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From financial pundits to environmentalists, most seem to agree that water, particularly in its use, management, and distribution, is the new gold. Water scarcity is the fourth global risk in terms of impact to society, reports the World Economic Forum. While the situation can be one of life and death in Sub-Saharan Africa, the United States is not immune to water issues. Just ask those in Flint, MI or California. Unfortunately, the problem isn’t likely to go away anytime soon and will likely become more widespread. The Union of Concerned Scientists predicts that while some wet and warmer areas may experience heavier precipitation in the future, the periods between rains are likely to become longer, warmer, and drier. Scientists also expect the amount of land affected by drought to increase by mid-century—and water resources in affected areas to decline as much as 30%. In other words, dry areas will get drier. With landscape irrigation accounting for most of the nearly nine billion gallons of water used by U.S. residences outdoor daily, it surpasses the amount of water used for showering and washing clothes combined, according to the U.S. EPA’s WaterSense program. And in a facility, landscaping water usage can easily account for 20% or more of water consumption, according to the Whole Building Design Guide (WBDG), a program of the National Institute of Building Sciences. Thus, landscapes, especially those with thirsty turfgrass, are increasingly becoming a key target for water conservation. California Water Laws None of this is news to ...