ITEM:

INFORMATIONAL ITEM/STAFF REPORTS

 

21.

WATER CONSERVATION PROGRAM REPORT  

 

Meeting Date:

March 18, 2013

Budgeted: 

N/A

 

From:

David J. Stoldt,

Program/

N/A

 

General Manager

Line Item No.:

 

Prepared By:

Michael Boles

Cost Estimate:

N/A

 

General Counsel Review:  N/A

Committee Recommendation:  N/A

CEQA Compliance:  N/A

 

I.       MANDATORY WATER CONSERVATION RETROFIT PROGRAM

District Regulation XIV requires the retrofit of water fixtures upon Change of Ownership or Use with Ultra-Low Flush Toilets (ULF) (1.6 gallons-per-flush), 2.0 gallons-per-minute (gpm) Showerheads, 2.2 gpm faucet aerators, and Rain Sensors on all automatic Irrigation Systems.  Property owners must certify the Site meets the District’s water efficiency standards by submitting a Water Conservation Certification Form (WCC), and a Site inspection is often conducted to verify compliance. 

 

A.    Changes of Ownership

Information is obtained weekly from Realquest.com on properties transferring ownership within the District.  The information is entered into the database and compared against the properties that have submitted WCCs.  Details on 135 property transfers that occurred in  February 2013, were entered into the database.  

 

B.     Certification

The District received 45 WCCs between February 1, 2013 and February 28, 2013.  Data on ownership, transfer date, and status of water efficiency standard compliance were entered into the database.

 

C.     Verification

In February, 115 inspections were performed to verify compliance with Rule 144 (Retrofit Upon Change of Ownership or Use).  Of the 115 inspections performed, 82 (71%) were in compliance.  Four of the properties that passed inspection involved more than one visit to verify compliance with all water efficiency standards.

 

District inspectors have also been tracking toilet replacement with High Efficiency Toilets (HET) in place of ULF toilets.  These retrofits are occurring in remodels and new construction, and are the toilet of choice for Rule 144 compliance.  State law mandates the sale and installation of HET by January 1, 2014, with a phase-in period that began in 2010.  The majority of toilets sold in California are HET.


Savings Estimate

Water savings from ULF retrofits triggered by Rule 144 verified in February 2013 are estimated at 0.300 acre-feet annually (AFA).  Water savings from retrofits that exceeded requirements (i.e., Ultra-Low Flush Toilets to HET) is estimated at 0.630 AFA (63 toilets).  Year-to-date estimated savings occurring as a result of toilet retrofits is 1.956 AFA.

 

  1. Water Waste Response

There were three Water Waste complaints reported by the public. Staff made several verbal contacts in the field after observing Water Waste.  Follow-up letters are sent as needed to respond to Water Waste.

 

II.    WATER DEMAND MANAGEMENT

 

A.    Permit Processing

District Rule 23 requires a Water Permit application for all properties that propose to Expand or modify water use on a Site, including New Construction and Remodels.  District staff processed and issued Water Permits in February 2013.  Seven Water Permits were issued using Water Entitlements (Macomber, Pebble Beach Company, Griffin Estates, Quail Meadows, Water West, etc).  One Water Permit involved a debit to a Public Water Credit Account. 

 

All Water Permit Applicants have received a disclaimer informing them of the Cease and Desist Order against California American Water and that MPWMD reports Water Permit details to California American Water.  Disclaimers will continue to be provided to all Water Permit recipients with property supplied by a California American Water Distribution System.

 

District Rule 24-3-A allows the addition of a second Bathroom in an existing Single-Family Dwelling on a Single-Family Residential Site. Of the 71 Water Permits issued in February, ten were issued under this provision.

 

B.     Permit Compliance

District staff completed 69 Water Permit final inspections during February 2013.  Twenty three of the final inspections failed due to unpermitted fixtures. Of the 46 properties that were in compliance, 34 passed on the first visit. In addition, four pre-inspections were conducted in response to Water Permit applications received by the District.

 

C.     Deed Restrictions

District staff prepares deed restrictions that are recorded on the property title to provide notice of District Rules and Regulations, enforce Water Permit conditions, and provide notice of public access to water records.  In March 2001, the District Board of Directors adopted a policy regarding the processing of deed restrictions.  In the month of February, the District prepared 53 deed restrictions.  Of the 71 Water Permits issued in February, 21 (30%) required deed restrictions.  District staff provided deed restriction Notary services for 40 Water Permit Applicants.      

 

III.  JOINT MPWMD/CAW REBATE PROGRAM

 

The Water Conservation Rebate Program for customers of California American Water was reinstated as of November 19, 2012 when funding became available. District staff has been meeting with local community organizations during the past month to advertise the program.

 

Participation in the rebate program is detailed in the following chart. The table below indicates the program summary for California American Water Company.

 

 

 

REBATE PROGRAM SUMMARY

February-2013

2013 YTD

1997 - Present

I

Application Summary

 

 

 

 

 

 

A.

Applications Received

289

591

13560

 

B.

Applications Approved

222

439

10525

 

C.

Single Family Applications

272

559

12135

 

D.

Multi-Family Applications

12

17

738

 

E.

Non-Residential Applications

5

5

6

II

Types of Fixtures Rebated

Quantity

Paid

 

 

 

 

A.

SFD HET

35

6,846.99

1.461180

98

1713

 

B.

SFD ULF to HET

47

8,959.58

0.470000

50

140

 

C.

UHET

0

0.00

0.000000

0

0

 

D.

SFD HE DW

36

4,500.00

0.108000

80

1292

 

E.

SFD HEW 5.0 or less Water Factor

96

47,824.42

1.545600

195

2750

 

F.

Instant Access Hot Water Systems

7

1,399.00

 

10

115

 

G.

On Demand Hot Water-Point of Source

4

400.00

 

4

37

 

H.

Cisterns

11.4

2,041.65

 

17.4

87.4

 

I.

Smart Controllers

0

0.00

 

1

48.1

 

J.

Residential Zero Water Using Urinals

0

0.00

 

0

2

 

K.

Residential Soil Sensors

0

0.00

 

0

2

 

L.

Lawn Removal & Replacement

0

0.00

0.000000

0

115

 

M.

Rotating Sprinkler Nozzles

0

0.00

 

0

51

 

N.

MFD HET

3

324.00

0.125244

5

520

 

O.

MFD ULF to HET

15

2,336.00

0.150000

23

25

 

P.

MFD HE DW

1

125.00

0.003000

1

42

 

Q.

MFD HEW 5.0 or less Water Factor

4

2,000.00

0.064400

4

77

 

R.

MFD Common Laundry

0

0.00

0.000000

0

3

 

S.

Non-Residential - HET

0

0.00

0.000000

0

351

 

T.

Non-Residential - ULF to HET

0

0.00

0.000000

0

10

 

U.

Non-Residential - UHET

0

0.00

0.000000

0

1

 

V.

Non-Residential HEW 5.0 or less Water Factor

1

500.00

0.016100

1

70

 

W.

Non-Residential HE Dishwasher

0

0.00

0.000000

0

5

 

X.

Non-Residential Zero Water Using Urinals

0

0.00

0.000000

0

127

III

Rebate Refund

 

 

 

 

 

 

Residential 

0

0.00

0.000000

0

23

 

Non-Residential

0

0.00

0.000000

0

0

IV

Total Dollars Rebated

 

$77,256.64 

$157,596.20

$2,416,990.13

V

Estimated Water Savings in Acre-Feet Annually*

 

 

 3.943524

8.493

329.296

* Retrofit savings are estimated at  0.041748 AF/HET; 0.01 AF/UHET; 0.01 AF/ULF to HET; 0.003 AF/dishwasher, 0.0161 AF/residential washer; 0.116618 AF/commercial washer; 0.0082 AF/100 square feet of lawn removal.

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