Water Conservation Finds It’s Home in Integrated Resources Planning. Presented by Richard Harris, Manager of Water Conservation, East Bay Municipal Utility District, California at Texas Water Foundation, Central Texas Water Conservation Symposium February 26, 2013
1. From Drought
Response to Center
Stage:
Water Conservation Finds
It’s Home in Integrated
Resources Planning
Central Texas Water
Conservation Symposium Richard Harris
February 26, 2013 Water Conservation Manager
2. Presentation Outline
• EBMUD Facts and Figures
• California’s Water Challenges
• EBMUD’s Water Supply Management Program
• EBMUD’s Water Conservation Master Plan
Implementation Strategies
5. EBMUD Water
Supply
• The watersheds
– Water quality
– Water storage
• Size matters
6. EBMUD
Water and Wastewater Services
Water
• 1.34 million customers
• 190-210 MGD demand
• 35 communities
• 330 sq.mi service area
• >4,000 miles of pipe
• 385,000 accounts
Wastewater
• 650,000 customers
• 75 MGD Avg. Flow
• 83 sq.mi service area
• 100% energy sufficient
10. Flood or Drought:
California Water Supply
1921 to 1998
DRY or
CRITICALLY WET
DRY 24 years
(31%)
28 years
(37%)
NORMAL
3 of last 10 Years Dry 25 years
(2000-09) (32%)
14. Reservoir Storage
As of 02/10/13 Current Percent of Supply
Storage Capacity Condition
Pardee 176,760 AF 89% Good
Camanche 318,160 AF 76% Good
East Bay 126,760 AF 84% Good
Total System 621,680 AF 81% Good
15. Challenge: Zero Sum Game
• Competition
between Water
Agencies for limited
supplies
Legal Decisions
1957 Plan
• Competition
between Agencies
and Environmental
Clean Water
Concerns for water Ac t
e
Climate Chang
Endangered
• Desire to protect Species
water
quality/habitat &
fisheries
16. Challenge: Climate Change
Could Impact California’s
- Snowpack
- River Flow
- Fisheries Habitat (warmer water)
- Delta Levees
- Water Quality (particularly in the
Bay Delta)
- Water use patterns
- Groundwater Quality
- Drought (severity and frequency)
- Floods (severity and frequency)
- Hydroelectric Power Generation
18. Urban Water Management
Planning Act - 1983
• EBMUD sponsored legislation
• Evaluates supply reliability in drought
years and emergencies
• Provides public input in shaping
water resources planning
• Verifies water supply assessments for
new developments
• Supports basis for State Water Plan
• Complies with Water Conservation
Act of 2009
20. WSMP 2040 Purpose/Objectives
• Water supply reliability to the year 2040
• Account for accomplishments and changes
since the last WSMP (1993), including:
- New facilities and programs
- New regulatory and resource requirements
- Climate change
• Find optimum balance between customer
rationing, conservation, recycling and
supplemental supply
• Maintain environmental stewardship
21. WSMP 2040 Planning Objectives
• Operations, Engineering, Legal & Institutional
- Provide water supply reliability
- Utilize water right entitlements
- Promote regional solutions
• Economic
- Minimize customer cost
- Minimize drought impact
- Maximize positive impact to local economy
• Public Health, Safety and Community
- Ensure high water quality
- Minimize adverse sociocultural impacts
- Minimize risks to public health & safety
- Maximize security of infrastructure & water supply
• Environmental
- Preserve & protect the environment for future generations
- Preserve & protect biological resources
- Minimize carbon footprint
- Promote recreational opportunities
22. WSMP 2040 Solution
Provides Flexibility for the Future
• Future demand growth will be met through:
- Aggressive water conservation
- Maximum feasible recycled water
- 10% water rationing objective in dry years
• Additional diverse supplemental supplies will
allow reduction in water rationing from >25%
23. WSMP 2040 - Preferred Portfolio
• Robust plan: needed in light of future
uncertainty (e.g., Global Climate Change)
• Multiple, parallel project components
• Diverse & flexible strategy
• Environmentally sound
24. WSMP 2040
Water Supply Portfolios
Components
Recycled Supp.
Conservation Rationing
Water Supply
A 0% 1 1
B 10% 2 2 Example
Portfolio 1
C 15% 3 3
D 25% 4 4
E 5 5
6 6
22 25
25. 2040 Demand Study
• Employed a land-use based
approach to develop water use
estimates
• Land-use approach viewed as
the most rigorous methodology
• Actual water use data by land
use was utilized
• Met with 19 city and county
land use planning agencies to
confirm planning projections
26. 2040 Demand Study Results
• Higher density, development up not out
• 0.8% annual increase in demand (2010-2040)
• Demand reflects planning agencies’ best
estimate of development
• Demand confirmed by population projections
• Future increase in demand entirely offset by
conservation, recycling and rationing in dry
years
28. SBx7-7 Interim & Compliance 2020
Per Capita Use Targets
10-year (1995-2004)
Baseline = 165 GPCD
5-year (2003-07) Projected 2020
133 Conservation
Baseline = 158 GPCD
And Recycling
144 GPCD
29. WSMP 2040 - Water Conservation
Approach
• Considered more than 100 conservation
measures
• Analyzed 53 individual conservation measures
beyond plumbing codes
• Range of analysis: from natural savings to
maximum voluntary conservation potential
• Assess technology, behavior and leak repair
• Assess implementation barriers (e.g. customer
acceptance, market saturation, cost)
• Range of market saturation <1% to 95%
30. Water Conservation:
Level A - E Comparison
Average
2040 Water Incremental
# of % Market
Level Description Savings Dry Year
Measures1 Saturation
(MGD) Unit Cost
($/AF) 2
A Natural savings 11 19 10-50% NA
B Natural savings + 10 39 29 10-65% $500
Current program
C
equivalent
51 37 15-75% $3,600
Current program
D
equivalent + 2 53 39 20-80% $6,300
Maximum voluntary
E
program 58 41 25-95% $11,300
1 Estimated range of multiple measures/products across all customer sectors.
2 Preliminary
number based on need for water in 3 of 10 years. Baseload unit costs subsequently
reduce by approx. 60%.
32. 2011 Water Conservation
Master Plan (WCMP) Update
• Update to 1994 WCMP
• Internal planning-level document
• Ten-year period 2011-2020
• Incorporates long-term planning to year 2040
• Obtains customer input through surveys, focus
groups, facilitated meetings, and workshops
37. Customer Opinion Research
(April – August 2011)
• Awarded $131K DWR
grant
• Conducted focus groups,
web survey, facilitated
meetings
• Researched
– drought behaviors
– WCMP strategies and
services
38. Customer Opinion Research
Findings
• General perception that low water price limits
conservation-related financial savings
• Function, price and water savings are important
purchasing considerations
• Outdoor landscape is an extension of living space,
aesthetics and usability
• Few customer know how much water they use;
measured in dollars, not gallons
• Ability for landlords to individually meter, bill for
usage could provide conservation incentive
• Many expressed interest in metering technology, real
time access, water budgets
51. Conservation Rebate Trends –
Total Rebates Dollars
Total Rebate Dollars (2005-07 and 2010-12)
1,600,000
1,400,000 Pre-Drought Post-Drought
Rebate Dollars Distributed
1,200,000
1,000,000
800,000
600,000
400,000
200,000
-
FY05 FY06 FY07 FY10 FY11 FY12
Fiscal Year
52. Conservation Rebate Trends –
Estimated Water Savings
Estimated Rebate Water Savings (2005-07 and 2010-12)
160
Annual Savings (Million Gal.)
140 Pre-Drought Post-Drought
120
100
80
60
40
20
-
FY05 FY06 FY07 FY10 FY11 FY12
Fiscal Year
53. Regulations and Legislation
• EBMUD Water Service Regulations
• Water-efficiency requirements (Section 31)
• Individual (unit) metering (Section 2)
• Landscape metering (Section 3)
• State
• CalGreen codes
• Model landscape ordinance
• Retrofit-on-resale legislation
• Federal
• Energy Policy Act
54. Supply-Side Conservation
• Leak detection
• Pipeline repair/replacement
• Water facility audits vs
• Pressure management
• Distribution system monitoring
55. Research and Development
• Water-use information tools
• Meter accuracy/technology
• Water-loss monitoring
• Product testing and labeling
(i.e. WaterSense, Energy Star)
• Low-water use turf grasses
vs
• Plan check review
56. Research & Development:
Blackhawk AMI Pilot Project Update
• Initiated during 2008-09 drought
• ~4,000 meters (85% residential)
• Beta-testing in 2010
• Equipment replaced in 2011
• Automated reading in 2012
• Roll out in 2013
• 5-yr service contract thru 2018
60. Research & Development:
Home Water Report Pilot Study
Comparison to
similar
Modified
households
messaging and
raffle prizes
Personalized
savings/offers
62. WaterSmart Software—How It Works
WaterSmart
Recommendation Engine
Customer Web Portal Utility Dashboard
Home Water Reports
63. Online Customer Portal
• Historical Water
Consumption
• Neighbor Water Use
Comparisons
• Customer FAQ
• Ability to Change
Residence Information
• Possible Integration
with AMR
66. Residential Survey
>13,000 distributed online and via mail
Responses: >2,600 (~21%)
EBMUD – completed data entry of paper copies
WSS - integrated responses into database
67. Survey Results:
Attitudes and Awareness
I make an active commitment to
use water efficiently indoors
and outdoors.
I talk with friends and
neighbors about ways to use
water more efficiently.
72. Survey (& Consumption & Real Estate) Data
Personalization
Individual Results Personalized Recommendations
Aggregate Results Awareness, Saturation, Program Priorities
73. Lessons and Results:
Happy Customers, Taking Action
•Overall customers happy, liked neighborhood comparison
•4.6% of customers have called or gone online
•Increased request for conservation services (3 audits/day)
•Power of social norms - water use comparison v. $ on bill
•Effective prompt/nudge for people who were complacent
•Graphics v. text-heavy bill – simple communication
•Some people pay close attention – pull out old bills
•Targeting 2% annual water savings overall
•Early results of 4-5%
74. Research & Development:
Home Water Report Pilot Study (cont’d)
No. of Control
City Total
Participants Group
Castro Valley, CA 8,000 - 8,000
Oakland, CA - 3,500 3,500
Random 1,500 1,500 3,000
Total 9,500 4,000 14,500
• $75,000 CA Water Foundation grant
• Test new billing information concepts
• Preliminary 4-5% water savings/acct.
• Evaluation period June 2012-Dec 2013
76. Plan Review Process
Developer Planning Agency
• Submits plans to planning agency • Routes TMP for comment
• Tentative Map Plan (TMP) approval • Notifies developer of req’ts
• Environmental assessment/compliance • Routes DEIR for comment
• Pays for water service connection • Issues occupancy permit
Water Agency
• Review and comment on TMP
• Review and comment on DEIR
• Complete water service assessment
• Issue water meter
80. Questions
How water and energy efficient
dishwashers really work…
Richard W. Harris
Water Conservation Manager
rharris@ebmud.com
(510) 287-1675
waterconservation@ebmud.com
www.ebmud.com