Roots, Purpose & Goals
Roots
Grown from broad-based collaboration and planning, Water Returns formed in 2008 to assist residential property owners understand and implement sustainable landscape practices. In July of that same year, Green Legacies, a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation, organized to own and manage Water Returns.
Homeowner workshops were the primary initial services, as Water Returns provided informal assessments and recommendations to community associations and water districts. It became clear a greater impact could be made by assisting the leadership implement sustainable landscape practices throughout their communities. Water Returns also has progressively added commercial and institutional services to expand adoption of proven water conservation benefits to business and government agencies.
Purpose
Water Returns represents and assists property owners and managers,homeowner associations and water providers in the Assessment, Planning and Implementation of sustainable landscape practices by providing unbiased, professional and cost-effective counsel and services. We enable broad industry collaboration to reduce irrigation water, improve landscape aesthetics and function, and extend community water supplies.
Goals
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Significantly reduce per capita water consumption
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Expand awareness of and advocate for responsible water use
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Equip water users to apply Sustainable Landscape Practices
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Document and report the benefits of Sustainable Landscape Practices
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Establish a successful model for collaboration in other areas of sustainability