Loveland 1996 WC Plan

• Project Type: Water Conservation Plan
• Project Name: City of Loveland Water Conservation Plan
• Title: Water Conservation Plan
• Date: 5/1/1996
• County: Larimer
• Water Conservation - Doc Type: Complete Plan

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Section 7

WATER USE PATTERNS

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Factors that Influence Water Demand

According to Evaluating Urban Water Conservalion Programs by Planning and Manage-
ment Consultants, Ltd. (Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, 1994), the fol-
lowing factors influence the demand for water.

Air temperature: As temperature increases, average water use rates tend to increase.

Precipitation: As precipitation increases, average water use rates tend to decrease.

Household income: Income determines the consumer's ability to pay for water and meas-
ures the standard of living (and the stock of water-using appliances); as median house-
hold income increases, average water use tends to increase,

Household size: As household size increases, average water use tends to increase.

Household density: As the density of housing units increase, there is less land available
for irrigation, and therefore average water use tends to decrease.

Water use efficiency: As consumers move to more efficient water-using appliances (e.g.
ultra-low-flush toilets), average water use will tend to decrease.

Price of water and wastewater services: As an economic good, price of water and
wastewater services influences the amount of water the consumer is willing to purchase;
therefore, as price increases, average water use will tend to decrease.

Industrial productivity: As commercial and industrial processes become more efficient
in their use of water, average water use rates will decrease.

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Customer Water Use

Monthly, the City reads each customer's meter and sends them a bill. The Utility Billing
Office keeps billing records on a computerized system. After each billing period, Utility Bill.
ing prepares a revenue analysis by customer class, Included in the report is revenue, con-
sumption and the number of customers billed. The unit of measure for water consumption is
thousands of gallons. Customer water use patterns can be analyzed by using water billing re-
cords.

Loveland's annual water sales have steadily been increasing in step with the growing
service population. Since 1991, the City has been selling wholesale water to adjacent water
districts, with contracts approved by City Council. Annual water sales also fluctuate due to
weather conditions affecting how much customers irrigate. Table 20 shows annual water
sales from 1990 to 1995.

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May 1996

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Water Conservation Plan