Memorandum

City of Lawrence

City Manager’s Office

 

TO:

Thomas M. Markus, City Manager

FROM:

Jasmin Moore, Sustainability Director

CC:

Diane Stoddard, Assistant City Manager

DATE:

March 5, 2019

RE:

2019 National Mayor's Challenge for Water Conservation

 

The City of Lawrence will take part in the 8th annual Wyland National Mayor’s Challenge for Water Conservation. The annual challenge, April 1- 30, is a non-profit national community service campaign to see which cities can best inspire their residents to make a series of informative and easy-to-do online pledges at mywaterpledge.com to use water more efficiently, reduce pollution, and save energy.

 

To participate, residents enter pledges online at mywaterpledge.com, and then make a series of online pledges to conserve water on behalf of Lawrence. Cities with the highest percentage of residents who take the challenge in their population category are entered into drawings for hundreds of eco-friendly prizes, including home improvement gift cards, home irrigation equipment, and a hybrid vehicle. The challenge also features additional resources for residents to take their commitment of conservation even further, from regional water and energy resource issues to cost-saving tips at home.

 

Water conservation not only helps preserve our natural water resources, but also reduces greenhouse gases. Municipal water and wastewater treatment is very energy intensive and accounts for over 30% of greenhouse gas emissions attributed to municipal operations.

 

The City of Lawrence uses Best Management Practices to reduce water usage. Here are a few examples of how the city is reducing water use in landscaping:

  1. Plants that are drought/ heat tolerant and/or native to this region are planted in public spaces like parks and downtown plantings to decrease water usage and increase sustainability.
  2. The grass in some parks and around municipal buildings has been switched from Kentucky Bluegrass to a more drought tolerant turf type fescue, which requires less irrigation.
  3. Street trees are watered with a slow-release bag, which reduces watering frequency, water runoff, and amount of water used for each tree.

 

About the Wyland Foundation

Founded in 1993 by environmental artist Wyland (best known for his series of 100 monumental marine life murals), the Wyland Foundation, a 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to promoting, protecting, and preserving the world’s ocean, waterways, and marine life. The foundation encourages environmental awareness through community events, education programs, and public art projects. www.wylandfoundation.org