Effective Code for Water Use Management During Drought and Beyond

Effective Code for Water Use Management During Drought and Beyond

Drema Gross Austin Water Water Conservation Division Manager

CTWEN Symposium February 26, 2013

2007 Code Changes

•  Design/permit requirements for new residential irrigation systems, expanded for commercial systems

•  Pressure reduction requirements for new residential properties •  Expanded Water Use Management Ordinance

–  2x week watering for commercial year-round –  2x week watering for residential May-Sept

•  Requirements for new commercial construction –  Cooling towers @ 5 cycles of concentration –  Minimum efficiency standards for new car washes and drought operation –  Prohibited once-through cooling, liquid ring vacuum pumps, garbage

grinders

2

Revising Watering Restrictions •  Stage 3 restrictions written for short-term emergencies, not

sustainable in long-term drought

•  Customer feedback on effects of Stage 2 restrictions, concerns about Stage 3 impact on businesses & trees

•  Calls from citizens to “do more” earlier in response to drought

•  Additional changes –  Implement mandatory irrigation evaluations as recommended by Council

–  Switch to administrative enforcement of water use rules

–  Clean up unclear code language

–  Modify once-per-week schedule

3

Extensive Public Input Process

•  Conservation staff worked with Public Affairs office and City’s Community Engagement consultant

•  Multiple avenues for input: –  Series of 4 workshops from December 2011-March 2012

–  Online forum at SpeakUpAustin.org

–  Periodic updates to boards and commissions –  Small group meetings with key stakeholders

•  Honest, transparent approach to receiving feedback –  No draft documents presented at first meeting

4

What We Heard… •  Support for…

–  Enabling efficient irrigation of trees and vegetable gardens

–  Protecting business interests in drought conditions

–  Enforcing water use regulations through water bill fines instead of Municipal Court

–  Issuing a warning prior to a fine/citation

–  Stronger restrictions year-round and in early drought

–  Status quo in moderate/severe drought

–  Less stringent in catastrophic conditions

5

Our Response •  Stronger conservation measures outside of drought

–  Commercial irrigation evaluations & car wash standards, towel/linen reuse & water on request, max. 2x/week watering, water waste prohibited

•  Stronger restrictions in early drought –  Earlier trigger point at 1.4 MAF – 5% reduction target

•  Status quo in moderate/severe drought –  Continue to go to 1x/week watering at 900,000 AF – 15% reduction target

•  Less stringent in catastrophic conditions –  Allow some watering at 600,000 AF – 20% reduction from baseline year

•  Align precisely with LCRA triggers –  Maximizes media coverage, minimizes impact to citizens

•  Administrative enforcement 6

•  Able to document adequate stakeholder outreach •  Able to prove public support for certain restrictions

•  Industry buy-in to regulations affecting them

•  Lasting contacts/advocates among stakeholders

•  Improved public perception of utility staff

•  Positive comments from stakeholders and Council members about public input process

Benefits of Public Process

7

Proposed Changes – Option 1 Conservation Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4

Storage: Above 1.4 MAF <= 1.4 MAF 900,000 AF 600,000 AF Emergency

Irrigation 2x/wk (30 hrs total) No midday watering (except by hand)

2x/wk (20 hrs total auto / 30 hrs total hose) No midday watering (except by hand)

1x/wk (10 hrs auto / 15 hrs hose) No midday watering (except by hand)

1x/wk (6 hrs) No midday watering May require wholesale curtailment

May further restrict outdoor irrigation

Lodging Facilities

Towel / linen reuse option

Restaurants Water on request

Patio Misters Commercial patio misters 4p-midnight Comm patio misters 4-8pm

Comm patio misters prohibited

Car Washing Comm washes must meet efficiency standards

Home car wash on designated day

Home & charity car washes prohibited All car washing prohibited

Recreational Water Use

Fountains must recirculate Orn. fountains & spas prohibited. Splash pads have limited hours

No filling of pools or ponds; no outdoor recreational use

Pressure Washing

Commercial pressure washing must recycle Comm. & private power washers must recycle

All cosmetic power washing prohibited

Exemptions Drip irrigation. Tree watering & veg garden irrigation with drip, bubble, or soaker. Irrigating athletic fields & commercial nurseries. Watering in commercially applied herbicides/pesticides.

Questions?

Drema Gross Water Conservation Manager [email protected] (512) 974-2787

Extra Slides

Ideal Irrigation Restrictions •  Save water

•  Are easy to communicate

•  Are easy to follow

•  Are enforceable

•  Are manageable within system constraints –  Demand doesn’t exceed treatment capacity

–  Demand is evenly distributed throughout week

–  Demand does not create pressure problems

Effects on Water Use •  Clear compliance evident

–  Time of Day: Peaks before 10a and after 7p

–  Day of Week: No-watering day showed dramatic drop in pumpage

•  Overall reduction in peak day use

•  Overall reduction in average GPCD

•  Demand relatively even between sectors on outdoor water use days

Major Changes •  General Regulations always in effect

–  Water waste prohibited, commercial irrigation evaluation & car wash certification required, hotel towel/linen program, water on request in restaurants

•  5 Conservation Stages (one always in effect based on storage/demand) –  Conservation Stage (Above 1.4 MAF)

•  Two days per week outdoor irrigation (30 hours/week max)

–  Drought Stage 1 (Trigger of 1.4 MAF) •  Two days per week outdoor irrigation (20 hours/week max auto) •  Home car washing on designated outdoor water use day

–  Drought Stage 2 (Trigger of 900K ac ft) •  One day per week outdoor irrigation (10 hours/week max auto) •  Home and Charity car washing prohibited

–  Drought Stage 3 (Trigger of 600K ac ft) •  One day per week outdoor irrigation (6 hours/ week max)

–  Drought Stage 4 – Catastrophic •  Outdoor water use for health and safety reasons only

•  Enforcement –  Removed from the Municipal Court and moved to fines on water bills

–  Customer/AWU retains option to pursue in court

Exemptions for drip irrigation, gardening and tree watering through Stage 3

Updated 1 Day Per Week Schedule

Modified to minimize system impacts and control peak day