Turf or Grass – It’s not clear which is better for Lubbock

By Macy Ranzer, maranzer@ttu.edu

The High Plains is known for its brown prairie grasses that wave in the ever-present wind.

But when folks move to residential subdivisions around Lubbock, they expect lush green grass like they have back east.

That takes water … a lot of water.

The region only receives about 20 inches of rain a year, though, and a prolonged drought and a rapid increase in population have caused water levels in the aquifer that runs underground to drop.

To conserve water, Lubbock has implemented irrigation restrictions and developed a 100-year water plan that is updated every five years to account for projected population growth.

In response, homeowners face a choice: stick with natural grass or switch to artificial turf. But it’s not clear which option truly saves more water and which will be better for Lubbock in the long run. 

Lubbock receives about 50% less rainfall than the US average,

This makes it necessary to irrigate since the natural grass lawns don’t receive enough nutrients by rainfall alone.

In 2024, the City of Lubbock circulated a new watering schedule that put limits on how many days residents could water their grass. They could only run their sprinklers two days a week from midnight to 10:00 am and 6:00 pm to midnight. 

Lubbock has over 100,000 water users and only 30,000 have an irrigation system, according to Raquel Mullins, a City of Lubbock representative from the Water Utilities Department. 

“When our city is growing, we have to make sure that we are preparing ourselves for the future to meet that water demand,” Mullins said.  

“We're always planning 20 years out, 40 years out,” she continued. “Our civic leaders have been very, very forward thinking and aligning us to be successful to be where we are now and we want to do the same for the next generation.” 

In terms of saving water, artificial turf sounds like a good idea since it seems to require no irrigation. But turf can get very hot in the summer. 

The temperature can exceed 150 degrees and it needs to be hosed down so children and adults can play on it. 

Installing turf also has some negative environmental impacts.

It doesn’t absorb water like natural grass and soil. Water drains through the synthetic material and can create runoff issues which can worsen water conservation efforts. It can lead to urban flooding which wastes water instead of letting it seep into the ground. 

Runoff from turf also can cause microplastics, debris, and chemicals to flow directly into local waterways. 

And Turf comes with a steep price tag. 

According to Affordable Landscapes Lubbock, installing turf involves site preparation, base construction, weed barrier installation, trimming, securing, and infill application. Turf companies also charge for removing existing real grass, leveling the ground, and installing drainage systems. 

Prices range from $5 to $20 per square foot. 

According to the Real Estate Data Library, the median home in Lubbock County has 3,000 square feet of yard space. The front yard could cost between $6,000 and $18,000 depending on the quality of the turf. The backyard could cost $12,000 to $36,000. 

Mullins said Lubbock residents use about 7,000 gallons of water a month, which costs $60 to $80 a month.. 

Although installing turf saves water, it would take 31 years to recoup the cost of installation.

If rounded up to $30,000 to install turf for both front and back, and divided by an $80 monthly water bill, it would be the same as paying a normal water bill for 31 years.