Nonfunctional Turf Ban

What is AB 1572?

California Assembly Bill 1572 (AB 1572) restricts the use of potable (drinking) water to irrigate nonfunctional turf at commercial, industrial, and institutional (CII) properties, including common areas owned by homeowner associations (HOAs). Nonfunctional turf is decorative grass that serves no recreational, civic, or other functional purpose. If the only time you walk on the turf is to mow it, it is likely nonfunctional turf. The law is intended to reduce water waste and encourage more sustainable landscapes throughout California.

Compliance Timeline

• January 1, 2027 – Public properties
• January 1, 2028 – Commercial, industrial, and institutional (CII) properties
• January 1, 2029 – Homeowner association (HOA) common areas, and community service organizations 

Act Now

Step 1: Determine whether your turf is functional or nonfunctional. Check out CalWEP’s nonfunctional turf guidance tool.

Step 2: Plan your landscape conversion project. The City of Palo Alto partners with Valley Water to offer rebates to help offset the cost of replacing nonfunctional turf with water-efficient landscaping:

• Landscape Conversion Rebate: Up to $4 per square foot
• Lawn to Mulch Rebate: Up to $2 per square foot

• Use Waterfluence to Plan Your Project

Waterfluence is the City of Palo Alto's online water management platform that helps commercial properties and HOAs better understand their landscapes, identify water-saving opportunities, and access available rebate programs. Property owners and managers can also use Waterfluence to review their property's landscape map to identify irrigated areas and help determine which turf areas may be considered nonfunctional under AB 1572.

Resources

• CalWEP Nonfuctional Turf resources
• Valley Water Nonfunctional Turf Handout
• Watersavings.org
• Palo Alto Water Use Restrictions