Laserfiche WebLink
WATER CONSERVATION PLAN 2008 <br />4.5 Other <br />4.5.1 Regulation through Ordinances <br />Several practices supporting efficient water use and responsible building practices <br />have been implemented into City ordinances for enforcement for new development <br />areas. Ordinances include the requirement for low flow fixtures (non - reimbursable) <br />and a soil amendment of three cubic yards per 1,000 feet, tilled to a depth of six <br />inches, (reimbursable) to obtain a Certificate of Occupancy (CO). Incentives are in <br />place for using Xeriscape as well as landscaping ordinances which encourage more <br />drought - tolerant vegetation. In addition, Section 15.05.090.H of the Land <br />Development Code and Section 600 of the Design Standards and Construction <br />Specifications require developers to utilize xeric practices in the design, installation <br />and maintenance of landscaping and irrigation systems in private common open <br />spaces areas in residential developments. <br />The City also has a water waste ordinance. To facilitate this ordinance, the City <br />maintains a water waste hotline for the public to call if they observe water waste. <br />The City also has voluntary watering restrictions and required plumbing fixture <br />requirements. <br />4.5.2 Leak Detection and Repair <br />Currently there is no formal leak detection program in place in the distribution <br />system, but the City does regularly address reported and detected leaks as part of <br />their regular distribution system maintenance. Some meters are equipped with leak <br />detection capabilities and larger meters (greater than three inches) are tested <br />biannually. <br />4.6 Existing Program Effectiveness <br />The effectiveness of individual programs is difficult to quantify based on available <br />historical data. However, using the metric of gross per capita water use in gallons per <br />capita per day (gpcd), which is arrived at by dividing total treated water production <br />by total service population, a general decrease in water use is observed as shown in <br />Figure 3 even as the City's population increases. <br />There is a noticeable decrease in gross per capita water use between the years of <br />1964 -1980 and 1980 -1994. This observed decrease may be attributed to the shutdown <br />of a large sugar factory in 1979, and the increased number of meters that were <br />installed during this period of time for small commercial and industrial customers, <br />and multifamily units. Due to the metering, customers reduced their water use, <br />presumably because they had to pay for the water they used, rather than pay a <br />flat rate. <br />20 <br />