Austin Water Utility Water Conservation and the Central Texas Drought Daryl Slusher October 9, 2009

16 Austin Water Supply –Austin’s supply is the Highland Lakes which are the Colorado River that runs through town

Austin Water Utility Supply

Why Water Conservation is important  Water is a finite and essential resource in a city, state and world with a growing population.  The less water removed from the river the more remains for various needs, including wildlife, aquatic life, and downstream bays and estuaries.  Delay need for new treatment plant.  Lower bills for customers.

Why Water Conservation is important - 2  Delay trigger for payments to LCRA, postponing estimated 3-5% rate increase.  Most direct and effective way to reduce AWU’s greenhouse gas emissions.  Water conservation is a way that citizens can work together with their local government to reduce Austin’s carbon footprint.

Water and Austin climate initiative  Approximately 3% of national greenhouse gas emitting energy consumption is used for drinking water and wastewater services.  AWU is the largest user of electricity among City departments, about 55-60% of City government’s electricity consumption.  AWU’s electricity use is 1.6% of Austin Energy’s total generation.  The overwhelming majority of AWU’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, roughly 90%, come from electricity generation.

Austin's Water Conservation Goals  Austin Water Conservation program established in 1983 Per capita use began to decline immediately  In 2006, City Council set a goal to reduce peak day consumption by 1% annually for 10 years  Water Conservation Task Force recommended ways to accomplish that, saving 32 MGD  Citizens’ Task Force exploring longer-term goals

Austin Water Conservation Strategies  Rebates and Incentives  Regulation  Reclaimed water  Public Information  Pricing

Austin Conservation Programs  Washer and toilet rebates  Free toilet program  Irrigation audits  Reclaimed water program  Commercial and industrial rebats  Rainwater harvesting  Native plants …

Replace Old Toilets  High Efficiency, High Performance –Tested to ensure flushing power –Long-lasting water savings –New designs = less maintenance –Look for EPA WaterSense label  Toilet replacement programs –Free tank-type HET toilets –$60 installation rebate –Up to $200 rebate (up to 3 baths) –$50 to "upgrade" 1.6 gpf toilets

Free Irrigation Evaluations  Licensed irrigators on staff  Check system for needed upgrades (rebates available)  Schedule customized to your landscape needs  Compliance with watering schedule  Potential savings of 500+ gallons/day

Industrial/Commercial Rebates  Rebates for installing water-saving equipment  Up to $100,000 per project –$1 per gallon saved, or –half the equipment cost (labor not included)  Surgical or dental dry vacuum pumps  Removing commercial garbage grinders  Also eligible for toilet, washer, irrigation rebates

 Direct reuse system - “third utility”  Targeting expansion of the system in high use areas (University of Texas for example).  Long-range system plan over 130 miles of pipe, 7 tanks and 5.5 billion gallons of annual use. Water Reclamation Initiative

Water Conservation & Rates

Watering Restrictions Permanent Year-round Restrictions –Limit commercial, multifamily to Tuesdays & Fridays –Prohibit automatic irrigation between 10am and 7pm Stage 1 Restrictions –May 1 – September 30 –Single family homes have 2 watering days a week  Odd addresses: Wednesdays and Saturdays  Even addresses: Thursdays and Sundays –Only hand watering allowed between 10am and 7pm

Watering Variances  Large property variance –For systems that can't water landscape in one day –Divides property into sections, each watered no more than current schedule  New landscape variance –New installations affecting >50% of landscaped area –Allows 30 days of extra watering to establish plants –Does not apply for overseeding, color beds –In Stage 2, allowed only for new construction  Health & Safety (fertilizer applications)  Athletic fields (dust abatement & game schedule)

Implementation Success

Summer Watering Schedule Success

Implementation Success Listed in order of Peak Day Savings Amounts Ten Year Estimated Peak Day SavingsWCTF FY 2008 Projected FY 08 Actual Watering Restrictions to 9.0 a Reclaimed Water Use b Utility Water Rates Reducing Water Loss Mandatory Toilet Retrofit Annual Irrigation System Audits d Residential Irrigation Standards e Commercial Irrigation Standards e Enhanced Irrigation Audit Program Pressure Reduction Program f Car Washes e TOTALS (MGD) to 10.4

Stage 2 Schedule

Drought Triggered Watering Restrictions Stage 2 Restrictions –Based on supply or demand triggers –Watering limited to once per week –Automatic systems limited to before 10 am –No washing sidewalks, driveways, paved surfaces –Vehicle washing restrictions –No charity car washes –No ornamental fountains, automatic pool fill valves –Restaurants may serve water only on request

Citations  Violation is Class C misdemeanor with fine of up to $500 per occurrence  105 citations issued as of September 25  Majority of citations for Watering on wrong dayWatering on wrong day Watering at wrong timeWatering at wrong time Operating an ornamental fountainOperating an ornamental fountain Ponding / RunoffPonding / Runoff

Stage 2 Impacts  Since August 24, overall water use has dropped below anticipated levels  Analysis of first week of Stage 2 restrictions showed water use reduction of approximately 20% from Stage 1  Restrictions estimated to be responsible for saving between 10 and 30 million gallons of water per day.

Stage 2 Water Pumpage

Weekly Water Pumpage

Stage 3 Watering Restrictions Stage 3 Restrictions –Triggered by emergency supply or system limitations –No outdoor watering except by hand on assigned day –No vehicle washing  Except for health reasons, at efficient commercial facility during limited hours –Foundation watering restricted to designated day/time Additional Restrictions –As needed for emergency weather conditions or system failure

For more information: Daryl Slusher

Additional/backup slides  Beyond this point are backup slides

New Plumbing Code Requirements  Design standards for new irrigation systems  Efficiency requirements for new cooling towers  Garbage grinders prohibited in food service  Liquid ring vacuum pumps prohibited  Maximum flush volume of 0.5 gpf for urinals

Questions  Get in the jingle  Add recent weeks to Stage 2 graphs

32 Downstream of Lady Bird Lake - Exceptional Lady Bird Lake - High Lake Austin - High Water Quality of Various Segments of the Colorado River near Austin Drinking Water Treated Effluent Lake Travis - Exceptional

AWU Greenhouse Gas Inventory  Austin Water electricity use is 54% of City of Austin total energy purchases  Austin Water electricity use is 2% of Austin Energy total generation  90% of Austin Water’s greenhouse gas emissions stem from electricity use for treatment and distribution  2005 Inventory estimates 125,000 annual tons of CO2-equivalent

Austin and San Antonio San Antonio has very a strong conservation program and Austin is modeling some programs after San Antonio San Antonio planning at least two water treatment plants Brackish WTP in near term $_ billion desalination plant on the Texas coast long term San Antonio also aggressively pursuing new water supplies on multiple fronts Including from the river that runs through Austin In contrast Austin has secured year supply through LCRA contract San Antonio Lower Colorado, Desalination