fountains in retention basins

Started by MarkR9 • 5 replies • 3058 views

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MarkR9 (New Jersey)
Posts: 4

Posted:

There is a proposal to replace the existing, and aging, fountains in our 12 retention basins with underwater bubblers that will improve water movement, lessen algae formation and cost 75% less to operate. The only downside is the loss of the perceived aesthetic of looking at the fountains. The community engineer endorses the change but residents with basin-front properties object to the loss of "their" fountains.

Anyone have experience with using the underwater aeration systems?

MelissaP1 (Alabama)
Posts: 13,836

Posted:

Here's what I can offer...We had a poster who believed their ponds had been "sabatoged" by someone. They reported their ponds had "blue" water in it. They were concerned about the wildlife and such. That "Blue" water is actually a dye that is used to prevent algae from forming. It is used to treat ponds to discourage algea growth and adds some aesthetics. I used to use it in my home made pond and it works.

I am mentioning that because it could be an option to discuss with those worried about losing some of their "aesthetics" to their pond. I would indeed want to go with the new system if it is less money to operate and better for the environment/situation. This is something I would show in the actual budget of the HOA so that people can understand the money saved. They see that this could save the HOA thousands of dollars and effect the fact dues may not have to increase for a few years, it may just pass the mustard.

We didn't have retention ponds but we did have a pool lady that used to leave our pool hose on. It cost us alot of money when this happened. Something many members never realized before. Once I showed them the water bill and electric costs we were wasting every month, it didn't take long for them to outrage enough to make a cheaper change. Luckily, all I had to do was install a $30 timer onto the hose. It reduced our bill and didn't waste my time having to constantly go up to the pool area to turn it off. There may be other such solutions for your HOA to check into beside this one solution...

Former HOA President

KellyM3 (North Carolina)
Posts: 2,239

Posted:

Mark,

Limited-access/limited enjoyment amenities are a huge headache. I dealt with decorative fountains last year and heard the same "outrage." My docs allow the board to installed limited-access amenities and hold the affected users responsible for the fountain upkeep. I should've offered that solution when the fountains died and we removed them.

If aging fountains still work and there's no algae problem to speak of, let the decorative fountains die naturally.
Then, you face doing what's best for the entire organization. Keep in mind that if algae or other water problems arise, those property owners hoping to keep "their" fountains will expect all the other property owners to correct the problem.

BobG4 (Florida)
Posts: 9

Posted:

I recently was part of the turnover of my hoa to the owners and was voted onto the board. The builder informed us that fountains can not be placed in our retention ponds due to the fact no electric was run to the ponds during construction. Can he be forced to install them or do we have to find other alternatives to control the alge?

KellyM3 (North Carolina)
Posts: 2,239

Posted:

Bob,

The HOA is now yours and so a fountain installation will be a homeowner decision through its board of directors. Explore your alternatives before installing a fountain. They're more expensive than you think, require more maintenance than you think and you'll get a nice electric bill every month. Have good cash flow in your organization before entering this project.

MelissaP1 (Alabama)
Posts: 13,836

Posted:

A good algae deterent is a blue dye. It's not toxic to wildlife. You can find it at Home Depot or Lowes. However, with larger ponds it may not be feasable to add this amount. You may try adding certain fish or plants to help reduce the algae. Contact maybe someone in the fish/wildlife conservation or other resource for natural control ideas. Fountains just keep the water circulating for other reasons than algea control.

Former HOA President

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