Tough budgets are leading to a big-time cut at local cemeteries. In Eau Claire, they're shutting off the water throughout the grounds. That has some people worried about keeping their loved ones’ graves green.

It's a decision the city says it had to make after a huge water bill last year. But, some people say it's the wrong way to try and save money.

"My grandma and grandpa are up here,” says Sherry Dwyer. “My dad died last year, he's over there."

Friday, Dwyer is planting flowers for her brother.

"My brother died when he was 27 years old in 1980," she says.

Dwyer says she spends a lot of time at Forest Hill Cemetery in Eau Claire.

"It's beautiful. It means a lot," she says through tears.

But recently something changed at Forest Hill and Lakeview Cemeteries.

"Once City Hall looked at budget and said where's all the money coming from? They decided the best option was go to a single source of water," says John Stuve, an assistant sexton at Lakeview Cemetery.

City workers haven't watered the grounds for years, but there were always dozens of spigots throughout the cemeteries. They say high maintenance costs for the old system and the $10,000 water bill last year led to the changes. It's one Stuve says will take some getting used to.

"It's understandable, people have been coming here for years and years and had their loved one near a water source,” he says. "With budget problems, every department has to find ways to make ends meet better."

Stuve and his crew are doing what they can to let people know about the changes. They put these plastic laminated signs on all the water spigots, but he says strong winds knocked most of them off.

"There will be people that really miss it," says Teresa Van Geller as she places artificial flowers in Lakeview Cemetery.

"I suppose the city has to cut the water. They have to save money somewhere," says Mickey Rieder of Chippewa County. He too has switched to artificial flowers after moving further from Lakeview Cemetery.

"It's upsetting it's the least we can do for our daughter, you know keep the grass green," says Jeff Beystrom as he places flowers, a wreath and hangs a wind chime at Forest Hill Cemetery.

"We didn't hear one thing about it," Dwyer says of the new water policy.

She says it's a change that people should have had a say in, and a cost she thinks people would've been willing to help cover.

"My mom always came up and put flowers out every year and it's a big deal to us,” she says between tears. “I hope generations and generations will take care of it.”

City Forester Todd Chwala says switching to one water source was a tough decision to make, but he says the change will save the city thousands of dollars. He says workers are at the cemeteries between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. during the week and can help anyone who really struggles with the new system.