Drivers entering Fountain Hills Blvd. from Shea Blvd. may have noticed that the turf on the corner is brown from lack of watering. There’s a reason the grass is dying out. The Town is preparing the ground to replace the grass with a desert landscape.
There are approximately 30,000 sq ft of sod and 12 palm trees currently on the right-of-way. Unlike Fountain Park, which is irrigated using reclaimed water produced by the Fountain Hills Sanitary District, this parcel uses potable water provided by EPCOR water sources.
Maintaining the grass and high-user plants takes approximately 2,005,000 gallons of water per year to keep this parcel green and thriving. Converting the existing grass lawn to natural desert landscaping and trees will immediately achieve long-term reductions in water use. This finished project is estimated to conserve 1,880,998 gallons of potable water.
The turf reduction project aligns with several goals outlined in the 2020 adopted Town of Fountain Hills General Plan, which encourages environmentally friendly alternatives using drought-tolerant landscapes and promotes guardianship of the natural desert.
The project calls for removing existing high-water-use trees, installing decomposed granite, and planting low-water ground cover, shrubs, and trees. The benefits of this new landscaping include:
- Reduced landscaping irrigation water demand.
- Reduced weekly maintenance costs for turf care and overseeding.
- Increased landscape watering efficiency.
- Reduced water runoff from irrigation.