Making Conservation Work for You

Chris BrownChris Brown Consulting

for

Office of Rural Community AffairsDecember 2, 2003

TopicsDemand Profile and Programmatic DecisionsPriceConservation = $avings

ConservationResults from

Behavior Efficient Equipment

Utility and customer cooperation

PublicSupport is essentialExpects leadership from utilityCan be an ally or a partner Can drive new program development

Conservation GoalsPercent reductionPer Capita reductionCost/Benefit

Demand ProfileLost or un-metered waterCustomer classesSummertime peakingGrowth projections

91.6%

6.7%

0.1%

1.3%

0.3%

Residential Commercial Apartment Industrial Municipal

Connections by Customer Class

SAWS 1995

Water Consumption by Customer Class

54.3%

24.3%

16.2%

2.3%

0.7%2.2%

Residential Commercial Apartment Industrial Wholesale Municipal

SAWS 1995

Average Monthly Consumption per Connection (gallons)

9,984 60,737

210,301

435,055

132,248

Residential Commercial Apartment Industrial Municipal

Average Daily Pumping

0

50

100

150

200

250

Month

Mill

ion

Ga

llon

s D

ay

Annual Pumping versus GrowthSan Antonio Water System

2y = 5032.3x + 260111

R = 0.9869

2

y = 532.97x + 56266

R = 0.5428

54,000.00

55,000.00

56,000.00

57,000.00

58,000.00

59,000.00

60,000.00

1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000

Year

Mil

lio

n G

allo

ns

per

Ye

ar

250000

255000

260000

265000

270000

275000

280000

285000

290000

295000

Co

nn

ecti

on

s

SAWS

Historical Water UseAll EPWU Customers

150

160

170

180

190

200

210

220

230

1972

1974

1976

1978

1980

1982

1984

1986

1988

1990

1992

1994

1996

1998

2000

155

GPCD

Excess ratestructure & Water

ConservationOrdinanceadopted

New goal for 2010: 140 GPCD

2000 goal was achieved, use by 2001 was 155 GPCD

160 GPCD was the goal set for 2000 back in 1990

The BasicsWater Accountability Program

MeteringSystem Audit and Leak Detection

Conservation PricingIncreasing Block RatesIrrigation Rates

PriceCost/BenefitAvoided costsRates:

Best motivator for outdoor and discretionary water useInverted blocks or drought surchargesWater budgets

0.00

0.10

0.20

0.30

0.40

0.50

0.60

0.70

$

0 - 7481 7482 - 12717 12717 - 17205 17206 +

Gallons

Residential Rate per 100 Gallons

Rate

ResidentialAnnual Bills Vs. Usage

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

1 2 3 4

BillsUsage

Blocks

Perc

ent

Drought Surcharges

Significant percentage increaseOnly top or excess usersAutomaticThey Work!

0 - 7481 7482 - 12717 12717 - 17205 17206 +

0

0.10

0.20

0.30

0.40

0.50

0.60

0.70

$

0 - 7481 7482 - 12717 12717 - 17205 17206 +

Gallons

Residential Rate per 100 Gallons (with Surcharge)

Surcharge

Rate

G P C D v s R a in fa l l

n h e o f R iI c s a n per Month

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

GP

CD

1 3 0

1 4 0

1 5 0

1 6 0

1 7 0

1 8 0

1 9 0

2 0 0

2 1 0

2 2 0

2 3 0

1994, 1995, 19971996

Aug/Sep ‘96

Drought Surcharge Results

Rainfall and Critical Period Management most significantBest fit: 154 gpcdActual: 136 gpcd271 to 573 million gallons additional conservation above predicted amount.

Best Management Practices (EAA)Core Municipal

•System Audits, Leak Detection and Repair•Public Information•School Education•Conservation Pricing•Metering•Water Waste Prohibition•Conservation Coordinator

Initiatives with Retail Customers

Public Education and Information Programs

Learning to be Water WiseProject Wet

Large Landscape

Conservation Programs Water Survey Programs

For Residential Customers

Costs Of Water Saved And Acre Feet Saved

Conservation Programs

$251 $249 $252 $247$226

-

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

3,500

4,000

4,500

5,000

FY 1995 FY 1996 FY 1997 FY 1998 FY 1999

Acr

e-F

eet

$-

$100

$200

$300

$400

$500

$600

$700

$800

$900

Dollars

Per

Acr

e-F

oot

Kick the Can Plumbers to People Watersaver LandscapeWashright Commercial Dollars Per Acre-Foot

ConclusionUtility & public cooperation essentialUnderstanding demand = successConservation is a benefitBMPs help with planning and management of programs

Chris Brown ConsultingWater Resources & Conservation Planning5108 Broadway, Ste. 231San Antonio, TX 78209

Ph: (210) 822-3500Fax: (210) 822-3366Email: CBx3@aol.com