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<br />Project Implementation and Findings <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />1) Personnel Training and Educational Materials <br /> <br />The BECC provided a short training session for Westminster utility billing clerks at the end of <br />May 1998. The training involved working through the "Home Water Audit" designed by the <br />BECC, which included tips on water conserving measures for both inside and outside usage. <br />During the training, the clerks were first taken through each room of a demonstration house. <br />Instructions for checking for and repairing leaks were given as well as tips and discussion on <br />conserving water. Next, the group was directed outside to the yard. Shallow cans such as small <br />tuna fish cans were placed strategically throughout the yard (near sprinkler heads). Then the <br />sprinkler system was turned on for a specific number of minutes. The system was then turned off <br />and the water in the cans was measured. This exercise taught the clerks how to determine the <br />amount of water that is being put on the lawn during a watering cycle. It is a simple exercise and <br />can be easily explained to utility customers over the phone. <br /> <br />Each clerk was then given a "Home Water Audit" and several other brochures to help answer <br />customer questions. Clerks were also given copies of the water conservation brochure when it <br />was completed to further assist them in answering a customer's inquiries about high water use. <br />The brochure contains a calculation, formulated by the Water Resources Division, which helps <br />residents and the clerks to figure out the annual application rate to landscaped areas in gallons <br />per square foot (gsf). <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Following the training, the clerks commented that they could have received a higher level of <br />training. They felt they already knew much of the information covered. Future training with the <br />clerks will b.e done in conjunction with a larger Citywide conservation program, which is <br />currently in the development stage. <br /> <br />2) Brochure Development and Distribution <br /> <br />During the course of this project, the BECC developed text and designed artwork for a small <br />brochure on outdoor water conservation. This task involved gathering City of Westminster water <br />usage information and Westminster water history. This information was then compiled along <br />with water conservation tips and techniques and formatted into an easy-to-read-and~use brochure. <br /> <br />The intent of the brochure was to educate the 50 top water users in the City of Westminster about <br />conservation practices and help them analyze and reduce their water usage. It was also meant to <br />assist front-line customer service personnel in helping customers determine if their water usage is <br />too high and how they can reduce that water usage. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />The brochure that was developed informed high water users where Westminster water comes <br />from, presented data to residents regarding Westminster's daily water demand, and provided the <br />percentage of water used for watering landscapes in summer and the activities that claim indoor <br />water. It also informed high water users about the amount of water the average Westminster <br />household uses during different seasons. In combination with historical water usage, this <br /> <br />4 <br />