Coastal Community Homeowners Association Saves 1.8 Million Gallons Annually & Minimizes Run-Off into Ocean

CHALLENGE

The Terraces at Cantebria, a Homeowners Association (HOA) located in Encinitas, California, is a coastal community north of San Diego. The HOA’s sloping landscape and proximity to the ocean makes them particularly susceptible to several irrigation issues. The community was highly criticized by both the water district and the coastal commission for storm drain pollution and run-off into the ocean, as a result of poorly managed irrigation.

With 140 homes on approximately 27 acres, the inability to effectively manage run-off due to slopes throughout the community was amplified. To minimize runoff, reduce water waste, and avoid storm drain pollution, the need for a responsive irrigation system became mandatory.

SOLUTION – Smart Irrigation Minimizes Run-Off

With the installation of WeatherTRAK smart irrigation controllers, Coast Landscaping Inc. and The Terraces at Cantebria significantly reduced hillside water run-off. Even without the use of rain sensors, master valves or pumps, the results within the first year spoke for themselves. The amount of water used decreased from 11,355 units to 8,874 units (748 gallons per unit), totaling a savings of 2,481 units and over 1.8 million gallons. Despite a 12% increase in water rates, they still managed to achieve a savings of over $4,000. Landscaping staff easily managed and controlled irrigation with the intuitive and user-friendly WeatherTRAK platform. Taking advantage of several features that were not available in the previous irrigation system, the quality and efficiency of their landscape maintenance improved tremendously. Some of those features include station stacking, adjustable default run-time settings, pre-determined watering windows, different run-day options and alert detection services. WeatherTRAK smart irrigation successfully minimized run-off from steep slopes and reduced water waste in the ocean.