Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Cities looking to mow down water usage

Local governments and agencies looking for ways to stem water use may start topping sports fields with artificial turf and replacing grassy lawns and medians with rocks and desert brush.

"We're trying to do what the homeowners are being asked to do," Henderson Parks and Recreation Director Jim Norman said. "Take a look at what is essential and keep it, and those that aren't, stop doing them."

Officials across the valley are looking at plans that could save millions of gallons of water a year as Southern Nevada and the rest of the West suffer through the worst drought on record.

As the Las Vegas Valley's water suppliers adopt water use restrictions and raise water rates to encourage conservation, local agencies are re-examining ways they can turn off the sprinklers.

Water-use reductions being considered:

An acre of grass consumes on average 3.5 million gallons of water a year. "Lush" desert landscaping uses 958,000 gallons a year, according to the water authority.

The average household of four uses about 326,000 gallons of water a year.

Southern Nevada Water Authority Director of Resources Ken Albright commended the local governments for looking for and finding ways to reduce water use.

"They're trying to set the example for all the customers," Albright said. "They're in the same mode all of us should be in."

Since 1999 at least 6.3 million square feet of grass has been removed, 775,000 of which was by public agencies, water authority spokeswoman Tracy Bower said.

One of the larger projects was the replacement of about six acres of grass with desert landscape at the state's Grant Sawyer Building in Las Vegas. This change, which was completed in March 2002, was projected to save more than 10 million gallons of water a year.

In addition to specific water-reduction proposals being pushed by some government departments, North Las Vegas staff are in the process of completing a general review of city road medians, parks and the municipal golf course to find places where grass can be replaced with less water-intensive landscaping.

Already North Las Vegas has used City Hall to take a visible steps toward water conservation. Beginning about a year ago, the city transformed what was a grass courtyard into its own Desert Demonstration Garden, which is projected to save 2.3 million gallons of water annually.

Las Vegas resident Ann Armstrong, whose apartment complex recently had its grass torn up and replaced with desert landscaping, said she thinks it is a good idea.

"It was a little shocking at first, but we're growing accustomed to it," she said Monday. "We've got to do all we can with the water situation the way it is."

Armstrong pointed to a swath of rock-and-brush landscaping along the edge of a lake in Sunset Park.

"This looks good," she said. "I think they've done a wonderful job here."

Marilyn Zinke agreed that the desert landscaping can be attractive but said she thinks it is important that public parks be kept green.

"Las Vegas already doesn't have enough grass," she said. "People, especially kids, need a place they can go to play on the grass and not just see dirt all the time."

If Las Vegas does move forward with plans to use artificial turf for soccer fields, it would be at least the second use of the material on a public field here.

An infield of one baseball diamond at Clark County's Desert Breeze park was turned from grass to artificial turf in November.

"Everybody loves it," Jeff Harris, county manager of park planning, said. "It's even. It looks real. It feels real, and it plays like real grass."

Paul Essison, who plays softball in Sunset Park, said he approves of efforts to replace natural grass fields with artificial turf.

"The county's got to lead the way in reclamation by example," Essison said.

He and teammate Jason Hall dismissed the idea that a change of surface would diminish the playing experience.

"Any softball player who loves the game will play on dirt and rocks," Essison said.

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