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<br />Monitoring and Evaluation <br /> <br />As with any plan, implementing the various programs is only the starting point. <br />Because the projected water savings from these programs is an integral part of future <br />water supply planning, Denver Water needs to know how successful each program is; <br />when to initiate a program, when to modify it, and when to replace it. We must also <br />continually compare current program costs and savings with new technologies and <br />strategies, to ensure that we operate as efficiently as possible. <br /> <br />Monitoring and evaluating such a wide variety of programs, which affect such a diverse <br />customer base, will require a great deal of new information. Some of this information <br />will come from projects Denver Water is participating in with other agencies. The <br />remaining information will come from Denver Water's own monitoring and evaluation <br />strategy. This involves: <br /> <br />· identifying, prior to implementation, specific water-saving and cost-per-acre foot <br />goals for each conservation program. <br />· defining the methods to be used for measuring and evaluating the success of each. <br />program <br />· gathering the necessary -data in a timely manner <br />· designing and maintaining the necessary databases <br />· analyzing the savings, costs and other relevant characteristics of each conservation <br />. program <br />· re-evaluating the analysis in producing each Annual Action Plan. <br /> <br />Conservation and Water Rates/Charges <br /> <br />Water conservation is not free and may not always be cheap. Conservation programs <br />cost money, and generally these program costs are paid by customers through their <br />rates. Conservation can defer the need for supply expansion, which defers the need <br />for some rate increases. However, when customers use less water, Denver Water's <br />costs do not decrease proportionally_ In fact, increasingly stringent federal drinking <br />water standards will mean higher utility costs in the fuTure. <br /> <br />The Rates Section of Denver Water's Finance Division continually evaluates water <br />rates and recommends new rates to the Board for approval. Generally a formal rates <br />study is conducted on an annual basis. At present, the rate structure is an inclining <br />block rate for all residential customers and small (up to 5 dwelling units) rnulti-family <br />customers. Commercial, industrial and government customers are charged a service <br />charge and a uniform block rate. As of 1993, all Denver Water accounts have been <br />metered. <br /> <br />In 1997 Denver Water committed to review the connection fee, called a System <br />Development Charge (SDC), and look for ways to make this more conservation- <br />oriented as well. <br /> <br />11 <br />