Conserving Water: How to Plan and Implement Cost-Effective Programs Mary Ann Dickinson Executive Director Alliance for Water Efficiency

What the Public Can Perceive……..

When Does This Happen? When Does This Happen?  When water utilities do nothing until a crisis occurs and restrictions are enacted  Conservation then seen as deprivation  Underlying ethic is missing in water  Consumers unaware of actual water use  Consumers unaware of resource impacts  Water not priced to its true value, despite big bills for its distribution and pending shortages

Conservation’s Many Benefits  Drought Tool: short-term relief  Planning Tool: lessen gap between demand and available supply  Economic Tool: defer capital facilities for drinking water and wastewater treatment  e.g. US will spend a quarter trillion dollars by the year 2020  Drinking and Wastewater SRF funds

Delay and Downsizing Means $

Seattle Example

National Standards Help  Residential as well as commercial plumbing products and appliances:  Toilets  Showerheads  Faucets  Urinals  Clothes Washers Commercial)  Dishwashers  Pre-rinse spray valves

Send Consumers to a Label  EPA Energy Star companion program  Voluntary program only  20% more efficient  Performance Tested  Products:  HETs  Faucets  New Homes  Urinals  Irrigation Controllers

Retrofit to Standards and Labels  Residential Households  Commercial and Office Buildings  Industry and Manufacturing  Institutions  Indoor and Outdoor

How Much Can Be Saved?  1998 AWWARF Study of residential end uses in 1300 homes in twelve cities using data-loggers  Without conservation, the household used on average 64.6 gallons per capita per day indoors  With conservation, the per capita per day figure is reduced to 44.7 gallons, or 30% savings

Relative Consumption  1998 AWWARF Study showed national average of residential per capita consumption was 170 gallons per person per day  Brisbane Australia’s residential per capita is 36 gallons per person per day  No noticeable loss of lifestyle  Consumer behavior reductions are huge  How do WE get there?  Highlighting the benefits of conservation

Back to Conservation Benefits PROVIDING UTILITY SYSTEM VALUE  Satisfying the demands of new growth without needing additional capital investment for supply and treatment  Flattening the demand peak to reduce the need for water supply and treatment investment to meet an artificially high peak

The Water-Energy Connection

Benefits of Water Savings RESTORING ENVIRONMENTAL VALUES  Maintaining stream flows  Protecting groundwater supplies from excessive depletion  Reducing the discharge volume of wastewater  Reducing excessive runoff of urban contaminants now regulated under TMDLs  Reducing green waste from landscaped areas

So Where To Start?  Analyze the water system needs and pinpoint where you most need your savings targeted  Determine a baseline set of data for eventual evaluation  Analyze the water and energy use  Evaluate the water users and where the water is actually being consumed

Urban Water Uses: An Example

And Then?  Draw up a conservation plan and budget over a multiple year time frame  Justify the economics of each program choice  Plan for long-term savings evaluation that is comprehensive and statistically defensible  Readjust your program based on results achieved

First Steps Are Free First Steps Are Free Designate A Conservation Coordinator  Designate responsibility within agency to an individual identifiable to the public Prohibit Obvious Water Wastage with Simple Ordinances  Enact and enforce local ordinances prohibiting gutter flooding, single-pass cooling, non-recirculating systems in car washes and commercial laundries, non-recycling decorative fountains  Retrofit on resale, retrofit on reconnect, retrofit to grow  Example ordinances being compiled

Next: Educate the Public Next: Educate the Public Public Information Programs  Provide speakers, advertising, and other information to promote water conservation School Education Programs  Work with school districts by providing materials for water conservation instruction The Right Consumer Messages Are Important

Message: Largest indoor water use  28% of indoor water use is toilet flushing with potable water  Older toilets are 3.5 to 7 gallons per flush  Federal standard since 1992 is 1.6 gallons  New models at 1.28 gallons  Convince the consumers  Reduce the LEAKS!

Message: 2nd largest indoor water user  15% of indoor water use is clothes washing  Energy Star Washers were not always water efficient  By 2011 all residential washers must be 9.5 WF  40 MGD will be saved every year over older top- loading models

NEWS FLASH: Where the water is really going  30-60% of urban residential water consumption is outdoor irrigation  80% in some areas of the West  Over-irrigation is common, particularly in new homes with automatic irrigation systems  Reducing unnecessary irrigation reduces runoff and pollutant loading of streams  Reducing irrigation reduces summer peak

Not As Easy As Indoors  35% more water used with in-ground sprinklers  47% more water used with average domestic irrigation timers  Business and City landscapes have significant potential for water savings  High landscape water use increases waste and runoff

Next Steps Next Steps Meter With Commodity Rate  Meter all new connections and bill by volume  Retrofit unmetered connections  Consider installing dedicated landscape meters Audit Your Water System and Repair Leaks  Conduct system audit with the new methodology  Monitor water delivery system for leaks and make cost-effective repairs

Adopt the New Method System Input Volume Authorized Consumption Revenue Water Non Revenue Water Billed Authorized Consumption Unbilled Authorized Consumption Apparent Losses Real Losses Water Losses Billed Metered ConsumptionUnbilled Unmetered Consumption Unauthorized ConsumptionCustomer Meter Inaccuracies Leakage on Transmission and Distribution Mains Billed Unmetered ConsumptionUnbilled Metered Consumption Leakage on Service Connections up to point of Customer Meter Leakage and Overflows at Storage Tanks

Next Steps Next Steps Explore Better Conservation Rates  Adopt water rates to provide an incentive to customers to reduce average or peak use  If utility provides both water and sewer service, apply conservation pricing to both  Customer should NOT be penalized for conserving  Adjust rate structure BEFORE undertaking conservation programs  Look at budget-based rates

We Are Still Pricing Wrong Adapted from Raftelis, 2002

Relative Price Graph Source: Thomas Chesnutt, A&N Technical Services

Water Budget-Based Rates?  Study just released by the AWWARF  Implemented in communities facing limited supplies/shortages  Seen as more equitable way to share limited supply while preserving choice  Need to communicate assumptions to customer and allow for necessary adjustment  No revenue loss from conservation; revenue GAIN!

Individualized Rate Concept Rate/unit Units Higher Rate Lower Rate Water Budget

Where Already Implemented

Documented Savings PeriodOtayIrvine Capo Valley pre ‘88-’90 Av post ’90 Av Difference Percent Change-20%-37%-35% Values are irrigation rates in inches/acre

Typical Residential Programs Typical Residential Programs Conduct Residential Audits  Offer residential customers water-use surveys which include checking for leak, flow rates, irrigation systems and schedules. Try contacting 20% of your customers each year to offer surveys. Offer incentives and devices. Retrofit Residential Plumbing  Best when tied to the audit program.  Provide 2.0 to 2.5 gallon-per-minute showerheads and aerators.

More Residential Programs More Residential Programs Replace Old Toilets with ULFTs  Implement a program to replace high-water using toilets with 1.6 gallons per flush models or new higher efficiency toilets at 1.28 gallons per flush Retrofit High-Efficiency Washers  Provide rebate to encourage purchase of high- efficiency clothes washing machines  New national standard taking effect in 2007

Program Economies of Scale Monthly Program ActivityMarchApril May June Cumulative ULF toilets distributed4,2859,55013,92920,423 Cumulative cost per ULF toilet: 1.Program design, development, marketing & mgmt. support$85.26$45.57$37.64$ Payment to community-based distribution organization Payment for recycling old toilet Warehousing cost for ULF toilet inventory Purchase of toilet and related materials Total cumulative unit cost of distributed ULF toilets$206.85$151.90$145.54$ Source: Metropolitan Water District of Southern California

Large User Programs: Best Value Large User Programs: Best Value Examine the Commercial, Industrial, Institutional Accounts  Identify and rank customers in each customer class  Retrofit high-flow toilets and clothes washers  Look at high water using processes for possible efficiency improvements  Reduce overall sector water use by 10% of baseline  San Antonio gets 50% of its water savings here

Commercial Opportunities  Waterless Urinals  X-ray machines  Cooling Tower Audits and Retrofits  Laundries and Laundromats  Food Service Sector  Pre-rinse spray valves  Dishwashers  Icemakers  Connectionless Food Steamers  Water Broom

Industrial Opportunities  Counter-flow washing & rinse systems  Reuse of process water  Recirculation of cooling water  Cooling Tower Audits and Retrofits  Cleaning and Sanitation  Treatment and Use of Blowdown  Pollution Prevention  Water Recycling

Large Landscape Large Landscape Examine Large Landscape Accounts  Install separate landscape meter  Assign a yearly or adjusted monthly water budget of <80% ETo  Link water budgets to tariffs  Offer incentives to minimize irrigation needs  For mixed-use meters: offer irrigation surveys to highest 20% of customers

Outdoor Solutions  Appropriate landscape design  Soil amendments and mulching  Weather-based irrigation controllers  Fix leaking irrigation systems  Drip Irrigation  Grey water  Rainwater Harvesting  Recycled water  Water Budgets

Use New Technology Use New Technology Et Weather Data For Irrigation Scheduling

Monitor Irrigation Performance

So….Is Conservation Affordable?  Costs between $0.46 and $1.40 per 1,000 gallons, depending on the program  Most utilities paying more than $1.40 per 1,000 gallons to develop NEW supply  Conservation should be automatic where the utility’s avoided cost of water is HIGHER than the unit cost of conserved water  Conservation should be capitalized like supply to reduce rate impacts  Remember: revenue loss from conservation can be AVOIDED with planning!

Alliance Model PLANNING MODEL FOR CONSERVATION  Mechanism for tracking long-term savings  Metric units  Fully customizable for your utility  Ties into existing and available models  Understandable graphic outputs for your managers, board members, and customers  Beta testing begins in March, 2009

And We Sell Books! Bulk Discounted Reference Publications

Responding to Drought Mary Ann Dickinson Executive Director Alliance for Water Efficiency

Where Are The Shortages?

1. Establish a Drought Planning Committee 2. Determine how to measure extent of the water shortage 3. Define the drought stages and what triggers them 4. Assess all the options for reducing demand 5. Develop demand reducing actions for each drought stage 6. Develop information and education messages for each drought stage 7. Consult the public (all stakeholders) 8. Adopt and implement the Drought Response Plan Eight Steps of Drought Planning

Measurement of Shortage  Meteorological: Defined by diminished precipitation that persists over years and long enough to produce a significant hydrologic imbalance.  Hydrological: Defined as deficiencies in water supplies, and is measured as stream flow and lake, reservoir, and groundwater levels.

Meteorological Shortage  Set to a defined % of normal precipitation  Set to values of Standard Precipitation Index  Set to values of Palmer Drought Severity Index (based on a soil moisture algorithm)  Set to combination of Index Options (like US Drought Monitor)  None are very easy for the public to understand

Hydrologic Shortage  Hydrologic lags in time behind meteorological  Hydrologic measurement can be one factor or a series of factors  Reservoir capacity: % available  Ground Water: % of safe yield available (can be a negative number)  Supply-Demand Gap  Easier for public to understand

Drought Stages and Triggers  Each Drought Stage defined by a “trigger” which activates that stage  Each Drought Stage requires a unique set of additional actions to be taken and consumer messages for that stage  Stages and triggers can be simple or complex  Tracking movement across stages is important

VA Model Drought Ordinance  Stage I – drought watch  Stage II – drought warning  Stage III – drought emergency

One Example of Drought Stages 1: Drought Watch<10% shortfall 2: Drought Alert<20 % shortfall 3: Drought Critical<40% shortfall 4: Drought Emergency >40% shortfall

Another Example of Stages  Based solely on level of Aquifer  Minimum level in 1956 was feet  Maximum level in 1992 was feet  Stage 1: Aquifer level reaches 650 feet mean sea level  Stage 2: Aquifer level reaches 640 feet mean sea level  Stage 3: Aquifer level reaches 630 feet mean sea level

Sample Drought Plan

Sample Drought Stages DROUGHT STAGERESERVOIR LEVEL Stage 1: <80% Stage 2: <65% Stage 3: <40% Stage 4: <25%

Sample Action Level Stage 1 REDUCE WATER USE BY 10%  Set the tone for a dry irrigation season.  Reduce water demand to prevent going to Stage 2.  Request that customers voluntarily reduce their water use by 10 percent.  Enact the Stage 1 Drought restriction clause in contracts.  Activate the water budget program for large-volume customers.  Warn of and prepare for a Stage 2 Drought.  Implement a public awareness campaign.

Sample Action Level Stage 2 REDUCE WATER USE BY 30%  Activates mandatory water use restrictions  Allow watering only two days per week.  Set a limit on the watering time allowed per watering day.  Restrict or eliminate nonessential water uses.  Implement a water use reduction goal of 30% for large- volume customers.  Implement industry-specific water restriction programs.  Activate the enforcement program.  Enact the Stage 2 Drought restriction clause in contracts.  Design a surcharge program to support the mandatory drought restrictions.  Implement a public awareness campaign.

Sample Action Level Stage 3 REDUCE WATER USE BY 50%  Activates prohibitions on most lawn watering and other mandatory water restrictions.  Allow one day of watering per week for trees and shrubs (no turf watering except on high-public-use areas).  Set a limit on the watering time allowed per watering day.  Eliminate all nonessential water uses.  Implement a water use reduction goal of 50 percent for large-volume customers.  Implement industry-specific water restriction programs.  Enact the Stage 3 Drought restriction clause in contracts.

Sample Action Level Stage 4 REDUCE WATER USE BY 66%  Activates a rationing program for City Water customers. Restrictions under a Stage 4 Drought are severe and will probably result in long-term damage to landscapes.  Limit outdoor watering to monthly tree watering.  Eliminate nonessential water uses.  Design a water-rationing program to provide customers water for essential uses for an indefinite period of extreme drought.