Artificial Turf Installation and Other Ways to Conserve Water
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, watering an average sized natural lawn for 20 minutes for 7 days is equivalent to taking more than 800 showers. That’s a lot of wasted water, and the number might even be higher for arid areas like Phoenix and Scottsdale. This is one of the reasons whyartificial turf is becoming increasingly popular. Since it requires virtually no watering, you can save thousands of gallons of water annually.
Replace Natural Lawn with Artificial Grass
Outdoor watering accounts for the biggest use of residential water. Therefore, it only makes sense to begin here if you want to reduce your overall water consumption. Every square foot of natural grass you remove helps you save about 55 gallons of water a year. Imagine just how much lower your water bills will be if you completely remove it.
You don’t have to live with a bare lawn for long, though. A backyard clad in luscious, green artificial turf looks just like the real thing. Although the initial cost of installation is quite considerable, the investment basically pays for itself through the years. Because it doesn’t need to be watered, you no longer have to invest in irrigation or water sprinklers. Water companies in a drought-prone area might even offer you a cash rebate for switching to synthetic grass.
Artificial turf also requires no mowing, trimming, fertilizing or pesticides. This makes your lawn more environmentally friendly and greatly reduces your carbon footprint. On top of all this, your backyard will retain its luscious green appearance for many, many years.
Still, there are other ways to bring down your water usage at home even more. Here are some great ideas that you can implement.
Wash Your Car in the Backyard
Need to wash your car before taking it out for the weekend? Skip the carwash and drive it up to your lawn for a good old hand washing instead. The water you use to hose down the car will just flow down to the grass. This helps keep the surface cool and free of debris or dirt as the water drains through the highly permeable top layer. Don’t be afraid to use some car shampoo or any other cleaning agents since it will not affect artificial turf in any way. In any case, try to limit the amount of water you wash with by at least using just a few buckets.
Opt for Native or Desert Plants
Just because the rest of your lawn is fully synthetic, doesn’t mean that you can’t add a few natural touches here and there. If you want to put potted plants around your backyard, choose plants that grow naturally in your area or those that can withstand a desert climate. Native plants from drought-ridden states don’t need to be watered frequently, and they can complement your lawn beautifully. Some great native Arizona plants to use in landscaping right now are the Angelita Daisy, Beavertail Prickly Pear, Blackfoot Daisy, Blue Palo Verde, Engelmann’s Hedgehog, Firecracker Penstemon, and the Weeping Dales.
Professional artificial grass installation companies like Sunburst Landscaping can help you save water and money. For more water-saving landscaping ideas, talk to your installer.
Sources:
The Top 5 Ways to Save Water at Home, Houzz.com
Why Fake Grass is Gaining Popularity, HouseLogic.com
