This presentation represents a segment of a group project in a capstone course at Arizona State University on "Urban Public Policy and Sustainability". Our group was tasked with working with the City of Mesa to identify and research an urban planning policy that could be improved to support a more sustainable trajectory. The final outcome was a policy recommendation delivered to the city and presented to a mock city council. (While we did not present to the actual City Council for Mesa, our "mock council" participants included the Mayor of Mesa, a City Council Member from Tempe and a few other well qualified judges.) Our group's policy recommendation was concerned with decreasing wastewater for sustainable development via suggested policy changes concerning development impact fees.

1. Investigators:
Mike Boyle, Vanessa Davis, Rebecca Kervella,
Allison Shannon & Craig Thomas
Urban Public Policy & Sustainability (SOS 594)
School of Sustainability │ Arizona State University
Decreased Wastewater
for Sustainable Development

2. Challenge
Two-fold Challenge:
As water supplies decrease 
Infrastructure stress increases 
To meet this challenge, we must achieve
an appropriate balance between
• capacity expansion
• conservation

3. Opportunity
for savings
Effective Conservation Initiatives
Reduce the need to:
 Acquire and develop water resources
 Construct new water supply, treatment
and delivery facilities
 Construct new wastewater treatment
facilities and infrastructure

4. Creating Sustainable Policies
• To be a sustainable city, Mesa must adopt revenue
neutral or better policies that:
• Foster growth in the business sector
• Maximize city services
• Utilize resources wisely
• Promote sustainable practices

5. Policy Statement
Sustainable
structures
Less burden on
city facilities
Reduced
development
impact fees
(DIF)
A revenue-neutral policy to:
 Conserve/manage Mesa’s water resources for future generations
 Attract sustainability-minded businesses and development to Mesa

6. Wastewater Development Impact Fees
Development Impact Fees (DIF)
• One-time charges applied to offset the additional
public-service costs of new development
• Applied at time building permit is issued
• Eight total elements to DIF
On average, wastewater DIF accounts for approximately
30% of fees charged to new developments in Mesa.

7. Breaking Down Wastewater DIF
Because wastewater treatment is the most costly aspect, developers who
reduce their wastewater output should pay less for the reduced amount
of wastewater that needs treated.

8. Tiered Wastewater DIF Reduction
Development meets minimum IGCC standards
for water resource conservation and efficiency
Development meets Tier 1 IGCC standards
for water resource conservation and efficiency
Development meets Tier 2 IGCC standards
for water resource conservation and efficiency
40% reduction of potable water
consumption of fixtures and fittings
20% reduction in wastewater DIF
30% reduction of potable water
consumption via fixtures and fittings
15% reduction in wastewater DIF
20% reduction of potable water
consumption via fixtures and fittings
10% reduction in wastewater DIF

9. Calculate the Benefits:
Pilot Project
• Provides data to quantify efficiency of a
policy or program
• Ability to thoroughly study and monitor
small scale vs. city-wide
• Provides the opportunity to modify a policy
to mitigate any unintended externalities

10. A Pilot Program Option
Verde Dimora
•Multi-Family Development includes 160 units
• Designed to serve
surrounding community
• Emphasis on building
sustainable and equitable
development
• Projected Wastewater DIF
= $242,560
• Effluent meters can accurately
measure wastewater output
= Location of PAD

11. Benefits Quantified
This policy could result in savings up to $48,512 in
wastewater development impact fees for Verde Dimora.
20% 30% 40%
Water Savings
$24,256
$36,384
$48,512
Example:
Low-flow toilets,
faucets and
showerheads
Example:
Low-flow toilets,
faucets and
showerheads
WaterSense
Appliances
Example:
Low-flow toilets,
faucets and
showerheads
WaterSense
Appliances
Greywater
systems

12. Green Building
Design Standards
Building water use reduction
• Plumbing fixtures and fittings
• Appliances
• HVAC systems and equipment
• Roofs
• Cooling towers
• Commercial food service operations
• Medical and laboratory facilities
Site water use reduction
• Landscape design
• Irrigation system design
• Controls
Special water features
• Water consumption measurement
• Consumption management
• Consumption data collection
• Data storage and retrieval
Going Beyond Code: Building Technologies Program, Green Building Codes (U.S. Department of Energy)

13. Graduated wastewater
impact fee policy
Reduced demand on current
infrastructure
Decreased need to build new
infrastructure

14. • Up to $3.4 billion savings over 50 years.
• Residential water and sewer bills could be
reduced by up to $200 million long-term.
• Water-efficient plumbing saves a typical
four-member household 55,800 gallons of
water and $627 in reduced water and
energy annually.
Source: Environmental Protection Agency
A Case Study in Texas
Low-flow toilet use throughout Texas could reduce the need
to build new water and wastewater treatment plants by 15%.

15. Saving Water is Good Business
Benefits for the City
• Provides incentive to build new
development efficiently
• Competitive advantage to attract new
environmentally conscious businesses
• Reduce the burden on existing
infrastructure
• Reduce the demand for new
wastewater infrastructure
• Conserves Mesa’s water resource
Benefits for Developers
• Money saved through reduced DIF can
offset the cost of innovative water
efficient technologies
• IgCC certification is fee-free and voluntary
• Reduced water consumption results in
lower monthly utility costs
• Those who choose not to participate are
not penalized

16. Companies planning to use water-efficient
practices and technology will:
• reduce water use by 20%
• decrease energy use by 10 – 11%
• reduce operating costs by 11 – 12%

17. Graduated Wastewater DIF:
A Sustainable Urban
Development Policy for Mesa
•Conserves Mesa’s water resources
•Reduce stress on wastewater infrastructure
•Incentivizes sustainable development
•Fosters business and growth
Summary

18. When the well is dry…
We learn the worth of water.
—Benjamin Franklin

19. TQhuaenskt iyoonus.?