Ban artificial grass in Idaho? In a desert, we should do all we can to conserve water

After seeing a quote from me in a recent Statesman article about water conservation, a Boise resident gave me a call to share his situation. He said that his homeowners association sued him and a neighbor for installing artificial grass.

I have no idea whether these folks are in violation of their homeowners association agreements. But I do know that if you live in the Treasure Valley, you live in a desert. And rules that force people to grow grass in the desert are outdated and arguably thoughtless, in our current era of drought.

My family bought our Treasure Valley home in 2013, and we immediately set to remove grass, lay down mulch, and plant drought-tolerant and low-water plants as much as we could. We planted a vegetable and flower garden, and planning it each year and then tending it are two of the joys of my life.

I write this with no judgment, though. Grass is comfortable. And when cared for, it’s beautiful. Also, we didn’t get rid of all our grass. We kept an oval in the back and a small patch out front. My daughter crawled on that soft grass, toddled and safely fell, and now we kick a soccer ball back there. A large maple shades the back yard by midafternoon, often allowing us to cool off on the grass even when it’s 100-plus out.

Why did my family immediately take out most of our grass? It’s not just that we wanted a garden. It’s far more because lawns are water-intensive, and we live in the desert. And also because I knew then as I do now that Idahoans use more water in and around our homes than people in any other state. I share that statistic a lot, and people typically respond with something like, “Well, of course we do. Agriculture is huge in Idaho.” But I’m not talking about agriculture. I’m talking about you, me and everyone else who lives here.

Every five years, the U.S. Geological Survey issues a report on the amount of water used in every state.

In 2010 and 2015 (the two latest published studies), Idahoans used more water per capita in and around their homes than people in any other state.

The 2015 report, the most recent available, found Idahoans use an average of 186 gallons of water per person per day. For comparison, here’s some of our fellow Western arid states: Nevada (126), Utah (169), Wyoming (156). Even the hot, dry southwestern states of Arizona (145) and New Mexico (81) used significantly less than Idahoans did.

Idahoans can do better. Learning to use less water in our daily lives is a practical way to prepare for the hotter, drier climate we now have and will likely have in the future due to climate change. Another reason: It’s cheaper. Our state and federal governments are studying ways to raise dams, build new ones and increase groundwater storage (i.e., aquifer recharge). These projects will cost hundreds of millions of dollars and, perhaps more notably, they aren’t as reliable or as easy as learning to use less water. We can’t make it rain more, but we can adapt to drier conditions.

Figuring out where to start can feel overwhelming, but try not to let it stop you. The little things you’ve likely heard about really do add up. When they break, replace shower heads, faucets, toilets, and dishwashers with low water versions. Turn off water when brushing teeth, sudsing your hair and washing dishes. Check out the EPA’s WaterSense webpage for more ideas.

If you have a lawn, water it when temperatures are at their lowest. Water longer, but less frequently than you may be used to. Suez provides water to many Treasure Valley homes. Check out its website for more detailed information on domestic irrigation and other water conservation tips.

Reach out to your local city council and your planning and zoning representatives and ask them to act on behalf of water conservation. Nevada and Utah both used to sit atop the home water per capita list. But not anymore. Ask our leaders to do what leaders in those states did: incentivize water conservation via rebates, make alliances with local native plant nurseries and landscapers and more.

And perhaps closest to home, if you live in a neighborhood that requires residents to have lawns, start a conversation about whether it’s time to change those bylaws.

Marie Callaway Kellner is conservation program manager at the Idaho Conservation League.