The staff of Colorado Springs Utilities thinks it has an affordable, and eco-friendly plan to green up the grass in city parks.

Representatives met with the Colorado Springs City Utilities Board Wednesday to lay out their ideas.

The plan is essentially a conservation program. It works like programs offered by Springs Utilities, which give customers financial benefits for using resources like water wisely. Private customers can be billed on a tiered schedule, which rewards those who use less than a designated amount of water every month.

Springs Utilities would provide solutions for the City Parks and Recreation Department to use water more efficiently in all of the city's parks. Possible ideas are swapping current sprinkler heads with some designed to conserve water, or changing watering schedules. Other possibilities could include changing landscape from turf to Xeriscape, or installing smart controllers, rain sensors, and soil moisture sensors.

"We believe this is very consistent with our values and provides not only short term sustainability approach, but a long term one as well as we assist in helping parks gain watering efficiency, we think that will provide a long term solution to this challenge to this community," said Bruce McCormick, General Manager of Water Resources for Colorado Springs Utilities.

In exchange for lower use, Colorado Springs Utilities would offer the city a lower rate on its overall water bill.

"Congratulations on coming up with a program that meets the needs of our community and our parks," said Mayor Lionel Rivera during Wednesday's meeting.

Colorado Springs Utilities will formally submit their proposal to City Council on Tuesday, March 23.