By Ed Butts, PE, CPI
Water Conservation and
Management Plans
The plans are growing in popularity, so make sure you know how
to construct one for your customers.
n addition to the normally
predictable work tasks such as
engineering, design, and project
management, one of the duties I
regularly perform is the preparation of
various studies and plans for clients.
As you would expect, this work is
usually varied and includes different
types of reports and studies. These can
include master plans, facility plans,
conceptual and feasibility studies,
financing studies, operation and maintenance plans, and project summary
(closeout) reports.
In addition, one of the most common
types of plans we prepare in today’s
world is water conservation and management plans. Interestingly enough,
during my initial 10 to 15 years in the
engineering profession, I completed
only five or so of these plans. But over
the past 10 years, due to ever-increasing
regulations and concerns about enhancing water conservation, this type of
report has now swelled to around 25
completed plans.
Although most of you will never
need to write one of these plans, I feel
that all of us working in the water well
industry must recognize the need for improving and increasing water conservation and the many techniques currently
I
Ed Butts, PE, CPI, is the chief engineer at
4B Engineering & Consulting, Salem, Oregon.
He has more than 30 years experience in the
water well business, specializing in engineering and business management. He can be
reached at epbpe@juno.com.
44/ November 2009 Water Well Journal
used to accomplish this goal. So let’s
explore the various elements that are
used in developing these very important
plans and the ways we can help our customers better understand the need for
water conservation and management
practices.
However, before we begin, it’s important to emphasize that my daily engineering practice is generally limited to
Oregon and Washington. Therefore, the
requirements for developing water conservation and management plans within
those states constitute the majority of
my experience and knowledge. The
techniques and methods I will discuss,
though, are fairly universal and apply to
virtually all regions of the country.
What Is a Water Conservation
and Management Plan?
Although this question is no longer
as common from my clients, I can recall
the days not so long ago when the question would almost always be asked
when I would inform my client they
would need one.
Basically, the short answer is that a
water management and conservation
plan is a tool, nothing more or less. It’s
usually developed using a somewhat
equal consideration of the many competing uses for water within the affected
basin and region and as a guideline for
the proper allocation of the remaining
water resources for future needs.
To be effective, however, the plan
must be flexible. If the plan is too rigid
or doesn’t provide any room for any
future modification or amendment, it
will ultimately be a disaster for you and
your client.
The plan must also be scheduled to
receive regular reviews and updates
to provide for changes in any of the
economic, regulatory, environmental,
or natural science realms.
Although most plans are currently
developed for review by local or state
government bodies, many industrial and
business entities have recently recognized the potential for enhancing and
protecting their business climate and
provide for possible future changes by
developing their own internal plans.
These businesses are especially those
who rely heavily on dependable and
predictable water supplies for their
enterprise such as wood products,
nuclear power, and electronic component manufacturers.
Before 1995, the need to prepare and
use water conservation and management
plans was generally voluntary and used
as a management and policy guideline
to properly manage dwindling or scarce
water resources in regions where the
usage was typically higher than the natural replenishment. As the population
has continued to grow and the competition for a finite supply of water became
more intense, government regulators
began to recognize that some method
for managing and conserving the available water resources in a given basin
must be implemented.
YOUR BUSINESS/continues on page 46
NGWA.org
YOUR BUSINESS/from page 44
In Oregon, this process largely began
on the state level during the late 1980s
to early 1990s, although many counties
and cities also recognized this need before the state and developed their own
plans. Although most government bodies now have established protocol and
sample outlines for their idea of the
proper development of water conservation and management plans, each one
must still consider the unique circumstances and regional concerns associated
with the specific area and client.
This simply means there cannot
and should not be any “cookie-cutter”
approach to the preparation of these
plans. Each one must be developed considering the special factors related to
the local water resources. Such factors
would include seasonal depletions or
additions of water; commercial, industrial, and agricultural use; municipal per
capita demands; and growth patterns
and several others.
Components of a Water
Conservation and
Management Plan
Although there are obvious variations in water conservation and management plans based on the needs of the
specific client and the requirements of
the reviewing regulatory body, there are
certain elements within every plan that
are generally established. Among these
many components are the following.
1. Background information
This section provides needed background information and a history of the
client. It’s an overview in most cases
and outlines the history of the water system itself with a detailed description of
the water sources; the pumping, storage,
and delivery systems; water rights summaries; monthly and yearly summaries
of the source water usage patterns and
volume; classifications, types, and volume of consumption; regulatory status;
and system losses.
2. Water conservation plan
This is an obvious section, but one
that is often understated or not comprehensive. The water conservation element is one that must include specific
concepts for saving water and address46/ November 2009 Water Well Journal
ing methods of lessening the use or loss
of water through lowering leakage,
waste, inefficient process systems, and
by lowering pressure where possible.
This element is outlined in greater detail
as follows.
3. Long-range water supply
element
This is a component of water conservation and management plans that is
often neglected, but it is actually the
only true way of addressing future water
needs in the plan. To the extent possible,
the developer of the plan must be a type
of “seer” and look into the future to predict the future growth and therefore the
additional water demands of the city,
industry, or whatever. This generally involves requesting assistance from other
agencies, such as population research or
census bureaus or planning departments.
In addition to predicting the future water
needs, the plan must also address the
potential for increasing regulation,
diminishing water supplies, changes in
technology, competing water uses, and
water rights implications. Although
there are variations between states, regions, and local bodies, anywhere from
10 to 30 years is the most common time
span used for predicting future longrange water supply requirements.
●
4. Water curtailment plan
Remembering that this is also a water
management plan, the developer must
include criteria for water curtailment
during an emergency or water shortage.
This element is often the most publicized and scrutinized by the media and
public in the plan, so the developer
needs to ensure there is equity and fairness throughout the curtailment section.
Once again, there are definite variations
used in curtailment sections, but I suggest the following three basic classifications commonly used for municipalities.
● Stage One: A Stage One alert is
used to notify the water users of a
potential, but not yet imminent,
water shortage. This level of alert
is used to notify the water users
that a possible water shortage may
occur and voluntary steps to lower
water usage and consumption are
immediately requested from the
users. This step includes media notification including press releases,
●
distribution of conservation information to users, and direct notification to larger users to request
voluntary cutbacks of water—
especially grounds watering—until
the notice is lifted. As a sign of
importance, visible water usage
by the water purveyor, such as
grounds watering or vehicle washing, is immediately curtailed. Due
to the cooperation usually received
from the water users, this step is
often the only one needed to head
off the need to issue a higher level
of alert
Stage Two: A Stage Two alert signifies an increasing level of alert
and indicates an actual water shortage condition has occurred. By this
time, in addition to the already
activated restrictions under Stage
One, increasing restrictions of
water use are immediately implemented, including a voluntary
restriction of all non-essential uses
of water such as grounds watering,
vehicle washing, sidewalk and
driveway washdown, swimming
pool filling, and parks and golf
course irrigation. Once again,
although a Stage Two alert is
still regarded as “voluntary,” the
impression often conveyed to the
water users is that the situation
is indeed becoming serious and
immediate cooperation is now
expected from all water users.
Stage Three: Issuance of a Stage
Three alert implies that a critical
and imminent water shortage
now exists and cutbacks of nonessential water uses are no longer
regarded as voluntary but are now
considered as mandatory. In addition to the already implemented
restrictions under Stage One and
Stage Two, additional restrictions
such as a total ban on pipeline
flushing, fire hydrant use where
there is no fire, and all other water
wastes are implemented under the
threat of enforcement. For government bodies with police powers,
this can mean issuing a citation for
violations, while other water suppliers could suspend water delivery
to the violator or use other punitive
measures.
NGWA.org
5. Recommeneded conservation
methods
Generally, it’s not enough to tell
someone they must stop wasting water;
some type of method must also be suggested. Various methods exist which are
known to either conserve water or provide a more accurate means of tracking
water losses. Among the many methods
are the following.
● Increase water rates to users and
implement a sliding rate scale
where users who use more water
pay a higher unit rate for the privilege. For example, charge all users
the same flat rate for the first 1000
gallons used (or any other unit selected), and then charge an increasing rate for the next 1000 gallons
used, a higher rate still for the next
1000 gallons used, and so on. This
type of rate schedule provides two
direct benefits to the water purveyor. It encourages conservation
of water where it’s most effective— in the wallet—and it provides a method to recover the
higher costs of treatment, pumping, and so forth required to produce the higher volumes of water.
● Establish a program to test all production and zonal water meters at a
regular interval (five to 10 years)
to verify accuracy. Verify that all
master meters are sufficiently
accurate at low flow rates as well
as the higher volumes. The use of
compound meters or multiple sizes
is often needed to pick up lower
flow rates at master meter sites.
● Establish a program to selectively
test service meters at a regular
interval (roughly every 10 years).
By performing a routine series of
field tests on a sufficient number
of service meters, you can establish a baseline for statistically predicting the accuracy of all service
meters in the system.
● Develop a public outreach and
educational program for water
conservation, especially in schools.
This type of program can have
very definite benefits as the need
NGWA.org
●
●
for water conservation is not only
touted to the children, but the kids
have a nice habit of transferring
this philosophy to their parents
and siblings at no cost to the water
purveyor.
Conduct a regular leak detection
program using tone devices and
visual inspection. Track water use
and inspect for leaks using a division of the system into smaller and
more manageable zonal distribution (subsystems) with subsystem
master meters.
Encourage (and offer rebates
where possible) the installation of
low flow devices such as low flow
toilets, low flow shower heads, and
drip irrigation, especially in older
homes.
than 200 pages in length. It’s my hope
that I have provided you with enough
information to at the least assist you
with beginning to develop one for yourself or your customer.
Until next month, work safe and
smart. WWJ
6. Maps and graphics
Although a written text with an explanation of all of the methods of water
conservation and management is helpful
and obviously needed, nothing beats a
graphic for most people. A detailed
drawing or sketch is what often provides
a full understanding of what is stated in
the text. For this reason and for clarity,
I always insist on including several
explanatory drawings in all of my plans.
Nothing is better.
7. Implemention schedule
Normally, a technical plan must include some type of schedule for implementing the recommendations. This is
also true of a water conservation and
management plan. A schedule for implementing each recommendation must be
established that is not only reasonable,
but matches the financial ability of the
water purveyor as well as the expectations of the regulatory agency and the
long-range water supply element within
the plan. Once again, the time span for
this element also varies, but it is typically within a span of 10 to 30 years.
Obviously, I have only touched upon
the various factors that can go into a
water conservation and management
plan. Depending on the specific size and
scope of the water system, these plans
can range from just a few pages to more
Water Well Journal November 2009 47/