City officials in Washington City, Utah, sparked a conversation after sharing news on Facebook about a turf removal project.
Have you noticed the turf removal project happening on Green Spring just north of Buena Vista Blvd? This project...
Posted by Washington City Utah on Tuesday 3 June 2025
"This project includes the removal of 26,000 square feet of non-functional grass which will conserve 1.1 million gallons of water!" the Washington City Facebook page said in the post's caption. "The water saved is equivalent to 17,600,000 glasses of water each year."
When one person claimed that this would add 10 degrees to the town's average temperatures, the Washington City Facebook page replied, "It's a common misconception that lawns are the best way to reduce urban heat. While grass does offer some cooling through water transpiration—similar to a misting system—it uses FOUR TIMES more water than trees and shrubs."
While some people were supportive of this initiative, other people expressed skepticism about the city's intentions.
"Until the city and surrounding communities lead by example by denying any new golf courses or developments with ridiculous 'water features,' don't expect us to give up our measly little bit of decorative lawn if we don't want to," a concerned citizen commented.
There's no denying the frustration people in Washington City feel about this imperfect solution. It can be upsetting to see municipal programs talk the talk but not walk the walk in every area of public life.
While concerns over water usage on large-scale developments is a fair one, the incentives on offer at least make turf replacement more feasible for homeowners. The Washington County Water Conservancy District is currently offering a water-efficient landscape rebate to residents. For each square foot of grass someone replaces, they can get up to $2. The minimum amount is 300 square feet, which would net around $600.
The replacement plants must be water-efficient, and native plants fit that bill. Native plants require less water and resources to maintain than grass lawns. They're also super helpful for maintaining local ecosystems and feeding local pollinators, which are important for our food supply chains. And as for decorative concerns, it's not hard to find some absolutely stunning inspiration for native plant gardens.
Rewilding overlaps with the option of creating a natural lawn instead. Clover and buffalo grass can provide benefits to pollinators and don't need as much water or intensive care as well.
Other yard upgrades can include using sheet mulch to replace your grass lawn and using natural methods to control weeds.
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