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JAN 16 '97 07:59AM CITY OF ASPEN P.3 , ; /' J , , These internal efforts have been the focus of the Water Department work program over the past three years and constitute the majority of recent efforts towards water conservation. Now that progress towards these goals puts the City syitem closer in line with industry standards, Council has directed staff' to increase its water conservation program to include more customer oriented measures. Council has also directed staff'to pursue conservation measures as an alternate to more costly expansions of-water supplies necessary to meet the water needs for the Aspen Area Community Plan whilll providing for protection of in-stream flow values. The success of existing conservation measures (leak repair) has enabled plllDIled investments in wells to be deferred in the Asset Management Plan. CUlUUINT ISSUES: The plan recommends a revision of the current water rates to fill:ther encourage water conservation using an inverted block rate structure where increasing use of water results in higher unit costs for metered water sales. The current rate structure includes a very mild invelted block rate, with unit costs increasing after 15,000 gallons per month per ECU (a single family home with 1 bedroom, 1 bath, kitchen, laundzy, and limited outside iITigation) in the winter months. In the summer months, the break point for "elctraordinary water use~' moves to 30,000 gallons per ECU. Staff' believes that the current definition of extraordinary water use under the present rate structure needs to be reviewed to include the top 5.10% of water users. The new utility billing software will provide the basis to define the category of customers which use excess quantities ofwaler, both summer and winter. Data on existing use patterns should be available for both {)fthese cateSones in the spring of 1997. FINANcw../MPUCATIONS: With one exception, all of the implementation measures contained in the conservation plan are already funded or can be implemented with existing resources, The toilet rebate program recommended in the plan has no existing funding, but 510,000 is recommended in the plan as Ii pilot effort to determine whether it would be eIfective in Aspen. Staff believes that given limited staff resources, working with lodge and hotel owners may offer the best opportunity for immediate success. Staff' will work to determine the extent of recommended appropriations that would satisiY this objective and return to Council with an appropriation request once the program is further defined. RECOMMENDATIONS: Staff recommends adoption of the Water COnseIVation Element of the Water Management Pla.n. ALTERNATIVES: lfthe recommendations contained in the plan are not acceptable to Council, the plan could be referred to staff for specific additions or deletions of program elements. PROPOSED MOTION: 1 move that City Council adopt ~~'1tN-o.1s2!e.... adopting the Water Conservation Element oftha Water Management Plan. CITY MANAGER COMMENTS: PO:rl Imom.I9