Over-Watering Los Angeles Lawns Costs A Fortune.
A study conducted by the University of Utah showed that over-watering of lawns in Los Angeles wastes a lot of water due to evaporation – as much as 70 Billion gallons per year.
The study was funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and was conducted a few years ago, before California’s mandatory water-reduction laws were put into place – and have since been rolled back.
The key take-home points from the results of the study are:
- There is a pattern of systemic overwatering of the city’s lawns.
- LA’s trees provide shade and cooler temperatures.
- There is a correlation between water loss and household income.
Item #3 above is the most interesting: the study found that in wealthier neighborhoods, people tend to over-water their lawns more than people who live in poorer neighborhoods.
The study was conducted a few years ago, before California Governor Brown imposed mandatory restrictions on the amount of water California residents were allowed to use. Governor Brown’s restrictions worked, and Angelinos used about 25% less water during the restrictions than they did before the restrictions were put into place.
Now that the drought is over, it remains to be seen whether people will remember the drought and will continue to reduce the watering of their lawns.
Read the full news release of the Univ of Utah/NSF study here.