As our water resources continue to decline, we’re going to see more restrictions on water use. In 2023, the California Legislature passed AB 1572 (2023) which bans using potable water (drinking water) to irrigate non-functional turf on public properties, commercial properties and properties governed by homeowners associations (HOAs).
Non-functional turf includes: street medians and parkways; grass surrounding schools or office buildings; and grass in parking lots or HOA common areas.
But the law does NOT apply to homes and apartment buildings; properties that irrigate with recycled water; sports fields and cemeteries. It’s also still okay to water trees, and in fact, it’s important to keep watering trees, since our urban forest will play a major role in keeping urban temperatures down.
It’s likely we’ll see more restrictions in the years to come. Snowpacks in both the Sierra Nevadas and the Rocky Mountains have been declining for years, leading to reduced flows from the State Water Project and the Colorado River. While the current El Niño conditions could lead to heavy rains this winter, that would probably only offer a short reprieve.
Click on the link below to view the LADWP’s flyer with more details on the new watering restrictions. Even if you don’t live in the City of LA, your town will be adopting similar rules, if they haven’t already.
