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<br />10 of which were repaired in 1995. In addition, all leaking fire hydrants will have been replaced by <br />the end ofl996 and co'rrection of leaking service lines is to be completed in 1996, <br /> <br />During 1996, repair work performed and areas with substantial new construction will be resurveyed <br />to find the areas where it is most likely that new leaks have developed. The past policy of waiting <br />for leaks to reach the surface prior to initiating repair work has been eliminated in favor of a <br />systematic program of identification and repair of leaking water mains and service lines. <br /> <br />1.6 Water Meter Test Results and Meter Replacement Program <br />A random inspection and test of water meters in the system was also conducted in 1994. The overall <br />accuracy of meters in the system was 87.75%, but since larger meters tend to have a lower accuracy, <br />under-reporting of water use through the metering system is probably in the range of 15%. Various <br />classes of meters were evaluated together to determine which meter types were most in need of <br />replacement. .For instance, 2-inch compound meters used in large irrigation accounts had an average <br />accuracy of only 51% of the actual flow through the meter and were targeted for immediate <br />replacement. The accuracy of other meter classes ranged from 96.5% to 83.8%. <br /> <br />Despite a much wetter-than-normal irrigation season, metered water sales during the summer of 1995 <br />increased substantially when compared to 1994-,-a drier-than-normal irrigation season. For the 1995 <br />calendar year, metered water sales increased to 870.7 million gallons or 15.6% over 1994 sales. The <br />majority of this increase can be attributed to the meter replacement program. Other area water <br />producers experienced a drop in metered water sales for the year. <br /> <br />1.7 Water Rate Analysis <br />The structure of water rates plays an important role in recovery of water utility costs, as well as in <br />the way customers respond to water conservation programs. Resort communities have a particularly <br />difficult task in balancing these objectives since the use of many properties, and therefore water use, <br />fluctuates dramatically throughout the year. Yet, water utilities must have the certainty of recovering <br />the costs of capital investments necessary to serve properties which may receive infrequent use. <br />Typical residential communities recover the majority of their costs through charges for water <br />cofiStiIfied.- Aspen's existingTate structure; however; recovers'only'about 1/3-ofthe-cost of service <br />through water sales, 1/3 through service demand charges and 1/3 through tap fee assessments on new <br />construction. <br /> <br />A rate analysis performed by Water Department staff in February, 1996, indicated that there was a <br />. significant disparity between the extent that the existing water rates and tap fees recovered the cost <br />of service when considering service to the City and existing contract service areas versus the addition <br />of new service areas. The cost of service within the City and existing contract areas is more than <br />offset--by approximately 25%--by the revenue generated from these sources. For proposed service <br />contracts outside the City, the revenue sources recover only approximately 65% of the total cost of <br />service. <br /> <br />8 <br />