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<br />CDM <br /> <br />Section 7 <br />Evaluation and Selection of Conservation Measures and Programs <br /> <br />These programs ranked the highest because there is no or very little cost to implement <br />the program. For the purposes of this analysis, it was assumed that there are no costs <br />for the increasing block rate structure or for the District irrigation efficiency (for both <br />the parks and open space). Although technically there are costs associated with <br />facilitating these programs (e.g. operating the billing system and irrigating the parks), <br />these costs are necessary regardless of the conservation effort. The assumed zero costs <br />for this analysis reflects the notion that costs for specifically having the increasing <br />block rate structure or for implementing more efficient irrigation techniques is <br />included within the District's general capital and operations and maintenance budget. <br />It is assumed that no additional costs specific to these conservation efforts are <br />accrued. Unlike the other programs discussed above, the sonic leak detection does <br />have a program cost, yet the program ranks high because the cost for the program is <br />much lower than the cost savings of conserving water. <br /> <br />Programs that provided the greatest water savings include the following: <br /> <br />. Reuse of reclaimed water to irrigate the Ridge Golf Course <br />. Increasing block rate structure <br />. Sod Replacement for HOAs and residential <br /> <br />The Sod Replacement Program was evaluated further to assess how the rebate <br />amount affects the net benefits. It was assumed that five acres of sod per year are <br />replaced with xeriscape. The analysis shows that net benefits are highly dependent on <br />the cost of water production, duration of program, and the rebate amount. Figures 7-1 <br />and 7.2 show the net benefits in relation to rebates and program duration assuming <br />the water production costs presented in these analyses and also assuming an increase <br />in water production costs, respectively. Figure 7-1 shows that when the water <br />production is at relatively current levels (assuming costs for well production does not <br />significantly increase) there are no net benefits. Figure 7-2 shows that at a higher <br />water production costs, the net benefits are higher, pending on the duration of the <br />program and rebate amount. Programs with low rebates tend to begin receiving net <br />benefits sooner than programs of higher rebates. However, the level of participation <br />in the program will depend on the amount of rebate. If rebates are too low, there is <br />not enough incentive for customers to participate in the program. Programs of longer <br />duration tend to provide the greatest net benefits in the long-term. However this also <br />assumes that once sod is replaced with xeriscaping, the xeriscaping remains <br />perpetually. There is no guarantee that this would occur, given that people often redo <br />their landscaping and/ or sell their homes. New homeowners may not favor <br />xeriscaping and return to a sod landscape. <br /> <br />7-11 <br /> <br />O:\Castle_Pines_North\Conservation Plan\Drafts Submitted For Review\Final Conservation Plan.doc <br />