CCSD looks to conserve more water by converting 27 football fields to artificial turf

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) - Last year, CCSD installed artificial turf at more than a dozen football fields in an effort to cut back on water use. The turf is expected to save millions of gallons of water.

1.3 billion gallons of water is how much water CCSD will be saving by taking high school football fields from grass to turf.

“It has made life easier on many levels,” said athletic director and head football coach at Liberty High School Rich Muraco.

Said the turf CCSD installed in 2019 at 27 high school football fields has been helpful.

“Previous to the turf fields was always difficult because the summertime, it is hot and then all of sudden it gets to be October and the water restrictions kick in and they stop watering the grass and it turns to hay,” said Muraco.

He said there are some downsides.

“It is super-hot in the summertime on the turf,” said Muraco. “The kids don’t like it from the aspect of you getting more abrasions and brush burns.”

The majority of the field replacements were funded through government service tax revenue with the rest paid through capital funds. CCSD received a cash rebate from SNWA’s water smart landscapes program which came out to be 7.8 million dollars.

CCSD is predicting to save one million dollars every year in water bills.

“If you had just a square foot of grass it is going to use 73 gallons per square foot,” said SNWA representative Patrick Watson. “That is a 9ft column of water.”

Watson said fans in the stands will notice the changes.

“Each school will have its logo and its name in the end zones and I think it gives the school a lot of pride,” said Watson.

Watson added SNWA and CCSD are not stopping at football fields.

“We have been talking to them about baseball fields or softball fields,” said Watson. “Can we convert those to artificial turf?”

SNWA is also in talks with CCSD to implement water-saving efforts at additional schools.

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