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WATER CONSERVATION PLAN 2008 <br />4.2 City Facilities <br />In order to encourage changes in water use behavior and demonstrate its <br />commitment to water conservation, the City has several programs in place so the <br />community can "learn by example"'. Much of the City's water usage is for irrigation of <br />parks, schools, greenways, arterials, and other public spaces. <br />There are ongoing efforts to improve irrigation efficiency including a new central <br />controller for many of the City's sprinkler systems, and audits to ensure watering <br />times and lengths are appropriate. In 2007 the City recently completed an initiative <br />that replaced all high flush toilets in City facilities with low flush toilets and the <br />Public Works and Water Utilities building has dual flush toilets in its facilities. The <br />Parks department is also considering a test of waterless urinals in some restrooms of <br />future parks. All City facilities receiving treated water are metered, but this does not <br />include treated water usage at the treatment plants or raw water irrigation systems. <br />Finally, the City is working to update its requirements for new green and open space <br />areas, including parks, medians, and parkways. These requirements will address <br />soil amendments, sprinkler systems and plant materials. <br />4.2.1 Non - Potable Municipal Water Use <br />As mentioned previously, the City has an extensive network of canals and irrigation <br />ditches that convey raw water to parks and golf courses for irrigation. Currently raw <br />water is available to irrigate approximately 27 city and community parks, two golf <br />courses, and thirteen schools totaling about 700 acres. The site of the City's main <br />recreation facility is also irrigated with raw water. Availability of raw water for <br />irrigation decreases demand for treated water from the treatment plant and <br />conserves energy and chemicals required for treatment. Currently raw water used <br />for irrigation is not fully metered. <br />4.3 Residential <br />For several years the City has sponsored free irrigation audits to customers in <br />cooperation with the Center for ReSource Conservation (CRC) of Boulder. The <br />audits are free to customers and information is provided in City Line and on the <br />City's website. Also in cooperation with the CRC the City offers affordable "Garden <br />in a Box" packages that include a plan with 30 or more plants and hints for <br />maintaining the plants. The City also supports several rebate programs for ultra low <br />flow toilets, and high efficiency dishwashers and washing machines to improve <br />indoor water usage. Since 2003 the City has supported a toilet rebate program and a <br />clothes washer rebate program. Beginning in 2006, for a three month period, a <br />dishwasher rebate was offered which is now available year- round. An effort has <br />been made to track the rebate information and is summarized in Table 10 below. <br />17 <br />