If their in california its entirely believable, after awhile it becomes too expensive to water, hence why I have dirt.

I am sorry I was not 100% precise with my internet words. I will go count the minority of lawns in my neighborhood that don't look like shit after work and report back with exactly how many lawns look bad, how many look just okay, and how many are lush and green.

I retract my overarching point, made via a personal anecdote and which I presumed was clear, that a more sustainable lawn is looked down upon by many people who favor turfgrass while demonstrating characteristics that those same people generally find desirable.

Edit It also might not have been a full ton of clover. It may have only been ten pounds of seed. Excuse the hyperbole.

Some places legit ban watering during dry times

Many places enforce watering restrictions. Usually it's "even house numbers on even days, odd on odd," then when it gets hot out, watering only allowed at night. For almost a month my area (in northern Illinois) had a complete water ban, until this recent week now that we're getting so much rain we're flooding.

Nobody waters their lawn in Seattle. The only green you will find in the summer is from clover or maybe creeping thyme.