A city in Colorado is implementing a bold program for its residents in an effort to minimize water consumption.
To encourage water conservation, the city of Cortez, Colorado has promoted a Turf Replacement Program that provides rebates to property owners who swap out high-maintenance lawns in favor of drought-tolerant landscaping. As reported by the Journal, the program was first launched in April 2024.
Thanks to a grant from the Colorado Water Conservation Board, the program is designed to cut down on the high summer water usage throughout the state. Like in many cities across the country, Cortez residents can often dramatically increase their water usage in the summer months.
As one of the most common reasons for high water usage, lawn watering can cause water bills to skyrocket. According to a report from the United States Environmental Protection Agency, American households use an average of 320 gallons of water every day. A staggering 30% of that amount is reserved for outdoor use.
To help offset the impacts of high water usage and save homeowners money, the Turf Replacement Program encourages low-water landscaping, such as xeriscaping. The minimal landscaping approach focuses on the use of drought-tolerant plants and efficient irrigation. It aims to minimize or eliminate the need for supplemental watering.
In most cases, the use of native plants goes hand in hand with xeriscaping. Native plants are better-suited to local climates and require less water than non-native species, making them ideal for creating low-maintenance landscapes. Many native plants also offer additional benefits like attracting pollinators and supporting local ecosystems as well.
Noah Peterson, project engineer for Cortez, explained the importance of the program and how beneficial it would be to residents who opted in.
"It's not zeroscaping, but it's about moving turf," Peterson told the Journal. "If you remove your turf, you can get a rebate for how much you removed. If you can remove 1,000 square feet, you can get $2 per square foot."
"While homeowners can receive hefty rebates through the Turf Replacement Program, the ultimate end goal is to help them save even more money in the long run. It's really more about water conservation, making sure that we're doing our part, getting those water bills down as much as possible," added Peterson.
|
If you were to switch from a grass lawn to a more natural option, which of these factors would be your primary motivation?
Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Making it look better 🌱 
Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
TCD Picks » Upway Spotlight
💡Upway makes it easy to find discounts of up to 60% on premium e-bike brands
Cool Picks
