Water Conservation Grant Program Report

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. Castle Rock County: Douglas Funding: $25,000 Start: 7/24/92 Status: On-going This project consists of converting three residential homes, located in Castle Rock's water service area, into model water efficient homes. The project will provide residents with three visual examples of indoor and outdoor water conservation measures and with pos- sibilities for achieving water and money savings. Water efficient plumbing devices will be installed indoors and landscapes will be remodeled to meet water efficiency criteria. Sponsorships of local vendors and the participation of landscape professionaIs will be enlisted. An incentive credit plan for water conservation devices and measures, based on the water savings results of various plumb- ing fIXtures and measures implemented in the model homes. will be developed. A water-use efficiency rating scale for various water conservation practices and devices will also be generated Indoor and outdoor conservation measures have been completed for all three homes, except for one household that is having mulch replaced this fall. Plans are proceeding fOf open houses at each "Teach By Example" location during spring 1995. The Water Newsletter #4 will go out just before the open house, to invite residents to view each home. The fmal report will also contain detailed consumption data, cost comparisons. water saving information, and will ontline the "Incentive Credit" plan to customers, Cherry Creek Water & Sanitation District County: Denver Funding: $38,400 Start: 8/1/92 Status: Completed The project consisted of developing an mM -compatible computer simulation model to measure the operational and financial effects of water conservation alternatives for governmental entities, Data was gathered on local water use, water rights, future water demand pro- jections, financial obligations, current inf011llation on the impacts of various water conservation measures and other relevant data. This data was integrated into the design of a simulation model which allows any user to evaluate the a1Iects of water conservation measures on future water demand, reliability of water savings, cost effectiveness and the impact on system operations. The simulation model allows the input of different scenarios, such as growth or increased water rates, and instantly calculates the impacts that a water con- servation measure would have on the water entity. Water suppliers throughout Colorado can use the simulation model to analyze a variety of water conservation measures. Water agencies and local governments can obtain the simulation model and manual from the Water Conservation Board. Fort Collins County: Larimer Funding: $10,000 Start: 9/1/92 Status: On-going The primary objective is to determine the water saving benefits that result from adding commercial compost as a soil amendment prior to landscaping under "real life" water practices, A secondary objective of the study will be to detennine the approximate percentage of new-constIUction-homeowners that actually amend their soil with commercial compost or other organic materials prior to land- scaping, Newspaper publicity, doorbangers, letters to landscape conlractors and to new homeowners were distributed to solicit participation by new homeowners. Of the interested residents, 50 were selected to amend their soil with commercial compost and offered a $100 rebate as an incentive to add the material to their soil. An additioual 31 homeowners were selected as control group participants who will not amend their soil; they were offered a $25 incentive to participate in a two to three hour survey. Homeowners in both groups will receive the same educational literature on efficient landscape watering. Water use at all homes is being monitored, and the water use data is being collected for analysis. A report will be issued upon completion of the projecL