HomeMy WebLinkAbout2011 07 11 Informational 102 Water Conservation
COMMISSION AGENDA
CONSENT
X
INFORMATIONAL
ITEM 102
PUBLIC HEARING
REGULAR
KSKL
MGR /DEPT
th
July 11, 2011
Meeting
Authorization
REQUEST: The Utility Department is providing the City Commission with information on
the efforts of the water conservation program.
SYNOPSIS:
The intent is to provide the Commission with information pertaining to past and current
efforts of the Utility Department’s water conservation program and to outline the
future goals of the program.
CONSIDERATIONS:
The Utility Department created the Water Conservation Coordinator (WCC) position in
February 2010 to increase efforts related to water conservation and expand our customer service
capabilities. The efforts to date have been focused on six main areas; 1) water audits, 2) water saving
devices, 3) low consumption accounts, 4) leak reports, 5) education and 6) permit compliance. A
brief discussion of each item follows.
Water Audits
: Utility Billing provides the WCC a monthly report showing all residents using
in excess of 40,000 gallons of water per month. The resident is contacted by the WCC via a
door hanger, letter, phone call, or email and a water audit is offered. A message offering a
free water audit is also printed on the monthly water bills and offered to customers who
contact the utility billing department. The water audit process examines the function of the
water meter and the irrigation timer to ensure both are working properly. The irrigation
system is examined and suggestions are made for improving efficiency. The age of the
indoor plumbing fixtures and appliances are determined and a cost savings from retrofitting
indoor fixtures/appliances is determined. A catch can test can be used to determine how
much water residents are applying to their lawn to help them calibrate their irrigation run
time to ensure that the proper amount of water is applied. A monthly water budget can be
developed to help the resident lower their monthly utility bill.
In 2010, 600 residents were offered a water audit. Of the 600 customers contacted, 91 of
them requested an audit, 53 of them responded to say they were watering new sod, and 35
customers responded to say they had a leak or an irrigation timer malfunction resulting in
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Informational 102
July 11, 2011
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excessive water use. This is a response rate of 30%. Of those contacted, 15% requested an
audit. In addition, 50 customers contacted the City concerning their utility bill and
subsequently scheduled a water audit. A total of 141 audits were conducted in 2010. Of the
91 residents who had high water use, 22% of them were able to reduce their monthly water
use by an average of 38%, which amounts to an average of 18,000 gallons of water saved
per month for each residence.
Since January 2011, 61 water audits have been conducted. A tracking system is maintained
to obtain long term data on the effectiveness of the water audits in reducing water use.
Water Saving Devices
: The average shower head uses 2.5 gallons per minute (gpm). The
City offers free water saving shower heads that use only 1.25 gpm, as well as 1.0 gpm faucet
aerators, and water saving toilet flappers. Flyers are left at the bill pay counter in City Hall
advertising these free water saving devices. They are also offered as part of a water audit.
In 2010, 250 faucet aerators, 90 toilet flappers, and 700 shower heads were distributed. The
shower heads will save 16,200 gallons of water annually per residence (based on a family of
4). This is a total of 11,340,000 gallons of water saved annually for 700 shower head
installations.
Since January 2011, 424 shower heads have been distributed. A tracking system is
maintained to obtain long term data on the effectiveness of the devices in conserving water.
Residents provide their email address upon registering for a water saving device and a
follow-up email is sent to determine if the device has been installed and if the resident is
happy with the performance.
Low Consumption Report
: A monthly report is generated showing all utility accounts
registering less than 100 gallons of water per month. Meters registering little to no use are
tested and replaced if defective. Monitoring low water use accounts and replacing the
defective meters conserves water and reduces lost revenue.
Leak Report
: A monthly report is generated through utility billing showing all utility accounts
with a monthly increase in water use of 50% or greater. A check of the meter is performed
and the resident is contacted to schedule a water audit to attempt to determine the cause of
the increased water use.
Education
: Educational materials pertaining to water conservation are provided in City Hall,
on the City website, disseminated with water saving devices, and provided at City events
such as Arbor Day and Water Conservation Day. Educational programs are held in local
elementary and middle schools and for local scout troops.
Permit compliance:
In January 2010, the City received its 20 year Consumptive Use Permit
(CUP) from the St. Johns River Water Management District. Conditions of this permit
2011 07 11 Informational 102 Water Conservation Update
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Informational 102
July 11, 2011
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performed by the WCC include; tracking water conservation efforts, preparing related annual
reports, conducting unaccounted for water reports, coordinating monitor well installation,
and coordinating monitor well sampling results.
Proposed efforts for the water conservation program
:
Lake Jesup Reclaimed Facility
: Our current source of drinking water is the Floridan aquifer.
The aquifer is our most affordable source of drinking water, but it is not an infinite source of
water for a growing population. Alternative water sources must be utilized after an
unsustainable level of groundwater use occurs. We currently have 14,909 active utility
connections within the City. Of those connections, 12,772 are potable meters, 456 are
potable irrigation meters, and 1,681 are reclaimed meters. Greater than 60% of the total
monthly water use in a home with an irrigation system goes toward outdoor uses, so a large
percentage of our potable water is being used to irrigate lawns.
The Lake Jesup Reclaimed Facility will utilize water from Lake Jesup to supplement our
current reclaimed water supply. Additional infrastructure will be installed in phases with the
ultimate goal of providing reclaimed water to all residents and businesses for the purpose of
irrigation. Providing all residents with reclaimed water will greatly reduce the amount of
groundwater withdrawals and ensure that we have an affordable source of drinking for a longer
time period.
Landscaping and Irrigation Ordinance
: Article VII, Section 19-251 of the City Ordinance
regulates the schedule of irrigation within the City. However, it does not provide any rules or
regulations on the design and installation of landscaping and irrigation. Many municipalities,
such as Volusia County and City of Oviedo, have detailed landscaping and irrigation
ordinances that, among other things, limit the amount of high volume irrigation for new
development to 35-50% of the total landscaped area. An ordinance is needed to provide
clear guidance on implementing Florida Friendly landscaping principles, which include
choosing sustainable plant material for our climate, proper site preparation, use of drip or
micro irrigation where applicable, etc.
Incentive Program
: Incentive programs are an effective way to promote water conservation
without mandates.
Toilet rebates
: Toilet rebate programs are a popular and effective method for
o
promoting toilet retrofits. A database could be developed using Seminole County
property appraiser and letters mailed to residents with homes built prior to 1994. If
the resident has a toilet manufactured prior to 1994, they would be eligible to receive
a $50 rebate for upgrading to a newer, more water efficient toilet. The toilet is the
highest water use inside the home. Toilets manufactured prior to 1994 can use
between 3-5 gallons per flush (gpf), while newer toilets use 1.6 gpf or less. An annual
2011 07 11 Informational 102 Water Conservation Update
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Informational 102
July 11, 2011
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budget could be set aside to fund this program. The funding for this program could
be provided through fines assessed for watering violations and supplemented through
the water conservation budget.
Landscaping rebates
: Many residents’ irrigation systems are inefficient and provide
o
inadequate coverage, which promotes water waste and continual lawn maintenance
issues. Many residents re-sod portions of their lawn each year, which leads to a
month long watering-in process, thereby using significant amounts of water. Ideally,
the irrigation system needs to be redesigned to be more efficient. A dollar amount per
square foot of landscaping/irrigation redesign could be provided to incentivize
residents to upgrade their irrigation systems and utilize Florida Friendly landscaping.
This could also be funded through fines assessed for watering violations. Ideally only
one incentive program would be utilized at a time to meet budgetary constraints.
Alternatively, if it is not within the budget to provide monetary incentives for toilet and
landscaping/irrigation retrofits, a detailed analysis could be provided showing the payback
period and long term annual cost savings, so residents are aware of the cost comparison of re-
sodding each year as opposed to upgrading their irrigation system, for example.
Informative Billing
: It is anticipated that in fiscal year 2012, the utility bills will provide a bar
graph that tracks the customer’s monthly water use for the year. This will allow the resident
to compare their water use from month to month and year to year.
City Landscaping
: Next to the irrigation of the Tuskawilla Golf Course, irrigation of City
medians, parks, and rights-of-ways accounts for the highest water use within the City.
Development of a long term plan to gradually replace high maintenance areas with drought
tolerant landscape material will conserve water and reduce the cost for mowing, fertilization,
and pest management associated with the maintenance of St. Augustine grass. While grass is
well suited and even necessary in some areas, there are many areas where other plants would
be more sustainable and incur less management. Florida Friendly landscaping, such as that
seen in portions of the median of Winter Springs Boulevard near Seneca Boulevard, require
no mowing, less water, fertilizer, and pesticides than large expanses of grass, such as along
Tuskawilla Boulevard.
Many of the irrigation timers in our medians are battery operated and it has proved difficult
to maintain a rain sensor in conjunction with a battery operated timer. Ideally, rain sensors
need to be used for all irrigation sites and inefficient irrigation designs need updated. The
gradual redesign of landscaping within public areas will result in reduced water use and
reduced maintenance costs.
2011 07 11 Informational 102 Water Conservation Update
City Commission – Regular Meeting
Informational 102
July 11, 2011
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FISCAL IMPACT:
Since February 2010, $4,911.50 has been spent from the water conservation budget to
purchase water savings devices. $10,000 is budgeted in FY 2012. The cost to redesign
landscaping and irrigation within City properties has yet to be determined.
COMMUNICATION EFFORTS:
This Agenda Item Has Been Electronically Forwarded To The Mayor And City
Commission, City Manager, City Attorney/Staff, And All eAlert/eCitizen Recipients; And Is
Available On The City’s Website, LaserFiche, And The City’s Server. Additionally, Portions
Of This Agenda Item Are Typed Verbatim On The Respective Meeting Agenda Which Has
Also Been Electronically Forwarded To The Individuals Noted Above; And Which Is Also
Available On The City’s Website, LaserFiche, And The City’s Server; Has Been Sent To City
Staff, Media/Press Representatives Who Have Requested Agendas/Agenda Item Information,
Homeowner’s Associations/Representatives On File With The City, And All Individuals Who
Have Requested Such Information; And Has Been Posted Outside City Hall; Posted Inside
City Hall With Additional Copies Available For The General Public; And Posted At Five (5)
Different Locations Around The City. This Agenda Item Is Also Available To Any New
Individual Requestors. City Staff Is Always Willing To Discuss This Or Any Agenda Item
With Any Interested Individuals.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the City Commission accept this information.
ATTACHMENTS:
None
2011 07 11 Informational 102 Water Conservation Update