The HOA Board Quarterly Winter 2019 Issue #20 | Page 6

Web-Based Smart Controllers-Irrigation Timers
by Steve Economou
Benefits to HOAs
Increasingly, HOAs are turning to web-based irrigation
controllers, also called timers, as a streamlined way to save
significant amounts of water and money. Web-based controllers
give:

• Precision information
• Flexible scheduling
• Extensive alerts
give you feedback about the effect on your water use. Having
this information allows you to fine-tune the management of your
HOA water usage. If you re-landscape an area, you will update the
conditions in the software and the program will change watering
times, etc.
Automatic Failure Alerts and Notification
that get delivered to and from centralized systems - and can
even deliver information to smart phones for remote operation.
A professional landscape maintenance company should be
expected to understand, control, and manage this technology. The systems can automatically detect faults in pipes, valves,
solenoids, and sprinkler heads. A smart controller should notify
the user of detected malfunctions via email and text messages.
The best smart irrigation solutions may even automatically detect
and manage events by shutting off zones in case of a broken
sprinkler head.
How it works Ease of Use
Most smart irrigation solutions employ a weather and
evapotranspiration formula to apply water. You define
information such as plant type, soil, sprinkler head precipitation
rates, and sun exposure, and then the system software
automatically recommends the best watering schedule for
your landscape. The success of the system, and the amount of
water saved, is closely, perhaps most importantly, tied to how
well your landscape company inputs, updates and manages this
information. Every company develops what they think is an easy-to-use system.
Explore this yourself. Any new system will take some education,
so take your time
Changing conditions
As weather cycles through seasonal rain patterns and through
multi-year periods of wet and dry, your system will continue to
Ease of Maintenance
There are three areas to consider:

• How much time does system maintenance require?
• Who can do it? and
• Will the vendor do it?
Upon installation, there will be a period of adjustment and
a learning curve. Be prepared for it. Ask about what level of
expertise is required to maintain the system and ensure that
someone within your vendor’s organization is well-trained.
Remote Access
Create a typical scenario and find out if the manufacturer can
accommodate the chain of command you require for notification
of key personnel.
Pricing Plans
There are two major pricing philosophies:

• Upfront capital outlay or
• Monthly ongoing fee services
The financial structure of your HOA may mean that a capital outlay
would make conversion to these systems difficult. In that case,
Continued on page 8
6 | The HOA Board Quarterly | Issue #20 | Winter 2019