Santa Maria crews renovating city landscapes to reduce water usage

SANTA MARIA, Calif. - Santa Maria Rec and Parks crews are digging up the grass near Seward Drive.

"We’re converting pop-up sprays to a more efficient water supply so it’s going to be a drip system," said crew leader Jose Paz of the Rec and Parks Department.

They’re renovating city landscapes in light of the state-wide drought.

"We’re taking areas that are higher water usage landscape convert that over to them or drop tart landscape that would include plants to you are more native to the area and or the deserts of the southwest," said assistant director Brett Fulgoni of the Santa Maria Rec and Parks Department.

The project on Seward Drive of 26 other locations where crews will be renovating the landscapes throughout the year.

By replacing some of the grass with more drought tolerant landscaping, the expectation is to use less water.

"This is an exceptional drought by any measure. It’s the right thing to do for our budget … you know the more water we save the more money we save … and ideally we’d like to preserve that resource," said Fulgoni.

in more than 127 years.