FAQs

A Waterwise or watersmart yard is designed to reduced water consumption through efficient irrigation, low-water plants, and practical turf areas. Waterwise yards are often referred to as xeriscapes.

A Waterwise yard is not just rock and cactus; it's a colorful, living landscape that creates habitat and promotes biodiversity. Waterwise yards can include trees, shrubs, ground cover plants, gravel, pathways, small and practical turf areas, and a variety of other features that reduce the need for watering grass.

Waterwise yards don't have to be professionally designed and maintained. You can create your very own Waterwise yard by removing a section of lawn and replacing it with features that require less water. Browse the resource library to get started!

As the name implies, the primary benefit of a Waterwise yard is saving water! In fact, a Waterwise yard can use 60% less water than a traditional grass lawn. For example, removing just 400 square feet of grass and replacing it with low-water plants can save the average household almost 5,000 gallons of water per year!

Other benefits of Waterwise yards include:

• Save Money - Use less water and reduce your water bill!
• Save Time - Spend less time mowing, fertilizing, and aerating a grass lawn.
• Healthy Ecosystems – Create habitat for bees, butterflies, birds and bugs!
• Soil Health – Build soil with deep-rooted xeric plants that help capture and hold infrequent rain.
• Beauty – Drought-tolerant and native plants are stunning! They can bloom nearly year-round and are sure to add curb appeal!
• Turf Alternative - Some grass, no matter how much you water it, just never seems to grow. Replace those pesky trouble spots with native plants that are more likely to thrive!

You don’t need to spend thousands of dollars or be a landscape professional to create a Waterwise yard! With a bit of planning and help from Resource Central, you can make it happen!

• Start by browsing our Inspiration Hub. You'll find advice and photos from your neighbors to get the ideas flowing!
• Check out our Resource Library and follow the seven principles of xeriscaping.
• Sign up for a Waterwise Landscape Webinar. Each Spring, Resource Central hosts seminars with local pros.
• Make a plan and remove some lawn. It's the quickest way to save water and make space for a stunning garden!
• Purchase a Garden In A Box. It takes the guesswork out of selecting Waterwise plants.
• Optimize your irrigation system. Many water utilities offer inspection programs, including Slow the Flow.

Feeling overwhelmed or like you need some extra support to complete your project? You're not alone! There are lots of resources and programs across Colorado to help you on your way:

• Your water utility or city: many local communities and utilities offer financial incentives and support to residents who are looking to remove a portion of their lawn. We recommend going to your city website and looking for their water conservation page, often under public works.
• Resource Central: A Colorado social enterprise non-profit and creator of this website. Every year, we engage with over 7,000 homeowners to help them understand their home water use and take action to use less. We offer educational webinars, irrigation system inspections, xeric gardens for purchase, and the new Lawn Removal Service.
• CSU Extension: Talk about a wealth of information! CSU Extension offers unparalleled resources to Colorado residents, including fact sheets and helpful advice from Master Gardeners.
• Your local nursery: Going into your local nursery is a great way to get more information. They can recommend low-water plants and share information about other materials you need to complete your project.