As drought batters Arizona, Scottsdale bans new grass lawns

By Mitchell McCluskey and Holly Yan | CNN

As drought-stricken Arizona bakes in searing heat, the Scottsdale Metropolis Council unanimously agreed this week to ban pure grass in entrance of future single-family properties in an effort to preserve water.

The brand new ordinance will apply to new homes constructed or permitted after August 15.

“By adopting this ordinance, Scottsdale goals to prepared the ground in water conservation practices, setting an instance for different communities throughout the area,” stated Brian Biesemeyer, government director of Scottsdale’s water division.

Based on Scottsdale Metropolis Council, suggestions gathered from Scottsdale Water clients in June discovered that 86% of those that responded supported the ordinance.

“It’s a optimistic step that helps accountable use of our water sources and an initiative that works in tandem with Scottsdale Water’s present residential and business rebate packages that supply water saving choices and preserve the wonder and performance of Scottsdale’s neighborhoods,” town council stated in a information launch.

In recent times, Arizona has applied numerous strategies to preserve water because the Southwest grapples with hovering temperatures, groundwater shortages and drought situations.

In June, Arizona introduced limits on construction in the Phoenix area because of quickly disappearing groundwater. The disaster comes amid years of water overuse and local weather change-driven drought.

Components of Arizona have been in a long-term drought because the mid-Nineties, based on the Arizona State Local weather Workplace.

Previous to the pure grass ordinance, Scottsdale officers requested residents to make use of 5% much less water, and metropolis authorities operations decreased their water utilization by 9%. In the end, town saved about 657 million gallons of water, town council stated.

Throughout the state, Arizonans are sweltering from weeks of scorching temperatures. Temperatures in Phoenix, for instance, have reached 110 levels Fahrenheit day by day this month.

And meteorologists count on the weekend warmth shall be record-breaking, reaching a staggering 119 levels in some elements.