Free WaterSmart Landscape Makeover Workshop Series Begins in March
February 20, 2014
Starting in March, the San Diego County Water Authority is sponsoring a new series of free classes around the region…
Starting in March, the San Diego County Water Authority is sponsoring a new series of free classes around the region to help residents turn conventional yards into WaterSmart landscaping showcases.
The WaterSmart Landscape Makeover Workshop Series, made possible in part by grants from the Hans & Margaret Doe Charitable Trust and the state Department of Water Resources, will be held at six locations countywide.
The class series provides homeowners with a comprehensive overview and the basic skills necessary to convert traditional turf yards into landscapes filled with low-water-use plants. Classes are taught by local landscape industry professionals.
Covered topics include analyzing participants’ landscapes, creating landscape designs, choosing the right plants and using efficient irrigation systems. Participants will walk through key steps to retrofit a turf area of their landscapes and prepare a WaterSmart landscape design for implementation.
“With California experiencing a serious drought, improving outdoor water-use efficiency is an important way our region can achieve sustainable long-term water savings,” said Jason Foster, director of Public Outreach and Conservation for the Water Authority. “More than half of the water used at the average home is used outdoors. That creates big opportunities for reducing water use.”
Workshop space is limited, and the series will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Participants must:
- Occupy the single-family residential home where the WaterSmart landscape makeover will occur
- Possess a functional in-ground irrigation system that covers the turf area of their landscape
- Commit to, and have the financial ability to, retrofit one irrigated section of turf to a low-water-use landscape (either do-it-yourself or professional)
- Attend all four class sessions in the WaterSmart series (Classes are four hours each.)
To register, call the workshop series information line at (619) 289-8890 or e-mail landscapemakeover@sdcwa.org. For information, go to landscapemakeover.watersmartsd.org.