The "High Water Use" report is misleading. It should be titled...The highest Water Users.
With the exception of a few, we really don't use enough water. The only charge for water use is limited to several. Even on this report, few even come near to the use where there would be a charge.
It has been unusually dry this Spring with brown lawns showing up more than in previous years and this early. I fear that we will see less green areas because members fear a high water bill with the meters installed. Green areas prevent the spread of fire. Most of our fires have been in dead grass. We have no shortage of water. Our Pine trees should have the lower branches trimmed up and the grass under them mowed and even better if green.
When you enter Surfside, we are now seeing dead trees and brown lawns.
Everyone can and should have green lawns and/or vegetation areas. How much better the community would look. We give the appearance that we have a water shortage or high water bills. Neither is true.
More water flowing through our water mains will give us fresher and cooler water. Less chemical use may be a result. We can water all we need to have a green community and not be billed for excessive use. We should be promoting more water use done responsibly.
This is my opinion and may be wrong, but it is the way I see it.
Click on the picture of the dune fire and the high water use report for a larger view and read.
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| dune grass fire in Surfside |
14 comments:
George, I think your statements are a little off track here. Sure, we can use more water and not get charged for it, but why should we waste water just to get a green lawn? A mowed brown lawn will prevent the spread of a fire just as well as a mowed green lawn. And that picture of the burning dune, it shows a very green dune burning?
I don't see a green lawn as a waste of water. Maybe if there was a shortage, it might be. I think it can be argued that a green and clean community increases the livability and value. I do think a mowed green lawn would spread slower than a mowed brown one, but that is just my view.
anyway, thanks for your opinion.
We use Surfside as a vacation property. Keeping the grass green, requires regular mowing. Letting it go brown, means it doesn't grow and less mowing.
Sorry, George, I don't agree with your assessment
Maintained and natural looking has an appeal that you don't get, but we like!
We live on the west side of G street, so have a long stretch of sawgrass out back, all the way to the dunes. We have a conventional lawn 50 feet deep, which is maintained by a sprinkler system. That provides an adequate barrier to possible fire in the sawgrass.
Mowing the sawgrass generates truckloads of cut material that is too fibrous to easily break down and compost. Once mowed, the area is covered with the stubble of stalks, and is not really a useable area. It regrows quickly and requires re-mowing to avoid once again having massive amounts of dead grass left in piles - much more flammable, and complicated to deal with.
Left alone, the grass provides cover and habitat for wildlife. With sand as the "soil", a lawn requires constant watering to keep sand burrs and nasty weeds at bay. A 50 foot barrier is considered adequate to buffer a fire in the sawgrass, and protect our home.
I suggest not over-reacting to the specter of fire, and look at practical measures that can help prevent fire near your structures.
Agreed 12:17, Here another discussion: how do you control or eliminate those damn pungie grasses from living in your yard?
Our trees are cut, dry, and dead we were told we use too much water we stopped watering our lawn. now it matches our trees brown we called and explained to farmers ins the rules of the SS (SurfSide) and increased our fire insurance and are looking to move
If you have dead standing trees, they need to be cut down. If you have a standard size property, it would be difficult to overuse water with routine watering. Are you certain you don't have any leaks ? If not, the HOA is probably mistaken.
The threshold for watering without being charged is an enormous amount of water, and it's not likely you would be using that much unless it is leaking continuously. Have you consulted the Water Dept. ? They may be able to help you figure out what is going on, and the Bus. Office makes plenty of mistakes.
Fire danger is not very great given a few minor preventive measures, and your property can easily be made safe. No need for more insurance or over-reacting to what is probably a mistake by the HOA. If you have a leak, it needs to be found and remedied. If you have dead trees and shrubs, get rid of them.
I'm having trouble believing what 101 is claiming, it's not adding up to me? I never water my lawn and my trees are in great shape.
I don't believe not watering killed your trees.
As others have said on here and previously on this topic there is no reason to believe you would be charged for water unless you use an insane amount. It doesn't help when people float the idea that the HOA is looking to charge people for water either, which started when the meters were put in. That claim is false.
Things are starting to heat up here. Everybody water yourselves lol
As far as charging for water. Why should we trust the board at this point?
Because when it comes to charging for water for reasonable use there is no reason not to. Sorry for you that you feel otherwise.
Well 3:07, because it is clearly written at what threshold you have to go over to be charged. A threshold that most agree is a high number. That's why.
It would be nice if George's idea were to come true but as been pointed out there is no way to achieve what you suggest given the amount of part time homeowners and RV's. The only way we could have a green landscape would be if there were more full time homes which isn't going to happen. Even if there was you still would have some that wouldn't take care of their lawns. Drive through any neighborhood in America and you will see plenty of examples.
What I do find interesting is this. If at the next Board Meeting Gary Williams or certain other Trustees got up to tell the membership that they should be taking better care of their lawns the same complainers would be on here ranting about how the board is telling them how to use their property. Funny how that works
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