AI-generated summary, not yet reviewed by Better Utah staff. Please consult the bill text.

Water-wise landscaping rules for state government buildings would be updated and expanded under this bill. Starting May 6, 2026, any state government facility that is newly built or reconstructed would need to limit non-functional turf (grass not used for active purposes like sports fields, parks, or cemeteries) to no more than 20% of its grounds — or a lower percentage if required by local city or county ordinance — and would be barred from using non-functional turf in park strips (the strip of land between the sidewalk and the street) altogether. These new facilities would also be required to use "water wise landscaping," meaning drought-adapted plants, efficient irrigation, and tree or plant canopy covering at least half of the grounds, though this canopy requirement also cannot exceed whatever limits local ordinances set. The bill refines several definitions — including what counts as "turf," "functional turf," "grounds," and "water wise landscaping" — and requires agencies to consider functional turf options when building or renovating facilities, use overhead sprinklers only outside the 10 a.m.–6 p.m. window, and annually evaluate opportunities to upgrade irrigation systems with weather- or soil-based monitoring technology and replace non-functional turf with water-wise plants. Existing requirements for state agencies to track and report water use reductions and follow other conservation practices, such as leak detection and irrigation audits, would remain largely unchanged.