Something I found out about recently: xeriscaping is a form of gardening that doesn’t use irrigation, usually in places where fresh water isn’t available. It’s also good if you want some low-maintenance greenery. But there can be drawbacks:
A recent study by a pair of Arizona State University researchers, however, revealed that xeriscaped yards contain higher levels of nitrate than turf yards. Downstream, as irrigation transports nitrate into the soil, those levels could affect water quality, leading to algal blooms and wreaking havoc with aquatic ecosystems.
When a homeowner decides to xeriscape and rips out the lawn, either the turf is killed and removed or killed and tilled into the soil. If it’s tilled into the soil, organic material left behind decomposes and nitrates build up.
via ASU
And if you’re thinking all xeriscaping means no water, think again:
While some xeriscapes may require no added water, some may use more. “It’s about getting water to plants when they actually need it,” Bone says, “not because there’s a clock or timer that says they need it.”