Chandler, Arizona is taking a step towards sustainability by transforming its water-guzzling grassy areas into drought-friendly landscapes. The City Council has signed off on a hefty $440,889 agreement with J2 Engineering & Environmental Design on Feb. 22 to start crafting designs for the city landscape that would say goodbye to non-functional turf, according to the city's official announcement.
The plan spans over three years and targets 14 city-maintained retention basins changing them from grass to xeriscape, which is desert-friendly landscaping that's light on the water use, and Chandler's looking forward to the whole slew of benefits including the decrease in maintenance costs, the need for an irrigation system overhaul, and especially slicing the city's water bill by 50 to 75 percent which is no small change when you consider how vital water conservation is in arid Arizona.
It's not just about planting cacti and calling it a day—this xeriscape endeavor involves uprooting the old grass, prepping the edges, laying down granite, weaving in drip irrigation, and dotting the area with desert-ready shrubs and trees, a complex operation that the city insists will halve their annual water tab. Once they cross the finish line with this conversion, Chandler is looking at over 20 million gallons of water saved yearly and a cut of more than $50,000 from the water budget alone, not to mention what they'll save in mowing and other landscape care.
Residents near these soon-to-be-xeriscaped areas won't just wake up to a new view without a heads-up: city officials pledged that they’re prioritizing public outreach before they start tearing out turf, and while no city parks will be flipped to dessert decor, those drainage areas are due for a dry makeover this program promises sizable savings in both the green of cash and the green of water-thirsty lawns, Toni Smith, Chandler's Marketing and Communications Manager spoke to the financial and environmental perks of the project in a press release.
