Indio advances nonfunctional turf ban, secures grant for water system consolidation

Indio advances nonfunctional turf ban, secures grant for water system consolidationThe Indio City Council has approved an ordinance aligning local water conservation rules with California's AB 1572 and received an update on a state-funded project to consolidate the CoverTrack water system.

The city will phase out existing nonfunctional turf starting with government properties in 2027, followed by commercial sites in 2028 and HOAs in 2029.

The new ordinance formally codifies Indio's cross-connection control program to mandate backflow prevention systems.

Officials confirmed the receipt of a state grant for the CoverTrack water system consolidation, which now awaits a community vote before final design and construction.

The council authorized a $736,225 transfer from the Indio Water Enterprise Fund to acquire a 7.68-acre parcel for future water facilities.

The Indio City Council has approved an ordinance updating its municipal code to comply with state-mandated water conservation requirements, establishing a phased phase-out of nonfunctional turf across the city. Introduced by Director of Public Works Timothy Wassil at the May 20, 2026 meeting, Ordinance 1833 aligns the city with California Assembly Bill 1572. The mandate prohibits the installation of nonfunctional turf and requires the conversion of existing nonfunctional turf to alternative landscaping. The regulation explicitly exempts residential properties and functional recreational spaces. According to Wassil, the city will enforce a phased compliance schedule: state and local government properties must comply by January 1, 2027; commercial, industrial, and institutional sites by January 1, 2028; and HOA common areas, mobile home parks, and retirement communities by January 1, 2029. Government properties located in disadvantaged communities have an extended deadline of January 1, 2031. The ordinance also formally codifies the city's cross-connection control program, which mandates backflow prevention systems to protect the potable water supply from contamination. Additionally, the code was updated to shift administrative authority from the "water superintendent" to the city manager or a designee. During the meeting, the council also received an update on the CoverTrack water system consolidation. Responding to an inquiry from Council Member Gutierrez, staff member Mr. Gonzalez confirmed that the city was recently awarded a state grant to fund the consolidation. The project is currently pending a community vote, with state representatives scheduled to present the consolidation plan to residents. Once approved by the community, the city will finalize the project's design and proceed to construction. In separate actions approved via the consent calendar, the council authorized the transfer of $736,225 from the Indio Water Enterprise Fund to the General Fund to acquire a 7.68-acre parcel on Avenue 43 for future water facilities. The council also received and filed Indio Water warrants totaling $1,011,827.42 for the period of April 18 to May 1, 2026.