WaterSense AWE Outdoor Water Efficiency Webinar Series October 12, 2017
WaterSense-AWE Webinar Series Outdoor topics for water utility and irrigation professional audiences Recent topics covered include: Consumers Attitudes Toward Water-Efficient Landscapes Advancing Sustainable Landscape Designs Relationship Building Between Irrigation Professionals and Utilities Irrigate Smarter Connecting Homeowners to Their Controllers The Garden Gurus' Watershed Approach to Landscaping Working With Commercial Landscapes to Manage Irrigation WaterSense and Smart Water Application Technologies Recordings of past webinars and registration for future webinars at www.epa.gov/watersense/webinars 2
Housekeeping All attendees will be muted upon entering the webinar to minimize background noise. Please type questions into the chat box on the lower right-hand side of your screen. We will have a dedicated time for Q&A and open discussion at the end. This presentation will be available on the WaterSense website (www.epa.gov/watersense) and the Alliance for Water Efficiency s YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/user/a4we/feed). 3
Working With Homeowners Associations to Budget Water Julius Duncan EPA WaterSense Mary Ann Dickinson Alliance for Water Efficiency Jeff Lee Town of Gilbert, Arizona
WaterSense Water Budget Tool You can access the Water Budget Tool at: www.epa.gov/watersense/water-budget-tool 5
WaterSense Water Budget Tool 6
WaterSense Water Budget Tool 7
Water-Smart Landscapes To use the Water Budget Tool more effectively, incorporate concepts from the WaterSense Water-Smart Landscapes guide. Low-water-use plants Efficient irrigation Water-smart landscaping: Produces attractive landscapes because it uses designs and plants that are well suited to local conditions. 8
Water-Smart Landscaping Select native plants Group plants according to water needs Maintain healthy soils Use turf wisely Plan irrigation schedules Use mulch Provide regular maintenance 9
Water Efficiency Best Management Practices WaterSense at Work is an online guide facilities can use to manage water use: Water management planning Water use monitoring and education Sanitary fixtures and equipment Commercial kitchen equipment Outdoor water use Mechanical systems Laboratory and medical equipment Onsite alternative sources of water www.epa.gov/watersense/best-management-practices
Spray Sprinkler Bodies On September 21, WaterSense released a final specification to label spray sprinkler bodies with integral pressure regulation Labeled models reduce misting, fogging, runoff, and water waste caused by excessive pressure in irrigation systems Without integral pressure regulation (photo courtesy of Irrigation Association) Potential annual savings: 5,600 gallons of water $60 in water and sewer costs With integral pressure regulation (photo courtesy of Rain Bird). 11
Irrigation Technologies Irrigation controllers Replace traditional manual or clock timers with WaterSense labeled controllers Install rain shutoff devices or sensors to tailor watering schedules to actual conditions at the site Soil moisture-based control technologies are under specification development Sprinklers Spray sprinkler bodies Rotors (for larger areas) Micro-irrigation or drip irrigation 12
WaterSense Labeled Products Find WaterSense labeled products across the country: o o o National, regional, and local outdoor industry distributors (e.g., Ewing, John Deere Landscapes) Home improvement stores (e.g., The Home Depot, Lowe s Home Improvement) Online (e.g., Amazon) and manufacturerdirect Look for the WaterSense label on product packaging and online Use the Product Search Tool to find a complete list of products that have earned the WaterSense label www.epa.gov/watersense/product_search.html 13
National Outdoor Conservation Survey October 12, 2017 Mary Ann Dickinson President and CEO, AWE Executive Director, CalWEP
Outdoor Conservation Survey Many water providers conducting outdoor water conservation programs Just about every utility with customer in-ground irrigation systems AWE and CalWEP surveying states outdoor conservation programs (including ordinances and restrictions) Findings in an Excel-based matrix We are giving you a sneak preview!
West 7) Ashland, OR 11) Salt Lake City, UT 8) Portland, OR 12) Boulder, CO 9) Medford, OR 13) Denver, CO 10) Seattle, WA Southwest 1) Tucson, AZ 2) Gilbert, AZ 3) Phoenix, AZ 4) Albuquerque, NM 5) Santa Fe, NM 6) Las Vegas, NV 24 Cities South 21) Austin, TX 22) Dallas, TX 23) El Paso, TX 24) San Antonio, TX Midwest 14) Oklahoma City, OK 15) Wichita, KS East 16) Cary, NC Southeast 17) Broward County, FL 18) Orlando, FL 19) Tampa, FL 20) Cobb County, GA
West (CA) 1) Fresno 2) Irvine 3) Los Angeles 4) Oakland 5) Riverside 6) Sacramento Underway 7) San Diego 8) San Francisco 9) Santa Barbara 10) Santa Clara 11) Santa Rosa
Typical Ordinance Elements Emergency Water Use Water-use restrictions + penalties and variances Drought Response Definition of drought stages and associated water-use restrictions (up to total outdoor watering bans) Waterwise Landscaping + Irrigation Efficiency Turf area limits, planting and irrigation design per hydrozone, smart controllers
Typical Ordinance Elements Irrigation Schedules Off-peak outdoor watering (year-round and seasonal), 48-hours post rain event Water Waste Irrigation overspray restrictions, spray washing hardscapes prohibited, pool covers, water feature recirculation, automatic shut-off nozzles for hoses Water Budgets Large landscapes, commercial facilities, and golf courses
Other Ordinance Elements Graywater Residential permit waivers, commercial permit requirements, prohibits overhead spray Rainwater Harvesting New commercial developments (Tucson) Soil Amendments Compost amendments in new residential and CII developments (Denver)
Ordinance Observations 1. Turf area limitations and approval of efficient irrigation designs for new residential and commercial development projects are common revisions to municipal codes. 2. Restrictions on irrigation times are present in every region surveyed. 3. Graywater ordinances are not as prevalent. They have been developed for the following cities: Tucson, AZ Boulder, CO Denver, CO 4. Ordinances requiring development of water budgets can be found in: Los Angeles, CA Riverside, CA Boulder, CO Denver, CO Las Vegas, NV (golf course) 5. With the exception of Portland and Seattle, all cities/towns have at least one water conservation ordinance or restriction impacting outdoor use.
Incentives & Rebates Observations 1. Only four cities did not offer incentives or rebates, these include: Phoenix, AZ Medford, OR Oklahoma City, OK Cary, NC *Of these cities, conservation program elements consist primarily of public education and DIY resources. 2. Rebates for smart irrigation controllers are the most common incentive for all customer classifications and many require WaterSense certification. 3. Turf removal rebates are regional to the West and Southwest. 4. California cities offer the most comprehensive spread of incentive and rebate programs. 5. Rain barrel and cistern rebates are gaining popularity and are offered by several cities across the United States
Services Observations 1. Onsite audits for residential, multifamily and commercial customers focused on irrigation efficiency are the most common conservation service amongst surveyed cities. The audits typically include system improvement recommendations and irrigation schedules. 1. Only five of the sample cities offer customer water budgets. These include: Gilbert, AZ Oakland, CA Fresno, CA Denver, CO Cary, NC 3. All cities and water utilities provide educational information on outdoor water conservation in the form of classes, print and video materials, or both. Classes often focus on sustainable landscape design and efficient irrigation design. 4. Besides the standard services listed in the Conservation Survey Matrix, a number of cities and utilities offer unique conservation services. An example includes Tampa, which provides up to 10 irrigation flags to assist with system repairs.
Conservation Programs & the Watershed Approach to Sustainable Landscaping 1. Reduce outdoor irrigation 2. Capture, storage, and re-use 3. Stormwater runoff reductions 4. Reduced pesticide use 5. Reduced green waste 6. Reduced energy use and GHG emissions 7. Generate habitat and food for beneficial insects and wildlife Photo by Peter Veilleux of East Bay Wilds
Incorporating the Watershed Approach Program City Details Treebates Albuquerque Rebate 25 percent of the cost of professional tree care, or for purchase of new low- and medium-water-use trees that appear on the Water Authority s Xeriscape plant/tree guide. Clean River Rewards Program Garden in a Box Portland (Bureau of Environmental Services) Boulder (Center for Resource Conservation) Receive up to a 100 percent discount on stormwater management surcharge for maintaining stormwater onsite (rain barrels and cisterns qualify if the overflow from these containers is also managed). $25 rebate for professionally designed gardens contain perennial, Xeric plants. Homeowners, communities, and HOAs can plant the gardens to replace turf, reduce watering requirements, and otherwise improve conservation practices for their landscapes. RainWise Seattle Targeted sewer overflow basins are eligible for rebates to hire a trained RainWise contractor to install a rain garden or cistern. Soil Amendment Program Denver New landscape projects are required to amend soil with compost to more efficiently retain water. This rule applies to all new residential, commercial, government, and industrial properties within Denver Water s service area. Conserve2Enhance Tucson Program links water conservation efforts to watershed restoration and enhancement. Dollar savings can be donated to a program that benefits watershed health.
Incorporating the Watershed Approach Program City Details California Friendly Landscape Incentive Program Bay Friendly Landscape Ordinance Los Angeles Oakland To qualify, landscape designs must include: 1. California Friendly plants, including native species, appropriate for the Los Angeles climate 2. Mulch and other groundcover to help retain moisture in the soil 3. A rain-capturing feature like a rain garden, rain barrel, cistern, infiltration trench, or vegetated swale 4. Drip irrigation (as needed) In addition to municipal buildings, all newly constructed homes in Oakland are required by law to follow the practices of the Bay Friendly Landscape Guidelines. Tree Power Rebates Riverside Earn up to $25 back for purchasing and planting qualified shade trees around your home, up to five trees for a total of $125 per calendar year.
Conclusion Look at examples not just in your own climate and geography, but in places with similar challenges and customer bases. The National Outdoor Conservation Survey Matrix can be used as a reference or comparison tool. Lesson learned: Programs and ordinances are only impactful if they are tailored to your customer base. http://www.allianceforwaterefficiency.org /Outdoor-Program-Matrix.aspx
THANK YOU! Mary Ann Dickinson AWE (Chicago): (773) 360-5100 CalWEP (Sacramento): (916)-552-5885
Town of Gilbert Water Conservation
Gilbert Water Use
Gilbert Water Use Commercial Customer Consumption 30% 70% Commercial Landscape Commercial Domestic
A History of the Program In 2009 we looked at HOA water use 104 HOA communities with more than one acre of turf These are using potable water Turf was measured from aerial photos DG was estimated
Creating the Budget Converting inches to gallons
Creating the Budget Converting inches to gallons
HOAs In Gilbert 456 acres of turf 714 acres of decomposed granite 700,909,000 gallons budgeted 1,081,940,000 gallons used 381,031,000 gallons potential savings 1200000 1000000 800000 600000 400000 200000 0 2008 HOA water use comparison 2008 budgeted 2008 Actual 1
KGals HOAs In Gilbert Who do we target? 2008 HOA Landscape Water Consumption 600000 500000 167398 400000 Overage 300000 204413 Budgeted 200000 9220 386091 100000 145675 169143 0 The Good (22) The Bad (49) The Ugly (33)
How Did We Contact Them? Website High consumption notification contacts Leadership Centre events AZ Republic article Word of Mouth
How Do We Help Them? Two classes were held in 2010 11 attended Property managers Board members Landscapers
How Do We Help Them? Arrange meeting to review water budgets Identify potential for savings Identify challenges Meet on-site Community manager Board members Landscape contractor
Kgals How Do We Help Them? Monthly updates 2500 Actual use to budgeted use comparison 2000 1500 Budgeted Usage 1000 Year 2014 Usage 500 0 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
How Do We Help Them? Monthly updates All, I hope everyone had enjoyable holidays. The meter read period for this update was between 11/25 and 12/29 so it was a 33 day read cycle. The budget calculates that 465,000 gallons were needed and 370,000 gallons were used. That s about 20% below the calculated water requirements, especially for a longer read cycle but there was some rainfall during that period. The nearest Rainlog gauge shows that 1.15 of rain fell, with most of it happening on 12/4. Responding to rainfall is a great way to beat the budget and still have a healthy landscape. For the year the calculated water requirement was 14,308,000 gallons and 14,572,000 gallons were used. That is 1.8% off of the calculated budget and well within the 10% variance we consider to be exceptional landscape water management. With the exception of May, the monthly water use looks really good for the year. It s not just how much water is used it s when and how it s applied that makes a successful landscape water management program. Taking advantage of the rainfall that happened in September put you in a great position to not have the extra water associated with overseeding overrun the annual water use comparisons. Great job everyone! As always if you have any questions or need any help please feel free to ask.
Kgals What Was the Outcome? 17 HOAs enrolled over time 88 acres of turf 127 acres of decomposed granite 249,989 300000 Gilbert Original 17 HOA water use trend 250000 179,250 200000 150000 Consumption 100000 50000 0 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
What Happened Next In 2012 staffing issues curtailed the monthly updates In 2013 it was a fire sale, everything must go 2013 consumption increased by 6,627 KGALS at the participating communities The monthly updates are critical to long term results Staffing returned to normal in 2014 The program was reintroduced in March 2014 The goal was 15 communities by July 1
What Happened Next 19 communities enrolled 74.2 acres of turf, 139.9 acres of DG 2013 water consumption was 217,121 Kgals 2014 water consumption was 220,460 Kgals Some communities did not enroll until late 2014 Two large communities, 14.1 acres turf, overseeded that winter adding ~ 4,700 Kgals On large community had three months of stuck-on valve issues adding ~ 3,500 Kgals Following years show more accurate results
As of Now 54 Communities enrolled Now also enrolling reclaimed water users 538 acres of turf 466 acres of DG 1,399,074 1,242,667 969,395 177,132 Average Saved!
Marketing Now! Email invitations
Marketing Now! Website
Marketing Now! Blogs
Marketing Now! Blogs
Marketing Now! Monthly newsletter
Recognition Signage
Recognition Website
Annual Program Costs Create water budget Initial email Schedule meeting Hold meeting Monthly email updates Board meetings Follow up assistance ~ 15.25 hours per community per year 824 hours/year for 54 communities
Cost of Water Saved Program cost ~ $41,000 per year 177,132 Kgals average annual savings (544 AF) $0.23 per Kgal saved Future supplies estimated to cost $10.74/Kgal
What s Next? Online portal
What s Next? Further program cost reduction Time for recruiting new communities More timely updates Time for more onsite assistance Real time ET
Questions?
Questions and Discussion Please type your questions into the chat box. The Town of Gilbert, Arizona www.gilbertaz.gov/departments/publicworks/water-conservation Jeff Lee Jeff.Lee@gilbertaz.gov EPA s WaterSense Program www.epa.gov/watersense/outdoor/ The Alliance for Water Efficiency www.allianceforwaterefficiency.org/ 59
Partnering With WaterSense WaterSense would not be successful without its nearly 2,000 partners Manufacturers design and create products to meet specs Retailers/distributors get products on shelves Builders construct water-efficient homes using products Certification providers inspect and label homes Professional certifying organizations train irrigation professionals to help homeowners water more efficiently Promotional partners spread the word Water utilities, state and local governments, nonprofit organizations, and homebuilder associations 60
There Is Strength in Numbers Join Us! Become a WaterSense partner it s free! Recruit new or work with existing WaterSense partners Promote WaterSense labeled products Adopt irrigation certification programs and encourage irrigation professionals to become certified Continue to educate your friends, families, and consumers about the importance of water efficiency and WaterSense www.epa.gov/watersense/watersensepartners 61
Before We Leave You Help us identify topics for future webinars! Visit us online: www.epa.gov/watersense www.allianceforwaterefficiency.org Be social @epawatersense @A4WE EPAWatersense AllianceforWaterEfficiency 62