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The Impact of Landscaping on the Local Water Supply

How much water is used each year to maintain San Diego's lush, green lawns? We speak to KPBS reporter Joanne Faryon about the impact landscaping has on our local water supply. Faryon talks about how

The Impact of Landscaping on the Local Water Supply

Tom Fudge: Grass is sucking San Diego dry. That may seem like a very exaggerated statement, but the green grassy turf we commonly see in residential lawns is among our region's biggest water hogs. Most of the water used in San Diego County is used on landscaping. And popular grasses are not native to our arid region – not even close. And they require a tremendous amount of irrigation to keep alive.

Today, These Days begins a week-long look at what some see as a pending water crisis in our region. The anticipated water shortage is due to drought in the West and a legal decision that is expected to cut water supplies from the Sacramento River Delta. It's also due to the way we use water.

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If you are interested in learning more about our local water crisis, we've created a page on our Web site with videos, interactive graphs, slideshows, the reporter's features, as well as a water conservation quiz. To check it all out, go to www.kpbs.org/tappedout .

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