Customer Service - On the Other Side of the Meter Demand- Side Management Opportunities Conrad Meyer Technical Manager Waste Reduction Partners March 20, 2014
How Well Do You Know Your Largest Customers? NC Potable Water Use by Sector 6% 13% 8% 8% 47% Residential Commerical Industrial 18% Insitutional System Unaccounted
Driving Factors NC Drought History NC Droughts 1998-1999 2002 2007-08 (worst ever) When is the next one? Falls Lake -December 2007 Photo by Eric Schneider
Demand Side Management History of Legislation and Requirements 2002 House Bill 1215, local water conservation and reuse plans 2004 State agency long-term conservations plan due 2007 House Bill 668, new state construction 20% less water, 50% less landscaping 2008 Session Law 143, NC Drought Preparedness and Management Law 2009 House Bill 749, permit cisterns to provide water for toilet flushing and outdoor irrigation 2011 House Bill 609, mandates improved water use efficiency and plans for reduction of long-term per capita demand Reporting Requirements: Local Water Supply Plans, Water Shortage Response Plan, 2012 Water Efficiency BMPs (residential)
Drivers for Demand-side Management Requirements (previously shown) Drought Preparedness Water Resources Stewardship Foster a Long- term Water-Use Efficiency Ethic Customer Service
Know Your State Resources Waste Reduction Partners Providers of Water, Energy, and Solid Waste Assessments typically no cost to clients Evaluations and Audits for Industrial, Commercial and Institutional Customers Technical Assistance Contracted Services Statewide Staffing Offices in Asheville and RTP www.wastereductionpartners.org In Partnership with the NC Division of Environmental Assistance and Customer Service
Commercial / Industrial Water Assessments - Methodology Retired team of volunteer engineers, scientists and executives keeps costs low, experience high Auditors go on site to use customer information to generate historical performance patterns and recommend practical efficiency solutions WRP can work with water utilities or end customers Report supplied to customer and utility outlines water use history, effective recommendations, and financial pay back Reports are confidential and non-regulatory 15 years of water demand-side assistance
Typical Executive Summary Opportunity Area Recommended Action Savings (Gal. per year ) Savings ($/yr) Investment ($) Simple Payback (Yrs) Domestic Water Use Replace 3.5 GPF toilets with 1.6 GPF 1,310,000 $11,272 $16,000 1.4 Yr Electroplating Use portable conductivity meter to establish rinse water flow rates 834,000 $5,876 $800 0.1 Yr Domestic Water Use Aerators on all sinks 276,000 $2,373 $25 1 Week Dryer Evaporation Save, store and reuse steam condensate from dryer 239,000 $1,220 $5,000 4.1 Yr Cooling Tower Increase water conductivity 73,000 $630 $0 Immediate Total 2,732,000 $21,371 $21,825 Approximately One year Bundle projects for maximum savings!
Case Study: WRP Industrial Water Assessment Program with City of Asheville 725 million gallons saved over 11 years Targeted business sectors based on consumption, need, and opportunity-age Send letter offering a no-cost assessment to City of Asheville customers Form a WRP team Compile background data Conduct on-site water audit Issue report Follow-up process
Water Use Health and Rehabilitation Laundry 24% Cooling/Heat 10% Costs of Water & Sewer Unaccounted 12% $7.76 per 1000 gallons (avg.) Hot Water = 2 times water costs Pool/thpy 6% Showers 10% Sinks 7% Toilets 15% Landscaping 5% Kitchen 11% Water Use Benchmarks 95 gallon/day per resident (post 2005 renovations) 160 gallons/day per resident (pre-2005 renovation)
Water Balance Typical Office Setting Example Once-Through 2% Kitchen 1% Unaccounted for 9% Cooling/Heating 26% Landscaping 22% Domestic 40%
Water Balance Collision Shop Example 67% of water used for paint prep Existing hose running at 6 gpm Proposed a sturdy nozzle to save 100,000 gallons of water/yr Savings = $1,264/yr Cost to implement = $70 Payback= 3 weeks A single hose was wasting over 100,000 gallons per year!
Water Balance High School Example Gallons Peak usage in the summer! 57% of water used for irrigation Proposed a well to supply 1.3 million gallons of irrigation water Payback was 14 months Cost of water = $2/1000 gal Cost of sewer = $7/1000 gal No irrigation water went to sewer Savings of $12,000/year
Common Water Savings Opportunities
Fixture Commercial and Residential Toilets Fixture Efficiency Standards 1992 Energy Policy Act, ASHREA, EPA Old Pre 1995 Current Code Compliant Best in Class 3.5 gpf 1.6 gpf 1.28 gpf High Efficiency Toilets (HET) Urinals 3.0 gpf 1.0 gpf 1/4 gpf HEU and Waterless Lavatory Faucets 3+ gpf 2.2 gpm at 60 psi 0.5 gpm Showerheads 3-5 gpf 2.5 gpm at 60 psi 1.5 gpm (NC required for Agencies)
Annual Results Comparing Two Demand-Side Strategies Strategy Type Utility Cost Annual Gallons Saved Annual Savings Per CCF High Efficiency Toilet Rebate @ $30 each (500 units) $15,000 4,315,000 $2.60 / CCF Waste Reduction Partners I.C.I. Water Audit Program $15,000 7,480,000 $1.50 / CCF
Resources Water Efficiency NC Assistance and Resources Environmental Assistance Center NC Division of Environmental Assistance and Customer Service - www.ncenvironmentalassistance.org 1-877-623-6748 Waste Reduction Partners, ICI Technical Assistance www.wastereductionpartners.org Water Efficiency Manual for ICI Facilities NCDENR & WRP, 2009 NC Division of Water Resources (NCDWR) - www.ncwater.org/ Community Water Systems Water Efficiency Best Management Practices - NCDWR, 2012 (on NCDWR website under Water Supply Planning) Other Technical Resources EPA WaterSense - www.epa.gov/watersense/ Water Efficiency Trade Journal - www.waterefficiency.net AWWA Water Conservation Resource Community - www.awwa.org Water for Efficiency Alliance www.allianceforwaterefficiency.org
Waste Reduction Partners Contact Info Program of Land-of-Sky Regional Council and Triangle J Council of Governments. In Partnership with NC Division of Environmental Assistance and Customer Service Waste Reduction Partners Locations: 339 New Leicester Highway 4307 Emperor Blvd., Suite 110 Asheville, NC 28806 Durham, NC 27703 Phone: (828) 251-6622 Phone: (919) 558-2702 E-mail: wrp@landofsky.org wrp@tjcog.org Website: ww.wastereductionpartners.org Area Covered: North Carolina