Lawn vs. Pool

Can Replacing Your Lawn with a Pool Save Water?  Completely Possible!

Of course, water itself is unmatched in its ability to inspire calm. Serene, modern lines form the hardscapes around the pool, and the traditional lawn also reflects that desire for calm. To capture the aesthetic of the closely cropped traditional lawn with a lower water and maintenance needs, the IdealMow lawn grass could be used throughout the space and infrequently mown to take on a clipped, manicured appearance.

Lawns and pools are staples in LA landscapes. Both offer unbroken expanses, play space, and a visual sense of cool. They have something else in common:  Of the 60 percent of residential water used outdoors, the vast majority can be attributed to pools and traditional lawns.

Naturally, these high water use garden features become targets in times of drought.  In the 70s, we drained our pools.  This time around, DWP and MWD offered Cash for Grass.  So, if you are ready to sacrifice one or the other for the greater good, who wins the battle for water savings?

Believe it or not, like DWP, we back losing the lawn.

Make A Splash, Save 50 Percent

A traditional lawn drinks approximately 37,500 gallons of water per 1000 square feet annually.  It will use more to establish itself in high heat. While a pool will use 20 percent more water than an Idealmow lawn, it will use only half the water an established traditional lawn needs to thrive.

Consider a Chemical Intervention

Pools also trump traditional lawns when we look at beyond-water environmental concerns.  Traditional lawns need toxic chemical fertilizers and pesticides to survive our climate.  These chemicals contribute to a variety of health problems, particularly for young children.  They also have distinctively harmful impacts on our groundwater table and ocean health.  In contrast, salt water pools and IdealMow lawns succeed without chemical intervention.

Pool vs. IdealMow

In the battle with a traditional lawn, pools come out on top.  The equations change when comparing pools to IdealMow lawns.  These California native and climate compatible lawn alternatives need only 20-30 percent of the water traditional lawns need to succeed in Los Angeles, and they can hold their own without any chemical boost.

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