Water Waste Ordinance Discussion. City Council Work Session Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Transcription

1 Water Waste Ordinance Discussion City Council Work Session Tuesday, April 3, 2012

2 TRWD Water Supply System

3 Why a Water Waste Ordinance? Considered a basic package water conservation strategy in the 2011 Region C State Water Plan Recommended as a best management water conservation practice by the Texas Water Development Board Report 362 Needed to emphasize and enforce importance of longterm efficient use of water supply Where will Region C Water Come From in 2060

4 Why a Water Waste Ordinance? Outdoor irrigation accounts for an estimated 40% of total water use in Arlington Poorly maintained irrigation systems result in wasted water due to runoff, overspray onto impervious surfaces, and evaporation Irrigation efficiency of different systems Subsurface drip irrigation 90% Surface drip irrigation 85% Large rotors 70% Small rotors 65% Spray heads 50% (majority of irrigation systems)

5 Purpose of a Water Waste Ordinance Prevents waste Conserves resources Protects public health and safety Provides a defined enforcement mechanism Advances long-term water conservation goals within Arlington

6 Water Waste Ordinance Research Researched water waste ordinances from Fort Worth, Dallas, Burleson, Denton, McKinney, Plano, Allen, Austin, San Marcos, Round Rock and San Antonio Discussion includes Drought Contingency and Emergency Water Management Plan water waste actions

7 Water Waste Ordinance Discussion Water waste ordinance will define offenses and could include: Causing an irrigation system or other lawn watering device to operate during any form of precipitation or when temperatures are at or below 32 degrees Fahrenheit

8 Water Waste Ordinance Discussion Basic water waste ordinance offenses could include: (1) fail to repair a controllable leak, including a broken sprinkler head, a leaking valve, leaking or broken pipes, or a leaking faucet; (2) operate a permanently installed irrigation system with: (a) a broken head; (b) a head that is out of adjustment and the arc of the spray head is over impervious surfaces (allow exception for 4-6 sidewalks); or (3) during irrigation, allowing water: (a) to run off a property and form a stream of water in a street for a distance of 150 feet or greater; or (b) to pond in a street or parking lot to a depth greater than one-quarter of an inch.

9 Water Waste Ordinance Discussion Ordinance offenses may include: Washing driveways, sidewalks, parking lots or other impervious surface areas with an open hose, or a spray nozzle attached to an open hose, except when required to eliminate conditions that threaten public health, safety or welfare Washing vehicles with a hose that lacks an automatic shut-off valve

10 Water Waste Ordinance Discussion Ordinance offenses may include: Require an irrigation system audit once every 3 years For all non-single family residential properties Average 20,000 gallons per month, during the months of June through September, in any year over the last 3 year period Estimated to provide 10% savings in total outdoor water use from applicable customers Audits estimated to cost $ ; cost recovery can be one month for some customers based on water saved

11 Water Waste Ordinance Discussion Ordinance changes could also include: Permanently adopting the 2 day watering schedule from the drought plan Hand watering, soaker hoses, and drip irrigation would be allowed any day and any time Experts recommend supplemental watering of 1 every five days in the heat of the summer Estimated to provide a conservative 5% water savings

12 Existing Ordinance Additions Within the 10am-6pm watering restrictions there are exemptions for hand watering and use of soaker hoses. We would like to add drip irrigation as an exemption. Ordinance also allows for the establishment of new seed, sod, etc. but no timetable is noted. We have always had a policy of allowing 30 days for establishment and would like to make it code. Consider adding new establishment of seed does not include over-seeding with cool season grass if turf already exists.

13 Questions?