waterwise The official publication of Colorado WaterWise
The Voice of the Colorado Water Conservation Community
www.coloradowaterwise.org
In this issue... Live Like You Love It is Water Education awarded Platinum on page 3 Pg. 3 Colorado Water
Live Like You Love It! Lessons from the
California Drought on page 11
Pg. 9 Interview with Ray Tschillard
An Interview with Aylssa Quinn on page 6
Pg. 13 Water Efficiency Water Conservation: Workshop Long-Term Gain, Short-
Term Revenue Loss on page Pg. 144 Interview with Gary Klein
Summer 2015
s r o t i d e e h t From With all of the rain Colorado has experienced this spring, conservation may not be at the forefront of peoples’ minds. Messaging may be more difficult and different strategies might need to be piloted. The Live Like You Love It (LLYLI) campaign can be utilized with its social media posts, fact sheets to give out at events and of course the LLYLI video. Phase II of the campaign, which includes the creation of an interactive website, is well underway. Please get involved with this important project by sponsoring and using the materials. We must keep the momentum going. The Smartphone landscape app is here and utilities are now up loading their data. As we found out in the 2002 drought, everyone had different rules and regulations related to landscape water use. Although much progress was made to create uniform drought restrictions, the fact is all water utilities are unique and what works for one may not work for the utility right next door. This app will help the green industry professionals find what they need when working in different cities. This committee is looking for cities and utilities to include their information about watering restrictions, landscape regulations, stormwater regs, rebates and programs. This will be a one-stop shop for landscapers to find the right rule in the right place. Read the article on Page 22 to find out how you can add your information.
WaterWise is the official publication of Colorado WaterWise and is published four times a year (Mar, Jun, Sep, and Dec). Articles are due one month before the newsletter comes out. Officers: Co-chairs: Frank Kinder-Colorado Springs Utilities & Alyssa Quinn-Platte Canyon Co-secretaries: Lindsey BashlineLoveland & Nona Shipman-One World One Water Co-treasurers: Ruth Quade-Greeley & Amelia Nuding-Western Resource Advocates Board Members: The officers above and Amy ConklinBarr Lake; Becky Fedak-Brendle Group; Laura Wing-Thornton; Lyle WhitneyAurora Lindsay Weber-Denver Water; Kate Gardner-Center for ReSource Conservation; Leslie Martien-Aquacraft, Inc.; Lyndsey LuciaNorthern Water Newsletter Committee: Editors, Kim Frick, Leslie Martien, & Ruth Quade Design: Natalie Stevens Advertising Sales: Ruth Quade, ruth. quade@greeleygov.com To submit a story topic, email Kim Frick at kim.frick@cityofloveland.org
Kim Frick Ruth Quade Leslie Martien Colorado WaterWise Ongoing Meetings
Colorado WaterWise Board Meetings: Second Thursday of each month, 10 a.m.-noon
June 11
July 9
August 13
September 10
WaterWise articles may be reproduced in other publications with credit given to the author and Colorado WaterWise. Any advertisement of or reference to a product or service is not intended as an endorsement. This newsletter is intended to spark dialogue about various issues concerning water conservation in Colorado. The viewpoints of the authors are not necessarily those of the Colorado WaterWise.
“Live Like You Love It” goes Platinum By Jason Hanson, Watermark, Inc. The “Live Like You Love It” video has been presented with a Platinum award for design in the “Educational Video” category from the 2015 Hermes Creative competition. Hermes Creative Awards recognizes outstanding work in the industry while promoting the philanthropic nature of marketing and communication professionals. There were over 6,000 entries from the United States, Canada and several other countries in the Hermes Creative Awards 2015 competition. Entries came from corporate marketing and communication departments, advertising agencies, PR firms, design shops, production companies and freelancers. Creative Awards is administered and judged by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals. The international organization consists of several thousand marketing, communication, advertising, public relations, media production and free-lance professionals. AMCP oversees awards andrecognition programs, provides judges and rewards outstanding achievement and service to the profession. As part of its mission, AMCP fosters and supports the efforts of creative professionals who contribute their unique talents to public service and charitable organizations. Hermes entrants are not charged entry fees to enter work they produced pro bono. In addition, the efforts of generous marketing and communication professionals are acknowledged through grants and special recognition. AMCP judges are industry professionals who look for companies and individuals whose talent exceeds a high standard of excellence and whose work serves as a benchmark for the industry. Winners were selected from 195 categories grouped under advertising, publications, marketing/ branding, integrated marketing, public relations/communications, electronic media and pro bono.
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Water Conservation: Long-Term Gain, Short-Term Revenue Loss By Kim Frick, Loveland Water and Power Getting water conservation and water supply personnel to the same table is hard. Adding in the presence of financial planners is also equally important. Financial planners strive to collect revenue adequate to cover the many costs of running a utility. Forecasting water services revenue is as complex as predicting climate change. Unfortunately there is no one solution or magic bullet to solve this problem. And even though this is a technical challenge it usually ends up as a political issue. We all know that being efficient with our water is the right thing to do. The customer value towards using less water is here to stay. Younger generations seem less interested in having big yards. Landscaping regulations further assist by requiring less turf and more Xeriscape. With the reduction in outdoor demand, we begin to create an environment of demand hardening where a utility will face a long-term loss in revenue. A recent survey by American Water Works Association said, “As many as 70% of the utilities in the U.S. are not fully recovering their costs.� A long-term decline in water use may delay important capital improvement projects due to lack of funds. However, the biggest consequence for the utility is the loss in short-term revenue. An easy answer is to raise water rates, which is sometimes unpopular with city councils and sends a mixed message to customers. When a utility asks customers to cut back on their water use during times of drought, they respond with gusto. Afterwards, it’s easy for customers to get upset when their short-term savings turns into higher water rates. Strategies for closing the gap between short-term water revenues and the need to increase rates include: tightening up utility water system losses through leak detection programs; upgrading billing software; and upgrading meters that read more accurately at lower volumes. These all can be costly endeavors. Also, rate studies are valuable in making sure a utility covers all costs appropriately. And, increasing the base rate may produce a more reliable source of income yearround.
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One variable that makes estimating revenues difficult is widely different weather conditions that can make water sales soar in a drought year but greatly reduce those sales in wet years. Economic conditions also drive fluctuations in water use such as the recession from 2007 to 2009, which produced low water sales, and less tap revenue. Compare that to the current trend within the local economy, which seems strong with building permits back to prerecession levels. Changes in plumbing codes that require more efficient toilets, showerheads and washing machines in the market place have also changed water use. Many cities have rebate programs to make these purchases even more enticing. Cities may have tiered rates that signal the high water users to reduce their water consumption. The cost of ongoing operations and maintenance and the escalating costs for replacement of aging infrastructure is not well understood by the customer. They often have no idea of the real cost of water and lack an understanding of the difference between water rates and their water bill. Customers often get upset when their rates are raised after they start conserving water. “Why do I pay more for less water?” It is very difficult to explain that their water rate increase would have to be even higher if they hadn’t conserved. A study by the City of Westminster stated that, “A single family home in 2012 would have had water rates 91% higher without the benefits of conservation within the system.” Westminster found a 21% reduction in per capita water use equated to 7,295 acre-feet of water supplies that now did not have to be acquired which equated to a $519,850,000 savings of avoided costs and capital expenditure. It seems like “messaging” is a big part of the equation that can tie all the information together for the customer. Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) currently has a population of around 500,000 and their population is expected to grow by 50% over the next few decades. They also have a considerable cost associated with the new Southern Delivery System project. These increased costs have caused them to implement more significant inclining block rate structures and notable rate increases since 2009. They have responded by conducting monthly sales volume and revenue forecast updates to reflect current customer behavior. Colorado Springs Utilities is committed to financing sustainable water rates, revenues and resources. This idea of moving from a model of growth to a model of sustainability also is embraced by other water providers that are approaching their growth boundaries and full build-out. Water utilities need to get used to the ongoing requirement of meeting the “costs” of water efficiency and conservation programs. For example, a utility water budget will need to include line items for the cost of their conservation programs plus the projected decrease in water sales caused from such programs. We all want to save water; we just have to make sure we are still collecting enough revenue on the other end. When will the long- term decline in revenue stabilize? Projecting how far and how fast the decline will come should be our focus. Much of this information was obtained from Water Resource Foundation website, in particular the case study for Colorado Springs Utilities. WaterWise
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interview
A spotlight on
Alyssa quinn WW: Tell us a little about yourself. I am the Conservation Coordinator at Platte Canyon Water and Sanitation District. Platte Canyon is a read and bill distributer of Denver Water, so it is a little different than some of the other water utilities. I have been employed there for 15 years. I am also a board member of Colorado WaterWise. Shortly after becoming a board member I started joining the executive team and committees. I served as secretary for a year and am currently serving as co-chair. For the past two years I have chaired the Colorado Water-Live Like You Love It tool box and campaign. WW: How did you get started in the water conservation business? I started working at Platte Canyon while attending college at Metro. Working as a receptionist, I became interested in water conservation after attending meetings with Colorado WaterWise and the Rocky Mountain Section of American Water Works Association Conservation Committee. WW: Regarding water conservation, what do you feel are the biggest challenges facing Colorado? Some of the biggest challenges facing Colorado today are population growth. Colorado is a great place to live with the sunny weather and recreation abounding everywhere; we attract transplants who may not know that Colorado is a semi-arid climate. Furthermore, the water supply may become scarce and with urbanization comes water quality issues. Water is an underappreciated commodity and the public’s awareness of the issues related to water is a challenge. WW: What measures do you think will have the biggest impact on water conservation in Colorado? I think what everyone in water conservation is doing across the state is very forward thinking and we are way ahead of California in some ways. I think the State Water Plan will highlight some of the progress water utilities are making and will hopefully education the public that we cannot keep taking clean, abundant water for granted. WaterWise
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Interview with Alyssa Quinn “I have really enjoyed working on the Colorado Water: Live Like You Love It campaign. This project has been in the works for many years and to finally have a product that people are using and learning from is amazing! I really enjoy it when people get as excited about it as I do.”
WW: What technologies do you think will have the biggest impact on water conservation in Colorado? With 50 percent of water going outside to irrigate lawns and landscapes, technologies to help the homeowner/business owner water smarter is key. Things like smart controllers, rain, wind and moisture sensors will soon become as prevalent as the smart phone. The advances between the two have pretty much paralleled each other and soon we will be able to control the clock with an app. Speaking of apps, Colorado WaterWise’s Smart Phone App will put all the cities landscape regulations into a neat and tidy application that the landscape/irrigation professional can query at the job site. Homeowners may want to use it too. WW: What has given you the most satisfaction during your career? I have really enjoyed working on the Colorado Water: Live Like You Love It campaign. This project has been in the works for many years and to finally have a product that people are using and learning from is amazing! I really enjoy it when people get as excited about it as I do. WW: Beyond work, what other interests do you have? Passions, goals, missions? My family. I am married to Michael who is a teacher and coach at The Denver Waldorf School. We have two wonderful boys ages 7 and 11 that keep my husband and me on our toes. They are involved in sports and play basketball, football and baseball. As a family, in our spare time we like to Live Like We Love It by spending time in the outdoors biking, hiking and camping. WW: Any last thoughts you’d like to share with our readers? I really would like to say thank you to everyone who has worked on and supported the Live Like You Love It campaign. Without all of you, it would be nothing!
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Smart Ways to Fix Your Water Bill Becky Garber, Association of Landscape Contractors of Colorado (ALCC) If you are a typical Colorado household, you expect your water bill to go up in the summer. That’s when we tend to shower more often, have more clothes to wash, and of course, when our thirsty plants need more drinks and more often. July, as the hottest month, brings the biggest drain on our water and financial resources. That makes it a good month to think seriously about ways to save water and thereby, cut the water bill. Three components to consider How water reaches your plants – whether it’s the lawn or the petunias – is the most basic element of a sprinkler system. The efficiency of that delivery process will either save or waste water. Efficiency lies in the sprinkler heads themselves, the small components called “nozzles” and the use of drip irrigation. Sprinkler heads that spray water too high or that appear to be misting are wasting water and money. Likewise, when water seeps out of the heads after the watering cycle stops, those heads are also wasting water. What’s the solution? Newer technology has given us sprinklers that control water pressure – and even the size of the water droplets – so that the water lands where it needs to without misting and floating away in the breeze. In techie terms, it’s called “pressure regulation.” Another water saver in newer sprinkler heads is a simple check valve that’s part of the design. This component will keep water from draining out of the last sprinkler that’s at the bottom of a slope. It’s a small piece of engineering that brings big savings. Don’t forget the nozzles. These are the tiny parts at the top of the sprinkler heads. Depending on the nozzles you have, you will either use or save a lot of water. By retrofitting existing heads with more efficient nozzles, you can cut water use by 30% and this retrofit sometimes qualifies for rebates from water providers. Do the math: this one upgrade might pay for itself in no time. Save water one drip at a time. With drip irrigation, water never floats away in the breeze or runs down the gutter. It goes right to the root zone of the plant where it is needed most. That makes drip the most efficient way to water every plant in the yard except the lawn. Converting spray heads to drip irrigation is a strategic way to cut your water bill. Monitor and maintain Even with newer, better technology, sprinkler systems are still mostly made of mechanical parts. Sprinklers get out of adjustment, underground sprinkler lines can crack and leak, and valves that direct water throughout the system can break. Periodically turn on the system and watch it run. Make the adjustments and repairs to keep the system operating efficiently. Your plants will love you for it. For a list of qualified sprinkler contractors, go to www.alcc.com. WaterWise
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Have a Mobile Device? Upgrade to a Smart Controller By Becky Garber, Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado You run your life with a Smartphone or similar device. It saves you time and that often saves you money. If you run your sprinkler system with a device made in the last millennium, you’ve got a serious technology gap. And that’s not smart. Water is as precious as time and if you don’t run it well, that too, will cost you money. What is a “smart” controller? The timer or controller is the brains of the system that tells sprinklers when and how long to water. And like the evolutions of your personal cell phone, it can run on the latest technology – or merely limp along. Do you remember the limited functions your cell phone had just 10 years ago? Point made. What makes a smart controller smart? Three technologies can make a controller smart: • Some talk to a satellite that talks to weather stations and then relays info back to the controller. That weather data determines when your sprinkler system operates. • The controller can also talk to moisture sensors in the root zones of YOUR plants in YOUR yard. It will set operating times based on the moisture levels in the soil. • Some smart controllers rely on weather stations mounted on your house. They monitor real-time weather conditions of natural precipitation, wind and temperature, and use that data to determine if, when, and how long the sprinklers run. And you get to make your controller smarter still In the same way you enter contacts into your phone, you also need to enter personal details about your yard: • Sprinkler type(s) - such as rotors, pop-up spray heads or drip irrigation • Plant type - lawn, shrubs, flowers, etc. • Soil type - such as clay or sand • Precipitation rates of each type of sprinkler, meaning how many inches of water each would apply in one hour All this information makes the controller smart about your yard and it factors into the equations that set up watering times. What about cost? For a typical yard, the cost is right in the range of a new mobile phone, which makes them affordable. Often these controllers qualify for rebates from your city or water provider. Add the rebate to money saved in water costs, and this technology will pay for itself in a short amount of time.
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Spring 2011 2015 Summer
Charter School to Save $12,000 a Year through Restroom Upgrades
By Frank Kinder, Colorado Springs Utilities Charter Schools are known for adopting older buildings with lots of potential. Colorado Springs Charter Academy resides in the old Benet Hill Monastery in Central Colorado Springs. This 1960s building is a perfect location for a thriving school. It also required a lot of TLC. When it came to upgrading their commercial bathroom facilities, the savings opportunity was great. By working with Colorado Springs Utilities, the school obtained rebates on most of these fixtures which helped Colorado Springs Charter Academy (CSCA) achieve a two month return on investment. CSU also analyzed overall savings potential and anticipate that CSCA will save more than $12,000 a year in water, wastewater and heating costs. Many of the restroom fixtures were original installs and performing poorly. These fixtures used far more water then modern options. With the help of Colorado Springs Utilities, CSCA identified 48 toilets and urinals and 22 faucets for upgrade with WaterSense® high-efficiency models. After rebates the school’s project costs were $2,660. And, CSCA opted to recycle the porcelain fixtures for reuse applications in road base applications. This is one type of building management programs that’s a win-win. Project Summary: Colorado Springs Charter Academy (CSCA), a 1960’s era Elementary and Middle School, formerly a monastery, upgraded all restrooms in Winter 2014/Spring 2015. Motivation: Restroom fixtures, many original, were performing poorly, in degraded condition, and used far more water and money to run than modern high-efficiency toilets, urinals, and faucets. CSCA wanted improved performance and reduced water bills. No more plunging dead toilets!
This project addresses CWW Best Practice #12: High efficiency fixture and appliance replacement for residential and nonresidential sectors. An older school retrofitted their original 1960’s restroom fixtures to save water, improve performance, appearance, and reduce staff time on maintenance. Rebates and assistance from the utility help with ROI and project value. Contact information: Nicole Paxton Director of Operations Colorado Springs Charter Academy 719-636-2722 Frank Kinder Senior Water DSM Specialist Colorado Springs Utilities 719-668-3818
Process: CSCA and Colorado Springs Utilities identified WaterSense-approved and highefficiency upgrade options for retrofit 48 toilets and Urinals and 22 faucets in staff and student lavatories. Toilets and Urinals qualified for CSU’s 2014 Commercial Restroom rebate of $125 per fixture. CSCA would do most work with some help from professional plumbers. Project Details: 1.28 GPF HET water closets and 0.5 GPF High Efficiency WaterSense Urinals and Faucets were chosen, replacing much higher volume models. Net project costs after rebate were $2,660, with an ROI of just over 2 months in water savings. Cost Savings: CSCA expects to save over $12,000 in 2015, putting that money back into other school needs and serving more students. Bonus: CSCA recycled the old metal and porcelain for use in the community. WaterWise
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The California Drought By Leslie Martien, Aquacraft, Inc. In April of this year, California state governor, Jerry Brown, issued a seven-page document, Executive Order B-29-15, in response to ever-worsening drought in the state. The governor initially proclaimed a State of Emergency in January 2014 due to severe drought conditions; since that time water supplies have continued to be depleted by lack of precipitation, low reservoir levels, reduced river and aquifer levels, and record low snowpack. The executive order lays out a four-pronged approach to the problem: 1. Save water 2. Increase enforcement against water waste 3. Invest in new technologies 4. Streamline government response Saving water The governor is calling for a 25% reduction in potable water use through February 28, 2016. The reduction is to be achieved in several ways: by reducing per capita use, by replacing 50 million square feet of lawns and ornamental turf with drought tolerant landscapes, by implementing a time-limited, appliance rebate program, by requiring CII properties to reduce potable water usage, by prohibiting irrigation of ornamental turf with potable water, by prohibiting the delivery of potable water in new construction except by drip or microspray and finally by developing rate structures and pricing mechanisms to maximize water conservation. Increased enforcement against waste Largely, increased enforcement comes by way of increased reporting. Urban water suppliers are required to provide monthly information on water usage, conservation, and enforcement. Water right holders are expected to report water diversions to the Water Board and in turn the Water Board must conduct inspections to determine whether unreasonable, illegal, or wasteful uses of water are occurring. Those water suppliers supplying agricultural water to more than 25,000 acres must include a detailed drought management plan with their 2015 Agricultural Water Management Plan describing the management of water demand during the drought.
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An update to the State Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance will increase landscape water efficiency standards with a variety of tools including: storm water capture, greywater usage, efficient irrigation systems and limiting the use of turf. Technical assistance and grant funding shall be provided to public agencies to aid in compliance with ordinances and consideration will be given to adopting regulations and enforcement actions to encourage compliance. New technologies The Water Board, Executive Department and the California Energy Commission are to implement a program designed to reduce greenhouse emissions and accelerate the use of cutting-edge technologies including but not limited to on-site reuse systems, renewable energy-powered desalination, water-use monitoring, and irrigation system timing and precision. Streamline government response The impacts of the drought are far-reaching and affect everything from wildlife and livestock, to utilities and government agencies, and under-served populations. In an effort to mitigate some of the consequences of the drought, agencies have been called upon to expedite permitting processes and to provide assistance on both a state-wide and local level. Agencies must respond to problems as diverse as assisting persons who must move due to lack of potable water to the planning and implementation of Emergency Drought Salinity Barriers. They must also consider the impacts of crop idling, fire protection, the development of new drinking water supply and a myriad of complex issues. Agencies included in the decision-making process include: • Office of Emergency Services • Department of Housing • Department of Fish and Wildlife • California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection • Governor’s Office • Energy Commission • Water Board • Army Corps of Engineers These widely diverse agencies have been tasked by the governor to expedite solutions to a longstanding, albeit a more immediately urgent problem – drought. Is this task ambitious? Definitely. Can it be accomplished? Perhaps. Will it be effective in the immediate future? Over the long-term? Only time will tell. What can we, as providers and consumers of water in Colorado, learn from California’s current situation? Does it take state of emergency before we implement more rigorous conservation measures? Are the measures being recommended in California too extreme? Have the long and short-term impacts of the conservation measures been studied carefully enough? Must we wait until Colorado experiences years of severe drought to answer these questions? Because it’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when. To see a map that shows the variability of per capita water use in different California municipalities go to http://nyti.ms/1Cc2LNW.
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Water Loss Control
By Ruth Quade, City of Greeley Water Leaks are an inevitable part of the water distribution system. This non-revenue water has a cost associated with buying, treating, pumping and delivering water. Additionally, small leaks that remain unidentified, may bubble to the surface causing costly main breaks, customers out of service, roads out of service and overtime pay to field employees. By utilizing best management practices, leaks can be minimized and waste reduced. In 1997, when Greeley began an aggressive leak detection program, it was tagged as a standard operating procedure (SOP) but has become a conservation measure as well. Because of Greeley’s proactive stance on seeking and repairing leaks, unaccounted for water remains well below industry standards averaging 5 percent or less water loss per year. Since 1997, 640 miles of pipeline have been surveyed and undergone leak detection. As a result, twelve leaks were detected prior to becoming full blown emergencies. During an emergency, leak detection can pinpoint the leak to within 10 feet. This reduces the size of the excavation, thus lowering the cost of the repair. Water Distribution staff coordinate with Public Works staff to perform leak detection prior to street overlay projects, staff examine valve boxes, exercise valves, and survey the lines. This cooperation, results in less time with streets being torn up for overlay or additional emergencies, saving the rate payer money. Leak detection is done on an on-going basis. The goal is to survey a portion of the pipelines every year with a priority placed on areas that have been prone to leaks. Crews use a Metrotech Correlator and Leak Logger with a Listening Device (LD12) connected to the water main from a fire hydrant, valve or meter to identify leaks in the main. Any suspected leak sounds will be evaluated to authenticate the existence of a leak to be repaired.
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The leak detection equipment can also be used to investigate pressure concerns. A customer complaining of low water pressure may have excessive mineral buildup in their water main or lines. When minerals build up it restricts the flow and when the barnacles eventually break free, they often take a piece of pipe with them. Identifying these areas allow staff to prioritize parts of the system that require a cleaning or ‘pigging’ of lines. Leaks can also occur on valves, so Greeley also has an active valve exercising program. Valves that need to be shut off in an emergency, and haven’t been opened or closed in a while can be another place for water loss and leaks. To avoid that, a staff member is dedicated to exercising (opening and closing) the 5,900 valves within the transmission lines and distribution system. Another distribution system area that is vulnerable to leaks is old service lines. Lead service lines and connections have systematically been replaced with copper. Lead, which is also a health hazard, is a soft, pliable metal that is easily twisted by tree roots and making it susceptible to breaks and flow restriction. As of 2014, 550 lead service lines have been replaced leaving just a handful remaining to replace. Conservation staff, working in tandem with distribution system staff, can be proactive in leak detection, saving water and money for the rate payers. In the fall issue, projects like rehabbing in-town treated reservoirs and the cement mortar lining project have helped rehab pipes in place without replacing them.
A thin layer between the water and the metal of the pipe keeps minerals from building up to the point of restricting the flow.
Pipe restricted by mineral buildup
Photo of excavated street where main is opened and cleaned (pigged) before it is lined with a thin coat of concrete which is spun into the pipe and then floated with a metal float from one end of the pipe to the other.
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Colorado WaterWise Sponsors Water Audits and Loss Control Training
By Frank Kinder, Colorado Springs Utilities The State of Colorado is pursuing M36 Water Loss auditing from covered entities by establishing a pilot training program for American Water Works Association (AWWA) M36 Water Auditing & Loss Control. The objectives of the pilot training program include foundational training for a broad spectrum of water systems on the AWWA M36 Water Auditing & Loss Control Methodology for system improvements. It is anticipated that this pilot will serve as groundwork for widespread adoption of best practices in M36 Water Auditing and validation in the State of Colorado. It is also anticipated that the pilot may lead to a broader, more detailed training and technical assistance program to further advance M36 Water Loss Management practices in the State of Colorado. One hundred fifty-nine water systems in Colorado represent approximately 95% of the service population in the state. Statewide statistics on non-revenue water (NRW) are not available, but benchmarks from validated national water audit data indicate an average of approximately 30,000 gallons of NRW per service connection each year, which translates to over 41 billion gallons of NRW every year in the State of Colorado. The goal of the pilot would be to reach as many of these 159 utilities as possible, in a regional workshop approach. The goal is to enable water auditing to help reduce non-revenue water and help meet HB 1051 requirements. This training concept follows successful programs in Georgia and North Carolina. The pilot training will be designed to provide participant utilities with a foundational understanding of the AWWA M36 methodology. Specifically, the pilot utilities will learn how to: • • • • •
Conduct the top-down AWWA water audit, equipping participants with procedural steps and required data; Implement practices for bottom-up validation of the audit data; Assess data validity and develop improvements for audit reliability; Perform Real Loss Component Analysis for Economic Water Loss Control – Volumes & Values; Use audit and component analysis results to identify next steps for water loss management in their system.
Water Loss auditing is a crucial component of water efficiency and represents a significant opportunity to improve performance, accountability, and revenues and responsibility. Stay tuned for more information on this training program.
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Creating Creative Communication Content By Natalie Stevens, City of Greeley Mark Twain once wrote, “I apologize for the length of this letter…I didn’t have time to write a shorter one.” This quote is relevant when developing strong and meaningful marketing messages. Shorter is better, but it is often difficult to do. In February, I attended a workshop sponsored by the Colorado Chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC). Lead by Steve and Cindy Crescenzo, Strategic Creative Communications was a fabulous seminar that I highly recommend for anyone interested in communicating with the public and measuring the success of that communication. The following few simple takeaways will help you in writing marketing materials. Make the Important Interesting Water is an important issue in Colorado. Many of the people working in the water industry have a vast and very technical knowledge on the topic and want to share expertise, but the average water customer may not be so willing to read a long and technical article on the subject. Water professionals need to find ways to get customers as excited about the topic as we are. One strategy that the workshop offered was to ask three questions when planning a communication effort. What? So what? Now what? Explain the issue, make it relevant and then craft a call to action. That formula keeps you on track and is even more effective when you incorporate other good practices into your writing. Master the 4 C’s Once you have a theme and a goal for your writing, you must write in a style that will draw people to your content. Whether it be a social media post, an article, or a script for a YouTube video, adhering to the 4 C’s will draw people to your words. • Concise: People aren’t going to spend a lot of time reading your stuff. Stick to what’s important. • Conversational: People learn more effectively when you talk to them, not at them. • Compelling: Give them a reason to spend time with this piece of content. • Creative: Get them to pay attention in the first place. The workshop covered many other topics, such as communication strategy, storytelling, research, and measurement. But to honor the spirit of the seminar, I’m keeping this short. To get more information www.crescenzocomm.com www.iabc-colorado.com WaterWise
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Colorado Water: Live Like You Love It • Sponsors are still needed to fund the project. Visit coloradowaterwise.org/VOW_ Sponsorship for details. • CWW Members above the $300 level have access to the communications toolkit. Download the materials and use them in your communication efforts: coloradowaterwise.org/ Toolkit_Download. • The CWW Live Like You Love It committee is working on developing a website for our new statewide water message. • Follow #LLYLI on social media: www.facebook.com/ LoveColoradoWater and www.twitter.com/LoveCOWater. • Watch and share the #LLYLI video on YouTube: bit.ly/LLYLI
Spring 2011 2015 Summer
Partnering with RESNET® to Develop a National Water Efficiency Rating System By Frank Kinder, Colorado Springs Utilities In a significant move, the Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET), in partnership with the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and a coalition of water efficiency experts, homebuilders, environmental organizations and home energy professionals, is developing the nation’s first Water Efficiency Rating (WER) Index. The WER Index will show consumers at a glance how efficiently a home uses water by assigning it a numerical score based on performance. RESNET proposes to have the WERIndex ready for use across the United States by the end of this year. “In many parts of the nation, water is fast becoming an ever increasingly expensive commodity,” observed Steve Baden, Executive Director of RESNET. “Water is the new frontier for RESNET and HERS Raters. There is clearly a need for a system to rate a home’s efficiency in water use. At least one county in every state in this country experiences a drought each year. The WER Index Score will allow homebuyers to know how efficiently water is being used in the homes they are considering to buy. It will also provide an opportunity for homebuilders to monetize the efficiency of their homes in the same fashion that the HERS® Index plays for energy efficiency.” The WER Index will work in the same way as the Home Energy Rating System (HERS) Index, also developed by RESNET, which scores a home based on its energy performance. A lower HERS Index Score indicates a more energy efficient home, with 100 being set as the baseline for an energy efficient home (one that conforms to the latest International Energy Conservation Code [IECC] requirements). The baseline score for the WER Index will also be 100, but with a lower score indicating a more water efficient home. Over 1.5 million homes in the U.S. have been rated and issued a HERS Index Score. RESNET’s effort is being led by a committee composed of experts in the field of water efficiency, home building and home energy performance. The co-chairmen of the committee are: • Jacob Atalla, KB Home • Ed Osann, Natural Resources Defense Council • Jonah Schein, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency WaterSense® Program “A residential water efficiency index creates many important benefits for homeowners and consumers,” said Ed Osann, a senior water policy analyst for the NRDC. “A numeric water score will help homebuyers understand the water efficiency of a house the same way car shoppers use fuel economy labels to inform their purchases. The score will help expand green building programs and encourage new rebates and tax incentives for water efficient products in new and existing homes. Consumers who ‘know the score’ will save water and money when they buy a house or renovate their existing home.” RESNET’s WER Index Score will be for water what its cousin, the HERS Index Score is for energy - a performance indicator for homes in the same way as the miles-per-gallon (MPG) sticker is for cars. The combination of a WER Index Score and a HERS Index Score will provide consumers with a comprehensive picture of how efficiently a home operates, thus enabling them to make better informed buying decisions.
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“RESNET has been a valued partner in helping us to carry out the WaterSense Labeled Homes program”, said Veronica Blette, WaterSense Program Manager. “We look forward to working with them and the water community towards developing this new tool that will help builders and consumers understand the savings made possible from homes and products that are designed for water efficiency.” An American National Standards Institute (ANSI) consensus standard development process will be used in developing the standards for the new residential water efficiency rating system. The WER Index will be a valuable marketing tool for homebuilders as well, increasing numbers of which are already using HERS Index scores to effectively shop their homes to consumers hungry for energy efficient properties. By presenting the two scores side-by-side, builders will be able to explain to homebuyers in an easy-to-understand manner, why their homes are better value for money. According to KB Home’s Jacob Atalla, “Water is one of our most precious and scarce natural resources, and KB Home has a proud history of leading our industry in the important area of water conservation. Just as RESNET’s HERS Index helped revolutionize the way homebuilders are able to illustrate and track the superior energy efficiency of new homes, we expect RESNET’s new WER Index will further the industry’s ability to monitor progress in building water-efficient new homes and provide invaluable insight to consumers about the benefits they offer.” Colorado WaterWise co-chair and Senior Conservation Specialist with Colorado Springs Utilities, Frank Kinder, has been invited to be on the WER Index Standard Advisory Council. The expert council will vet the drafts of subject matter before being submitted to the RESNET consensus public review and comment process. Colorado has been instrumental in helping builders implement EPA’s WaterSense Certified homes, and has a well-developed support network of trades, suppliers, raters, providers, builders, and real estate professionals who’ve helped create and market these homes. With the progress of statewide efforts such as the Colorado Water Plan and the adoption of WaterSense fixtures, Colorado is helping adopt high-performance plumbing and construction across the spectrum, and is proud to participate in this important endeavor. Look for future updates on the progress of this rating and its future roll out. About RESNET The Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET) is the independent, national nonprofit organization that homeowners trust to improve home energy efficiency and realize substantial savings on their utility bills. RESNET’s industry-leading standards are recognized by the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, among others. About EPA WaterSense WaterSense, a partnership program by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, seeks to protect the future of our nation’s water supply by offering people a simple way to use less water with water-efficient products, new homes, and services. The program seeks to help consumers make smart water choices that save money and maintain high environmental standards without compromising performance. About NRDC NRDC is the nation’s most effective environmental action group, combining the grassroots power of 1.4 million members and online activists with the courtroom clout and expertise of nearly 500 lawyers, scientists and other professionals.
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Spring 20112015 Summer
The Great Divide Film Premieres August 6th By Jim Havey, Havey Productions After two years of fundraising and production, The Great Divide documentary film from Havey Productions is nearing completion. The film’s premiere event is set for 7:00 PM on Thursday, August 6th at the Newman Center on the University of Denver campus. Tickets can be purchased soon through the film’s website at www. thegreatdividefilm.com. Proceeds from the premiere will be used to distribute the film in all Colorado public schools and libraries. Following the premiere, the Colorado Foundation for Water Education, Colorado Humanities, and the State Heritage and Agritourism Program are partnering to produce The Great Divide statewide film and discussion tour. The tour and discussion will offer thousands of Coloradan’s an opportunity to see the film free of charge, increasing their understanding of water’s place in Colorado’s past, present and future. After each screening, a panel of state and local water experts will discuss local and regional issues highlighted in the film. This film brings together a broad range of Colorado water stakeholders, including policy advocates, nonprofit organizations, scientists, engineers, and water resource managers, who articulate views on balancing the agricultural, municipal, industrial, environmental and recreational uses of our river and groundwater systems while protecting the environmental qualities that make the state an attractive place to live and work. The film will provide a balanced informational context from which a more inclusive and educated conversation can occur while inspiring greater citizen interest, stewardship and action toward issues of water use and conservation in Colorado and the west. The premiere and tour coincide with the rollout of the second draft of and public comment period on Colorado’s Water Plan and will raise awareness about how to actively participate in the process. For the list of screenings, please visit www.thegreatdividefilm.com/film-tour. WaterWise
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Legislative Watch: Summer 2015
By Drew Beckwith, Western Resource Advocates
The 2015 Colorado legislative session is over. Elected officials passed some important new bills dealing with water conservation issues and defeated others; here’s a brief recap. A bill that sought to repeal an existing law requiring the sale of only high-efficiency fixtures, HB 15-1093, died in its first committee hearing. Notably, a number of representatives from the water community testified in opposition to the bill – a good showing of unity around the importance of water efficiency. A new act, SB 15-008, will direct the Colorado Water Conservation Board to develop and provide free training programs on best management practices to integrate water and land use planning, and make future legislative recommendations on how to better integrate these two disciplines as well. Obviously, this will be just the first in a series of bills that aim to address the impacts of land use planning on water demand. This was sent to the Governor’s desk to become law on April 23, 2015. Coming out the Water Resources Review Committee was HB 15-1016, designed to increase the number of rainwater harvesting projects in Colorado. Legislation from 2009 set up a pilot program to allow the large-scale capture of rainwater for irrigation needs, but only one pilot is participating in the program thus far. The bill updated the state’s current guidelines to make them more appealing to new developers, adding in the potential for rainwater to be used for redevelopment projects as well as greenfield development, and reduces the augmentation requirement for rainwater projects. The act was sent to the Governor on April 30, 2015. Legalizing the use of residential rain barrels was sponsored by Representative Esgar (D-Pueblo) in HB 15-1259. While this bill garnered significant bi-partisan support in the House, passing with a vote of 45-20, it failed to even have a vote in the Senate. This is because Senator Sonnenberg, the chair of the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources committee, delayed a vote on the bill in his committee until the 2nd to last day of the legislative session – a backhand way to kill a bill without having to actually kill it outright. The bill was widely supported across the state and received significant media attention, including editorial board support from five of the state’s largest newspapers. Representative Esgar has promised that this will be one of the first bills introduced in next year’s session. Notably, legislative recommendations will be a part of the Colorado Water Plan that will be finalized in December of 2015. So watch for the 2016 legislative session to be very busy water one, indeed. Colorado’s Laws on Turf Grass Under today’s laws in Colorado, Home Owners’ Associations (HOAs) are strictly prohibited from requiring their residents to maintain a turf grass landscape. Two bills over the past decade, SB 05-100 and SB 13-183, are responsible for achieving this result, both sponsored by Senator Morgan Carroll (D – Aurora). Prior to 2005, HOAs could not enact any new covenants that restricted drought-tolerant vegetative landscapes. In expanding the scope to existing covenants, SB 05-100 declared that “any restrictive covenant that prohibits or limits xeriscape, prohibits or limits the installation or use of drought-tolerant vegetative landscapes, or requires cultivated vegetation to consist exclusively or primarily of turf grass is hereby declared contrary to public policy”. The bill makes any of these covenants unenforceable by the HOA (C.R.S. 37-60-126). In response to the significant drought in 2012, SB 13-183 sought to make it crystal clear that HOAs could not require homeowners to install turf grass on any portion of their property. The bill provided clarification that HOAs are able to regulate the type, number, and placement of drought tolerant plantings and hardscapes, and also prohibits HOAs from taking action against a homeowner whose landscaping is dying or in poor condition if the resident is following water use restrictions imposed by the local water provider. WaterWise
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Conservation News Updates Colorado Foundation for Water Education (www.cfwe.org)
(watersmartinnovations.com)
This year, no matter where you live, join the Colorado Foundation for Water Education to explore water efficiency along the Front Range, June 11-12.
The 2015 Water Smart Innovations Conference will be held October 7-9 in Las Vegas.
2015 Water Efficiency Tour is the most unique, professional development opportunity available in Colorado water. We will see, first-hand, the extent of water conservation and reuse along the Front Range and identify exemplary projects that other communities can use to cut their water use in the future.
US EPA WaterSense (water.epa.gov/watersense)
Tour with a diverse group of expert speakers, legislators, decision makers, interested citizens, water professionals and others to learn together, and visit exclusive sites to explore topics including: • Innovative examples of water efficiency • The legal side of conserving and reusing water • Incentivizing residential conservation • Planning for closed loop reuse systems • Exchanging and storing conserved water • Impacts on downstream communities • California’s experience on historic drought response—featuring special guest speaker Ellen Hanak from the Public Policy Institute of California Find the draft agenda here. It promises to be an interesting tour on a critical topic. SO GET ON THE BUS. REGISTER today! Contact kristin@ yourwatercolorado.org to learn about scholarship availability. Through CFWE Connecting the Drops partnership with KGNU and Rocky Mountain Community Radio there is a call-in, hour-long radio show scheduled for June 14 about conservation and more DIY topics.
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EPA Water Sense HUD Water Wednesdays are a webinar series that will provide information about tools and resources that help the public. Check out their website: www.epa. gov/watersense/hudwebinars and register for any of the following! June 17 WaterSense and LEED Housing Programs July 29 Water Efficiency Best Management Practices for Multi-Unit Property Managers August 26 Tracking Water and Energy Savings
Spring 2011 2015 Summer
Smart Phone App Update The Colorado Outdoor Water Regulation Guide (H2ORegsCO in iTunes and the App Store) is a mobile application available for smartphones and tablets as well as a website that puts accurate and current landscape and water rules at the fingertips of landscape professionals, empowering them with knowledge in the field plus giving cities a more efficient means to distribute valuable water efficiency information to them. Water utilities and cities are starting to load their data into the smart phone app. The committee would like to have at least 20 organizations add their rules and regulations, so there is plenty of information in the app when it gets marketed to the green industry. To participate, water providers can pay a one-time registration fee of $100 to upload their data to the app, and then just perform occasional maintenance to keep information current. The app is always fee for the landscape professionals and homeowners. To get involved, contact Frank Kinder or Lyle Whitney to set up a login and password.
Laurie D’Audney Retires
Colorado WaterWise would like to congratulate Laurie on her approaching retirement at the end of June. Laurie began her career in Loveland but has dedicated most of her working career to water and the last 19 years as the Conservation Manager for the City of Ft. Collins. During that time she has worn many hats, including serving on the Colorado Water Wise board, as co-chair and providing her expertise as an editor for the Colorado Water Wise newsletter. Laurie has been a mentor and supported many of us with our programs. For that we will be thankful to her. Some of her accomplishments at Fort Collins are the installation of a Xeric Demonstration garden at City Hall, an irrigation auditing program, and starting the High Plains Workshop. Laurie was the recipient of the Alice Darilek Award from RMSAWWA in 2010 for her outstanding contributions to the field of water conservation and to the organization to which she served as chair of the Water Conservation Committee for four years. Laurie also served as president of Xeriscape Colorado. Laurie, we wish you well as you enter this new stage of your life and look forward to hearing about your travels.
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