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<br />c. Retrofit Proqrams: <br /> <br />The City makes information available through its education program for plumbers <br />and customers to use when purchasing and installing plumbing fixtures, lawn <br />watering equipment, or water using appliances. Information regarding retrofit <br />devices such as low-flow shower heads or toilet dams that reduce water use by <br />replacing or modifying existing fixtures or appliances should also be provided. <br /> <br />d. Water Rate Structures: <br /> <br />A water conservation oriented rate structure usually takes the form of an <br />increasing block rate, although continuously increasing rate structures, peak or <br />seasonal load rates, excess use fees, and other rate forms can be used. The <br />increasing block rate structure is the most commonly used water conservation <br />rate structure. Separate rate structures are usually used for commercial, <br />institutional, and industrial customers. The City of La Porte uses a form of <br />increasing block rate structure. <br /> <br />e. Water ConservinQ LandscapinQ: <br /> <br />In order to reduce the demands placed on a water system by landscape watering, <br />the city or utility should consider methods that either encourage, by education and <br />information, or require, by code or ordinance, water conserving landscaping by <br />residential customers and commercial establishments engaged in the sale or <br />installation of landscape plants or watering equipment. Because the City of La <br />Porte is located on the Gulf Coast, it has a very high annual average rainfall. The <br />need for outdoor watering is not as high as for arid climates. Agricultural land in <br />the area is not irrigated. Although not made a specific section of the <br />Conservation Plan, water conserving landscaping information will be made <br />available through the Information/Education Section. <br /> <br />2. SUPPLY MANAGEMENT ALTERNATIVES <br /> <br />a. Universal MeterinQ: <br /> <br />All public water supply utilities should master meter their water source. In <br />addition, all users, including the utility itself, should be metered. A regularly <br />scheduled maintenance program of meter repair and replacement also needs to <br />be established to ensure that proper metering is taking place. Metering and <br />meter repair and replacement, can be used in conjunction with other programs <br />such as leak detection and repair and, thereby, save significant quantities of <br />water. 1\11 sales in the City of La Porte are metered. Currently, the City of La <br />Porte has a regular meter repair and replacement program with production <br />meters being tested yearly. <br /> <br />b. Leak Detection and Repair: <br /> <br />A continuous leak detection, location, and repair program can be an important <br />part of a water conservation plan. Utility employees for the City of La Porte <br />periodically check for leaks when reading meters and while performing regular <br />maintenance. Major leaks are usually quickly detected by either city employees <br />or customers and are repaired immediately. Soil in the area is generally clay and, <br />therefore, leaks show up at the ground surface quite readily. Leak detection <br />technology is also available in the form of electronic sonic devices. <br /> <br />5 <br />