Water Conservation: The SAWS Way

Transcription

1 Water Conservation: The SAWS Way June 21, 2012 Brazos Valley Conservation Symposium Mark A. Peterson Project Coordinator - Conservation

2 SAWS at a Glance Page 2 Water System Over 440,000 Customer Connections Over 5,000 Miles of Distribution Mains Water Sources Edwards, Trinity, Carrizo, Canyon Lake, Recycle, and Aquifer Storage and Recovery Wastewater System Over 450,000 Customer Connections Over 6,000 Miles of Collection Mains Water Recycling Centers Dos Rios, Leon Creek and Medio Creek 2

3 New Sources Page 3 Aquifer Storage & Recovery Brackish Desalinization Recycled Water

4 Page 4 Today San Antonio is Fully Committed to Conservation Serving 60% more people with the same amount of water (mid-1980 s to today) Conservation Goals Fully Integrated into the SAWS Water Resource Plan

5 Page 5 But that Wasn t Always the Case Limits on pumping established

6 San Antonio Responds SAWS is faced with developing alternative water sources Leaders identified Conservation as the first water resource program developed to address water needs 1993: SAWS adopts first Conservation and Reuse Plan Page 6

7 Page 7 Formula For Success in San Antonio Customer Programs Effective Regulation Conservation Considered a Source of Water Dedicated Funding with Supporting Rate Structure Source of Water Dedicated Funding Customer Programs Effective Regulation

8 Formula for Success: Customer Programs Rebates, Services, Distribution Page 8 Broad range of programs for residential and commercial customers Gives all users an opportunity to conserve A customer that has benefited from a conservation program will support conservation On the Conservation Team!

9 Customer Programs Equipment Change vs. Behavior Change Page 9 One decision, one time, ongoing, month to month savings Decision to use or not to use are made daily

10 Page 10 Formula for Success: Effective Regulation Year Round Rules Drought Restrictions as needed Public overwhelmingly supports enforcement Recent Survey - 85% support citation model

11 Year Round Regulation Page 11 Created to meet long-term water management goals Design & maintenance standards to promote conservation year round Applies to residential, commercial, & reclaim water users Requires innovation, analysis, evaluation, and change

12 Drought Regulation Page 12 Drought Management is: In response to special conditions to obtain immediate cut-back Focused on discretionary usage Staged to reflect severity of situation Often inconvenient for customers Mandatory but temporary

13 Drought Restrictions Page 13 Edwards Stage Edwards Supply City & ETJ Restrictions 660 ft msl Stage I Loss of 20% Water 1X/Week 650 ft msl Stage II 640 ft msl Stage III 630 ft msl Stage IV Loss of 30% Loss of 35% Loss of 40% Water 1X/Week Reduced Hours Water 1X Every OTHER Wk Reduced Hours All Above Plus Surcharge Excess Usage Other rules apply for car washing, power washing, pools, decorative fountains, and hotel linen programs

14 28,588 AF Saved From drought restrictions Page 14

15 Formula for Success: Conservation is a Source of Water Page 15 Conservation concept fully integrated into SAWS Water Resource Management Plan. Program costs assessed against other water resource options

16 Conservation: Cheaper Alternative Page 16 Since 1994, SAWS conservation savings from programs have exceeded 19 billion gallons (59,621 AF) of water - $24 million spent on direct program costs to 2007 Developing the same quantity of supplies today from available supplies would cost between $313 million and $1.2 billion to Replace to Replace 121,297 Acre-Feet 59,621 Acre-Feet Edwards Aquifer Supplies $ 636,809,250 $ 313,010,250 Groundwater Desalination $ 1,475,699,676 $ 725,349,270 Surface Water Alternatives $ 2,492,418,784 $ 1,225,096,254

17 The Value Proposition Water Supply Savings Ocean Desalination $3.3 billion saved Page 17 Groundwater Desalination $1.9 billion saved Additional Edwards $0.7 billion saved OR OR 1980s 121,000 ac-ft saved 2008 Deferred alternative supplies would have cost up to $3.3 billion

18 The Value Proposition Part II Wastewater Treatment Savings Page 18 $12 Per Gallon $1,071 million saved $3.90 Per Gallon $348 million saved OR $7 Per Gallon $625 million saved OR 1980s 89.3 MGD Treatment 2008 Capacity Savings Additional treatment capacity would have cost up to $1.1 billion

19 Page 19 Formula for Success: Dedicated Funding for Conservation June 1994: San Antonio passes residential 4 tier rate structure with dedicated conservation funding from the 4 th tier use January 1998: San Antonio passes commercial meter fee based on meter size to fund commercial conservation

20 Page 20 Conservation Based Rate Structure Guiding Principles The true cost of water must be reflected in rate structures cost of service Rate structure can promote efficient water usage while still providing revenue stability for utilities and ability to recover annual costs Equitable to all customer types / classes

21 Page 21 Conservation Based Rate Structure Process include key community stakeholders at every step! Rates Advisory Committee 14 members balanced by ethnicity, gender, & geography Served 16 months Community Conservation Committee & Citizen Advisory Panel Presentations Civic organizations, Neighborhood, HOA, Professional organizations, Business/Chambers, city & county staff

22 SAWS Rate Structure A Water Conservation Tool Page 22 Sends a price signal so customers become more conscious of their lawn and landscape water use Our consultations become teachable moments. Rewards those who conserve water with lower water bills Not fair to ask all customers to pay more for the lawn watering demands of a few More fair to ask those who demand large amounts of water for irrigation purposes to pay for a higher cost of service

23 Page 23 Fiscal Soundness with Conservation? SAWS Current Bond Ratings Aa1, AA, AA+ SAWS continues to meet all the demands of a municipal owned utility as well as initiating aggressive programs for new water sources and system wide sewer renovations Conservation can be considered a water resource in the event of future deprivation

24 In Summary Page 24 SAWS uses multiple conservation components, i.e., programs, regulation, conserved water as a source, dedicated funding and conservation rate structure. Conservation needs to be viewed as a source of water supply Cheaper to conserve than acquire new water supplies Rate structure can be a simple and effective method to promote conservation. Use a stakeholder process to ensure equitable and full input by all segments of community

25 In Summary Page 25 SAWS views conservation as a fiscally sound component of our business plan and Water Management Plan!

26 Contact Information Page 26 Mark A. Peterson Project Coordinator Karen Guz Director of Conservation

27 Water Conservation: Better, Cheaper, Faster March 2, 2012 Brazos Valley Conservation Symposium Mark A. Peterson Project Coordinator - Conservation

28 Residential Rate Structure Inclining Block Structure Page 28 $.6930 $.3958 $.2807 $.1940 $.7151 $.4085 $.2903 $ Rate/100 Gallons Combined Water Delivery & Tiered Water Supply Standard ICL

29 Rate/100 Gallons Rate Structure Changes Residential Water Rate Structure - Prior Page 29 Meter Charge Water Delivery Water Supply Fee Meter Charge + Tiered Water Delivery* + Flat Water Supply Fee * Standard ICL

30 Rate/100 Gallons Rate Structure Changes Residential Water Delivery Rate Structure Page 30 Prior Current ALL Water Delivery Rates Decrease Standard ICL

31 Rate/100 Gallons Rate Structure Changes Residential Water Supply Rate Structure Page 31 Prior Current Tiered Water Supply Fee

32 Rate Structure Changes Rate Structure Changes Residential Water Rate Structure* Page 32 $.5775 $.3746 $.2952 $.2435 $.8099 $.4233 $.2923 $.1940 *Effective November 1, Prior Seasonal Rates (May Sep) Combined Water Delivery & Tiered Water Supply Seasonal ICL

33 Commercial Rate Structure Seasonal Rate and Water Supply Fee Page 33 Commercial customer use is non-discretionary No seasonal rate Water Supply Fee will continue to be a flat rate Discretionary water use is billed through an Irrigation Meter Seasonal rate and tiered Water Supply Fee will apply

34 Rate/100 Gallons Rate Structure Changes Commercial Rate Structure Page 34 Prior 2011 Block 5 Eliminated, Water Supply Fee Still Flat *The commercial rate structure is individualized, utilizing each customer s prior year annual consumption to determine the base that serves as the basis for the various block cut-offs Combined Water Delivery & Flat Water Supply Standard ICL

35 Rate/100 Gallons Gallons Rate Structure Changes Irrigation Rate Structure* Page 35 17,205 $ $ ,717 $ $ ,732 $ $ Block 1 has Zero Consumption Prior 2011 Current Rate/100 Gallons New Blocks Altered, Seasonal Rates Adopted, & WS Fee Tiered *Effective November 1, 2010 Combined Water Delivery & Tiered Water Supply Standard ICL