Water authorities in drought plagued areas of the Southwest faced with water shortages have conducted water studies to learn whether water savings, monetary savings and maintenance time savings can be had by installing xeriscape landscapes in place of traditional high water-use turf grass lawns (fescue and bluegrass). These studies require individual residences to sign up for the study and comply with the requirements over a period of 3 to 6 years, depending on the study.
Some water authorities have encountered difficulties in enticing sufficient number of home residences to join the study. Despite this problem, water authorities have determined that water, monetary and maintenance (labor hours) savings can be substantial, with the greatest savings incurred when all seven basic xeriscape principles are implemented.