Fountain Hills undertaking water conservation project, replacing grass plot at busy intersection

PHOENIX — A busy Fountain Hills intersection will soon look demonstrably different as part of a water conservation project.

A 27,000-square-foot plot of grass near Shea and Fountain Hills boulevards will get the xeriscape treatment, replacing grass and other plant life with drought-resistant trees and natural desert landscaping, according to an announcement.

The project, on which work was scheduled to begin this week, should be completed by the end of November.

Why is Fountain Hills replacing grass plot?

The landscaping transformation is expected to save the town 1.7 million gallons of water each year, according to the announcement.

A big avenue to saving that water is a drip irrigation system that will replace the current sprinklers. The town said those sprinklers would be used heavily leading up to the project to wake up the dormant grass and make removal more efficient.

Funding for the transformation was made available through the Water Infrastructure Finance Authority of Arizona’s Water Conservation Grant Fund.

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