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<br />address water system losses. The City prepares an annual water audit which addresses water <br />loss factors including leakage, unauthorized uses, slow reading meters and unmetered water <br />usage. <br /> <br />f) Dissemination of Information-- <br />The City believes that educating the community in water conservation will provide long-term <br />results in the efficient use of our water resources. For this reason, the City of Aspen made <br />a provision in its 1991 adopted Water Conservation Ordinance that addresses consumer <br />education. <br /> <br />Since 1991, the Water Department has been providing the Aspen School District with <br />conservation videos, plant tours, and presentations at environmental functions such as Earth <br />Day. We have also supplied a five-video library to the Aspen Center for Environmental <br />Studies (ACES), a local organization that teaches Environment Education classes in the <br />Aspen public school. In addition, in the past five years we have set up several booths at <br />community functions related to efficiency and conservation where we have given away free <br />low-flow showerheads and water aerators. We also provide free handouts at our Customer <br />Service office in City Hall that include topics such as energy efficiency, water conservation, <br />hydro power, safe drinking water and fun water activity booklets for children. <br /> <br />In 1996, the Water Department also instituted public service radio advertising designed to <br />foster conservation through water use tips; freeze-up tips to prevent service line breaks and <br />therefore unnecessary waste; and, informational ads to explain what the City is doing to <br />improve the water system integrity (i.e. fire hydrant replacement program). <br /> <br />The City is fortunate to have a community that is knowledgeable about the importance of <br />water in maintaining our fragile ecosystem. It is our hope to eliminate many wasteful water- <br />use habits by educating the children. By teaching children to respect the value of water, we <br />will quickly see a new generation of responsible adults with a strong conservation ethic. <br /> <br />g) Water Rate Structure-- <br />The City has an inverted block water rate structure, which increases the unit cost of water <br />deTIvered at the meter wheIl WalenrSe- exteetls-n-peclfieaa!nouIIc Ihis- amounrv-artes from <br />winter to summer to account for trends in outdoor water usage in the summer. Rates for <br />'.'extraordinary" water use go from a base of $1.17 per thousand gallons to $1.75 in the <br />summer months and $2.33 during the winter months. The breakpoint for additional charges <br />for "extraordinary" water use is 30,000 gallons/monthlECU in the summer and <br />l5,000/month/ECU in the winter. <br /> <br />There is presently no data available regarding the number of system users which receive <br />charges for "extraordinary" consumption of water during either the summer or winter. The <br />City is currently installing a computer software system which will more readily analyze the <br />2,400 accounts to determine the number of users which fall into these categories. Following <br /> <br />13 <br />