Alamosa 2007 WCPlan

• Project Type: Water Conservation Plan
• Applicant: City of Alamosa
• Project Name: City of Alamosa Water Conservation Plan
• Title: Water Conservation Plan May 2007
• Date: 5/1/2007
• County: Alamosa
• Water Conservation - Doc Type: Complete Plan

Tools
odOverall
Ranking
Ranking
Ranking
Education
Plant Selection; Irrigation design
1
1
1
options, demonstration plantings,
system design workshops, PSA's
Conservation Rates
Inclining Block
1
1
1
Awards/Recognition
Landscaping design
2
1
1.5
Regulatory
Landscape ordinance, time
1
2
1.5
restrictions, waste reduction
Grants
Grants to large users to develop
1
3
2
demonstration projects and
landscape or irrigation system
changes
Use Audits
Irrigation system leak,
2
2
2
maintenance issues
Rebates
Irrigation controllers, soil
2
3
2.5
moisture sensor purchase and
installation
Water Efficient Industrial and Commercial Processes.
The bulk of our commercial and industrial users actually follow a more domestic use pattern
rather than that of what might normally be associated with such uses because of their limited
numbers and small size. Such users also tend to follow a more formal decision making process
when considering improvements. If they see that the "payback" for improvements is positive
and can be attained in a reasonable amount of time, they are more likely to adopt improvements.
The change in our rates and rate structures discussed elsewhere in the plan will help encourage
improvements that will reduce their water use. One of the things we will be encouraging will be
water re- circulation systems for car washes.
Our institutional users, as mentioned earlier, have a much higher potential for water
conservation, if only because they use more water. More than half of that use is for irrigation for
most of these customers. In 1996 we conducted an audit of the City parks system and golf
course (Agro Engineering, September 1966). The focus was demand management rather than
conservation, but the findings were applicable to the conservation issues as well. Problems were
noted in a high variation in system pressures, poor design of the some of the systems, age related
maintenance, and control systems. While the maintenance and system pressures have been
addressed we still have many opportunities to improve our control systems, system design, and
landscaping, which was not addressed in the report. We are also looking at sub - surface irrigation
systems for those parks that need to have their current system replaced and for new installations.
In our limited contact with current users of sub - surface systems, they have indicated a savings
potential of 30% or more with no decrease in performance. We will also be replacing some of
1960's era toilets in City Hall in the summer of 2007. This will not only help reduce our use, but
serve as an "exhibit" of some of the various low flow toilets available today.
Adam States College started looking seriously at their irrigation systems due to the anticipated
cost increases associated with the new arsenic treatment plant. They conducted a system
City of Alamosa I Water Conservation Plan I May 2007 1 Page 15 of 29