City Council has approved using Forestoration to conduct an analysis of its parks and landscaped rights-of-way with the goal of increasing efficiency in water usage. Council last month OK’d allowing the City Manager to negotiate a contract with Forestoration. The city has set aside up to $65,000 for the project in tax increment finance funds for the project. Potable water is used to irrigate the city’s open spaces during the dry season, but an annual increase of commercial and residential water use in the summer season combined with hotter and drier summers prompted the city to evaluate its irrigation efficiency, noted Maria Butts, Parks and Recreation Director.

In addition to evaluating the irrigation, the review would look at ways to lessen the use of water by incorporating more native plants and grass into the landscaping.

The first phase of the project is expected to take place in spring of 2020, and include an audit of the city’s irrigation system, identify repairs and make recommendations for improvements.

The second phase, expected to begin in summer 2020, would include the designing of an irrigation and planting plan with a detailed cost estimate for future implementation. The plan would recommend irrigation system improvements and identify native habitat types for use in landscaping.

The plan, once completed, will be reviewed by the city Park Board and likely be forwarded to City Council for approval.

The city last year passed water conservation measures that puts a time restriction on outdoor water in an effort to conserve water.