Dana Point Times
Vol. 2, Issue 33, August 14-20, 2009
Dana Point family discovers artificial grass is good for water conservation and the pocket book
Whether it was a sign from above or just hungry raccoons, the Worthingtons finally decided the grass had to go.
“The raccoons would come up from our canyon at night and tear up our turf looking for insects and grubs,” said Roger Worthington. “We did everything short of posting an armed guard. In the end nature wins, we lose, so we said, you know, let’s get rid of the grass.”
And so the Worthington family ripped out the rolling, lush lawn in front of their bluff-top home on Camino Capistrano and replaced the grass with artificial turf, citrus trees and drought-resistant plants. The total landscaping renovation reduced the family’s water intake by more than 50 percent from last June, an accomplishment water officials laud as one piece of a larger conservation puzzle that could help save South Orange County from the state’s ongoing water woes.
South Coast Water District General Manager Mike Dunbar calls grass the county’s largest crop, accounting for an astounding 40 to 50 percent of the community’s overall water use each month. “I think that the days of watering grass and making our community look like Northern Ireland are over,” he said. “We’re certainly going to encourage people to use artificial grass and drought resistant plants.”
A statewide drought has led to skyrocketing prices and mandatory rationing throughout the state. According to a district staff report, water rates from the Metropolitan Water District—the agency that sells imported water to agencies like South Coast—have climbed 30 percent in the past five years and are expected to increase by an additional 40 percent over the next 15 months.
To compensate, the district adopted an ordinance in May restricting many water uses including landscape irrigation. In June, the district approved water rate increases that will mean a $57 increase in monthly water costs for the average family over the next four years. The district is also investing $10 million in the next five years to ease its dependence on imported water by developing local water resources, including a new groundwater well and an ocean desalination project.
But district officials say the water will only stretch so far and have worked hard to educate homeowners and business proprietors on conservation habits that will ease the needs of the community.
Many residents like the Worthingtons have taken the challenge to heart, replacing water-dependent grass with artificial and drought resistant landscaping. The transition from lawn to artificial turf wasn’t, at first, a popular idea.
“I grew up in Oregon playing on the Astro Turf at Oregon State University,” said Worthington. “It was hard and crinkly and crusty. I had a bias against it my whole life.”
Then came the raccoons and Worthington’s surrender. He spoke to his friend Ron Johnson, a fellow resident of Capistrano Beach and the owner of Terra Firma Landscape Management Incorporated.
Johnson wasn’t surprised that Worthington had concerns with artificial grass. Just a few years ago he shared them. “Five years ago, I didn’t even want to install it because it just wasn’t up to par,” he said. “It’s come a long way since. When I show people the look and feel of the new fibers it really opens their eyes.”
Worthington said he was a quick sell. “It looks great,” he said. “It’s fun to play on. My kids play football and Frisbee on it.”
The Worthingtons didn’t stop with the artificial turf, designing walkways of crushed granite lined by citrus trees that bear a variety of fruits including blood oranges and limes. “There’s nothing sweeter than a freshly plucked tangerine from your own front yard.”
Worthington says the total job was expensive, but he expects to recoup the costs in the coming years. His water and landscaping bill have gone down. Where once he needed a team of eight landscapers to upkeep his yard a day a week for eight hours, he now only needs two for two hours.
He’s already seen improvements in his bills, but he isn’t satisfied with his family’s overall water conservation. “We’re not done yet,” he said. “We can still do a better job inside our house. There’s still a lot we can do.” DP
