Santa Monica Could Save 21 Million Gallons Of Water Under New Lawn Rules

SANTA MONICA, CA — Decorative lawns surrounding office buildings, lining parking lots and occupying other landscaped areas across Santa Monica could soon face new watering restrictions under a proposed ordinance that city officials estimate could save approximately 21 million gallons of water annually.

The Santa Monica City Council is scheduled to consider the measure Tuesday, Oct. 27, as part of California's efforts to reduce the use of drinking water on grass that serves no recreational or community purpose. According to the council staff report, approximately 650,000 square feet of so-called "nonfunctional turf" has been identified at commercial, industrial, institutional and homeowners association properties served by the city.

Replacing that grass with sustainable landscaping could reduce Santa Monica's annual water demand by approximately 65 acre-feet, or roughly 21 million gallons, although officials caution that the full savings would not be realized until after 2029. The proposed ordinance would implement Assembly Bill 1572, a state law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in October 2023 that prohibits using potable water to irrigate decorative grass at certain properties.

The restrictions would not amount to a blanket ban on lawns. Single-family residences and apartment buildings not governed by homeowners associations would be exempt, as would recreational areas such as parks, sports fields and playgrounds. Other exemptions include cemeteries, certain public gathering spaces and irrigation necessary to maintain trees and other perennial plants. Grass watered with recycled rather than drinking water would also fall outside the prohibition.

New Restrictions Would Begin In 2027

The proposed restrictions would be introduced in stages, beginning Jan. 1, 2027, when the prohibition would apply to properties owned by local governments, public agencies and public water systems. Santa Monica officials are already surveying city-owned landscaped areas to identify decorative grass that would be affected and determine what changes are needed before the deadline.

The city's Water Resources Division has also begun working with the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District and Santa Monica College to help both institutions understand how the new requirements would apply to their facilities. Beginning Jan. 1, 2028, the restrictions would expand to other commercial, industrial and institutional properties, including office buildings and business complexes.

Common landscaped areas maintained by homeowners associations, common interest developments and community service organizations would follow on Jan. 1, 2029. The statewide law also establishes a later deadline of Jan. 1, 2031, for certain public properties in disadvantaged communities, contingent on state funding for turf conversion programs.

Although the law does not specifically require property owners to remove existing lawns, affected grass could no longer be irrigated with drinking water after the applicable deadline. Owners could instead replace decorative turf with drought-tolerant landscaping or use recycled water where available.

City Offers Up To $50,000 For Turf Replacement

To help property owners comply, Santa Monica has expanded its Cash for Grass rebate program, increasing the incentive from $3.50 to $5 per square foot of grass removed and replaced with sustainable landscaping. The maximum rebate available per customer account has also increased from $10,000 to $50,000, according to the staff report.

The program encourages property owners to replace water-intensive lawns with landscaping that uses less water, including drought-tolerant plants supported by drip irrigation. The city also offers free landscape surveys through the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California for qualifying commercial, institutional and homeowners association properties with more than one acre of landscaped space.

A separate program is being developed to provide similar surveys for smaller properties, helping owners identify decorative turf and determine suitable alternatives. Additional information and guidance on complying with the statewide requirements are available through the California Water Efficiency Partnership.

City officials say the ordinance would strengthen Santa Monica's existing conservation efforts while reducing its dependence on imported water supplies. The staff report identifies no immediate fiscal impact from adopting the measure, although future expenses could include additional rebate payments, landscaping changes on city-owned properties and public outreach.

Listed as Item 4.D on Tuesday's agenda, the ordinance is scheduled for its first reading and has not yet been approved. If subsequently adopted, it would take effect Jan. 1, 2027. The City Council meeting begins at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall, 1685 Main St.