Water Conservation Programs for Systems

By Gilbert Ybarbo, Financial, Managerial, and Technical Assistance Specialist, Texas Rural Water Association

Conservation is a subject that will come up at least once a year in any public water supply system, especially during the hot summer months. In Texas, we often hear about counties in severe drought and in desperate need of water. One scenario is that the water system may have pumped their wells out beyond capacity of the underground water source to be able to recharge itself back to static level after drawdown. In other circumstances, water sources such as lakes, water impoundments with river water rights, and/or contracted water allocations become strained due to the severe droughts, thus calling for reduced water source availability affecting the water supply to systems.

Water is a precious resource — it provides tourism, recreation, habitat for endangered species, and drinking water to an ever-increasing population. It provides a means of good agriculture to our local farmers and treated and or reusable water for our industrial users for manufacturing and production of goods and supplies. With commercial, residential, agricultural, and industrial users all using the available potable and non-potable water sources in the area, it is our duty and obligation to become good water stewards. On the water utility side, that includes public outreach to our customers to educate them on ways they can help ensure this precious resource will be available in the future for generations to come. All systems should promote the importance that each of us strive to use water as efficiently as possible and become water wise providers and consumers. In other words, we must make water conservation and being water wise second nature. We should be able to practice it without having to think about it — just like buttoning your shirt or putting on your shoes in the morning.

Some public water systems, such as municipalities, water supply corporations, districts, and others, offer a variety of water conservation programs to their communities to help accomplish these goals. Some programs include incentives, such as rebates, coupons, irrigation system checkups, indoor water surveys, irrigation system upgrade rebates, grass removal rebates, rainwater harvesting rebates, and soil saver rebates. Some systems even have public awareness and school education opportunities, including awards and recognition for our water-wise children. Along with this, water systems should have a good customer service policy, tariff, or ordinance in place to help ensure the water is being used as it should be and not wasted. We have a duty for public education, information and awareness to our customers. Here are a few examples of water conservation programs you can implement at your system:

Irrigation System Check-ups: For water wise irrigation systems, some municipalities and other large water supply systems offer check-ups for both residential and commercial water customers. In this case, the system sends trained personnel to evaluate the irrigation system to make sure it is operating as efficiently as possible. They also evaluate homes and businesses to identify leaks and water pressure abnormalities, and also check and adjust irrigation timer settings and sprinkler heads. Some systems may provide a report on their findings or a checklist for the customer to consider needed maintenance work.

Irrigation System Upgrade Rebates: Landscape irrigation can account for much of the water used in a typical home. Water systems can offer rebates for upgrades that improve the efficiency of their irrigation system and reduce water use, such as having a professional irrigation system check-up, adding pressure control where needed, installing multistream low volume heads, converting spray zones to drip irrigation, and removing some irrigation zones that are ineffective or where landscaping is being reformed into xeriscape by reducing or eliminating the need for irrigation.

Indoor Water Surveys: Some water systems will offer free indoor water surveys to customers that would like to save overall. These systems send trained staff to evaluate the participating home or business to make sure water is being used as efficiently as possible. They check the piping and fixtures for leaks, fixtures and appliances for water saving energy products, and conduct an overall evaluation on other indoor water uses such as washing machines, dishwashers, and water filtration systems. Again, some systems will provide a report or checklist with suggestions to consider for improved water conservation. flushing toilets, washing clothes or even filling swimming pools. Incentive programs can provide rebates for purchase and installation of these type of structures.

Soil Saver Programs: Healthy soils and plants use less water and are better able to withstand temperature and moisture change, so systems should be promoting practices that support yard health. For example, one of the best ways to build healthy soil on existing lawn areas is to core and/ or aerate by thatching your lawn. Most professional landscapers will apply a top dress of compost and water using the water wise tips provided in this

Grass Removal Incentives: Many commercial article, such as a good working irrigation controller businesses, apartment complexes and some with efficient settings. Mulch helps to build healthy homeowners will take advantage of water soils around trees and in landscape bed areas by conservation incentive programs, such as grass insulating soil and roots, reducing water losses from removal rebate programs. Whether commercial or evaporation, and adding nutrients as it decomposes. residential, lawns use a lot of water and take a lot of If customers want to water by hand, remind them of time and effort to maintain for a good watering practices, such brief aesthetic appeal. Removing "Healthy soils and plants as short watering time spans, lawn areas reduces water used for irrigation and can improve use less water and are being cognizant of time of day, weekly watering intervals and the beauty and functionality of a able to better withstand not over watering. All these yard while reducing maintenance needs. Water systems can offer temperature and moisture methods can be found in any website built for horticulture rebates for replacing grass with change, so systems should care of plants and landscaping. materials that require little or no water for irrigation, including be promoting practices that Swimming Pool Rebates: xeriscape beds, gravel or stone support yard health." Some systems will offer hardscapes, pervious patios, swimming pool incentive and artificial turf grass. Details for rebate programs rebates, since old swimming can be well planned and approved but require pool filtering systems waste water, energy, and public information campaigns to get the word out to money. Replacing a swimming pool sand or D.E. customers. Without promotion, your customers may filter with a high-efficiency cartridge filter system can not know these great programs exist and are easy to reduce water consumption by thousands of gallons access for ideas and plans. per year resulting in lower water and energy bills depending on the size and filtration system installed

Rainwater Harvesting Rebates: Rainwater on the swimming pool. harvesting not only conserves water, but it is also a great way to reduce storm water runoff, thus reducing Water Flow Sensor Incentives: Water flow point source pollution of our rivers and streams. sensor rebates for commercial and residential water There are many designs for rainwater harvesting flow devices record water use and identify potential systems that can be utilized. A rainwater harvesting leaks in the system. Incentive rebate programs for system can be as simple as a catch system, such as water flow sensors can be set up to benefit customer roof gutters or traps with a barrel and means to drain and system alike. Energy efficient toilets, washers, it, such as a ball valve or hose bib. It may also be and dryers can all be incentives to consider in your more complex and consist of multiple holding tanks water conservation and water wise program. with gravity or pumping draw off and even a filtration system. Rainwater is typically used for landscape irrigation, but can also be used for washing cars, Continued on next page

If your system is interested in implementing any of these types of programs, a good start is to look to your neighboring public water supply systems to see what kind of programs they have in place. You can look at their model for how awards, coupons and money rebates are set up, how the programs are written into their policies and/or ordinances, and how implementation should work. You will also be able to see how they get the word out to their customers, including examples of mailers, flyers, brochures and where they distribute them. If your system subscribes to TRWA’s consumer magazine, that is one great avenue to get the word out to your customers about any new programs you may have.

All public water supply systems should be dedicated to increasing water awareness in both children and adults. So, form your committees and spearhead this amazing adventure that you will find provides one more link of personal contact to your customers, and builds some great friendships in your community. We’re all in this together!

If you have questions about this article, you may contact the author at gilbert.ybarbo@trwa.org or by calling 512-317-2003. Engineering Architecture

(512) 436-8571 (254) 771-2054 info@mrbgroup.com www.mrbgroup.com

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