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Water Conservation
What Does "Water Conservation" Mean?
Conservation: noun | con·ser·va·tion – “Careful preservation and protection of something. Especially: planned management of a natural resource to prevent exploitation, destruction, or neglect—i.e. Water Conservation” – Merriam Webster
Why is Water Conservation Important?
Our planet is known as the Blue Planet because 75% of it is covered by water. However, 97.5% of that water is salt water, leaving only 2.5% as freshwater for drinking. Despite this, we use a staggering 10 billion tons of freshwater every day worldwide.
Many organizations and environmentalists warn about the dwindling water supply, but this issue is often not taken seriously. Some people may not see the urgency of the situation because water seems abundant. However, the reality is that over one billion people in developing countries lack access to safe drinking water, while the USA alone uses 3.9 trillion gallons of water per month.
According to the World Health Organization, 80% of diseases in the developing world are related to water. The United Nations predicts that by 2025, 30% of the world’s population in 50 countries will face water shortages.
Today, water shortage is a more pressing problem than ever before. Not only are we depleting our available water supply, but our growing population and increasing demand are exacerbating the issue. Furthermore, global warming is making the situation worse. Unless we all take this issue seriously, we will soon be facing a water crisis, living on a blue planet without a single drop of safe drinking water.
How Does Artificial Grass Help Conserve Water?
In the United States, residential landscape irrigation is estimated to account for nearly 9 billion gallons of water per day. In some regions, outdoor water use can account for up to 70 percent of a resident’s water consumption.
With growing concerns over freshwater supply and increasing water scarcity, conserving this precious resource is more important than ever before. Updating your landscaping with more eco-friendly options is a great way to reduce your residential or commercial property’s environmental impact.
For those living in drought-prone areas, maintaining a lush, green, natural grass lawn is pretty much impossible. In the U.S., watering an average sized lawn for 20 mins a day for 7 days is akin to running the shower for 4 days straight or taking 800+ showers.
That’s equivalent to 1 year’s worth of showers for the average family. Even with the most efficient sprinkler system watering your lawn, up to 50% of the water used outdoors is lost due to wind, evaporation, and runoff.
In comparing artificial turf vs. natural grass, the former requires comparatively little water. Occasional hosing to remove dirt and dust is recommended for most turf installations. If you have a backyard dog run or replaced your lawn with fake grass for dogs, more frequent hosing may be necessary. Synthetic turf does not need water to remain lush and functional.
How Much Water Can I Save With Artificial Grass?
The amount of water saved by switching to artificial grass depends on several factors such as the type of ground cover being replaced, size of your lawn, and the local climate. We’ll be focusing on the water conservation potential when replacing a natural grass lawn with artificial grass.
Conventional lawns use the most water in residential landscaping, so this comparison will show the greatest water conservation potential for homeowners. The size of your lawn plays a significant role in the water-saving potential of synthetic grass. Naturally, larger areas of natural grass will result in greater water savings compared to smaller lawns.
The Southern Nevada Water Authority also estimates that every square foot of grass replaced with artificial grass saves an additional 55 gallons of water per year. Therefore, an average lawn of 1,800 square feet will save 99,000 gallons of water a year if landscaped with synthetic turf – about 70% of a homeowner’s water bill, or up to $500.
Considering the potential lifespan of artificial turf in a residential setting, which can reach up to 20 years, it is possible to save a total of 1,100,000 gallons of water over the turf’s lifetime.
How Much Money Can I Save on My Water Bills With Artificial Grass?
How much money you can save by switching from natural grass to an artificial grass lawn varies by location. The cost of water varies between municipalities, and natural grass requires more water in drought-prone and arid climates.
This makes the cost of maintaining a natural grass lawn a lot higher in arid regions of the country. Therefore, the savings of switching to synthetic grass should be correspondingly high.
Once properly installed on a suitable foundation, synthetic grass maintains its vibrant green look without the need for any water. By eliminating the requirement for irrigation, the average home lawn can save thousands of gallons of water each year.
According to studies conducted by the Texas Water Development Board, replacing traditional lawns with artificial turf can result in a reduction of outdoor water usage by up to 70%. It’s safe to assume that by switching to a synthetic grass lawn, you can expect to see a drop in your water bill of 50% to 70%. For homeowners who are mindful of water conservation, artificial turf is a great choice for landscaping.
The water savings alone make artificial turf installations well worth considering. Combined with the numerous other benefits of artificial turf, it’s easy to see why it has become such a popular ground cover for residential and commercial properties.
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