Water Conservation Technical Paper

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Water Conservation Technical Paper

• Water and Wastewater Study Oversight Committee
• May 21, 2009

2
Scope Question

• How can the City and County implement consistent
  water conservation standards and ordinances to
  help sustain long-term water supplies?
• How can the City and County work together to
  ensure that water conservation protects future
  water supply, to simply makes more population
  growth possible?

3
Current Conditions The Drivers

• Comply with Regulatory Requirements
• Manage Operational Constraints Associated with
  Seasonal Demand
• Preserve and enhance Quality of Life
• Protect the Environment
• Foster an Ethic of Stewardship and Sustainability
• Be Fiscally Responsible
• Conserve Natural Resources Through Planning

4
Current Approaches

• Changing Customer Water Use Behaviors (Modify
  through Education and Price Signals)
• Modifying Existing Construction Remodeling and
  Retrofitting
• Building in Water Conserving Features in New
  Construction Efficiency measures through land
  use regulation and construction standards

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Paper Development Process Interdisciplinary
Team

• Karen LaMartina-TW
• Fernando Molina-TW
• Chris Avery-TW
• Tom Arnold-TW
• Ries Lindley-TW
• Sandy Elder-TW
• Ilene Grossman-TW
• Linda Smith-TW
• Irene Ogata-COT Planning
• Leslie Liberti-COT Sustainability
• Ann Audrey-COT Sustainability
• Ernie Duarte-COT DSD
• Nicole Ewing-Gavin- COT Project Coordinator

• Kathy Chavez-PC RWRD
• Lilian Von Rago-PC RWRD
• Greg Hitt-PC RWRD
• Suzanne Shields-PC FCD
• Evan Canfield-PC FCD
• Carla Blackwell-PC DSD
• Arlan Colton-PC DSD
• Richard Franz-Undar-PC DSD
• Yves Khawam-PC DSD
• Tedra Fox-PC Sustainability
• Nicole Fyffe-PC Admin.
• Melaney Seacat-PC Project Coordinator

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Areas of Difference

• Authorities and Mandates
• Performance-Based vs. Prescriptive Approaches
• Ability to Enforce

7
Areas of Similarity

• Sustainability Policies and Goals
• Water Conservation in City / County Land Use
  Plans
• Water Conservation Requirements in Zoning and
  Building codes
• Green Building Programs
• Landscaping Codes

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Opportunities for Consistency

• Reduce Future Water Demand In New Construction at
  the Rezoning, Development Plan and Building
  Permit Stages of Development
• In the Rezoning and Development Stages, Adopt
  Consistent, Performance-Based Approaches
• In the Permitting Stages, Adopt Common Standards
  and Evaluate Use of Consistent Ordinances
• For the Existing Built Environment, Conduct Joint
  education efforts to Increase the Consistency of
  Water Conservation Messages

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How Does Water Conservation Protect Future
Supplies?

• Shore Up Current Conditions
• Preserve Options for the Future
• Water Use Efficiency Quality of Life

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Recommendation 1 Establish Common Water
Efficiency Goals

• Evaluate the feasibility of establishing a
  common, measurable water conservation goal or
  water use efficiency goal. (Community wide)
• Identify common water use efficiency goals at the
  neighborhood scale.
• Integrate the shared goals into the land use
  plans of the City and County.
• Engage stakeholders in Phases III and Beyond.

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Recommendation 2Improve Consistency in Water
Conservation Standards

• For new construction at the building or
  individual lot scale, implement common baseline
  standards for interior and exterior water use
  reductions
• When completed, Pima County should evaluate
  integrating the City of Tucsons Rainwater and
  Greywater Harvesting Codes and Standards as
  appropriate into its development codes, standards
  and guidelines.
• When Completed, City of Tucson should evaluate
  Integrating Pima Countys performance-based
  approach to achieving water conservation at the
  subdivision and development plan stage (i.e.
  adopt a consistent menu of conservation measures.

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Recommendation 3 Develop Joint Education Programs

• Build upon existing education programs, develop a
  common vocabulary and develop new programs to
• Communicate water conservation and water
  efficiency goals
• Raise awareness of progress in achieving water
  conservation goals
• Explain the link between water consumption and
  energy use
• Promote consistent messages about the reasons for
  water conservation

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Recommendation 4Enhance Planning and Evaluation

• Evaluate Trends
• Develop new or enhance existing measurement and
  reporting systems
• Build upon previous advancements in water
  conservation program evaluation

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Recommendation 5 Link Water Conservation to
Protecting Future Supplies

• Develop voluntary ways for customers to earmark
  water savings to specific projects that preserve
  options for the future and improve current
  conditions. Example projects
• Aquifer augmentation efforts,
• Expanding green spaces (more ballparks and
  parks),
• Allocating water to sustain or restore riparian
  areas.
• Develop a voluntary green building standard that
  incentivizes energy and water resource efficiency
  practices at the building scale, in both the City
  and County.

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• Questions?