Since 2023, the St. George Metropolitan Area in Utah has replaced nearly 3 million square feet of grass with water-efficient landscaping as part of the Washington County Water Conservancy District’s Water Efficient Landscape Program.

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Since 2023, the Washington County Water Conservancy District's Water Efficiency Landscape Program has replaced more lawn on a per capita basis than Las Vegas.

“To put that into perspective, over the last few years our residents have replaced more lawn on a per capita basis than the national leader in grass replacement – Las Vegas,” said Doug Bennett, district conservation manager. “In fairness, Las Vegas has already done a tremendous amount of work, but our stats demonstrate our community’s commitment to using the resource efficiently.”

Bennett oversaw the grass replacement program in Las Vegas for more than two decades before joining the district.

The voluntary landscape conversion program is a focus of the district’s water conservation efforts because lawns use four times more water than trees and shrubs. A 2023 analysis determined as much as 40% of the region’s lawn was decorative, using almost three billion gallons of water annually.

Participation in the district’s program is increasing annually, with residential conversions more than doubling since 2023. “The program is the region’s most cost-effective way to extend its water supply so it’s great to see this level of success,” said Bennett. “We still have a lot of work to do, but we’re trending well.”

To address new development, the district's eight municipal customers united to adopt Utah’s highest Water Efficiency Standards in 2023. The standards prohibit non-functional lawn in new commercial, institutional and industrial developments and limit lawn in residential developments to 8% of the lot size, with a cap for large lots. To sustain compliance, the district adopted a water rate structure that discourages excess use.

The district’s water conservation initiatives have reduced the St. George area’s per capita water use almost 50% since 2000.

About Washington County Water Conservancy District

The Washington County Water Conservancy District is a not-for-profit public agency that oversees water resources in Washington County, UT. Visit wcwcd.gov for more information.

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Since 2023, the Washington County Water Conservancy District's Water Efficient Landscape Program has replaced nearly 3 million square feet of grass with water-efficient landscaping - replacing more lawn per capita than Las Vegas.