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Bay Area Club Uses Paint To Keep Grass Green During Drought

SAN JOSE (KPIX 5) -- Lawns all over the Bay Area and across California are turning brown during the state's record drought. A South Bay athletic club has found a way to keep their grass looking lush, without any water at all.

"We stopped the water on it for a couple weeks now," said Jeff Griffith-Jones of the Almaden Valley Athletic Club.

On Monday, the club's lawn was painted green.

"Water is at a premium," said Shawn Sahbari owner of Green Canary.

Our terrible drought is good for business. The Los Gatos-based company said it is spraying about 75 percent more than normal.

On Monday, it took the crew about an hour to give the grass its new hue. There's no doubt this lawn is green, but before any work is done, customers normally have some questions they need covered.

Sahbari said. "We have a lot of curious people who ask: Is it permanent? How long does it last?"

The owner of Green Canary said the coating will last anywhere from 90 to 180 days. Sahbari stresses that it's not actually paint. It's a water-based solution he compares to food coloring, so he said it's safe.

"We chose the largest plot of grass to try to change green because this is the most visible area," Griffith-Jones said.

Spraying a 1,500 square foot patch cost the club about $600. They have now decided to paint the rest of their lawns as well.

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