Lubbock businesses adapt to drought conditions, work to conserve water

Lubbock businesses adapt to drought conditions, work to conserve water Some businesses in Lubbock have adapted to the city-instituted Stage 2 drought restrictions and are making an effort to conserve resources. Mulch can wash away after rain, he explained. For restaurants, Hinton explained, water usage really depends on the customers. Xeriscape allows rainwater to soak in, plants to bloom, and birds to create habitats. Some residents may face deed restrictions in their neighborhoods prohibiting gravel and rock, Davis said. Residents can work with the organization to readdress those rules, he said. The company works with a landscaper who checks the irrigation every week to make sure water isn't wasted, Hinton added. Xeriscaping is decorative, but it's also expensive, Hinton said. "Obviously, there's only so much we can do in the inside of the restaurant to reduce water usage," Hinton said. "Our biggest motivation, honestly, has been dollars," Jones said. The company shares information about conserving water with curious customers and community members, he said. Now, the company is working on redesigning main entrance areas around all its properties' office buildings where heavy landscaping attracts potential residents. And the buildings still maintain their curb appeal, McDougal said. Restaurant Jack-in-the-Box restaurants incorporate drought-resistant landscape materials typical in arid climates, said Director of Operations Don Hinton. The 98th Street and Slide Road location has a comprehensive amount of mulch, and others also use alternative landscaping. It uses 20 gallons of water per square foot in a year, Davis said. The xeriscaped one uses 7 gallons. Its most recent construction projects - the corporate office on 50th Street and Loop 289 and the Edge apartments on Fourth Street and Indiana Avenue, both included xeriscape-style landscape from the start. The guest dictates how much water you're going to use, as long as you make certain that you don't have leaky faucets and waste water. The university's residence halls and classroom buildings are outfitted with water-smart fixtures and low-flow toilets and shower heads, Jones said. Homeowners and business owners can't keep doing the landscaping they're used to, he said. "I see people right now paving their entire front yards. "If you pave your entire yard, you'll increase your air-conditioning bill because it's so hot around your entire house. We've got to be smarter, because we know water is becoming more and more scarce. … We can't go so far radically right to where everyone says, 'This isn't how I want to live. "You drive around Lubbock, you see green grass. We're a little behind in that, as we get more conservative about how limited our resources are, people will say, 'Hey, we need to do something. Changing how we think Conserving water isn't the only issue the community needs to change its views on, Davis said. Eventually, people will have to change their conception of landscape aesthetics. The secondary office building also uses xeriscape: a landscaping method developed for arid and semiarid climates that utilizes water-conserving techniques through the use of drought-tolerant plants, mulch and efficient irrigation. The property management, real estate, construction and land development company began looking for options that required less water a couple of years ago. On the other hand, some people take the concept too far, Davis explained. "(We wanted to be a leader in conservation efforts) really on account of our industry," Davis said. We also show them utility bills, our savings. Lubbock businesses adapt to drought conditions, work to conserve water Trade News selected by Local Linkup on 06/05/2012