As Arizona faces drought and intense heat, the city in Scottsdale has banned natural grass in the front yards of newly built homes in an effort to conserve water.
The measure was supported unanimously by the Scottsdale City Council and will apply to single-family homes constructed or permitted after Aug. 15.
“By adopting this ordinance, Scottsdale aims to lead the way in water conservation practices, setting an example for other communities across the region,” Scottsdale Water Executive Director Brian Biesemeyer said in a statement.
According to Scottsdale City Council, feedback gathered from Scottsdale Water customers in June found that 86 percent of those who responded supported the initiative.
“It’s a positive step that supports responsible use of our water resources and an initiative that works in tandem with Scottsdale Water’s existing residential and commercial rebate programs,” the city council said in a news release.
This is one among many attempts by Arizona to conserve water as the southwest faces rising temperatures, decreasing groundwater reserves, and persistent drought conditions. In June, Arizona announced limits on construction in the Phoenix area owing to rapidly disappearing groundwater.
Previously, Scottsdale officials urged residents and businesses to reduce water use in the city by at least 5 percent. City government operations reduced water usage by 9 percent. Collectively, the city saved about 657 million gallons of water, the city council said.
‘The Longest Duration Heatwave’
The ban on natural grass comes at a time when Arizona is experiencing extreme heat, with daily temperatures in Phoenix continuously hitting 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 degrees Celsius).“Even if we do not get quite that hot during this current heat wave, this should go down as one of the longest, if not the longest duration heat wave this area has ever seen,” National Weather Service (NWS) Phoenix said in a July 7 note.
Already blistering temperatures are forecast to go even higher for Nevada, Arizona, and California, soaring in some desert areas above 120 degrees Fahrenheit (48.8 degrees Celsius) during the day and remaining in the 90s (above 32.2 Celsius) overnight.
Emphasizing how dangerous the heat can be, police in the Phoenix suburb of Surprise said its officers on Friday found two older women sweltering at home in 114 degrees Fahrenheit (45.5 degrees Celsius) with just a tiny, overtaxed air conditioning unit that failed to cool most of the house. After the women were taken to senior center to cool off, the department’s community services team bought and installed an adequate air conditioner and several fans in the home.
Extreme heat is especially dangerous for older people; medications they may take or chronic conditions like heart or kidney disease can make it harder for their bodies to cool down.
In order to cope with higher temperatures, NWS recommends drinking plenty of water, wearing light clothing, finding air conditioned places, avoiding strenuous activities, never leaving people or pets in cars, and watching for heat cramps, exhaustion, and stroke.
