California legislators passed a bill that will prohibit using drinking water for watering decorative lawns.
Decorative lawns are those that are mowed but not walked on or used for recreational purposes.
If Governor Gavin Newsom (D) signs the bill, Southern California could reduce water usage by 10%.
The bill includes exceptions for grass in sports fields, parks, cemeteries, and other common areas.
According to Assemblymaker Laura Friedman (D), who introduced the measure, the bill is a “no-brainer. It’s grass that you look at but never use for anything. It means moving to things like natives and drought-resistant plants, which, by the way, look gorgeous.”
Watering bans will be phased in from 2027 to 2031.
Reporting from The Los Angeles Times:
The bill is an important step in working toward California’s water goals, said Heather Cooley, director of research for the Pacific Institute, a water think tank in Oakland. “As we’re facing climate change, as we’re facing continued growth, we have to be smarter about how we use water,” Cooley said. “And so taking out these grass areas that no one is using is really a smart move to prepare our communities for the more variable and uncertain climate that we are now facing.”
