” Wignall said. “Artificial turf does none of these things. It has a short lifespan of artificial textiles that release organic pollutants, heavy metals, and microplastic pollution.”
Councilwoman defends projects
Las Vegas City Councilwoman Olivia Diaz, who is on the Southern Nevada Water Authority board of directors, defended the projects but acknowledged more could be done in areas where non-functional grass is removed.
“We don’t necessarily have to change it for artificial. It could also be plants that are native that require less water that we could be putting. So I just wanted to clarify that it’s not removing tons and tons of grass and putting artificial turf,” Diaz said.
The city of Las Vegas released a statement saying in part: “Grass that is not used can be replaced with water smart landscaping without an impact on residents and recreational opportunities…The city still offers plenty of open space with grass, sports fields, splash pads and pools, and our commitment to sustainability allows for the city to continue to provide these amenities.”
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