Sterling 1996 WC Plan

• Project Type: Water Conservation Plan
• Project Name: City of Sterling Water Conservation Plan
• Title: Water Conservation Plan
• Date: 6/21/1996
• County: Logan
• Water Conservation - Doc Type: Complete Plan

I
l
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I

STERLING WATER CONSERVATION PLAN

MAY 28, 1996

improving the efficiency of the public's irrigation practices, or (2) managing the peak
demand on the water system. In general, lawn watering restrictions to improve
irrigation efficiency would prohibit watering during the hotter, windier, and less humid
times of day; that is, the afternoon hours. On the other hand, lawn watering restrictions
with the intention of flattening out the peak daily demand would prohibit watering during
the highest demand time, typically the mid-evening hours.

An afternoon watering restriction would force more people to water in the evening or
the morning. This would result in more efficient irrigation, thus a lowered total demand.
There would also be a second reason that this measure would result in a lowered total
demand. As a result of more lawn watering dUring the evening, the water pressure
would decrease somewhat. A likely result would be less water used for lawn watering.

An every-third-day watering restriction would likely be successful in flattening the daily
demand peak, since only one third of the landscapes would be irrigated on anyone
day. However, it may not necessarily result in decreased total water use, since the
landscape's total water requirements remain the same. In fact, the total water use in
this case may actually increase, if people over-compensate by irrigating more than
necessary to allow for the increased duration between irrigations.

7 -Water rate structure designed to encourage water use

Measure 7a - Universal meterina and meter reDlacemeot Droaram: All of Sterting's
customers, except one mobile home park, are billed for water service based on
metered water use. This provides a strong incentive for customers to use less water
when compared to a flat rate. Currently, new "touch read" meters are being installed to
increase reliability, speed, and improve billing accuracy. All metered customer
accounts pay for the water they use.

Measure 7b - All CitY water use metered and 00 metered rate: In general, the
proposal would call for: (1) 100% of water and wastewater charges assessed on
existing metered city services in 1997, (2) 100% of the existing non-metered city
services metered and with 100% of water and wastewater charges assessed by 1998,
(3) all raw water rented to Parks and Recreation at 100% of raw water rental rate by
1999, (4) 100% of conversions to raw water completed, where feasible, for irrigation of
I Parks and open space by 2001. . . . '..

.. _ _ u __ .. _ _ _ _ -Aside..trom..tha.neecLto. '3ead. hy 8)C~mple", lbere. i~ tha ~dditinn~1 imp<>tusJhaUhe...City.
is one of the largest user of treated water and there are ample opportunities to
significantly increase the efficiency of use. Using raw water means a savings because
the water does not need treatment or transmission.

Measure 7c . Uniform rate structure: Sterting's current rate structure is unifonn, with
customers paying for all the water they use at a single rate per 1,000 gallons. By not
providing discounts for large water users, the rate structure encourages conservation.
Sterting's water rates encourage water conselVation. Rates, based on cost-of-selVice,
have increased 8.4 % annually since 1983. Unifonn water rates assure that customers
pay for the water they use.

Measure 7d - Evaluate water conservation-oriented rate structure. increasina
block and/or seasonal rates: There are several types of water-conserving rates, each
with different advantages and disadvantages, and appropriate for different situations.
Among the options are increasing block rates, seasonal rates, demand charges, and

I
I
I
!
I
I

Page49