Amendments to a water conservation plan in Georgetown, Texas, will limit turfgrass and areas with spray irrigation systems to no more than 2.5 times the size of a new home's foundation. The city's water utility service projects that the ordinance will allow for more residential expansion by reducing
per-capita water consumption.

A landscape ordinance approved by the Georgetown, Texas, city council is reducing the amount of irrigated turf permitted on new residential construction.

The ordinance, which was approved on April 22 and went into effect on June 1, limits the area of a yard that can be irrigated to 2.5 times the structure's foundation, or a maximum of 10,000 square feet. The regulation also requires six inches of topsoil under new turfgrass to help retain water. Approved and ongoing construction projects will not be affected.

Although the city of Georgetown has enough water to serve its current and future customer base, local officials told the city council that without a reduction in the per-capita per-day water consumption, Georgetown might not be able to build out to its full potential population.

Georgetown Water Utility customers currently use about 218 gallons of water per capita per day, according to Georgetown utility manager Jim Briggs, a level that would support a population of about 150,000. The city's goal is to lower that to 160 gallons per day, which could support a population of approximately 201,000.

The ordinance amends a water conservation plan passed by Georgetown's city council on April 8, which
outlines irrigation and landscape requirements for new residential construction and the installation of new irrigation systems.

The plan references the city's preferred plant list, which includes native and adaptive plants that contractors will be required to use, as well turfgrasses that have can survive summer dormancy without constant irrigation. Rebates and incentives are available for current homeowners, including irrigation system upgrades, turf replacement, rain barrels and annual irrigation system checkups.