Homeowners association (HOA) memberships cost Americans several thousands of dollars annually, but what exactly is that money going toward? The answer to that question, as posed in a popular Reddit thread, may not always be fiscally responsible or environmentally conscious.
The Reddit post on the r/mildlyinfuriating forum showed a photo of a sprinkler head, which the original poster notes "waters the lake twice a day." The post indicates that the head was installed the year prior but has still not been moved to a spot where it would be more effective, such as watering a lawn or a garden.
"Here is one of the heads," the poster shared, along with the image.
HOAs are often criticized for their environmentally degrading practices and restrictive policies, which, in many cases, prevent changes that could increase the aesthetic value of neighborhoods and housing developments.
While there has been some movement to restrict HOA policies that prohibit water-saving alternative landscapes, such as Colorado's SB 23-178, many homeowners associations remain largely unregulated.
Although this Redditor's water dilemma may seem trivial, it reflects a more significant issue with the environmental and fiscal sustainability of America's landscaping practices. Not only is wasted water costing homeowners money, but it also is putting a strain on the dwindling water stores across the nation.
According to information published by the Environmental Protection Agency, the average American family uses 320 gallons of water daily, with nearly 15% being used exclusively for watering lawns. These lawns are mainly grown for their appearance and serve minimal benefit for biodiversity, habitat, or food production.
More efforts to curb water usage for watering lawns (and lakes, apparently) will need to be taken to curb the overextraction of water resources in the coming decade. Much of this strain is geographically dependent — per a map published in The Washington Post — with regions in the Southwest being the most water-stressed.
The comments on the Reddit forum were mainly poking fun at the sprinkler's placement. One Redditor jokingly commented, "Lake must not be getting enough water," while another wrote, "So that's how's the waters rise on lakes and stuff."
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