Conserving Conserving Water: Water: How to Plan How to Plan and Implement Cost-and Implement Cost-Effective Programs Effective Programs

Mary Ann DickinsonExecutive DirectorAlliance for Water Efficiency

What the Public Can What the Public Can Perceive……..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 Conservation’s Many Benefits 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 $Delay and Downsizing Means $

0

5

10

15

20

25

2000 2010 2020 2030 2040

YEAR

PEA

K D

EM

AN

D/C

APA

CIT

Y (

mg

d)

Existing Capacity

Required Capacity Before Conservation

DELAY

DOWNSIZING

BaselineDemand After Conservation

Seattle ExampleSeattle Example

National Standards HelpNational 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 LabelSend 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 LabelsRetrofit to Standards and Labels

Residential Households Commercial and Office Buildings Industry and Manufacturing Institutions Indoor and Outdoor

How Much Can Be Saved?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 ConsumptionRelative 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 Back to Conservation Benefits 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 ConnectionThe Water-Energy Connection

Benefits of Water SavingsBenefits of Water SavingsRESTORING 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?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 ExampleUrban Water Uses: An Example

And Then?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 FreeFirst 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 PublicNext: 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 Message: Largest indoor water usewater 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 Message: 2nd largest indoor water userwater 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: NEWS FLASH: Where the water is really goingWhere 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 IndoorsNot 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 StepsNext 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 MethodAdopt the New Method

System

Input

Volume

Authorized

Consumption

RevenueWater

Non

Revenue

Water

BilledAuthorized

Consumption

UnbilledAuthorized

Consumption

ApparentLosses

RealLosses

Water

Losses

Billed Metered Consumption

Unbilled Unmetered Consumption

Unauthorized Consumption

Customer Meter Inaccuracies

Leakage on Transmission andDistribution Mains

Billed Unmetered Consumption

Unbilled Metered Consumption

Leakage on Service Connections up to point of Customer Meter

Leakage and Overflows at Storage Tanks

Next StepsNext 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 WrongWe Are Still Pricing Wrong

Rate Structure Residential Non-Residential

Uniform 37.2% 45.9%

Increasing block 29.1% 17.6%

Decreasing block 30.4% 33.1%

Other 3.4% 3.4%

Adapted from Raftelis 2002. Adapted from Raftelis, 2002

Relative Price GraphRelative Prices for Status Quo and Conservation Rates:

Account 068/174-04, Billing Period 3 (Row 333)

$0.00

$0.50

$1.00

$1.50

$2.00

$2.50

$3.00

$3.50

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

Use (ccf)

Rat

es (

$/cc

f)

Status Quo Blocks

Conservation Blocks

Status Quo Use

Conservation Use

Source: Thomas Chesnutt, A&N Technical Services

Water Budget-Based Rates?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 ConceptIndividualized Rate ConceptRate/unit

Units

Higher Rate

Lower Rate

WaterBudget

Where Already ImplementedWhere Already Implemented Utility Location

1 IRWD Irvine, CA 2 Otay Water District San Diego, CA 3 Capistrano Valley WD San Juan Capistrano, CA 4 City of Boulder Boulder, CO 5 LADWP Los Angeles 6 Town of Cary Cary, NC 7 City of Morrisville Morrisville, NC 8 SDCWA San Diego, CA 9 Marco Island Marco Island, FL 10 San Clemente San Clemente, CA 11 Monterey District Tarrif Area Monterey, CA 12 City of Castle Rock Castle Rock, CO 13 Las Vegas Valley Water District LVVWD 14 Centennial Water & Sanitation District Highlands Ranch, CO 15 Santa Rosa Santa Rosa, CA 16 Eastern MWD Los Angeles metro area 17 Lake Arrowhead S. California 18 City of Aurora Aurora, CO 19 Southern Nevada Water Authority Las Vegas, NV 20 Contra Costa Water District Contra Costa, CA 21 City of Rohnert Park Rohnert Park, CA 22 City of Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 23 City of Fairfield Fairfield, CA 24 City of Albuquerque Albuquerque, CA 25 EBMUD Oakland, CA 26 Salt Lake City Dept. of Public Utilities Salt Lake City, UT

Documented SavingsDocumented Savings

Period Otay Irvine Capo Valleypre ‘88-’90 Av 28.71 52.16 28.35post ’90 Av 23.05 32.78 18.45Difference -5.66 -19.38 -9.90Percent Change -20% -37% -35%

Values are irrigation rates in inches/acre

Typical Residential ProgramsTypical 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 ProgramsMore 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 ScaleProgram Economies of Scale

Monthly Program Activity March April May June Cumulative ULF toilets distributed 4,285 9,550 13,929 20,423 Cumulative cost per ULF toilet:

1. Program design, development,marketing & mgmt. support $85.26 $45.57 $37.64 $30.60

2. Payment to community-baseddistribution organization 20.63 19.01 20.97 21.49

3. Payment for recycling oldtoilet 7.94   6.19   7.13   6.00

4. Warehousing cost for ULF toiletinventory 27.58 16.22 13.01 10.70

5. Purchase of toilet and relatedmaterials 65.44 64.91  66.79 67.70

 Total cumulative unit cost ofdistributed ULF toilets $206.85 $151.90 $145.54 $136.49 

Source:  Metropolitan Water District of Southern California 

Large User Programs: Best Large User Programs: Best ValueValue

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 OpportunitiesCommercial 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 OpportunitiesIndustrial 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 LandscapeLarge 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 SolutionsOutdoor 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 TechnologyUse New Technology

EtWeather

Data

ForIrrigation

Scheduling

Monitor Irrigation Performance Monitor Irrigation Performance

So….Is Conservation So….Is Conservation Affordable? 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 ModelAlliance 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!And We Sell Books!

• Bulk Discounted Reference Publications

Responding to Responding to Drought Drought

Mary Ann DickinsonExecutive DirectorAlliance for Water Efficiency

Where Are The Shortages?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 Eight Steps of Drought PlanningPlanning

Measurement of ShortageMeasurement 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 ShortageMeteorological 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 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 TriggersDrought 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 OrdinanceVA Model Drought Ordinance

Stage I – drought watch Stage II – drought warning Stage III – drought emergency

One Example of Drought One Example of Drought StagesStages

1: Drought Watch <10% shortfall2: Drought Alert <20 % shortfall3: Drought Critical <40% shortfall4: Drought Emergency >40% shortfall

Another Example of StagesAnother Example of Stages

Based solely on level of Aquifer Minimum level in 1956 was 612.5

feet Maximum level in 1992 was 703.3

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 PlanSample Drought Plan

Sample Drought StagesSample Drought Stages

DROUGHT STAGE RESERVOIR LEVELStage 1: <80%Stage 2: <65%Stage 3: <40%Stage 4: <25%

Sample Action Level Stage 1Sample 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 2Sample 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 3Sample 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 4Sample 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.