Broadlands Customer Wins Brownest Lawn Contest

Leesburg — Nearly 20 Loudoun County Sanitation Authority (LCSA) customers sent in more than 40 photos vying for the Brownest Lawn title. The photo with the most votes belonged to Mr. Asher Roth of Broadlands, Virginia. Mr. Roth actually sent LCSA two photos of his lawn, one taken in May and another taken in August. The striking contrast he was able to show helped to demonstrate the magnitude of the loss, which is likely why his photo garnered the votes.

“On the one hand it was heartbreaking to view all the photos, but on the other hand, it was heartwarming that people had a willingness to cede control to nature and do without this beloved summer symbol,” says Communications Manager Samantha Villegas.

Citing dry conditions coupled with unprecedented high water use, LCSA hosted the brown lawn photo contest in late July to reward and celebrate customers who let their lawns go, an action that conserves the most water at a time when supplies are stressed. Customers sent photos by email or regular mail, or they posted them to Flickr.com, which is a photo-sharing website. LCSA’s employees voted for the winner.

“It was very close. Nearly every photo we received got at least one vote,” says Villegas. “They are all winners, and I wish we could reward all of them.”

Mr. Roth will receive a “Smart Outdoor Watering Kit” from LCSA, which includes a sprinkler timer, sprinkler gauge, landscape guide and soil moisture probe. “I know that I was up against some stiff competition -- I'd like to thank the other entrants, all of whom I feel are deserving of this recognition. I'd also like to thank all of my neighbors, whose in-ground automatic sprinkler systems made my lawn stand out,” says Roth.

The contest, along with a request for customers to follow the odd-even rule for lawn watering, has resulted in a 10 percent reduction in water demand, which has helped stave off the need for mandatory water restrictions.

LCSA continues to monitor the situation closely, tracking rainfall, streamflow and reservoir storage on a daily basis. For daily statistics, smart lawn watering tips and 100 ways to use water wisely, go to www.lcsa.org.

Contact: Samantha Villegas, 571-291-7942


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