Will planting another type of turfgrass automatically result in water savings?
The scientific evidence seems to point to human behavior with regard to over-irrigation—not particular plants in the landscape—as the reason for much wasted irrigation water. In addition, there is some evidence that in well-watered (i.e., sustained good quality) conditions, bahiagrass uses slightly more water than St. Augustinegrass. Thus, replacing St. Augustinegrass with bahiagrass will not likely reduce water needs for well-watered conditions. In addition to water, there are many other factors, such as maintenance level, diseases, and pests, that need to be considered related to a turfgrass change.
