About Irvine Ranch Water District

Transcription

1 Irvine Ranch Water District Orange County Green Vision Presentation September 15, 2005 About Irvine Ranch Water District Formed in 1961 by landowners to supply water for extensive irrigation purposes and limited municipal purposes - population 300 California Water District enabled to provide: - Water - Hydroelectric - Wastewater - Recycled water - Env. Resource Management - Urban Runoff Current Customer Base - Residential Population 316,000 - Daytime Population estimated 500,000 - Service Connections 92,000 Size of District 133 square miles / 85,000 acres Number of Employees 292 Board Composition 5 Members (elected at large) 1 1

2 IRWD - Service Area 2 IRWD - Services Provided Potable Water Groundwater Imported water Wastewater 20 million gallons per day treated at two local plants Recycled Water Irrigates parks, golf courses, street landscaping, etc. 20% of supply Urban Runoff Reduction and Mitigation Water use efficiency (Conservation) Treatment Modified enabling legislation in

3 Topics for Today s Discussion What is the relationship between municipal water use and urban runoff? What unique financial and other tools do water agencies have to participate in urban runoff management and mitigation? 1. Rate Structure: Revenue generation / funding 2. Water Conservation: Source control opportunities 3. Treatment Systems: Pollutant mitigation Where do water agencies fit in the NPDES Regulatory Continuum? IRWD s experience. Institutional, Statutory and Financial Opportunities 4 Urban Runoff Generation Residential* Average O.C. Water Agency/Dept 12,900 AF/YR 30 agencies/depts. 62% 8,000 AF 1,150,000 Gallons Per Day SFD 5,000 FT Lot *Source: Northwood (Irvine) Residential Runoff Reduction Study, 2003 ET & I 28% 3,610 AF Runoff 10% 1,290 AF 5 3

4 Urban Runoff Prevention and Mitigation Over-irrigation = The Clear Nexus: Dry weather runoff that carries pollutants = Discharge into sensitive receiving waters 6 Receiving Water Concerns: San Diego Creek Watershed Watershed At a Glance Primary freshwater source for Newport Bay EPA impaired water body 118 square miles City of Irvine and portions of: City of Lake Forest City of Newport Beach City of Orange City of Tustin Unincorporated County 4 primary types of TMDL s: Nutrients (nitrogen/phosphorous) Sediment Pathogens Toxics (pesticides, selenium, etc.) 7 4

5 What Unique Tools Are Available to Water Agencies? Tool #1 : Allocation Based Water Rate Structure 8 Allocation-Based Conservation Rate Structure Allocates water to customers based upon land use-specific indoor uses and landscaping needs Encourages use within allocation through a significantly tiered commodity pricing system Revenue neutral for water agency Generates penalty revenue 9 5

6 Allocation-Based Rate Structure TIER BREAK POINT RATE (% of Allocation) Low Volume 0-40% $0.72 Base % Base rate $0.88 Inefficient % 2x base $1.76 Excessive % 4x base $3.52 Wasteful 201+% 8x base $ % of water needed for indoor/ outdoor uses Typical Residential Fixed Charge = Typical Residential Commodity Bill = Rates among lowest in County $3.90/month (3/4 meter) $12.00/month (15 ccf) $15.90/month - typical 10 Sample Residential Water Billing - Overuse 8/10/04 9/09/ CCF USAGE - LOW VOLUME DISCOUNT $10.72 USAGE - CONSERVATION BASE RATE $19.09 USAGE - INEFFICIENT $33.20 USAGE - EXCESSIVE $63.08 USAGE - WASTEFUL $26.56 WATER SERVICE CHARGE $3.90 YOUR ALLOCATION FOR THIS BILL BILL CALCULATION BASED ON 39 CCF 0.12 ac. / SFD TO AVOID LATE CHARGE PAY BEFORE 10/07/04 $ Commodity Within Allocation $ % Commodity Above Allocation $ % Over allocation use pays penalty rates, discourages overuse 11 6

7 Determining Appropriate Allocations + + Variances Pool Additional occupants Medical needs Others 12 Appropriate Allocations at Unique Sites Standard Indoor Use Allocations (detached, condo, apartment) Total lot area information from GIS Landscaped area determined as % of the lot area - ratios established Variances applied Allocation system works in both new and old neighborhoods 13 7

8 Landscape Allocation Allocation Based on Landscaped Area and Real Time Evapotranspiration Cool Season Turf Irrigation System Efficiency - 80% Foothill Central IRWD has Three Weather Stations Coastal 14 Results: Rate Structure Reduces Water Use Since Rates Adopted in 1991: Average Water Use Dropped from 3.5 ft./ac. To 1.9 ft./ac. Stabilization of Dry Weather Runoff Changes in Plant Material Selection - more California Friendly landscaping From 1992 to 2000: Irrigated Area Doubled Water Use Increased by 3% 15 8

9 Water Conservation Programs IRWD Residential and Landscape Water Usage Landscape Water Use Avg. Gal/Cap/Day Avg. AF/Acre 3.5 Gallons/Cap/Day Residential Water Use Acre-Feet Per Acre Orange County Rate Structure Report Card Facts: 30 Retail Agencies in O.C. 16 Have Uniform Rates 13 Agencies Have Ascending Price Tiers 2 Agencies Have Summer/Winter Rates 1 Agency Has Allocation Based Structure 3 of 8 Coastal Agencies Have Uniform Rates Orange County Considered Relatively Progressive in Industry some areas in State have no meters! 17 9

10 Not all Conservation Rates Created Equal Low to High Pricing Tiers :Uniform At 2x Penalty at 40 ccf (50% overuse): (fixed) (water) -Bill Without Penalty: $13 + $27 = $40 -Bill With Penalty: $13 + $34 = $47 Little financial impact Cable TV/Internet = $ Allocation Based Rate Structure - Financial Number of Customer Accounts: 92,000 Residential Customers in Penalty Tiers: Inefficient = 14% Excessive = 3% Wasteful = 3% 20% Residential Penalty Revenue Available = $2.50 million Reinvestment of Penalty Revenue: - Water Conservation Programs /Incentives $700,000 - Low Volume Discount Incentive $1,000,000 - Urban Runoff Programs/Treatment $800,

11 What Unique Tools Are Available to Water Agencies? Tool #2 : Source Control Through Water Use Efficiency or Conservation Programs 20 Water Conservation Landscape Programs Landscape Water Management Report Card Fall Campaign (Postcard reminders) Residential Education / Workshops Protector del Agua Landscape Certification Program New Programs Artificial Turf Replacement Weather Based Irrigation Controllers California Friendly landscaping 21 11

12 Per Capita Water Consumption Comparison 160 Gallons Per Capita Per Day City of Corona San Juan Capistrano City of Fullerton City of Pasadena City of Anaheim Huntington Bch City of Garden Grove LADWP Mesa Consolidated City of Santa Monica EBMUD City of San Diego IRWD Source: California Urban Water Conservation Council, What Unique Tools Are Available to Water Agencies? Tool #3 : Urban Runoff Treatment Systems 23 12

13 Urban Runoff Treatment Systems Three types: Diversions to sewer systems and wastewater treatment plants Package in-field treatment plants Treatment wetlands Water and wastewater agencies can bring: Operating / technical expertise Cost recovery mechanisms (rates) 24 Urban Runoff Treatment Systems Treatment Wetlands Newport Harbor San Diego Creek San Joaquin Marsh IRWD Plant (MWRP) UC Natural Reserve San Joaquin Marsh Upper Newport Bay Natural Treatment System Ponds Restored wetlands/ uplands Pacific Ocean Carlson Marsh N 320 ac. owned and managed by IRWD 68 ac. of treatment ponds 3.5 million gallons per day Removes about 70% of nitrogen from San Diego Creek (75,000 pounds per year) Removal of 50,000 tons of sediment and 10,000 pounds of phosphorus per year from desilting basins 25 13

14 Urban Runoff Treatment Systems Natural Treatment System (NTS) Expands wetlands treatment watershed-wide 71 sites considered; 31 selected Construction 3 sites, design10 sites State/federal grant funds authorized (25%) Integral with city runoff management programs Construction to begin in late 2005 $41 million capital cost $1.8 to $2 million/yr. O&M 26 Municipal Stormwater (MS4) Permit Compliance Partnerships Where Does IRWD Fit? Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board (Region 8) County of Orange Principal Permitee Irvine City Co-Permitee Lake Forest City Co-Permitee Newport Beach City Co-Permitee Orange City Co-Permitee Tustin City Co-Permitee Permittee Compliance Mechanisms Education/Training Inspections Development/Construction Standards Water Quality Monitoring Local structural BMP s Runoff Reduction Strategies (Conservation) Watershed-wide Structural BMP s IRWD s Runoff Management Services 27 14

15 Institutional, Statutory and Financial Opportunities Institutional: Re-think institutional paradigm and roles of Water Agencies/Departments relative to NPDES permittees State Policy and Legislation: Implementation of effective conservation based rate structures Clarification of urban runoff control/treatment as eligible water service New water conservation technology development standards Weather based controllers Re-invest Conservation Rate Structure Revenue: Fund water conservation as key source control measure Fund / technical expertise for runoff treatment 28 Questions? Paul D. Jones General Manager IRWD jones@irwd.com 29 15