A CALIFORNIA community has implemented experimental new lawns.

Solera Properties, a HOA in Bakersfield, California, is using xeriscaping to try to manage water better in the future.

While xeriscaping doesn’t look like a typical lawn, it is extremely tolerant to droughts, which is good in an area like California, and it saves homeowners money.

Bakersfield District Manager for the California Water Service, Tammy Johnson, said the community’s xeriscaping efforts were so successful that they earned $150,000 through the Lawn-to-Garden Rebate Program.

“Not just this space, but they actually have 3 different locations and they saved – or they removed over 49,000 square feet of turf,” Johnson said to ABC affiliate KERO.

Cal Water estimated that the project could save 1.3 million gallons of water per year.

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“The result is absolutely outstanding, and it’s unique in our community, and I’m so glad that we could serve as a showcase for the rest of Bakersfield to see what can be done,” President of the Solera Homeowner’s Association Karyl Ralles said.

According to Senior Environmental Scientist with the California Department of Water Resources, Jordi Vasquez, partnering with an HOA on a project of this caliber has never been done before.

Vasquez also said that the Department of Water made a $6 million dollar donation to Bakersfield to repair infrastructure and further mesh conservation into everyday life.

“By switching out thirsty lawns with these native plants and landscaping here, we’ve been able to save 1.3 million gallons of water per year,” said Vasquez.

“Cumulatively for the lifespan of this project, that’ll be 13.4 million gallons of water.”

Vasquez said Solera set an example for the rest of the state and that the Department of Water plans to partner with more HOAs on projects in the future.

“We have to do this. We live in a desert area, we want it to be sustainable. If we’re proactive rather than reactive, we can continue to have a say in what happens. We can plan,” said Ralles.