It’s been a minute since our last blog post and this summer was no exception in how quickly it flew by. Summers in HOA management are always crazy as there is such a short window of time to complete capital projects and repairs before the snow begins to fly again.
This summer, Park City struggled with extreme drought and ongoing smoke from wildfires. Water conservation has been a hot topic of conversation, especially those communities within the 84060 zip code which are serviced by Park CIty Municipal Water. Park City water is incredibly expensive and often consumes a large portion of the operating budget for HOA’s within the 84060 zip code.
Below are a few tips for HOA’s to consider as they navigate the world of water:
- Xeriscaping – Identify areas within the community that may be good candidates for xeriscaping. In most instances, you can significantly reduce water usage when you reduce the amount grass by replacing some grass areas with crushed rock, mulch, and drought tolerant plants. Ornamental grasses and Russian sage do very well in Park City’s high desert climate. It’s always a good idea to start small and phase a xeriscaping project out over multiple years to offset the capital investment.
- Address irrigation breaks immediately and adjust the clocks as the season progresses – Your irrigation crew should check for breaks and leaks weekly and adjust the number of days watered and duration of watering throughout the season.
- Monitor usage and sign up for WaterSmart – your management company should sign up for the WaterSmart program to receive alerts on potential leaks or usage outside of set tolerance levels.
