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<br />7. Water rate structures designed to encourage water use efficiency in afiscally responsible manner. <br /> <br />Inverted rate structures which charge higher rates for higher water use are typically used to help <br />encourage water conservation. Prior studies by others have shown that implementing an inverted rate <br />structure reduces water demands approximately 7%. <br /> <br />Durango implemented an increasing block rate structure in 1995. In comparison to other <br />municipalities in Colorado, Durango's water rates are still very reasonable and probably do not <br />encourage conservation to a significant extent. <br /> <br />8. Regulatory measures, including standards for the use of water use efficientfixtures and landscapes, <br />and ordinances, codes. or other law designed to encourage water use efficiency. <br /> <br />The Code of Ordinances for the City of Durango requires property owners to keep all fixtures and <br />pipes from the street main to the premises, and inside the premises, in good repair. The City Code <br />also gives the Public Works Director the right to enter all private premises and buildings to examine <br />the pipes and fixtures and to ascertain ifthere is any unnecessary waste of water. Additionally, <br />whenever a shortage of the water supply exists or is threatened, the Code allows the City Manager to <br />prohibit the use of water for irrigation, shorten the hours for the irrigation, change the hours of <br />irrigation, provide for the irrigation of different parts of the city on different days, or otherwise, until <br />the next meeting of the City Council. At the Council meeting, the order may be confirmed, continued <br />or annulled by the Council by resolution and subsequently published. No other regulatory measures <br />related to water conservation are included in the Durango City Code. <br /> <br />Durango should expand upon the language of the existing code by further defining and prohibiting <br />the wasting of water. The City of Cortez' Code states the following: <br />No person shall: <br />(a) Waste the water at any hydrant or faucet or permit the water to be wasted through such source. <br />(b) Leave or permit the water to be left running through such to prevent freezing or for any other <br />purpose except under the direction of the superintendent. <br />(c) Make use of any form of water closet which necessitates the constant running of water. <br />(d) In any manner waste or permit the waste of water from any pipe, fixtures or appliances under his <br />control. <br /> <br />The City of Albuquerque has a more aggressive plan and has set a goal to reduce per capita water <br />consumption by 30%. Their regulations limit the hours and days of irrigation, require shutoff nozzles <br />on hoses, prohibit water runoff onto adjacent properties or public rights-of-way, and regulate <br />plantings. The planting restrictions include prohibiting high water use plants on publicly owned <br />properties, limiting high water use plants to 20% of privately owned landscapes, prohibiting high <br />water use turf on steep slopes and street medians, and I imiting the size of decorative ponds. Strict <br />irrigation system standards are also in place for new developments. <br /> <br />Previous discussions with City officials and the Water Task Force revealed that ordinances and <br />regulatory measures for retrofit requirements were not viable for policy reasons because such an <br />ordinance would be difficult to enforce and studies conducted by the CWCB have shown that <br />voluntary conservation programs are typically more effective. However, the City should implement <br />an ordinance requiring low flow fixtures in new developments. In addition, regulatory measures may <br />be required such as the Water Shortage Management Plan implemented in 1990 during severe <br />drought conditions. <br /> <br />9. Incentives to implement water use efficiency techniques. including rebates to customers or others to <br />encourage the installation of water use efficiency measures. <br /> <br />Incentives could be a valuable water conservation measure, if they are proven to be cost effective. <br />The City examined the retrofit program in 1990. <br /> <br />IX. Water Conservation Measures Evaluated <br /> <br />Water conservation should be an integral part of water management planning for the City of Durango. <br />and should be evaluated on the same economic basis as the development of any other water supply. The <br />following factors need to be considered in developing, implementing, and evaluating the water <br />conservation program: <br /> <br />12 <br />