HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrdinance 2399
ORDINANCE NO. 2399
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF NORTH RICHLAND HILLS, TEXAS, APPROVING
AND ADOPTING A WATER CONSERVATION AND EMERGENCY WATER DEMAND
MANAGEMENT PLAN; REPEALING ORDINANCE NO. 2146; ESTABLISHING THE
AUTHORITY FOR THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE ELEMENTS OF THE
EMERGENCY WATER DEMAND MANAGEMENT PLAN; PROVIDING FOR
VARIANCES FOR CUSTOMERS; PROVIDING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND
PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORTH RICHLAND
HILLS, TEXAS, that:
SECTION 1: The City of North Richland Hills, Texas hereby adopts a Water
Conservation and Emergency Water Demand Management Plan attached hereto.
SECTION 2: The Emergency Water Demand Management Plan establishes
certain drought trigger conditions and actions to be taken by the citizens of the City of
North Richland Hills during the stages of defined drought conditions.
SECTION 3: This ordinance authorizes the City Manager, or his/her duly
appointed representative, to define the trigger condition as detailed in the adopted
Emergency Water Demand Management Plan, to upgrade or downgrade the condition,
to initiate the appropriate actions as detailed in the adopted Emergency Water Demand
Management Plan, and to terminate the condition when the emergency has ended.
SECTION 4: The City Manager, or the City Manager's duly appointed
representative, shall have the authority to enact and promulgate any or all of the
prescribed procedures, and to adopt and promulgate rules and regulations if necessary
to protect health and safety in case of system failure.
SECTION 5: The prescribed procedures to protect the health and safety of the
citizens shall be promulgated by posting in three public places within the City and the
procedures shall be binding upon all water customers of the North Richland Hills Water
System. Any customer violating any posted procedure, limitation or ban shall be
deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and fined not in excess of $200.00. Each day the
violation shall be a separate offense.
SECTION 6: This authority established by this ordinance will remain in effect
until the ordinance has been repealed or amended by the North Richland Hills City
Council.
PASSED AND APPROVED this the 9th day of August, 1999.
ATTEST:
(t?abzlt(à~
~Patricia Hutson, City Secretary
Al1o/ED: ~
l c!f4--(ì1tÍ . 1t,(L-
Charles Scoma, ayor
CITY OF NORTH RICHLAND HILLS, TEXAS
WATER CONSERVATION
and
EMERGENCY WATER DEMAND
MANAGEMENT PLAN
CITY OF NORTH RICHLAND HILLS, TEXAS
Public Works Department
7301 N.E. Loop 820
North Richland Hills, Texas 76180
(817)581-5521
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1 - INTRODUCTION......................................................................... Page 1
Planning Area and Project Description...................................................... Page 1
Utility Evaluation Data............................................................................... Page 1
Program Goal,.....................................................,.,..................,................ Page 1
CHAPTER 2 - WATER CONSERVATION PLAN............................................,...Page 2
Plan Elements........................................................................................... Page 2
Education and Information ..,.,. ....,.... ... ..... ..... ,......... ... ........ ..... ..... ....... ...... Page 2
Water Rate Structure ..... ... ..... .......... ... ..... ..... ..... ... ..... """"..... ..... ,.."........ Page 2
Metering and Meter Repair/Replacement .................................................Page 3
Water Audits and Leak Detection.............................................................. Page 3
I mplementation and Enforcement.......................................... ................,.. Page 3
Annual Reporting............................................................,......,.................. Page 3
CHAPTER 3 - EMERGENCY WATER DEMAND MANAGEMENT.....................Page 4
Trigger Conditions......."..,...,..................,.",............,..."."......................... Page 4
Emergency Water Demand Management Measures with Exceptions.......Page 5
I nformation and Education........................................................................ Page 8
Initiation Procedures. ........ ......."",. ..... ..... ...",.. ..... .......".",.,........ ..... ",.. ... Page 8
Termination Notification............................................................................ Page 9
Means of Implementation........................................................................., Page 9
Variance Provisions .,...., ... ..... ............. .......... ........ ..... ....",...... ...". ..".., "'" Page 9
Appendix A - Utility Evaluation Form
Appendix B - Water Saving Methods
City of North Rich/and Hills
Water Conservation & Emergency Water Demand Management Plan
CHAPTER 1 - INTRODUCTION
This report outlines the City of North Richland Hills' (City) Water Conservation and
Emergency Water Demand Management Plan. The objective of the conservation program
is to reduce the quantity required for each water using activity, insofar as is practical,
through the implementation of efficient water use practices, The Emergency Water
Demand Management Plan provides procedures for voluntary and mandatory actions to
be put into effect to temporarily reduce the demand placed upon the City's water supply
system during a water shortage emergency, Emergency water demand management
procedures include conservation, but may also include prohibition of certain uses. Both
programs are tools that the City will have available to operate effectively in all situations.
Planninq Area and Project Description
The planning area is the total area within the city limits of North Richland Hills and
Watauga, which is approximately 22.5 square miles. The project is the total water system
owned and operated by the City of North Richland Hills which distributes potable water to
all its customers within the planning area. Currently, the population of this service area is
approximately 75,000 people.
Utilitv Evaluation Data
A detailed summary of utility evaluation data is included in Appendix A, Appendix A will
be updated annually and submitted to the Fort Worth Water Department in October for the
prior one-year period, October 1 through September 30,
Proqram Goal
The objective of a water conservation plan is to reduce the per capita consumption of
water, a finite resource. Many communities throughout the United States have used
conservation measures to successfully cope with various water and wastewater problems,
Reductions in water use of as much as 25 percent have been achieved, but the normal
range is from 5 to 15 percent. As a result of reduced water use, wastewater flows have
also been reduced by 5 or 10 percent. It is anticipated that implementation of this Plan will
result in a reduction in per capita water consumption. It is the goal of this Water
Conservation Plan to reduce per capita water consumption by 5 percent.
Page 1
City of North Rich/and Hi//s
Water Conservation & Emergency Water Demand Management Plan
CHAPTER 2 - WATER CONSERVATION PLAN
Plan Elements
The principal water conservation methods to be considered in preparing this water
conservation plan are:
Public Education and Information Program
Water Conservation Rate Structure
Universal Metering and Meter Repair/Replacement Program
Water Audits and Leak Detection
Plan Implementation and Enforcement
Periodic Review and Annual Reporting
Education and Information
The City recognizes that water conservation significantly benefits individuals and
communities in terms of long-term availability and costs. The most readily available and
lowest cost method of promoting water conservation is to inform the retail water users
about ways to save water in homes and businesses, in landscaping and lawn uses, and
in recreational uses. The City will provide the information to retail customers in the
following manner.
1. Initial Year Proqram
a. The public education program during the initial year shall include all activities
outlined in the Long-Term Program (below),
b. Distribution of educational material in the form of a handout or information
added to the water bill.
2. Long-Term Proqram
a. Distribution of educational materials from the American Water Works
Association, Texas Water Development Board, and others will be made
available as handouts.
b. New retail customers will be provided with water conservation literature, such
as Appendix B, when applying for service,
Water Rate Structure
The City will periodically review respective retail water rate structures to ensure that the
prevailing rates encourage water conservation while covering the total cost of service and
minimizing adverse impacts.
Page 2
City of North Rich/and Hills
Water Conservation & Emergency Water Demand Management Plan
Metering and Meter Repair/Replacement
All water users including retail, City and other public facilities are metered. Water provided
to the system is measured by master meters.
A regularly scheduled maintenance program of meter testing, repair, and replacement
should be established in accordance with the following schedule:
1. Production (master) meters - test once a year,
2. Meters larger than 1-1/2" - test every 5 years.
3, Meters 1-1/2" or smaller - test every 10 years,
Water Audits and Leak Detection
The City will continue their ongoing leak detection, location, and repair programs.
Waterline leaks are detected by utility personnel while reading meters, maintaining their
water and wastewater systems, and while performing other routine surveillance programs.
Additionally, water audits shall be utilized to determine if leaks exist which have gone
undetected. The City shall conduct an in-house water audit at least once each year to
compare water produced versus water sold.
Implementation and Enforcement
The City Manager of North Richland Hills or the City Manager's duly appointed
representative will act as the Administrator of the Water Conservation and Emergency
Water Demand Management Plan in North Richland Hills and the City Manager of
Watauga or City Manager's duly appointed representative will act as the Administrator of
the Water Conservation and Emergency Water Demand Management Plan in Watauga.
The Administrators will oversee the execution and implementation of all elements of the
plan. The Administrators will also be responsible to oversee the keeping of adequate
records for program verification,
Annual Reporting
The City of North Richland Hills will be responsible for the submission of an annual report
to the City of Fort Worth. Such a report will be due to the Water Department Director by
April 1 of each year for inclusion in the City of Fort Worth's report to the Texas Water
Development Board. The report will include a description of the implementation, status
and quantitative effectiveness of the water conservation program. The report will be
submitted on a form provided by the City of Fort Worth.
Page 3
City of North Rich/and Hills
Water Conservation & Emergency Water Demand Management Plan
CHAPTER 3 - EMERGENCY WATER DEMAND MANAGEMENT
Drought or a number of other uncontrollable circumstances can disrupt normal availability
of the City's water supply. Even though the City may have an adequate water supply, the
supply could become contaminated, or a disaster could destroy the supply.
This chapter summarizes the City's Emergency Water Demand Management (EWDM)
Plan. EWDM planning is not the same as conservation planning. While water
conversation involves implementing permanent water use efficiency or reuse practices, the
EWDM plan will establish temporary methods or techniques designed to be used only as
long as an emergency exists.
The City's EWDM plan will include the following six elements:
· Trigger conditions signaling the start of an emergency period.
· EWDM measures.
· Education and information.
· Initiation procedures.
· Termination notification actions.
· Means of implementation.
· Exemptions.
· Variance provisions.
TriQQer Conditions
The City receives a portion of its water from the City of Fort Worth (CFW) and will work with
the CFW to establish water restrictions during drought conditions. The establishment of
drought trigger conditions for the water supply are to be determined by the Tarrant County
Water Control and Improvement District No.1, initially. Trigger conditions will be conveyed
by CFW to the City. The City will be notified by telephone and a follow-up letter or
facsimile transmission as each drought trigger condition is reached. The notification will
include the steps the customer must take.
The City may need to implement an emergency water demand management program in
lieu of notification by the City of Fort Worth. In such cases, the trigger conditions will be
as follows:
Stage 1 - Water Watch
Daily water demand exceeds 90 percent of the production capacity of the system
for three consecutive days or short term deficiencies in the distribution system limit
supply capability.
Stage 2 - Water Warning
Daily water demand exceeds 95 percent of the production capacity of the system
for two consecutive days.
Page 4
Çity of North Rich/and Hills
Water Conservation & Emergency Water Demand Management Plan
Stage 3 - Water Emergency
Daily water demand exceeds 95 percent of the production capacity of the system
for five consecutive days.
Stage 4 - Water Crisis
Daily water demand exceeds 100 percent of the production capacity of the system
for two consecutive days.
Emerqencv Water Demand Management Measures with Exceptions
The City will implement the following measures for each level of severity as required by the
CFW or as implemented under its own emergency water demand management program.
The measures for each level of severity include the relevant requirements imposed in the
preceding level.
StaQe 1 - Water Watch
1. Requests voluntary reductions in water use by customers over cable television and
through the news media.
2. Activate an information center and discuss the situation in the news media.
3, Staff will begin a review of the problems that initiated the Stage 1 actions.
4, Notify major water users and work with them to achieve voluntary water use
reduction.
5. Prohibit City government use of water for street washing, vehicle washing, operation
of ornamental fountains, and all other non-essential use.
6. Request no landscape watering between 10 a.m. and 7 p,m. by customers or City.
7. Request City of Watauga adhere to the same restrictions as NRH retail customers.
StaQe 2 - Water WarninQ
1, Continue implementation of all relevant actions from Stage 1.
2. Initiate engineering studies to evaluate alternatives should conditions worsen.
3. Continue public information efforts regarding water supply conditions and
conversation efforts.
4. Begin mandatory water use restrictions as follows: Prohibit hosing off of paved
areas, buildings, or windows; operation of ornamental fountains, swimming pool
draining followed by refilling; washing or rinsing vehicles by hose; using water in
Page 5
City of North Richland Hills
Water Conservation & Emergency Water Demand Management Plan
such a manner as to allow runoff or other water wastes.
Exceptions: Vehicles may be washed or rinsed with a hose at commercial car
washes; vehicles may be washed at any location with a bucket or other container.
5. Limit landscape watering at each service address to once every five days based on
the last digit of the address per the schedule below. Request no watering between
10:a.m, and 7 p.m.
Last Digit of Address
o or 5
1 or 6
2or7
30r8
4or9
Allowed Water Dates
5th 10th 15th 20th 25th 30th
, , , , ,
1st 6th 11th 16th 21st 26th
, , , , ,
2nd, 7th, 12th, 17th, 22nd, 27th
3rd, 8th, 13th, 18th, 23rd, 28th
4th, 9th, 14th, 19th, 24th, 29th
No watering will be allowed on the 31st. The lowest address number will identify
apartments, office building complexes, or other property containing multiple
addresses. Where there are no numbers, a number will be assigned by the Public
Works Director. These restrictions also apply to government facilities.
Exceptions: Foundations, azaleas, and new plantings (first year) of trees and
shrubs may b~ watered with a hand held soaker hose on any day for up to two
hours; nurseries may water plant stock only without restrictions; public gardens may
water without restrictions; golf courses may water greens and tee boxes without
restrictions. Other areas, including fairways, must adhere to the five-day rotational
watering schedule listed in Stage 2 based on their address. Hand held watering by
hose or bucket may be done on any day. Restrictions do not apply to any location
using groundwater or wastewater effluent for irrigation.
6. Require a reduction by local governments of non-essential water use and a
reduction in landscape watering.
7. Encourage people to wait until the emergency water situation has passed to
establish new landscaping.
8, Prohibit draining and refilling of existing pools and filling of new pools. Existing
commercial, public and private swimming pools that are filled may add water to
replace that lost during daily use.
9. Advise City of Watauga of actions being taken by North Richland Hills and require
enforcement of like procedures in Watauga,
Page 6
City of North Rich/and Hills
Water Conservation & Emergency Water Demand Management Plan
Stage 3 - Water Emergency
1, Continue implementation of all relevant actions from Stages 1 and 2.
2, Implement recommended engineering alternatives.
3, Prohibit residential and commercial lawn watering and car washing between the
hours of 10 a.m. and 7 p.m.
Exception: Restrictions do not apply to any location using groundwater or
wastewater effluent for irrigation.
4. Foundations, shrubs, and trees may be watered with soaker or hand-held hose on
the same five-day rotational basis as landscapes for up to two hours,
5. Golf courses using treated water for grounds watering must adhere to the following
schedule:
Greens and tee boxes may be watered, but NOT between the hours of 10 a.m. and
7 p.m. Other areas, including fairways, must adhere to the five-day rotational
watering schedule listed in State 2 based on their address.
6. Public gardens may water, but NOT between the hours of 10 a.m. and 7 p.m.
7. Nurseries may water plant stock, but NOT between the hours of 10 a.m, and 7 p.m,
8. No new landscaping may be established during this period.
9. No refilling of private pools. Commercial and public pools may refill water lost to
normal daily use,
10. Advise City ofWatauga of actions being taken by North Richland Hills and require
enforcement of like procedures in Watauga.
Stage 4 - Water Crises
1. Prohibit all commercial and residential landscape watering including golf courses,
with the following exceptions.
a. Nurseries' plant stock may be watered, but NOT between the hours of 10
a.m. and 7 p.m., once every five days based on the last digit of their address
per the schedule in Stage 2,
b, Public gardens may water, but NOT between the hours of 10 a,m. and 7
p.m., once every five days based on the last digit of their address per the
schedule in Stage 2.
Page 7
City of North Richland Hills
Water Conservation & Emergency Water Demand Management Plan
c. Golf course greens and tee boxes may be watered, but NOT between the
hours of 10 a.m. and 7 p.m., once every five days based on the last digit at
their address per the schedule in Stage 2.
d. Foundations may be watered for a two-hour period, but NOT between the
hours of 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. with soaker or hand-held hose on the five-day
rotational basis prescribed for landscape watering in Stage 2.
e. Any location using groundwater or wastewater effluent for irrigation.
2. Any and all washing of vehicles is prohibited, except vehicles that need to be
washed for health sanitation or safety reasons, such as food carriers. Any vehicle
washing must occur at a commercial car wash or commercial service station with
a recirculating water system.
3. No new landscaping may be established during this period,
4. No refilling of private pools. Commercial and public pools may refill water lost to
normal daily use.
5. All commercial water users may be required to reduce water consumption by a
percentage determined by the Public Works Director.
6. Advise City of Watauga of actions being taken by North Richland Hills and require
enforcement of like procedures in Watauga.
Information and Education
The purpose and EWDM measures of this plan will be conveyed to the public as a part of
and in the same manner as the Water Conservation Plan. When trigger conditions appear
to be approaching, the public will be informed through local newspaper articles and/or
radio/television broadcasts. Throughout the period of a trigger condition, regular articles
and/or broadcasts will be used to inform the public of the current condition and
conservation measures for that condition.
Initiation Procedures
When a trigger condition has been reached and the CFW informs the City that EWDM
measures may be necessary, or the City initiates EWDM measures on its own accord, the
City Manager or the City Manager's duly appointed representative will order the initiation
of a public notification process, The public notification process will include a NOTICE OF
DROUGHT CONDITION with proper stage level noted to be posted at the North Richland
Hills City Hall and at least two other public places.
Page 8
City of North Rich/and Hills
Water Conservation & Emergency Water Demand Management Plan
Termination Notification
Termination of the EWDM measures will take place when the trigger conditions which
initiated the contingency measures have subsided and/or the CFW informs the City that
drought contingency measures are no longer necessary. The public will be informed of the
termination in the same manner that they were informed of the initiation of the measures
through order of the City Manager or City Manager's duly appointed representative.
Means of Implementation
The City Manager or City Manager's duly appointed representative will be authorized by
the City Council to order the initiation of EWDM measures when a drought trigger condition
occurs and/or the CFW indicates that such measures are necessary,
Variance Provisions
1. The City Manager, or his/her designee, may, in writing, grant temporary variance for
existing water uses otherwise prohibited under this Plan if it is determined that
failure to grant such variance would cause an emergency condition adversely
affecting the health, sanitation, or fire protection for the public or the person
requesting such variance and if one or more of the following conditions are met:
a. Compliance with this Plan cannot be technically accomplished during the
duration of the water supply shortage or other condition for which the Plan
is in effect
b. Alternative methods can be implemented that will achieve the same level of
reduction in water use.
2. Persons requesting an exemption from the provisions of this Ordinance shall file a
petition for variance with the City of North Richland Hills within 5 days after the Plan
for a particular drought response stage has been invoked. All petitions for variances
shall be reviewed by the City Manager or his/her designee, and shall include the
following:
a. Name and address of the petitioner(s).
b. Purpose of water use.
c. Specific provision(s) of the Plan from which the petitioner is requesting relief.
d. Detailed statement as to how the specific provision of the Plan adversely
affects the petitioner or others if petitioner complies with this Ordinance.
e. Description of the relief requested.
f. Period of time for which the variance is sought.
g. Alternative water use restrictions or other measures the petitioner is taking
or proposes to take to meet the intent of this Plan and the compliance date
h. Other pertinent information.
Page 9
City of North Rich/and Hi//s
Water Conservation & Emergency Water Demand Management Plan
3. Variances granted by the City of North Richland Hills shall be subject to the following
conditions, unless waived or modified by the City Manager, and or his/her designee.
a. Variances granted shall include a timetable for compliance.
b. Variances granted shall expire when the Plan is no longer in effect, unless
the petitioner has failed to meet specific requirements.
4. No variance shall be retroactive or otherwise justify any violation of this Plan
occurring prior to the issuance of the variance.
Page 10
APPFNDIX A
UTILITY EVALUATION DATA FORM
The following data form provides a convenient format to insure that the most important
information and data needed for the development of water conservation and emergency
water demand management plans are considered.
Water Supply and Distribution System Information
A.
Population. of Service Area
75,000
(Number)
B.
Size of Service Area
22.5
(Sq. mi.)
C. Water Production and Sales Information
1. Water supplied (water produced from your own wells, diverted and treated
from a lake or stream, purchased from another utility, etc.) during the last
year - (gal/yr.)
2.
Average water supplied for last 3 years -
(gal/yr. )
3. Estimated Monthly Water Sales by User Category for the last year in
1,OOO's of gallons (based on customer meters) -
".-" ".,,,.,,
..-. , .
...,.....,...,'....,.,..., ..,.,.......-'...-...
.....,.....,'.'.'........,...,.......',.'..,. C . I
<:;...;;«:.,.......... . '. ommercla-
.;Rê~Ücfentiål· . ;.;'" Institutional
... . ,- -.
. ... . '.
< Industrial
January
February
March
April
May
June
. , ,. ~ .
July
August
September
October
November
December
Total
*Indicate if apartment water sales are included in the commercial figures. It is preferable to
include apartment water sales under residential sales if it is possible to determine from existing
water sales data.
Appendix A
Page J 0/4
4. Highest Daily Water Use (production) on record for system -
(gal/day)
5. Peak Daily Use (production) for the last year -
(gal/day)
6.
Unaccounted for Water
(Production - Sales) + production x 100 =
% unaccounted for water,
D. Number and type (Residential, Commercial, or Industrial) of meter connections
in service area -
(Res.) (Comm.) (Ind.) (Wholesale)
E. Net gain (loss) of new connections per year (new connections less disconnects)
(Res.) (Comm.) (Ind.) (Wholesale)
F. Source of Water (list the sources and relative volumes of water used from each
source on an annual basis).
Source 1.
Source 2.
Source 3.
Volume of water
Volume of water
Volume of water
(gal.lyr. )
(gal.lyr.)
(gal.lyr. )
(gal./yr. )
(gal./yr. )
G.
Safe Annual Yield of Water Supply - -
H.
Design Capacity of Water System -
I. Major High-Volume Customers
Name
~
(in 1,000 gallons per year)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Appmdix A
Page 10f4
9.
10.
J. Population and Water Use Projections (attach if available).
Wastewater System Information
A. Service Area Information
1. Percent of your potable water customers sewered by your utility's
wastewater treatment system %.
2. Percent of your utility's potable water customers who have septic tanks or
other privately operated sewage disposal systems %.
3. Percent of potable water customers sewered by another wastewater
treatment utility %.
B. Wastewater System Capacity Information
1. Average daily volume of wastewater treated for most recent year
(gal./day)
2. Peak daily wastewater volumes during the last year
(gal./day)
3. Wastewater treatment system permitted capacity:
a. Average daily capacity (gal.lday)
b. Maximum daily capacity (gal./day)
C. Estimated percent of wastewater flows to your treatment plant that C?r!gin~:Üe from
the following categories:
Residential
Industrial and Manufacturing
Commerci a IIlnstituti ona I
Storm Water
Other - Explain
%
%
%
%
%
Utility Financial Operations Information
A. Water or Wastewater Rate Structure (Uniform, Increasing Block, etc.)
(Attach copy of rates.)
AppÐldixA
Pag~ J of"
B. Sources of Revenue for the Utility
1. Percent of Annual Revenues from Water or Wastewater Rates
%
2. Percent of Annual Revenues from all other sources (taxes, general
revenue, etc,) %
C. Annual Operating Costs
1.
Average Annual Operating Costs
$
(dollars)
2. Percent of Average Annual Operating Costs that are fixed costs -
%
3. Percent of Average Annual Operating Costs that are variable costs
%
Other Applicable Information
A. Copies of applicable local regulations relating to Water Conservation and
Emergency Water Demand Management Planning. (attach copies)
8. Other applicable documents. (attach copies or list as needed)
C. Information on Civic Groups, Organizations, and other entities. It would be
advisable for the utility to consider which groups may help and which group may
be opposed to various aspects of the water conservation and emergency water
demand management plans. These need not be listed, but early consideration
by the utility is advised.
Appendix A
Page 4 of4
APPENDIX B
WATER SAVING METHODS THAT CAN BE
PRACTICED BY THE INDIVIDUAL WATER USER
In-home water use accounts for an average of 65 percent of total residential use. while
the remaining 35 percent is used for exterior residential purposes such as lawn
watering and car washing. Average residential in-home water use data indicates that
about 40 percent is used for toilet flushing, 35 percent for bathing, 11 percent for
kitchen uses, and 14 percent for clothes washing. Water saving methods that can be
practiced by the individual water user are listed below,
Bathroom
1. Take a shower instead of filling the tub and taking a bath. Showers usually use
less water than tub baths.
2. Install a low-flow shower head which restricts the quantity of flow at 60 psi to no
more than 3.0 gallons per mìnute.
3. Take short showers and install a cutoff valve or turn the water off while soaping
and back on again only to rinse.
4. Do not use hot water when cold will do. Water and energy can be saved by
washing hands with soap and cold water; hot water should only be added when
hands are especially dirty.
5. Reduce the level of the water being used in a bathtub by one or two inches if a
shower is not available.
6. Turn water off when brushing teeth until it is time to rinse.
7. Do not let the water runwhen washing hands. Instead, hands should be wet, 'and
water should be turned off while soaping and scrubbing and turned on again to
rinse. A cutoff valve may also be installed on the faucet.
8. Shampoo hair in the shower. Shampooing in the shower takes only a little more
water than is used to shampoo hair during a bath and much less than shampooing
and bathing separately.
9. Hold hot water in the basin when shaving instead of letting the faucet continue to
run.
Appendix B
Page J of5
10. Test toilets for leaks. To test for a leak, a few drops of food coloring can be
added to the water in the tank. The toilet should not be flushed. The customer
can then watch to see if the coloring appears in the bowl within a few minutes. If it
does, the fixture needs adjustment or repair.
11. Use a toilet tank displacement devise. A one-gallon plastic milk bottle can be
filled with stones or with water, recapped, and placed in the toilet tank. This will
reduce the amount of water in the tank but still provide enough for flushing.'
(Bricks which some people use for this purpose are not recommended since they
crumble eventually and could damage the working mechanism, necessitating a
call to the plumber.) Displacement devices should never be used with new low-
volume flush toilets.
12. Install faucet aerators to reduce water consumption.
13. Never use the toilet to dispose of cleansing tissues, cigarette butts, or other trash.
This can waste a great deal of water and also places an unnecessary load on the
sewage treatment plant or septic tank.
14. Install a new low-volume flush toilet that uses 3.5 gallons or less per flush when
building a new home or remodeling a bathroom.
B. Kitchen
I. Use a pan of water (or place a stopper in the sink) for rinsing pots and pans and
cooking implements when cooking rather than turning on the water faucet each
time a rinse is needed.
2. Never run the dishwasher without a full load. In addition to saving water,
expensive detergent will last longer and a significant energy saving will appear on
the utility bill.
. 3. Use the sink disposal sparingly, and never use it for just a few scraps.
4. Keep a container of drinking water in the refrigerator. Running water from the tap
until it is cool is wasteful. Better still, both water and energy can be saved by
keeping cold water in a picnic jug on a kitchen counter to avoid opening the
refrigerator door frequently.
5. Use a small pan of cold water when cleaning vegetables rather than letting the faucet
run.
6. Use only a little water in the pot and put a lid on it for cooking most food. Not only
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does this method save water, but food is more nutritious since vitamins and
minerals are not poured down the drain with the extra cooking water.
7. Use a pan of water for rinsing when hand washing dishes rather than running the
faucet.
8. Always keep water conservation in mind, and think of other ways to save in the
kitchen. Small kitchen savings from not making too much coffee or letting ice
cubes melt in a sink can add up in a year's time.
Laundry
1. Wash only a full load when using an automatic washing machine (32 to 59 gallons
are required per load.)
2. Use the lowest water level setting on the washing machine for light loads
whenever possible.
3. Use cold water as often as possible to save energy and to conserve the hot water
for uses which cold water cannot serve. (This is also better for clothing made of
today's synthetic fabrics.)
Appliances and Plumbing
1. Check water requirements of various models and brands when considering
purchasing any new appliance that uses water. Some use less water than others.
2. Check all water line connections and faucets for leaks. If the cost of water is
$1.00 per 1,000 gallons, one could be paying a large bill for water that simply
goes down the drain because of leakage. A slow drip can waste as much as 170
gallons of water EACH DAY, or 5,000 gallons per month, and can add as much as
$5.00 per month to the water bill.
3. Learn to replace faucet washers so that drips can be corrected promptly. It is
easy to do, costs very little, and can represent a substantial amount saved in
plumbing and water bills.
4. Check for water leakage that the customer may be entirely unaware of, such as a
leak between the water motor and the house. To check, all indoor and outdoor
faucets should be turned off, and the water meter should be chocked. If it
continues to run or turn, a leak probably exists and needs to be located.
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5. Be sure the hot water heater thermostat is not set too high. Extremely hot settings
waste water and energy because the water often has to be cooled with cold water
before it can be used.
6. Use a moisture meter to determine when house plants need water. More plants die
from over watering than from being on the dry side.
Out-of-Door Use
1. Water lawns early in the morning during the hotter summer months. Much of the
water used on the lawn can simply evaporate between the sprinkler and the grass.
2. Use a sprinkler that produces large drops of water, father than a fine mist, to avoid
evaporation.
3. Turn soaker hoses so the holes are on the bottom to avoid evaporation.
4. Water slowly for better absdrption. and never water in high winds.
5. Forget about watering the streets or walks or driveways. They will never grow a
thing.
6. Condition the soil with compost before planting grass or flower beds so that water will
soak in rather than run off.
7. Fertilize lawns at least twice a year for root stimulation. Grass with a good root
system makes better use of less water.
8. Learn to know when grass needs watering. If it has turned a dull grey-grèen or if
footprints remain visible, it is time to water.
9. Do not water too frequently. Too much water can overload the soil so that air cannot
get to the roots and can encourage plant diseases.
10. Do not over-water. Soil can absorb only so much moisture and the rest simply runs
off. A timer will help, and either a kitchen timer or an alarm clock will do. An inch
and one-half of water applied once a week will keep most Texas grasses &live and
healthy.
11. Operate automatic sprinkler systems only when the demand on the town's water
supply is lowest. Set the system to operate between four and six a.m.
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12. Do not scalp lawns when mowing during hot weather. Taller grass holds moisture
better. Rather, grass should be cut fairly often, so that only 1/2 to 3/4 inches is
trimmed off. A better looking lawn will result.
13. Use a watering can or hand water with the hose in small areas of the lawn that need
more frequent watering (those near walks or driveways or in especially hot, sunny
spots).
14. Learn what types of grass, shrubbery, and plants do best in the area and in which
parts of the lawn, and then plant accordingly. If one has a heavily shaded yard, no
amount of water will make roses bloom. In especially dry sections of the state,
attractive arrangements of plants that are adapted to arid or semi-arid climates
should be chosen.
15. Consider decorating areas of the lawn with rocks, gravel, wood chips, or other
materials now available that require no water at all.
16. Do not 'sweep' walks and cfriveways with the hose. Use a broom or fake instead.
17. Use a bucket of soapy water and use the hose only fOf rinsing when washing the car.
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