Facts About Landscaping and Water Use

Water use—and waste—is determined more by people than by type of landscaping. Many people assume America’s lush lawns are inefficient consumers of water. Landscaping accounts for only 2.9% of total water usage nationwide. And with sensible stewardship of our limited water resources, this figure could be reduced even further.

Source: Irrigation Association

Supporting this position is the research report of Dr. J. B. Beard and Dr. R. L. Green, which was published in the Journal of Environmental Quality. The study concluded that “the main cause for excessive landscape water use in most situations is the human factor. The waste of water results from improper irrigation practices and poor landscape designs, rather than any one major group of landscape plant materials.”

Depending on an area’s climate, residential outdoor water use can account for 22% to 67% of total annual water use. Clearly, this represents a vast opportunity for conservation. But to maintain an individual’s right to personal choice, a one-size-fits-all solution will not be effective.