Homeowners in one of the country's most populous, drought-affected cities could get the opportunity to replace their lawns with one that's more water-friendly — and they could get that upgrade for free.
As LAist reported, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power has kicked off a free front-yard conversion program for eligible residents. LADWP contractors will work with those who qualify to remove water-guzzling grass lawns and replace them with drought-resistant lawns full of native plants and other water-smart features.
The Landscape Efficiency Assistance Program is available to those who live in single-family homes within a designated disadvantaged community. The homes also must have between 1,000 and 3,000 square feet of green grass in their front yard and rain gutters on the front of the house.
Renters can even qualify for the program, as long as they receive written permission from their property's owner.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, about one-third of residential water use is for landscape irrigation, or about 9 billion gallons per day.
Finding ways to use less water is important for all Americans — but especially in Southern California, which has seen its fair share of heat waves, droughts, and wildfires in recent years. As the planet continues to get hotter, so, too, will these extreme weather conditions that contribute to water scarcity.
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Each home that qualifies for the LADWP program will get to choose between one of five preapproved lawn designs. Each removes grass in favor of options like xeriscaping — drought-resistant landscaping — and adds options like rock gardens, rain gardens, or rain barrels.
For those who don't want to tear up their whole yard, the LADWP also offers qualified residents free installation of high-efficiency sprinklers, along with a controller and monitoring device for them.
"We recognize that some areas may have very limited access to green space, and so there may be some customers that would rather prefer to keep their lawn, but may not be irrigating it efficiently," Terrence McCarthy, water resources policy manager, told LAist.
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