Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution No. 09-036 CITY OF THE COLONY, TEXAS RESOLUTION NO. 09- O A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF THE COLONY, TEXAS ADOPTING THE WATER CONSERVATION PLAN TO BECOME EFFECTIVE UPON ITS PASSAGE AND APPROVAL WHEREAS, it is the goal of the City to control consumption of water by educating the citizens of The Colony about conservation practices through an aggressive public information program and to maintain system controls and procedures that will minimize water loss; and WHEREAS, the plan has been developed to meet the requirements of the Texas Administrative Code, Title 30, Environmental Quality, Chapter 288, Subchapter A and Subchapter B. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY OF THE COLONY, TEXAS THAT: SECTION 1. The City Council hereby adopts the Water Conservation Plan. SECTION 2. The plan shall become effective immediately upon passage of this resolution. PASSED AND APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF THE COLONY, TEXAS, ON THE 18th DAY OF May, 2009. G ose McCou ,Mayor C', of The C lony, Texas ATTE Christie Wilson, City Secretary ~o . F# JJ THE COLONY "bk"fi%`La April 4, 2009 WATER CONSERVATION PLAN This document outlines the Water Conservation Management Plan for the City of The Colony, Texas, as approved by The Colony City Council on May 18, 2009. The plan is divided into two sections: (1) Water Conservation and (2) Drought Contingency Plan, which was established by ordinance, sec. 12-118.1, and revised on March 5, 2007. The objective of the conservation program is to identify strategies for controlling the consumption of water, for reducing the loss or waste of water, for maintaining or improving the efficiency in the use of water, for increasing the recycling and reuse of water and for preventing the pollution of water. The drought contingency section addresses 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 due to drought or other water supply emergency. Drought Contingency procedures include conservation measures, but may also include prohibition of certain water uses. This plan has been developed to meet the requirements of Texas Administrative Code Title 30, Environmental Quality, Chapter 288, Subchapter A (Water Conservation Plans) and Subchapter B (Drought Contingency Plans). The City of The Colony Water Master Plan found that additional water supplies would be needed to satisfy projected growth. The Five Year Strategic Plan on Water Conservation defines goals for Fiscal Years 2009 - 2014 and presents recommended measures and budgetary efforts to achieve these goals. Planning Area and Project Description The planning area is the total area within the current city limits of The Colony, which is approximately 13.7 square miles. The project is the total water system owned and operated by the City of The Colony, which distributes potable water to all water customers within the planning area. Currently, the population of the service area is approximately 39,734. WATER CONSERVATION PLAN Program Goals The objectives of the Water Conservation Plan are (1) to control consumption of water by educating the citizens of The Colony about conservation practices through an aggressive public information program and (2) to maintain system controls and procedures that will minimize water loss. Many communities throughout the United States have used conservation measures to successfully cope with various water and wastewater problems. While The Colony has an adequate supply of water and has not experienced water shortages in the past, municipal governments have an environmental obligation to seek ways to conserve the water supply, and this Plan defines the methods the City intends to use to fulfill that obligation. Effective October 7, 2004, Title 30 Chapter 288 of the Texas Administrative Code (TAC) entitled Water Conservation Plans, Drought Contingency Plans, Guidelines and Requirements requires the submission and implementation of a water conservation plan meeting the requirements of Subchapter A of Chapter 288 (Ref. 6). The requirements for the plans are: Utility Profile: The regulation requires specific information regarding population and customer data, water use date, water supply system data, and wastewater system data. Goals: Beginning May 1, 2009, specific quantified five-year and ten-year targets for water savings to include goals for water loss programs and goals for municipal use, in GPCD are required. Accurate Metering Devices: The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) requires metering devices with an accuracy of plus or minus S percent for measuring water diverted from source supply. Universal Metering, Testing, Repair, and Replacement: The TCEQ requires that there be a program for universal metering of both customer and public uses of water, for meter testing and repair, and for periodic meter replacement. Non-Promotional Rate Structure: Chapter 288 requires a water rate structure that is not "promotional," i.e., rates that discourage increased water usage such as increasing block instead of volume discounts. Leak Detection, Repair, and Control of Unaccounted for Water: Measures to determine and control unaccounted for water are required. These measures may include periodic visual inspections along distribution lines, and periodic audits of the water system for illegal connections or abandoned services. Continuing Public Education Program: TCEQ requires a continuing public education and information program for water conservation. Reservoir Systems Operational Plan: This requirement is to provide a coordinated operational structure for operation of reservoirs owned by the water supply entity within a common water shed or river basin in order to optimize available water supplies. A Means to Implementation and Enforcement: A means to implement and enforce the water conservation plan, evidenced by an ordinance, resolution, or tariff and a description of the authority by which the conservation plan is enforced is required in the regulations. Coordination with Regional Water Planning Groups: The water conservation plan should document the coordination with the Regional Water Planning Group for the service area of the public water supplier to demonstrate consistency with the appropriate approved regional water plan. Additional Conservation Strategies: Strategies not previously referred to include adoption of ordinances, plumbing codes or rules requiring water- conserving fixtures in existing structures; reuse and/or recycling of wastewater and/or graywater; a program for pressure control and/or reduction in distribution system and/or customer connections; a program and/or ordinance(s) for landscape water management; a method for monitoring the effectiveness and efficiency of the water conservation plan. Update of the Plan: The public water supplier must review and update its Water conservation plan, as necessary, based on an assessment of previous five-year and ten-year targets and any other new or updated information. These plan requirements are detailed as Plan Elements and discussed below. Conservation Plan Process The Water Conservation Plan was developed through a comprehensive approach that included review of other established water conservation programs, data, literature, state regulations, and the Dallas Water Utilities (DWU) Conservation Plan. As a contracted customer city of Dallas Water Utilities, The Colony is required to incorporate into its' plan like goals and measures supported in the City of Dallas conservation plan. Development of the Water Conservation Plan was also coordinated with conservation planning efforts of the TWDB Region C Water Planning Croup. Water usage data was reviewed to identify areas to apply conservation efforts. Numerous water conservation strategies were reviewed and evaluated based on their effectiveness and feasibility to implement during the five-year period. Plan Elements Water conservation methods are typically divided into two categories: demand management methods and supply management methods. Demand management methods deal with water use on the downstream side of the customer meter and provide education and incentives to manage water use by the customer. This method of conservation may result in a decrease in water revenues due to decreases in purchased water. Supply management methods deal with the water system upstream of the customer meter and seek to improve efficiency and reduce waste within the production, treatment, and distribution system. Supply management results in decreased costs to the City as water losses in the system are reduced. The City of The Colony uses a combination of these methods in its Water Conservation Plan. Element 1: City of The Colony Water Profile The following information has been incorporated from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality's Utility Profile and Water Conservation Plan Requirements for Municipal Water Use by Public Water Suppliers (TCEQ Report 10218). POPULATION AND CUSTOMER DATA (see Appendix A) Element 2: Conservation Goals Information on future population and water demand forecasts, as well as the present and anticipated capacity of the City of The Colony water supply, treatment and distribution system were reviewed as part of the planning process. The most recent long-term population forecasts by the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) projected sustained growth and water demand. (see Appendix B) The Texas Water Development Board completed the updating of their population projections for Region C in July 2004, using U.S. Census data to project The Colony's population. These projections can be found in Appendix B. Additionally, TWDB provides water demand projections for regional planning efforts based on historical per capita consumption projection. Appendix B shows TWDB water demand projections for the City of The Colony. In 2008, the City of The provided over 3.8 billion gallons of water to approximately 12,000 City of The Colony accounts. Of these accounts, over eight-five percent were classified as Residential and fifteen percent were commercial. The Texas legislature's Water Conservation Implementation Task Force recommended standard methodologies for calculating Total Gallons per Capita per Day (GPCD) and residential GPCD. Using this methodology, total GPCD (including unbilled) for the City of The Colony ranged from 138 to 158 GPCD for the period 2005 through 2008. Residential (single family plus multi-family) for the same period was 164 GPCD. The total gallons per capita per day (GPCD) has been used to measure water demands specific to the population. The total GPCD is the total amount of water diverted and/or pumped for potable use divided by the total population. Seasonal Water Use Patterns Seasonal water use provided important information for planning for water treatment and treated water distribution capacity. Comparison of Winter/Summer demands identifies potential water use savings from landscape irrigation and outdoor use. Seasonal use patterns were examined for residential and commercial customers to determine peak seasonal use patterns. For the period FY2006 through FY2008, the summer to winter water use ratio was used as an indicator of seasonal peak demands. Comparison of summer to winter water use also provides an estimate of outdoor use. For residential water users, the summer to winter ratio averaged approximately 1. 5, while summer to winter ratios for commercial customers averaged 1. 1, but vary significantly based upon business type. The City of The Colony proposes to implement new conservation strategies that are outlined in Element 10 of this plan. The goal will be to meet an Annual Gallons per Capita per Day Average of 150. These projections can be found in Appendix C. Long Range Water Planning Efforts The City of The Colony regularly conducts water master planning efforts to evaluate and plan for future water service needs. The 2006 Master Plan concluded that additional sources of water must be procured to meet future water needs. Capital Improvement Plans developed based on the City's master plan include the procurement of additional treated water supply and future expansion of the City of The Colony's current groundwater production capabilities. Future Water Supply Sources A project is under construction to provide capacity for an additional 15 MGD of treated water from DWU. The project includes a pipeline that will feed a future southern water pump station. The supply line is a joint project with the cities of Lewisville, Carrollton, and The Colony. The City's Master Plan shows a build out of 78,000 with a demand capacity of 32 MGD. The addition of this new water source will leave 11 MGD to be obtained through the expansion of the City's groundwater production facilities. Element 3: Accurate Metering Devices: As per Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) requirements metering devices are tested and calibrated for accuracy. Raw water meters, and treated water meters from the point of diversion from DWU are calibrated semi-annually to within 5% accuracy. In addition, Dallas Water Utilities maintains meters in close proximity to the City of The Colony meters, providing redundant flow recordings that allow comparison of flow readings, early detection of errant recordings, leaks, and/or meter inaccuracies. Element 4: Universal Metering, Testing, Repair, and Replacement: The City of The Colony current meter program provides universal metering of both customer and public uses of water and a regularly scheduled maintenance program of meter testing, repair, and replacement. Temporary meters are required on all construction projects including City projects. The City has implemented a meter change out program to replace all residential meters and commercial meters (1 1/2- inch and 2-inch) with high efficiency single jet meters. Water provided to the system is also metered and each meter is calibrated and certified accurate to within +1-5% semi-annually. Element 5: Non-Promotional Rate Structure: The City of The Colony currently has a rate structure comprised of a monthly minimum based on the meter size and then a flat rate for each 1,000 gallons, above the first 2,000 gallons. The rates are shown in Appendix D. The City annually reviews water rate structures to ensure that the prevailing rates encourage water conservation while covering the total cost of service and minimizing adverse impacts. Element 6: Leak Detection, Repair, and Control of Unaccounted for Water: The City of The Colony's leak detection, location, and repair programs have been employed for several years to identify distribution system losses and control unaccounted for water. The City employs periodic visual inspections along distribution lines, including routine aerial inspections, listening equipment for leak detection regularly used when exercising of valves and flushing of hydrants, and periodic audits of the water system for illegal connections or abandoned services. The City currently has practices in place to control system pressure. Pressure checks are made on fire hydrants during flushing and routine exercising. Additionally, booster pump station and elevated tank pressures are continuously monitored via telemetry throughout the city. Element 7: Continuing Public Education Program: 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 retail water users about ways to save water in homes and businesses, in landscaping and lawn uses, and in recreational uses. The City currently provides the information to retail customers in the following manner: Provide conservation suggestions to all residential, commercial, and industrial water customers. Water conservation pamphlets, containing information on the Water Conservation and Drought Contingency Plans have been mailed out to all water customers. Additionally, this information is available at kiosks throughout City facilities, including the lobby of City Hall and in the Public Library. Conservation information is distributed at City events and environmental program functions that involve the general public. Public media campaigns that broadcast conservation tips on the City cable channel and radio station. Conservation tips and information on the Water Conservation and Drought Contingency Plans are available on the City web page and in newsletters. Element 8: Implementation and Enforcement The Mayor, Mayor Pro Tem, City Manager, or City Manager's duly appointed representative will act as the Administrator of the Water Conservation and Drought Contingency Plans. The Administrator will oversee the execution and implementation of all elements of the Plan and will be responsible for seeing that adequate records are kept for program verification. A copy of the City of The Colony's Drought Contingency Ordinance is included in Appendix E. Element 9: Coordination with Regional Water Planning Groups: The City of The Colony is located in Denton County and is part of the Region C Water Planning Group. The Colony receives all of its surface water from Dallas Water Utilities, which is one of the five major water providers identified in the Region C Plan. A copy of the City of Water Conservation and Drought Contingency Plan has been submitted to Dallas Water Utilities and the Region C Water Planning Group. Element 10: Water Conservation Strategies Various water conservation strategies were examined and considered during this process. These strategies were the result of numerous resources, including state agency directives, regional water planning groups, water conservation literature, and established water conservation programs used by other municipalities. Water conservation strategies currently employed include the following: Universal meter testing, repair and replacement Leak detection, repair, and control of unaccounted for water Public awareness and education campaign Means of implementation and enforcement of drought contingency ordinances Coordination with regional water planning groups Record Management system Reuse Water Planning Adoption of updated plumbing code Distribution system pressure control program The Texas Water Conservation Implementation Task Force developed a "Best Management Practices Guide" which provided recommended conservation measures. These best management practices (BMP's) are divided into three groups: Municipal, agricultural, and industrial. Both municipal and industrial BMP's were evaluated based on the water usage within the City of The Colony. In addition to the TWDB's BMP's, the City of The Colony evaluated conservation strategies introduced in the 2006 Region C Water Plan. Water conservation strategies identified from the BMPS were compiled. Each strategy has been identified for potential implementation during the next five-year period. The following were considered for implementation during the 2009-2013 period. Water conservation pricing Expanded school and public education programs Water surveys for single-family and multi-family customers Landscape irrigation conservation and incentives Park and athletic field conservation Golf course conservation Expanded reuse program Commercial water audits Commercial water waste reduction Commercial water conservation/pollution prevention programs (P2) Commercial landscape Benefits of implementing identified strategies exist, beyond meeting mandated water conservation requirements from the TCEQ. Conservation strategies will extend the life of the distribution system; prolong capital improvements and the need to procure additional treated water source, and lower the operating cost of the distribution system and peak demands. Recommended Water Conservation Strategies Water Conserva6m Strategies Recommended Actions