In Colorado Springs, irrigation isn’t an optional add-on—it’s the system that protects one of your most visible property assets. And in our high-sun, low-humidity climate, skipping irrigation checks usually costs more than including them in your maintenance agreement.
That was true before. It’s even more true now because:
- Colorado Springs Utilities’ Water Wise Rules limit when and how often you can water, so you have less margin for error. (csu.org)
- New Colorado turf laws taking effect January 1, 2026 restrict “nonfunctional turf” in many commercial and HOA/common-interest settings, making “just replace the sod” a less reliable backup plan. (Colorado General Assembly)
Here’s why paying for irrigation checks is typically the cheaper, smarter option.
Water Restrictions Shrink Your Room for Mistakes
Under Colorado Springs Utilities’ Water Wise Rules, irrigation is generally limited to up to three days per week, and from May 1 to Oct. 15 watering is restricted to before 10 a.m. or after 6 p.m. (csu.org)
What that means operationally:
- If a zone is under-watering, you can’t simply “water extra every day” to recover.
- If a head is broken and wasting water, you’re paying for it—while also risking enforcement.
- If schedules aren’t adjusted seasonally, you can burn turf fast (too little) or create disease/mud/runoff (too much).
CSU also requires leaking sprinkler systems to be repaired within 10 days and prohibits water pooling on hard surfaces or running into gutters—two issues that proactive checks catch early. (csu.org)
The New Reality: “We’ll Just Replace the Sod” Is Not a Plan
Starting January 1, 2026, Colorado Senate Bill 24-005 prohibits local governments from allowing installation/planting of nonfunctional turf (and also restricts artificial turf and invasive plant species) on a range of properties including commercial, institutional, industrial, and common-interest community property in many development/redevelopment contexts. (Colorado General Assembly)
Practical implication for property managers:
- Depending on how your local jurisdiction interprets “nonfunctional turf” and applies the rules in development/redevelopment situations, replacing dead decorative turf with new sod may become restricted in more areas over time.
- That makes preserving the turf you already have more important than ever—because replacement is not always simple, fast, or even permitted in the same way it used to be.
Even where replacement is still allowed (for functional areas), it’s still expensive—and water restrictions make establishment harder.
What “No Irrigation Checks” Turns Into on Commercial Properties
When irrigation checks aren’t included, properties go reactive:
- A head breaks, a valve sticks, or a schedule is wrong
- Nobody notices until there’s visible decline or a complaint
- By the time a technician arrives, turf is stressed or dead
- You pay for repairs and recovery work (seed/sod, soil, labor), plus extra management time
This cycle is common in Colorado Springs because turf can go from “fine” to “fried” quickly in summer.
The Hidden Costs of Skipping Irrigation Checks
1) Turf Loss + Weed Invasion
Once turf thins, weeds move in fast. Then you’re buying:
- extra weed control
- renovation work
- resident/tenant complaint management
2) Water Waste (and higher bills)
Without routine checks, common money-leaks include:
- overspray onto sidewalks/asphalt
- geyser heads
- mismatched nozzles
- outdated seasonal programming
3) Slip/Trip Risk
Overspray and pooling create algae, slick sidewalks, and—when temperatures drop—ice. CSU’s rules explicitly prohibit water pooling on hard surfaces for a reason. (csu.org)
4) Unpredictable Spend
Skipping checks doesn’t eliminate irrigation cost—it converts it into:
- emergency work orders
- rush proposals
- repeated site meetings
- surprise line items
What You Get When Irrigation Checks Are Included
A real irrigation check program typically covers:
- controller inspections + seasonal adjustments
- zone-by-zone performance checks
- head alignment, nozzle condition, spray pattern correction
- leak detection (drip, valves, laterals)
- identification of overspray/runoff issues (compliance + safety)
- clear repair recommendations, prioritized by urgency
This prevents the expensive stuff: turf replacement, water waste, and emergency response.
Bottom Line
In Colorado Springs, irrigation checks are cheaper than irrigation problems—especially now that:
- watering windows are limited and violations can carry consequences (csu.org)
- and Colorado is tightening the rules around nonfunctional turf starting January 1, 2026, which can complicate the “just replace it” approach (Colorado General Assembly)
