Landscape
The lifespan of an irrigation system is 10-25 years and is dependent on the original quality of design and equipment, construction, and maintenance practices. Irrigation efficiency decreases as the system ages.
Landscape Recommendations
- Consider turf removal.
- Forgo winter lawns and give Bermuda grass the rest it needs. Learn about the benefits.
- Conduct regular property leak checks. Walk the property every two weeks, both when the irrigation system is and is not running and report visible leaks to the
designated person.
- Set aside money in the reserve account for the eventual replacement of the irrigation system. The lifespan of irrigations systems varies a great deal. Talk to your
landscaper to determine the condition of your irrigation system, determine what changes would occur during renovation, and then determine reserve account needs.
- Attend free landscape workshops to find out how to design a desert-adapted landscape that requires minimal care.
- Choose desert-adapted low-water-use plants that are drought tolerant and more likely to survive during the hot summer months. Review our free landscape publications.
Pool
Pool evaporation rates are dependent on sunlight intensity, air and water temperature, wind, humidity and shading. A 400 ft2 pool will lose approximately 19,665 gallons of water per year to evaporation.
Pool Recommendations
Most leaks associated with the pool can be found in the pool equipment. Look and listen for water leaks around the pool and pool equipment every two weeks. Look for white crusty mineral deposits on the equipment as this may indicate a slow leak. Also, look for wet spots on the ground around the pool, pool equipment and between the equipment and the pool.
- Consider doing a bucket test during a “non-swim” time when you can turn off the pool's water supply to discover non-visible leaks.
- Pools with properly maintained chemical levels seldom require draining.
- If you must refill your pool, read your water meter before and after filling. The difference between these reads is the gallons used and can be multiplied by current water rates to calculate the cost of water used.