DROUGHT CONDITIONS ARE NOTHING TO JOKE ABOUT.

All across the country legislation regarding water conservation gets more serious by the day. There are sporadic droughts throughout the United States and conservation efforts are becoming more a fact of life than a temporary adjustment. Water districts, Gardening centers, nurseries, home builders,architects and contractors are responding by increasing the educational awareness about the different varieties of residential landscape techniques, which can be beautiful as well as water-wise.

Water districts are beginning to implement programs providing rebates for the installation of synthetic turf as away to conserve our most precious resource. Some water districts have been educating and rewarding conservation efforts by homeowners for years.According to the Southern Nevada Water Authority, the Water Smart Landscapes program available to homeowners and commercial property owners has more than doubled its incentives. Homeowners previously receiving .40¢ per square foot for grass that’s replaced with water-saving “xeriscape,” can now receive a $1.00 per square foot; up to $50,000! Commercial property owners can earn upto $300,000 for giving up grass inexchange for water-saving landscape.

Landscape irrigation has long been a target of concerns for water districts. In addition to using vast amounts of water it is nearly impossible to set irrigation systems so there is no overspray or runoff. No wonder the water districts are supporting the retrofit of sod lawns with artificial turf.

Colorado landscape expert William Story couldn’t agree more with such water-wise practices, “We all need to become better water managers. Adding xeriscape and synthetic lawn turf to an existing landscape is a great step towards smart landscaping and smart water management.”

Good news! In water-police patrolled El Paso, folks can have a luscious green yard without the risk of citations, and still be eligible for water-wise rebates. That is because under the El Paso Water UtilitiesTurf Replacement Program, homeowners who have “synthetic turf lawns,” can qualify for rebates as long as the turf is permeable. And, those lawns stay green all year. Synthetic turf is yet another product that landscape professionals can add to their product offerings in efforts to build water-cautious landscapes.

Jeff Dungan, Landscape OperationsManager for All State Landscaping in Salt Lake City, Utah, employs a program that calculates how much water homeowners can save by installing a combination of synthetic turf and xeriscape. “We install synthetic lawn turf as an add-on service. A homeowner with a 10,000 square foot yard would have to install a rather large 1,500 square foot lawn turf to save about 30% off his or her water bill. However,when we combine a mix of xeriscape andsynthetic turf, the savings shoot up to 70%!” said Dungan.

As a water-saving landscape alternative, synthetic turf is in its infancy stage of popularity. However, more and more landscape professionals are implementing this non-traditional, yet water-wise, landscape technique.

So how can landscape contractors combat the dwindling water supplies and use them to their ADVANTAGE? By adding synthetic lawn turf to their product mix and watch as their company outshines their “drought-ridden”competition. You can show your customers how they can eliminate the need for water, (and still abide by any water use restrictions) by installing our synthetic lawn turf. Not only can you show them how easy and affordable it is you can also add to your profits by up-selling your customers in more features like lighting, patios, retaining walls, andother landscapes that require little water.

Besides having a beautiful year round green yard, the most beneficial advantage for them is the lawn turf’s low maintenance features. Homeowners need not spend more time “maintaining” their lawn than they do “playing” on it because no watering, mowing, or fertilizing is necessary. A leaf blower is all that’s needed to blow debris offthe lawn’s surface.Occasionally, brooming is recommended for high traffic areas to stand the fibers up, but it’s rarely needed. If neighborhood pets find it necessary to do their “duty” on a lawn turf, a little “scooper” is all that’s needed, followed by a quick spray from the garden hose. Our “double backed primary backing system offers unmatched product stability. All Pro Greens lawn turf backing drainsbetter because we add thousands of specifically heat-perforated drainage holes that not only assure the fastest water evacuation, it ensures th eremoval of contaminants, and helps recharge the aquifer. Our porous backing system has been designed to provide maximum drainage and leave the turf fiber perfect even under heavy downpours. The fiber itself is UV treatedand resists the damaging effects of Mother Nature.

All Pro Greens uses an all-recycled copper slag or coal slag infill product,that does not compact, change composition, or absorb contaminants.The recycled copper slag or coal slag infill product drains much faster than sand filled systems. Because the slag product will not absorb moisture or contaminants, the infill will not compact or harden over time. The infill surrounds each fiber like natural earth holds a blade of grass and provides a non-compactable,resilient, natural earth feel. The combination between the synthetic grass fibers and the infill delivers the ultimate lawn surface look and feel.

In states where the droughts arepersistent, the advantages awaiting a savvy landscape company are stronger than ever. Not everyone wants a putting green, but most homeowners like some lawn in their landscape.Who will be the next wise landscape pro to outshine his competition by providing water-cautious landscapes that are attractive, functional, and environmentally friendly?