It’s lawn-watering time in Idaho. New rule gives Boise the power to stop it
Boiseans use 65 million gallons of Veolia water per day to irrigate their lawns during the summer, according to an estimate from the utility.
Boise Mayor Lauren McLean will have the authority to limit that under a new plan approved by the City Council on Tuesday.
The move will allow the city to declare a drought emergency, and any ensuing level of water restrictions would depend on how severe the drought is, according to an ordinance approved unanimously. The new measure applies only to those using the public drinking water system for certain uses, and wouldn’t apply to people using private wells, canal water or an irrigation provider, city spokesperson Abby Haydin said.
McLean could issue orders that range from simply education and recommending guidelines to requiring people to stop certain water usage, such as for aesthetic purposes like water features (with no aquatic life) or recreational uses like privately owned pools or non-commercial car washes.
An order also could ask restaurants to serve water only when a customer requests it, according to the ordinance. But the city still carved out exemptions, including for fire protection and growing food.
The City Council will have to approve any water restrictions.
“We are not establishing a drought emergency,” McLean said Tuesday during a City Council work session. “We are preparing, as many cities have across the state and region, to ensure that If there is an issue in the future, we are properly prepared for it.”
It comes at a time when around 97% of the state is in some level of drought, though around 30% of Ada County is merely abnormally dry. Last winter was the second-warmest on record, according to the city’s ordinance, with record low snowpack almost everywhere.
Other areas of the West, such as California, have long enacted drought-control measures, prompting some homeowners to paint their grass green rather than see the dismal reminder of their lawn’s death. In Nevada in 2021, lawmakers passed a law banning decorative grass.
A growing number of Boiseans have turned to xeriscaping in recent years, a type of landscaping that conserves water by using native or drought-tolerant plants, according to previous Statesman reporting. But some have faced pushback, including when two Boise men faced the wrath of their homeowners association for replacing their grass with turf, in part to save water.
In 2024, a Boise legislator brought a bill to stop homeowners associations from requiring grass lawns, but the attempt didn’t move forward.
Still, there’s no immediate cause for alarm. Steve Hubble, Boise’s climate action senior manager, said the tough winter has been somewhat balanced by rains throughout the spring and summer. “There’s no drought emergency today,” Hubble said.
He said people can water their lawns early in the morning or late at night, or water every other day for a longer period instead of every day. He also recommended adjusting sprinklers so they don’t spray the sidewalk or pavement.
“Hopefully it’s not something that ever needs to be enacted,” said Meredith Stead, a council member. “It’s a great opportunity to remind residents to be mindful of the use of this limited resource.”
