Saving a bit more water would help the environment and perhaps be less costly for taxpayers. Some cities and counties are searching for ways to do just that.

City officials have planted drought-resistant vegetation and trees and use a central irrigation system allowing them to monitor water use at any park on any day.

Some cities are planning low-maintenance parks with native shrubs and organic mulches to save water and deter weeds, said Ellen Hanak of the Public Policy Institute of California, which recently published a study on the state?EUR??,,????'???s increasing water demand.

The state is expected to grow by 11 million residents in the next quarter-century, with more than half that growth-taking place in hotter, inland counties, according to Hanak?EUR??,,????'???s report.

Water conservation programs that once focused on indoor water use are now heading outdoors.

?EUR??,,????'??If you view water as a total community resource, then saving on the public side can allow you to expand other uses,?EUR??,,????'?? Hanak said.

Source: RECORDNET.COM