On January 17th, Governor Brown declared a state-wide drought, which includes our region of Mendocino, Sonoma and Marin Counties. As the General Manager of the Sonoma County Water Agency, Mr. Grant Davis explains in the video below, Governor Brown has asked for a 20% cutback in water use for everyone in California. As Community Managers for common interest developments, we are in a unique position to make a huge impact in water conservation. There are many ways that residents can cut back on personal use from making sure the dish and clothes washers are full when they are run, to turning off the faucet while you brush or wash your hands.
For associations, common area landscaping is where most of the water is being used, and effecting this area can be expensive. It is important to talk to your landscapers, legal counsel and other experts when looking for ways to cut back. Landscape renovation can pay off in the long run, but can be costly to implement. Many of the city websites have Return On Investment (ROI) calculators to help you see the savings and weigh this against the cost. Replacing clubhouse toilets with ultra efficient toilets may save over 5,200 gallons a year. Covering the association pool can save as much as 85% on heating, gas, electrical and chemical bills and will reduce evaporation by as much as 93%. For more ideas, check out the following websites:
http://www.savingwaterpartnership.org/
http://saveourh2o.org/
