While water management is an important topic for any HOA, apartment complex, or city, communities in Southern California must be exceptionally aware of water usage in landscaping. Because of frequent drought periods and water surcharges, monitoring and reducing water usage is good for the environment and the budget. So how can community managers work with a landscaping contractor to make this happen?

One of the most important things when choosing a reputable landscaping contractor to work with on water management for your community or HOA is understanding what should be expected of them. Knowing what questions to ask and services to look for when meeting with a potential landscaping partner will go a long way in making a smart business decision.

Below are some of the tasks that a landscaping contractor should include for any city or housing community in order to cut their water usage and improve water management efforts:

Incorporate Eco-Friendly Landscaping Designs in Common Areas

Working with your landscaping company to incorporate environmentally-conscious design elements into your community’s common areas is one of the best ways to help water management efforts and can provide a unique, attractive landscape that will catch your potential residents’ eye.

Because of the wonderful variety of plants that are native to Southern California, it is possible to have an attractive landscaping design while primarily using plants that do not require excessive amounts of water. A good landscaping contractor will work with you to incorporate eco-friendly elements into your design such as:

• Replacing grass with high-quality gravel and stone
• Utilizing succulents into the design, such as cacti or aloe
• Planting hearty perennial flowers in lieu of ones that require frequent watering
• Using a dry stream to guide water flow after rains
• Adding mulch to help the soil retain moisture

As the landscaping company makes updates like this throughout the design, property managers will begin to see a big impact on overall water usage and expenditure for the community.

Have an Expert Knowledge of Plants’ Watering Needs 

When it comes to water management, it is essential to understand the different needs of plants and adjust the watering and maintenance plans accordingly. Your landscaping contractor should be aware of which plants get afternoon sun—making them likely to need more water—or which sections of the lawn are primarily shaded throughout the day.

Having this inherent knowledge of what plants need can go a long way in cutting down on the water usage for the entire community. Choosing to work with a landscaping expert that is local to Southern California and understands the unique needs of this region will be extremely helpful in preventing water from going to waste.

Perform Irrigation Retrofits for the Community

While irrigation is not something that every HOA or apartment complex will be interested in using, it is important to work with a contractor who can perform an irrigation retrofit if that is something the community might decide to do in the future. 

Irrigation systems allow housing communities or cities to obtain detailed control over water usage. They allow water to be turned on and off remotely and allow the flow to be controlled in zones, creating different levels of watering volume. This ensures that every type of plant gets the water it requires, without the waste or over-watering associated with performing a blanketed soaking. This increased efficiency can lead to an extreme reduction in water usage overall.

Keep Up With Regular Maintenace Checks Around Common Areas

When it comes to water usage, even something as small as a single-drip leak or not switching an automated system to new settings when Daylight Savings Time ends can make a big impact if it is left untreated. Especially for communities in Southern California, every drop that is wasted can have an impact on the budget and the overall health of the landscaping work.

Watching for leaking hoses, malfunctioning sprinklers, or cracks in piping are all essential tasks for a landscaping contractor to perform, and it can save the community quite a bit on water management expenses in the long run. Additionally, the landscaping contractor should closely monitor and frequently recalibrate any automated systems based on time of year, angle of sunlight, and other factors that might cause a discrepancy between the water used and what the plants actually need.

Report on Water Usage for the Community

A good landscaping company should not simply reassure you that water is being saved without any evidence—instead, look for a contractor that will be able to provide community managers with clear reports on the impact of your efforts. 

By utilizing monthly reports, quarterly numbers, and year-over-year comparisons, a community manager can see exactly how any changes and updates have impacted their water management budget. Having the reporting and data regarding water usage will be extremely helpful for property managers to assess their water usage and make decisions about any extra steps necessary to reach their target water usage goal.

While community managers have many things to consider when choosing a landscaping contractor to work with, one of the most important things for Southern California HOAs, apartment complexes, or cities to be sure of is that they are choosing a landscaping partner they can trust and that is exceptionally knowledgable of the latest best practices in landscape and water management. Not only does this create a more beautiful and water-efficient community overall, but it also ensures that they are facilitating an environment that their residents will love for years to come.

At Monarch Environmental, we are made up of a team of EPA Water Sense Partners and Certified Water Managers that are passionate about working with community managers to reach their water management goals. If you’d like to learn more about our water management expertise, check out our list of water management services and contact us today.