[Mezzaluna]

We have watering bans and limitations here, just west of the sub-continental divide. A few miles east, all the water drains into the Great Lakes. Where we are, just west, waters drain into the Mississippi basin. The aquifer beneath us here is running low but is also tainted with radon, a known carcinogen. We're trying to work out a compact in our area with the Great Lakes water commission to be able to use Lake Michigan water. The trick is to return as much water to the lake (cleaned up, of course) as we remove. As bountiful a freshwater resource as the lakes seem, they're shrinking.

We rarely water our lawn and I'm trying not to feed it much. In my opinion, lawns are an insane waste of resources and source of pollution. I'd prefer either a more natural prairie-like yard or some type of zeroscaping with rocks and a few hardy, water-conserving plants.