Willie J' Morgan, P'E'

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Optimizing System Performance Efficiency
Appropriate Rate Setting Customer Response

• Willie J. Morgan, P.E.
• November 28, 2007

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Optimizing System Performance Efficiency
Appropriate Rate Setting Customer Response
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Limit Your Water Losses

• Every water system experiences water losses from
  leaks, inaccurate meters, billing mistakes,
  theft, or other reasons.
• Water costs money to treat and deliver to
  customers.
• Lost water means lost revenue and unnecessary
  expense for the utility and its customers.

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Benefits of Water Audits and Leak Detection

• Reduced Water Losses
• Financial Improvement
• Increased Knowledge of the Distribution System
• More Efficient Use of Existing Supplies
• Safeguarding Public Health and Property
• Improved Public Relations
• Reduced Legal Liability
• Reduced Disruption to Customers

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Non-Account for Water

• Non-account water ()
• (Supplied - metered use other account for
  water) x 100
• (Supplied)

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Non-Account for Water Example I

• 1,000,000 gallons of water measured at well
• 700,000 gallons measured at customer meters
• 50,000 gallons metered at WWTF
• 50,000 gallons used for flushing
• 40,000 gallons used to fill local Fire Dept.
  trucks

Do we have a problem? If so, is our problem
urgent?
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Non-Account for Water Example I

• 1,000,000 gallons of water measured at well
• 840,000 gallons of accounted for water
• 160,000 gallons of non-account water
• 16 non-account for water
• SITUATION IS CRITICAL

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Non-Account for Water Example II

• 1,000,000 gallons of water measured at well
• 950,000 gallons measured at customer meters
• 60,000 gallons metered at WWTFs
• 50,000 gallons used for flushing
• 50,000 gallons used to fill local Fire Dept.
  trucks
• 35,000 gallons stolen by customers disconnected
  from system

Do we have a problem? If so, is our problem
urgent?
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Non-Account for Water Example II

• 1,000,000 gallons of water measured at well
• 1,145,000 gallons of accounted for water
• -145,000 gallons of non-account water
• -14.5 non-account for water
• METER PROBLEM AT WELL OR METERING TIMING PROBLEM

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Non-Account for Water Example III

• 1,000,000 gallons of water measured at well
• 800,000 gallons measured at customer meters
• 80,000 gallons metered at WWTFs
• 50,000 gallons used for flushing
• 50,000 gallons used to fill local Fire Dept.
  trucks

Do we have a problem? If so, is our problem
urgent?
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Non-Account for Water Example III

• 1,000,000 gallons of water measured at well
• 980,000 gallons of accounted for water
• 20,000 gallons of non-account water
• 2 non-account for water
• Reasonable Non-Account for Water

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FREE WATER AUDIT SOFTWARE

• The AWWA Water Loss Control Committee has
  developed improved software for performing a
  water audit. This software can be downloaded
  free of charge from the AWWA Web site at
  www.awwa.org/resources/content.cfm?ItemNumber590.

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Customer Charges

• Commission Approved Tariff
• Credit/Debit Card Convenient Fee Not Allowed
• Late Penalty 1 ½
• Late Penalty Only Applicable When Bill Not Paid
  Within 25 Days Of Billing Date
• Interest On Deposit If Held Longer Than 6 Months
• Interest Paid On Deposit At Least Every 2 Years
  When Deposit Is Returned
• Unclaimed Property Act SC State Treasurer

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Facility Site Inspections

• Facility Site Inspections include
• inspection of treatment plant
• inspection of transmission/distribution systems
• observation of operations
• limited water quality observation
• observation of water clarity, color
• review of service area and potential expansion
• Facility Site Inspections are designed to work
  cooperatively towards compliance

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WATER WASTEWATER UTILITY REPORTS
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INTERRUPTION OF SERVICE
Each utility shall keep a record of any condition
resulting in any interruption of service
affecting its entire system or major division
thereof, or any single community or an important
division of a community, including a statement of
the time, duration, and cause of any such
interruption. The ORS should be notified of any
interruption lasting more than six hours as soon
as it comes to the attention of the utility and a
complete report will be made after restoration of
service.
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QUESTIONS