You’ll likely see brown grass at many Tacoma parks this summer. Here’s why
Parks Tacoma is reducing its irrigation water use by 50%, resulting in savings of about $365,000 for the remainder of 2026 as it contends with a $9 million budget deficit.
The reduction means that visitors to Tacoma’s parks will likely notice brown or dry grass this summer. The agency’s plans are to keep greenery alive, but not as lush as it usually is in the summer, according to a release from Parks Tacoma.
“While this was expedited as a cost-saving measure to address a budget shortfall, it is in alignment with the district’s Climate Action Plan and the direction Parks Tacoma was already heading to be more sustainable and environmentally friendly,” the release states.
Parks Tacoma will maintain irrigation in some of its properties like athletic fields and lawns that the agency often uses for special events. The reduction will save 54 million gallons of water of the roughly 100 million Parks Tacoma uses annually, the release states.
