Honestly people don't even need to get rid of their lawns most of the time. Just don't mow it so short, or so often. Don't obsess over it. Let it grow. Let its roots grow. Allow some native perennials to fill the space in between, pluck the ones you don't like, and see what survives. Be patient. It won't be in a constant state of shock and it'll hold water much better. Chances are it will be greener - even in a drought (isn't that the type of situation where we all benefit from green space that is actually alive?) - and might not need to be manually watered at all.