How a Colorado HOA Cut Water Waste by 38% and Reclaimed Control Over Rising Utility Costs

Case Study

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Customer Profile

Customer ProfileProperty: Highlands at Stonegate North HOA
Type: Multi-building HOA community
Location: Parker, Colorado Meter
Count: 446+ submeters
Interviewee: Sherri, HOA Board President

Challenge

For years, Highlands at Stonegate North HOA—446 residential units in Parker, Colorado—faced unpredictable and rising water bills with no visibility into individual usage. Water costs were split across all units, frustrating homeowners and board members alike.

Without submeters, residents using less water still paid the same as high-use households. Legacy submetering options were impractical—costing over $700 per unit plus invasive plumbing labor. The HOA needed a cost-effective, non-invasive solution to improve accountability, cut waste, and control rising utility costs.

Impact

Lack of metering transparency led to:

Unchecked water waste from hidden leaks (potentially inflating costs by 30%+)
Undetected irrigation leaks and a misread city meter inflating bills by tens of thousands
No ability for residents to track or reduce their own usage
Higher HOA dues reducing competitiveness and property values

“Until people start getting their own bill, they won’t care. When water is hidden in assessments, people waste it—and the whole community pays,” notes Sherri.

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Solution

The HOA selected SimpleSUB Water for its affordable, non-invasive over-the-pipe technology. Installation required no pipe cutting or plumbers, and LTE-enabled submeters provided real-time usage data, leak detection, and direct billing—outside of HOA management.

A two-day pilot installed over 300 meters; within weeks, the full 446+ meters were operational. This allowed the HOA to track usage per unit, detect leaks instantly, and bill residents based on actual consumption.

Features

Over-the-Pipe Compatibility
→ No pipe cutting or plumbing work
→ Fast, low-cost installation with minimal disruption
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Real-Time LTE Monitoring
→ Immediate leak detection and alerts
→ Enables proactive repairs before costs escalate
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Resident Billing Platform
→ Direct billing to homeowners
→ Reduces HOA administrative overhead and recovers utility costs
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Usage Dashboards
→ Transparent consumption tracking
→ Promotes conservation and resident accountability
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Irrigation-Ready Design
→ Supports outdoor water monitoring
→ Identifies costly irrigation leaks quickly

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Results

38% reduction in water usage within two months (January: 1.872M gallons → March: 1.124M gallons)

$20,000–$30,000 refund from correcting city meter misreads

Multiple leaks fixed immediately after detection

Many residents saving $50–$70 monthly on water bills

Significant installation savings compared to traditional systems

Success

“SimpleSUB made the extra effort. The ROI is absolutely there—better than continuing to throw money at rising utility bills,” says Sherri. The system gave homeowners visibility, control, and incentives to conserve, while enabling the HOA to reclaim control over water expenses.

“For any HOA struggling with water accountability, non-invasive submeters with real-time monitoring are the only practical path forward. SimpleSUB delivers powerful results without the risks and costs of traditional systems.” — Sherri, HOA Board President

Modernize Your Water Management

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