Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutO-2009-3136 water conservation and drought contingency plan E REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM Requested By: S. Gillett AJ)ril27.2009 CfJtth~ AJ)J)roJ)riation Agenda Date Requested: Source of Funds: N/A Department: Public Works Account Number: Report: Resolution: Ordinance: x Amount Budgeted: Exhibits: Ordinance Amount Requested: Exhibits: Water Conservation Plan Budgeted Item: N/A Exhibits: SUMMARY & RECOMMENDATION The City of La Porte. along with the La Porte Area Water Authority (LP A W A) and its customers, approved the Water Conservation and Drought Contingency Plan in 1987. The Plans were updated and approved by City Council on October 8, 2007. The Legislature amended the Texas Administrative Code Title 30, Chapter 288, effective January 10, 2008, to require additional revisions to water conservation plans, which are due May 1,2009. The proposed changes are administrative in nature, mainly additional language, and are shown as highlighted in the attached Plan for the City of La Porte. Approve Ordinance approving changes to the City of La Porte Water Date ORDINANCE 2009-3 13.~ , AN ORDINANCE APPROVING AND ADOPTING A WATER CONSERVATION AND DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN FOR THE CITY OF LA PORTE; MAKING VARIOUS FINDINGS AND PROVISIONS RELATING TO THE SUBJECT; FINDING COMPLIANCE WITH THE OPEN MEETINGS LAW; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE HEREOF. BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LA PORTE, TEXAS: Section 1. The City Council hereby approves and adopts a Water Conservation and Drought Contingency Plan for the City of La Porte, in substantially the form as shown in the document which is attached hereto as Exhibit A and incorporated herein by reference. Section 2. The City Council officially finds, determines, recites and declares that a sufficient written notice of the date, hour, place and subject of this meeting of the Authority was posted at a place convenient to the public at the City Hall of the City of La POlie for the time required by law proceeding this meeting, as required by the Open Meetings Law, Chapter 551, Texas Government Code; and that the meeting has been open to the public as required by law at all times during which this Resolution and the subject matter thereof has been discussed, considered and founally acted upon. The Authority further ratifies, approves and confirms such written notice and the contents and posting thereof. Section 3. This Ordinance shall be effective from and after its passage and approval, and it is so ordered. PASSED AND APPROVED, this the 27th day of April, 2009. CITY OF LA PORTE, TEXAS ~~'P~ By: Mayor ATTEST: Ytl aJLcJ)L ~ A"M Secretary ~. ~ APPROVED: ~fi~. ~ Ci y Attorney City of La Porte Water Conservation Plan Adopted April 1987 Updated: April 1999 April 2005 March 2009 CITY OF LA PORTE WATER CONSERVATION PLAN A. PURPOSE AND INTENT The purpose of a Water Conservation Plan is to reduce the quantity required for each water using activity, insofar as is practical, through the implementation of efficient water use practices. Tile pia; I defines objectives and specific targets to reduce tile loss and waste of water resources and improve efficiency in the use of water. Many communities throughout the United States have used conservation measures to successfully cope with various water and wastewater problems. Reduction in water use as much as 25% or more have been achieved, but the normal range is from 5 to 15%. As a result of reduced water use, wastewater flows have also been reduced by 5 to 10%. Nine (9) principal water conservation methods to be considered in preparing a water conservation plan are as follows: 1. Education and Information 2. Plumbing codes for new construction 3. Retrofit programs 4. Conservation oriented water rate structures 5. Universal metering and meter repair and replacement 6. Water conserving landscaping 7. Leak detection and repair 8. Recycling and reuse 9. Means of implementation and enforcement B. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION PUBLIC AT LARGE: The City of La Porte holds regular City Council meetings on the second and fourth Monday of each month. The meetings are open to the public, and citizens are free to speak on any subject during the portion of the meeting designated for this purpose. C. SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS 1. La Porte-Bayshore Chamber of Commerce 2. Homeowner's Associations 3. Various civic and religious organizations 2 D. SYSTEM AUDIT I PROBLEMS 1. System Audit: a. Average, seasonal, peak use patterns. Figure 1 illustrates average, seasonal and peak use patterns. These figures indicate that the City of La Porte follows most cities in having higher average water use in the summer months from lawn watering. The peak to average use ratio (average daily summer use divided by average annual daily use) is 1.98. This ratio is relatively low because of the very humid climate and high average rainfall the area receives. b. Unaccounted water volumes and likely causes. Figure 1 also illustrates the relationship between water production and sales. The difference between production and sales can typically be attributed to all or some of the following: 1. Flushing of water mains 2. Fire fighting 3. Inaccurate metering 4. System leaks 5. Unauthorized water use 6. Unmetered water sales c. Adequacy of treatment, storage, and distribution system. The surface water is purchased by the City from the La Porte Area Water Authority. The remaining 10% of their water needs are supplied from groundwater wells. The water is tested on a regular basis in accordance with all state and federal regulations. The City of La Porte currently has adequate storage facilities required to meet TCEQ requirements and currently is classified as a "Superior Public Water System". The City of L.a Porte does not a surface water reservoir therefore an operations plan is not a component of ttlis water conservation plan. d. Limit of existing supply/potential new sources. It is apparent from the systems audit that the City of La Porte is very capable of providing water to its customers from groundwater sources. In addition, the distribution and transmission systems are adequate to supply its needs for several years. With the conversion to surface water, the adequacy of groundwater supplies to meet peak load demands in any drought contingencies that might occur are apparent. However, due to the constraints imposed by the Harris-Galveston Subsidence District on groundwater withdrawal, these sources will only be used to supply peak demand in possible drought contingencies. e. Wastewater collection and treatment system. Currently, the City of La Porte treats the bulk of its own wastewater. The remainder of the La Porte wastewater flows is pumped to a regional wastewater facility owned by the Gulf Coast Waste Disposal Authority. 3 f' ,l. ",- - .;' 2. System Problems: The City of La Porte currently has no serious water supply problems. The storage and distribution systems are adequate to supply surface water to its customers through the La Porte Area Water Authority from the City of Houston Southeast Water Purification Plant. E. ALTERNATIVES: Water conservation methods are typically divided into two (2) categories, Demand Management Methods and Supply Management Methods. Demand Management Methods deal with water use on the downstream side of a customer meter. Demand management provides for education or incentives to reduce the water use by the consumer. This method of conservation generally results in a decrease in water revenues because less water is purchased from the City. Supply Management Methods deals with the utility's water system upstream of the customer's meter. The goal of supply management is to improve efficiency and reduce waste within the production treatment, and distribution system. Supply management usually results in decreased costs to the utility as water losses in the system are reduced. 1. DEMAND MANAGEMENT ALTERNATIVES a. Education and Information: The most readily available and lowest cost method of promoting water conservation is to inform water users about ways to save water inside homes and other buildings, in landscaping and lawn uses, and in recreational uses. An effective education and information program can be easily and inexpensively administered by the City of La Porte. Materials available from the American Water Works Association, Texas Water Development Board, and other like associations are made available to its customers, through hand outs, mail outs, and other sources. The City of La Porte has adopted the Bayshore Sun as its official newspaper. This publication can be used to print articles concerning water conservation. The City of La Porte currently participates in the Harris-Galveston Coastal Subsidence District's program for education of elementary school students in the importance and methods of water conservation. The City sponsors the program by funding the program for the La Porte students in the school district. b. Plumbinq Codes: Water saving plumbing codes for new construction and for replacement of plumbing in existing structures may be adopted. The standards recommended by the Texas Water Development Board represent readily available technologies and do not involve additional costs when compared with "standard" fixtures. Water conserving plumbing codes are adopted for cause, specifically, the Inlelllat:onal Plumbing Code (2006 Version) The City of La Porte utilizes standard codes whenever possible. 4 c. Retrofit Proqrams: The City makes information available through its education program for plumbers and customers to use when purchasing and installing plumbing fixtures, lawn watering equipment, or water using appliances. Information regarding retrofit devices such as low-flow shower heads or toilet dams that reduce water use by replacing or modifying existing fixtures or appliances should also be provided. d. Water Rate Structures: A water conservation oriented rate structure usually takes the form of an increasing block rate, although continuously increasing rate structures, peak or seasonal load rates, excess use fees, and other rate forms can be used. The increasing block rate structure is the most commonly used water conservation rate structure. Separate rate structures are usually used for commercial, institutional, and industrial customers. The City of La Porte uses a form of increasing block rate structure. e. Water ConservinQ LandscapinQ: In order to reduce the demands placed on a water system by landscape watering, the city or utility should consider methods that either encourage, by education and information, or require, by code or ordinance, water conserving landscaping by residential customers and commercial establishments engaged in the sale or installation of landscape plants or watering equipment. Because the City of La Porte is located on the Gulf Coast, it has a very high annual average rainfall. The need for outdoor watering is not as high as for arid climates. Agricultural land in the area is not irrigated. Although not made a specific section of the Conservation Plan, water conserving landscaping information will be made available through the Information/Education Section. 2. SUPPLY MANAGEMENT ALTERNATIVES a. Universal MeterinQ: All public water supply utilities should master meter their water source. In addition, all users, including the utility itself, should be metered. A regularly scheduled maintenance program of meter repair and replacement also needs to be established to ensure that proper metering is taking place. Metering and meter repair and replacement, can be used in conjunction with other programs such as leak detection and repair and, thereby, save significant quantities of water. 1\11 sales in the City of La Porte are metered. Currently, the City of La Porte has a regular meter repair and replacement program with production meters being tested yearly. b. Leak Detection and Repair: A continuous leak detection, location, and repair program can be an important part of a water conservation plan. Utility employees for the City of La Porte periodically check for leaks when reading meters and while performing regular maintenance. Major leaks are usually quickly detected by either city employees or customers and are repaired immediately. Soil in the area is generally clay and, therefore, leaks show up at the ground surface quite readily. Leak detection technology is also available in the form of electronic sonic devices. 5 c. Recyclinq and Reuse: A city or utility should evaluate the potential of recycling and reuse because these methods may be used to increase water supplies in the utility's service area. Reuse can be especially important where the use of treated effluent from an industry or a municipal system or agricultural return flows replace an existing use that currently requires fresh water from a city's or utility's supply. Recycling of in- plant process or cooling water can reduce the amount of fresh water required by many industrial operations. Currently, the City of La Porte has a water reuse program. Because of its size and daily flows, the reuse of treated effluent for processed water has proven quite economical for the City of La Porte, with an estimated three million gallons per month being used for this purpose. The City of La Porte's Municipal Golf Course along with one of the City parks, Little Cedar Bayou, are irrigated with plant effluent. This resulted in a savings of approximately 60,000,000 gallons of potable water in 2005. F. PLAN OBJECTIVES .:. To reduce vvater consumption from levels that would prevail without conservation efforts To reduce the loss and waste of water .:. To improve efficiency in the use of water .:. To implement Cl system to quantify the effects of tile plan In aCCmci3r1Ce with 30 TAC Chapter 288.2, tile following five and ten year targets have bet,1l established Ei~t3~J5'f"Lli:1L9?t based on 1?~yeEl.I.l21liDSL9!lIlual averam~ 1) Reduce the per capita per day water usage' by 5 percent ?) Maintain a level of l.li1ccounted for water loss at 12 percent or less 1) H.ecluce ttle per per day water usage" by an additional [) 2) f\chieve a level of unaccounted for water loss atl 0 percent or less " f:or tile {Jwpose of this plan, per capita water use has been equated to use per conned/on The number of connectiolJs IS more accurate. more easily Iracoa/Jle and does not rely on celJsus information published infrequently. nlis allows for a yearly tracking instrument will, real-time data and results 6 G. PLAN DESCRIPTION Based on the evaluation of alternatives available to the City of La Porte for conserving water, the following elements have been selected as those best suited to the needs of the City for water conservation: Continuing Public Education and Information Water conserving plumbing code for new construction Retrofit programs Water rate structures Supply Management Universal metering Meter repair and replacement Leak detection and repair Recycling/reuse 1. CONTINUING PUBLIC EDUCATION AND INFORMATION A program of public education and information to promote water conservation by the public has been instituted. The program includes the following: .:. Conservation messages printed on customers water bills .:. The City provides support to the Harris-Galveston Coastal Subsidence District's "Water Conservation Education Program" that provides water conservation information to the residents through their elementary school children. .:. In addition, all new customers are provided water conservation literature at the time they initially sign up for service. The public education program covers the water saving methods such as those listed in Appendix A "Water Saving Methods". The City places special emphasis on the need to insulate pipes to prevent freezing in cold weather, retrofitting of plumbing fixtures and devices, and landscaping conservation methods. The energy savings associated with a water conservation program are also be emphasized. Assistance in obtaining publications and materials for the program is obtained from: Texas Water Development Board; American Water Works Association; Texas Water Utilities Association, American Public Works Association, and the Environmental Protection Agency. During the first year of the program, individual pamphlets and flyers were developed, tailored to the specialized needs and goals of the City. 2. WATER CONSERVING PLUMBING CODE The City of La Porte has adopted the International Plurnbll)Q Code (2006 version) 7 3. RETROFIT PROGRAMS The City of La Porte makes information available through its education program for plumbers and customers to use when purchasing and installing plumbing fixtures, lawn watering equipment, or water using appliances. Information regarding retrofitting devices such as low-flow shower heads or toilet dams that reduce water use by replacing or modifying existing fixtures or appliances will also be provided. 4. UNIVERSAL METERING The City of La Porte currently meters all water sales from its system, with the exception of a few public uses. In addition, in response to requirements by the Harris-Galveston Coastal Subsidence District, all wells are currently metered at the well head. Well production meters are lested for accuracy on a three year schedule", while meters for surface water are tested on an annual basis The source water meters are maintained Within an accuracy of plus or minus 5%, The program of universal metering will continue and is made a part of the Water Conservation Plan. 5. WATER RATE STRUCTURES The City of La Porte has adopted an Increasing Block Rate structure. A copy of the current water rate structure is attached in Appendix B and is made part of the Water Conservation Plan, 6. METER REPAIR AND REPLACEMENT The City of La Porte currently owns and operates equipment for small meter testing. The testing of large meters is conducted by contract forces. The current meter repair and testing program in place at the City of La Porte has been and will continue to be as follows: 1. Major Production meters - test once per year 2. Minor Production meters test every 3 years 3. Meters larger than four inch - random testing every 3 years 4. Meters larger than one inch - random testing every 5 years 5. Meters smaller than one inch - random testing every 7 years In addition, the City will verify that each meter in the system is properly sized for the average volume of water being used in accordance with the manufacturers' specification for the meter. Based on test!f1~J and field evaluation, meters are repalrl",i or replaced as needed, 8 7. LEAK DETECTION AND REPAIR The City of La Porte Area currently has leak detection programs which will be maintained. The program includes: a. Monthly water use accounting by the Billing Department which identifies high water used after the service meters which may indicate leaks. b. Visual inspection by utility employees who keep a constant watch out for abnormal conditions indicating leaks or illegal connections. c. An adequate maintenance staff which is available to repair any leaks. d. An annual water accounting or audit is considered be part of the program. Sources of unaccounted for water, once located, are immediately corrected Data frorn tile audit is used to monitor and evaluate system conditions. 8. RECYCLING/REUSE As previously noted the City of La Porte has the capability of reuse and recycling of treated effluent. Current use includes the recycling of approximate one million gallons per month at the La Porte Wastewater Treatment Plant used in process water, Le., process, washdown. Additionally, as indicated above, recycled water is made available and used by the La Porte Municipal Golf Course and the Little Cedar Bayou Park for irrigation purposes. The amount will vary during the year according to the season. H. HECORDS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM The Ci'i:f Df la Porte maintains a records management system to monitor and track ClJstcrner account information and llsage. The 8illing Department flas the ability to segregate usage groups such as residential, commercial, institutional and industrial users. The data for water produced is monitored and recorded to enable accurate tracking of monthly or daily water usage. I. IMPLEMENTATION/ENFORCEMENT The City of La Porte Public Works Director acts as the Administrator of the Water Conservation Program. The Administrator oversees the execution and implementation of all elements of the program. He is also responsible to oversee the keeping of adequate records for program verification. The program will be enforced through adoption of the Water Conservation Plan by Ordinance or Resolution. 9 ,I. coormlNATION WITH REGIONAL WATER PLANNING GROUPS The ~;crVice area of tho City of La Porte is located witt-lin I~t:~gion H of the re~JiCln~}1 water planning area The City of La POI te has provided a copy of thiS Water Conservation Plan to the Texas Water Development Board. f\. PLAN HEVIEW AND UPDATE This waler conservation plan will be reviewed and updated, as appropriate, based on all assessment of previous five-year and ten-year targels and any alller new or updated information. The City will review and update tile next revision of its Water Conservation Plan and Implementation Report not later than May I , 2009 and every five years after that date. to coincide with the regional water planning group Future amendments or updates will be evaluated the Administrator to determine if a substantial modification exists trIal would Wfln8nt additional review by City Council. 10 ...... l!! ::J ,2' u. '" Cl Cl .... Z o j:: !Ii ;:) en z o u 0: W ... ~ 8 ~. 0 u': ~ w.., 18. o~ l<l '" 8 0 0 I'- J >.: ,..: . 010 I'- Z <'{ I'- I'- ,..: I 0> 08 8 I'- ... &{~ U 0 8~ 88 00> '. 0.. r--:'ai w 'ot ~ lJ) ~I'- ..~ ~ ;: 88 00> (!) l!fr:: :l ..: 1'-0 o~ / ~~ 88 ~ I 5~!:f -, \t). N~ i~ ~~ Z ~I'- :l ..., ... ~ ..o~ ~ :: 8 g ~ o:5uo) ~ ~ ~ ::;: ~~ \ 8. ~ ~ I 0: ~<<i ~ ...10 - 0> ::~ 0: ~~ ..: (bN ::;: or-:.}:!: .., - ~g ro ~g ~ w @r--' LL "<~ ~,,; ~O> ~8 ~ ~~ I'- - :: Ol 0 0 8 8 8 8 8 0 ~ 0 8 0 ~ ~ g 0 0 g g g g 8 8 ~ 0 0 0 g ~ 0 ~ ~ ~ ~ 0> .... III III 1016 1 ~ i Ol o o N 2 ro "8- :J c: ro 0:: c: .Q ~ l/l c: o <.) 2 ro ~ o 8 o o o o ~