2024’s Most Expensive Cities for Watering the Lawn

How have watering restrictions and bans on grass lawns impacted homeowners?

They haven’t been able to have the verdantly green and lush lawns that they want. These green lawns can create local cooling and make living environments cleaner and more inviting.

What factors determine the local cost of water to consumers?

It depends on where they get their water from. Municipal water pricing is usually on a per-gallon basis. Every municipality prices these slightly differently and the prices are usually based on their costs. This is usually water from garden hoses connected to their home water supplies and is potable water and thus is higher cost due to the higher quality standards.

Some irrigators have access to a separate supply of water from an irrigation district. This water does not come through the home and thus is not potable, and often doesn’t have incremental pricing (‘just don’t use more than a given amount,” for example) and is therefore less expensive.

What are your five best tips for minimizing the cost of lawn irrigation?

1. The water needs of grass changes drastically throughout the season. Thus, don’t use a set schedule for your lawn that doesn’t change throughout the season. Most home lawn and garden irrigators over-irrigate in the spring, they might under-irrigate during the middle part of the summer, and then over-irrigate again in the fall.

The times that they over-irrigate, they are spending more money for water than is necessary and they can leach nutrients (primarily the nitrate form of nitrogen) out of their soil profile and move it towards the groundwater. Estimates of grasswater use (evapotranspiration) are often available for free online depending on your state.

2. Keep your irrigation system repaired, adjusted, and in good working order. Non-uniform irrigation means that more water must be applied everywhere in order to adequately irrigate the spots that get less water.

3. Get a good irrigation system designed by someone who knows what they’re doing. You pay the penalty for poor irrigation system designs for the entire life of the irrigation system.

4. Don’t irrigate every day. Irrigating every day results in a lot of water lost to evaporation from a wet soil and grass surface. It also encourages grass diseases. Figure out how much water your soil can hold, apply that much water all in one irrigation event, and then don’t irrigate again until that water has been used up.

Most soils can hold about 1 inch of water in the shallower root zone of lawn grass. This can be much less for sandy soils. It takes anywhere from 4 days to 3 weeks to use 1 inch of water, depending on where you live, what time of year it is, and what the weather is like. When making irrigation timer modifications for the changing seasons and weather, change the interval between irrigations instead of the irrigation run times (how much water is applied each time).

5. Let your grass get slightly water-stressed during the middle of the summer. It will save a lot of water.

Drip irrigation system vs. sprinkler system: Which is better and why?

Drip irrigation is significantly more efficient, but it is expensive to set up and maintain. It makes much more sense in beds with perennial bushes with nothing in between and is more difficult in areas where everything needs to be irrigated (like lawns).

Buried drip irrigation can have issues with plugging, primarily due to unclean water, or root intrusion. Unclean water is most common in non-potable water supplies and root intrusion is most common when deficit irrigating — roots go looking for water and find it in the drip emitters.

Drip irrigation can reduce water requirements by 20% to 40% depending on the climate and type of sprinkler irrigation system they are replacing.

Climate change, inflation, and high energy costs are driving up Americans’ water bills. What measures can various levels of government take to lower water prices and keep them under control?

Most governments aren’t charging more than their costs for supplying the water at the flow and quality levels that their customers want. Therefore, the only way to significantly modify water costs is for irrigators to lower their water use. High water prices are the biggest motivation for conservation.

How much water and expense do drought-tolerant grass types really save homeowners?

Not much if they are irrigated the same as regular grass varieties. Drought-tolerant grass varieties specialize in being able to survive the water being turned off for long periods of time. They usually survive by going dormant. But this dormant phase makes lawns look brown and dead and homeowners don’t like it, so they keep irrigating them.

Research shows that water use can be cut by up to ½ by deficit irrigating lawn grasses and they will recover with drought-tolerant varieties recovering much better from these droughts. They look bad though and home-owners aren’t getting out of lawns what they want.

How have watering restrictions and bans on grass lawns impacted homeowners?

Watering restrictions have become a common occurrence across Texas. Historically, watering restrictions were typical primarily during drought periods, but we are seeing more cities and utilities implement permanent year-round watering restrictions — often limiting landscape irrigation to only 1 day a week or no more than 2 days a week.

Obviously, no one wants to have a dead lawn, so homeowners are becoming more receptive to incorporating water conservation technologies and practices into their landscapes.

What factors determine the local cost of water to consumers?

Traditionally water costs were based on recuperating the costs to pump, treat, and convey the water.

However, costs are increasing due to a growing population and an aging utility infrastructure. Developing newer water supplies and treatment facilities is expensive depending on the source. Additionally, older pipelines can begin to leak over time, requiring expensive infrastructure upgrade projects.

In the absence of state and federal funding, the bulk of these costs are passed down to the consumers.

What are your five best tips for minimizing the cost of lawn irrigation?

1. Irrigation system maintenance. Check the system regularly for leaks and damaged hardware that can waste water such as sprinklers irrigating streets and sidewalks.

2. Pressure regulation. Most residential irrigation systems do not require high pressures for operation. Operating sprinklers at pressures higher than recommended by the manufacturer can result in higher evaporation from misting sprinklers as well as wind drift losses. Operating at the correct pressure increases efficiency and reduces the amount of water needed to be applied to maintain a healthy landscape.

3. Seasonal irrigation scheduling. Water requirements vary throughout the year. Turn off the irrigation system in the winter when most plants are dormant. Spring rains can be more than sufficient to meet plant watering needs. In the summer, irrigate in the early morning so water can better infiltrate deeper into the soil and not evaporate at the surface.

4. Cycle soak and deeper watering. When irrigating, water deeply and less often. This helps encourage deeper root systems in plants which makes them more resilient during drought periods and able to maximize their storage of rainfall. When long daily irrigation runtimes are needed, divide the irrigation into 2 or 3 short cycles throughout the day that allow more time for water to infiltrate deeper into the soil with less chance of becoming runoff.

5. Incorporate newer technologies. Smart controllers and rain and soil moisture sensors can be great tools for preventing unnecessary watering.

Drip irrigation system vs. sprinkler system: Which is better and why?

Each type of system has its place in the landscape. Overall, drip irrigation has an advantage over sprinklers when it comes to application efficiency. When installed below the surface (subsurface) the water applied goes straight into the soil and the plants’ root zone. There are no losses due to wind or surface evaporation. However, drip systems can be very costly in larger turfgrass landscapes.

Sprinkler systems are often more cost-effective for larger spaces. High efficiencies can be achieved through proper design principles including proper spacing, pressure regulation, and incorporating multi-stream, multi-trajectory type sprinkler nozzles.

Climate change, inflation, and high energy costs are driving up Americans’ water bills. What measures can various levels of government take to lower water prices and keep them under control?

Conservation is always cheaper than having to develop new water supplies. Watering restrictions and improving infrastructure help, but also maximizing their reuse capabilities can reduce strains on the water system.

Using “reclaimed water” that has been treated for reuse can allow the higher quality treated water to be used for primary potable water needs such in the home for drinking, cooking, and cleaning.

How much water and expense do drought-tolerant grass types really save homeowners?

A healthy lawn can be maintained with less water than most people think.

A common overused saying is that turfgrass requires an inch of water a week. This can be true of turfs with “peak” water use which can occur around the end of July to early August over a 2-4 week period, but isn’t necessary the majority of the year.

Research and demonstrations have shown that many turfgrasses can be maintained with as little as half an inch a week much of the year.

It comes down to homeowner satisfaction. As turfgrasses stress in the summer and during drought periods they are naturally going to discolor and lose their green lushness. This doesn’t mean the grass has died but it is simply adapting to its current level of drought stress.

If homeowners are willing to accept this temporary decrease in plant quality during drought periods they can save significant amounts of water. These drought-tolerant grasses are also generally very quick to recover once it does rain.

How have watering restrictions and bans on grass lawns impacted homeowners?

It negatively affects the appearance of our lawns and may reduce home value, among other impacts.

What factors determine the local cost of water to consumers?

The local cost of water to consumers is determined by factors such as the amount of water available and the costs of irrigation.

What are your best tips for minimizing the cost of lawn irrigation?

Developing and using drought-tolerant lawn grass varieties is one of the best tips for minimizing the cost of lawn irrigation.

Drip irrigation system vs. sprinkler system: Which is better and why?

A drip irrigation system may be considered too expensive and not suitable for lawns, while a sprinkler system might be a better option.

Climate change, inflation, and high energy costs are driving up Americans’ water bills. What measures can various levels of government take to lower water prices and keep them under control?

Various levels of government can promote the use of climate-friendly lawn grasses and sustainable practices to mitigate the impacts of climate change, inflation, and high energy costs on water bills.

How much water and expense do drought-tolerant grass types really save homeowners?

Drought-tolerant grass types can save homeowners a significant amount of water and expense, with potential reductions in water use ranging from 50 to 90%.

How have watering restrictions and bans on grass lawns impacted homeowners?

Watering restrictions and bans have driven homeowners to seek a drought-tolerant turfgrass genus and/or species. In northern climates, this includes tall fescue and fine fescue, while in southern climates, this includes bermudagrass and centipedegrass.

What factors determine the local cost of water to consumers?

Water availability typically drives water costs. The cost to irrigate turfgrass in Western Oregon, where rain is plentiful, is relatively cheap — $277 per acre per month in the summer — while the cost to irrigate turfgrass in New Mexico, where precipitation is minimal, is considerably more ($3,671 per acre per month).

What are your five best tips for minimizing the cost of lawn irrigation?

To reduce the cost of watering your lawn I would use the following practices:

1. Plant drought-tolerant turfgrass (tall fescue in northern climates and bermudagrass in southern climates).

2. If you don’t want to water in the summer, your turf will not die but will enter a period of seasonal dormancy, returning to green when seasonal rains return.

3. If you want to keep turfgrass green in the summer 1.0 to 1.5 inches of irrigation per week will be required. This is best applied in 3 applications per week like ⅓ to ½ inch per application.

4. If you want to apply more water, don’t exceed ½ inch per application. Rather, add days to your irrigation cycle. Meaning irrigate 4 or 5 times per week at a maximum rate of ½ inch per application.

5. For cool-season turfgrass (tall fescue, fine fescue, Kentucky bluegrass, ryegrass and bentgrass), don’t apply fertilizer during periods of drought stress. Fertilizer should be applied to in the spring and fall when temperatures are between 60 and 75 degrees. Summer application of fertilizer will only increase drought stress.

Drip irrigation system vs. sprinkler system: Which is better and why?

Drip irrigation is great for your landscape beds and garden areas, but bad for turfgrass because the coverage is not adequate to make the grass uniformly green. If you are installing an inground irrigation system, multi-stream rotating nozzle-matched precipitation (MP Rotators) provide the most efficient use of water in a lawn environment.

Climate change, inflation, and high energy costs are driving up Americans’ water bills. What measures can various levels of government take to lower water prices and keep them under control?

More humans on the earth mean more water use. To minimize lawn water use, governing bodies have started requiring lawns to use effluent water irrigation and implementing seasonal water use restrictions, which include lawn watering, and providing tax rebates for removing lawn areas.

However, all these options come with consequences. Untreated effluent water from your home is an environmental contamination concern. Watering your lawn reduces the temperatures adjacent to your home and workplace, which will reduce the cost to air condition your home or work.

Research has shown that turfgrass is a substantial carbon sink reducing greenhouse gas emissions, so removing your lawn would release this sequestered carbon into the atmosphere.

How much water and expense do drought-tolerant grass types really save homeowners?

Use of drought-tolerant turfgrass provides the biggest benefit when you don’t water the turf. This is not possible in all areas of the USA like the southern USA and upper mountain west, but in regions where annual precipitation is significant (more than 30 inches), like the coastal PNW, midwestern, eastern, and southeastern US this is quite possible.

The biggest change that will be required in these areas is the acceptance of some seasonal summer drought symptoms. Drought-tolerant turfgrass in these areas will return to green color when summer temperatures decrease, and seasonal precipitation returns.

If you plan to irrigate your drought-tolerant turfgrass, be sure to base your water use on local evapotranspiration rates or soil moisture content in your lawn. Drought-tolerant grass will remain green during periods of peak heat stress when receiving around 50% evapotranspiration replacement or irrigated when soil moisture reaches less than 20% soil volumetric water content.

How have watering restrictions and bans on grass lawns impacted homeowners?

Impact of Watering Restrictions and Lawn Bans on Homeowners:

Water restrictions and lawn bans could impact homeowners in several ways, including creating sub-optimal quality or less attractive lawns.

It could also force homeowners to replace their grass with drought-tolerant or native plants that may not necessarily be their primary choices and wishes to have in their yards. In addition, restrictions could limit outdoor activities and the use of green areas for sports and enjoyment.

Depending on the extent of the watering restrictions and severity, it could lead to reduced property values due to less attractive lawns.

What factors determine the local cost of water to consumers?

Local water costs are affected by several factors, including:

• Demand for water.
• Source of water.
• Availability of water.
• Frequency and duration of droughts and extreme weather events.
• Water distribution mechanisms.
• Infrastructure-related costs.
• Any laws and regulations, including fees from cities and municipalities related to water and sewerage systems.

What are your five best tips for minimizing the cost of lawn irrigation?

1. Lowering irrigation water costs could involve several factors, including improving irrigation water use efficiency by adopting smart irrigation systems that allow the application of water that plants need.

2. Irrigation should always aim to meet plant water requirements not met by rainfall. Soil moisture sensors, rain sensors, and weather stations could help monitor plant water requirements. The irrigation schedule needs to be seasonally adjusted to account for evapotranspiration demands.

3. When available, alternative water sources, including water from rainwater harvesting and wastewater treatment plants, should be considered.

4. It is also important to regularly inspect and maintain irrigation systems for leaks, clogs, or inefficiencies, and fix defects with parts with the same specifications.

5. Additionally, lawn irrigation costs could be reduced by planting drought-tolerant and native plants, and lawn grass could be completely avoided by replacing it with artificial grass or other pavements, sand, etc.

Drip irrigation system vs. sprinkler system: Which is better and why?

Drip irrigation allows localized water application near plants to maximize water use efficiency through reduced evaporation losses.

On the other hand, a sprinkler irrigation system applies water using sprinkler heads with different radii and applies water to the entire area. The area’s coverage could be small or big and could usually lead to land irrigation between plants.

Overall, a drip irrigation system is considered the most efficient due to reduced losses from irrigation and the absence of other losses, including wind drift.

In contrast, overhead sprinkler systems, while with better efficiency than other irrigation systems, such as flood and seepage, remain less efficient than drip.

However, it should also be noted that drip irrigation systems may not be a good fit for places where water quality, such as sediments, is an issue. Proper filtration systems and regular maintenance will be needed to avoid emitter clogging. This leads to clogging and continuous support.

Climate change, inflation, and high energy costs are driving up Americans’ water bills. What measures can various levels of government take to lower water prices and keep them under control?

Several measures could be taken to lower water prices and control costs, including:

• Investing in infrastructure to improve efficiency with reduced water loss through leaking and other mechanisms.
• Balancing water supply and demand is also critical.
• Planting the right crops in the right places is important.
• Promoting agriculture and other irrigation practices where water is available and optimal climate is critical.
• Promoting water rebate programs to incentivize homeowners and concerned citizens to adopt water-efficient irrigation and household utilities, including shower heads, faucets, toilets, etc., contributes to the efficient use of water resources and reduces costs.
• Protecting available water resources from pollution is also important.
• Promoting rainwater harvesting and groundwater recharge programs is another consideration.

How much water and expense do drought-tolerant grass types really save homeowners?

Drought-tolerant grass types and native plants could significantly reduce water usage and expenses for homeowners compared to traditional grass species. Water savings could be even higher, especially in regions with severe water scarcity or drought issues.

The exact savings from drought-tolerant grass is expected to vary from place to place depending on several factors, including water availability, competing needs for water, cost of water, and climate.

However, planting drought-tolerant and native plants typically requires less frequent irrigation. This, in turn, will save homeowners money from water bills and lawn care and maintenance costs.