Exterior Water Conservation

Begin planning your water smart landscape upgrade by establishing a water management program to guide you through the process. The following steps will help you get started.

  1. step1

    Complete a Water Use Report

    • Have an evaluation performed at your development to determine your current water use.
    • A Water Usage Preparer or other water use specialists can provide a water usage report card upon request as either a separate service or as a part of the yearly reserve analysis at a reasonable cost.
    • You could be given a classification of A through D. This evaluation will let you know what amount of square feet you have at your property and gallons used per square foot. The report will show your Water Use Zone Classification and the amount per acre you are paying as well as the potential savings based on water use reduction.
    • Date the report and follow thru to see results.
    • view sample report card (92 K)
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  2. step2

    Communicate with the Landscape Contractor

    • Insure your landscape contractor knows you want to conserve.
    • It is suggested that the association's irrigation system be checked to be certain it is operating at top efficiency.
    • Approval should be given to repair lines, valves, and replace sprinkler heads where needed.
    • Water bills should be reviewed and the contractor maintaining the development should be aware of water used for irrigation.
    • There are many tools any incentives to be taken advantage of by the contractor for the benefit of the property at this time.
    • Changes made in this step alone may enable you to move you up a grade.
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  3. step3

    Get Everyone to Agree

    • Get everyone on board.
    • Inform your team of the goal to reduce water and water related costs.
    • Insure all involved understand what current use is and how water cut backs will benefit the Association.
    • Your current management operating team and resource experts:
      • Board of Directors
      • Manager
      • Landscape Contractor
      • Owners
    • In order to make changes and save water and related costs you may need to add to your team the following:
      • Water Agency Representative
      • Water Usage Preparer
      • Landscape Architect
      • Association Attorney
      • Bank
      • Landscape Installation Contractor
      • Irrigation Supply Specialist
      • Plant and Turf Provider
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  4. step4

    These will be the fast easy things to fix - Grass is a high water user

    • A new design may be necessary if your water use analysis shows more water use than desired.
    • Contact a landscape architect or a person able to develop a water smart plan or design.
    • Consider having a property review by the landscape architect to give a preliminary report of easy water saving changes that may be needed.
    • After the review is approved and accepted other changes in design, plant use and irrigation may require more cost for implementation.
    • Check where you are after this, have you moved up?
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  5. step5

    Money matters both short term and long term

    • Determine if association funds are available.
    • Your association's attorney can advise you if funds available can be used for this purpose.
    • If funds are not available you may consider asking for a bank loan.
    • If a bank loan is required it may be wise to have a return on investment analysis made.
    • Your Water Usage Preparer should be able to provide you with this report at a reasonable cost.
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  6. step6

    Is money needed for upgrade worth the potential savings?

    • After it has been determined that funds are available and owners are in agreement that change is needed the next steps are:
      • Design
      • Irrigation
      • Plants
    • This may be needed so don't be surprised. It is not where you are it is where you are going that counts. With a water smart design, updated irrigation and water wise plants your association should be well on its way to a happy future in the water world.
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  7. step7

    An attractive design is important and changes may save water while helping to increase home values

    • Design is a huge factor in landscape upgrades.
    • Designs can be done in phases.
    • It is essential to keep owners informed.
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  8. step8

    Proper working and updated irrigation system is essential

    • Irrigation upgrades are key.
    • Water agencies frequently have incentive programs available to encourage changes.
    • Selection should be made with great care.
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  9. step9

    Plant selection is important and it is wise to look at proposed selections

    • Make sure plants are "WATER SMART."
    • Visit the "Water Conservation Garden" to see plants that qualify as "WATER SMART" or your local nursery.
    • Soon identification will be given to plants in supply places that will help identify water smart varieties.
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  10. step10

    Maintain efficient water use and check each year

    • Maintain the new upgraded landscape that has been installed.
    • Ask your Water Usage Preparer to report yearly to insure that your upgraded property is still maintaining its "WATER SMART" category.
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