Centennial WSD 1996 WCPlan

• Project Type: Water Conservation Plan
• Project Name: Centennial Water & Sanitation District Water Conservation Plan
• Title: Water Management Study
• Date: 8/10/1995
• County: Arapahoe
• Water Conservation - Doc Type: Complete Plan

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simple correlation between interior water usage during winter months and sewer flows. More
education should alleviate many of the concerns about the proposed change in billing.

As is often the case in arid regions in the west, the public was not aware of the
magnitude of increased residential water use between winter and summer months. From lowest
monthly winter water use to highest monthly summer use, total water demand for Highlands
Ranch increases more than 300 percent. Comparing lowest winter to highest summer usage,
detached single-family residential usage varies from two to four times as much. The question,
as worded, compares the summer months of June through August with the remainder of the
year. Since there is substantial irrigation most years before June and after August, the actual
percentage increase for those months is about 150 to 200 percent. In the survey, about 50
percent of the respondents thought that water usage varied 25 to 50 percent from summer to
winter usage. Thirty-seven percent felt that the increase was 50 to 75 percent. Only about 8
percent indicated that the increase was over 75 percent.

Generally, the public response to conservation was positive, with 89 percent claiming to
currently undertake moderate to very large conservation efforts. Sixty-one percent are willing.
to do more to conserve outside. Seventy-six percent are willing to replace some or all of the
existing plumbing fixtures, with 42 percent willing to pay some of the costs.

Forty-six comments were received about the plumbing fixtures installed at Highlands
Ranch. Twenty-four of the comments were unfavorable, citing concerns with the fIxtures and/or
water flow and pressure. Many of the comments about pressure referred specifically to the
showerheads. Overall, 76 percent were satisfied with the showerheads, 83 percent with the
toilets and 92 percent with the faucets. Sixty percent showed interest in a District-sponsored
water audit, a very good response rate for that question, underscoring an interest in conserving.

Eighty-nine percent of the respondents have automated sprinkler systems and 83 percent
water lawns every other day or less. Very few, about 6 percent, use ET data for watering.
Ninety-six percent, i1o.v-:e.v_er, g@!p.Jheyyary_theiupri.n1dinIcycles.at-leasteocear-twiee-during -
. . . . -tne .summer,. with many doing it more frequently. About 85 percent water between 6 pem. and
noon. It was evident from the comments that there is confusion about proper watering practices
and concern for the large amounts of runoff due to prevalent clay soils.

Fifty-six of the respondents left their names and addresses and/or phone numbers for the
District to contact.

INITIAL SCREENING OF WATER CONSERVATION MEASURES

There are many water conserving measures and devices. Some of these are worth
evaluating in detail, while others may be impractical for a particular community to implement.
The District and its water consultant conducted an initial screening to focus further evaluation
on the most practical and benefIcial measures. Table 5-3 provides the initial list of measures
considered during the screening process.

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