Washington County has dramatically reduced per-capita water use, but the region’s explosive growth means increased demand for water.

Washington County, Utah will pay residents to swap water-intensive lawns for drought-tolerant landscaping, reports Morgan Sjogren in Reasons to Be Cheerful.
According to Sjogren, 70 percent of residential culinary water in Utah is used on grass lawns. “By shifting landscaping away from grass and to plants more readily adapted to the climate, the Washington County Water Conservancy District estimates that residents can reduce landscape watering to 11 gallons per square foot annually, compared to 56 gallons for conventional turf.”
Residents who apply for the program have a year to complete projects to receive the incentive of $2 per square foot of converted turf, and $1 per square foot after 5,000 square feet. The program includes stipulations about irrigation, permeable barriers, and types of plants.
Since the program began in late 2022, 2,044 applications have been submitted and 918 projects are complete. Although Washington County has reduced its per capita water use by 30 percent since 2000, rapid population growth means that the county’s overall water use has grown by 15 percent in the same period.
FULL STORY: This Utah County Will Buy Your Lawn to Save Water

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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