April 2013
1.0 Introduction
As Texas’s population and economy grow, there will be increasing demands on our state’s water
resources. A commitment to more efficient and sustainable water use will help us meet the challenges
this growth will bring. Water conservation, reducing water waste and water loss, can help ensure that
we are able to continue to meet growing water demands. The ultimate goal of water conservation is not
to discourage water use, but to maximize the benefit from each gallon used.
Best management practices contained in the Best Management Practices Guide are voluntary efficiency
measures that save a quantifiable amount of water, either directly or indirectly, and can be
implemented within a specified timeframe. The best management practices are not exclusive of other
meaningful conservation techniques that an entity might use in formulating a state-required water
conservation plan. At the discretion of each user, best management practices may be implemented
individually, in whole or in part, or be combined with other best management practices or other water
conservation techniques to form a comprehensive water conservation program. The adoption of any
best management practice is entirely voluntary, although it is recognized that once adopted, certain
best management practices may have some regulatory aspects to them (e.g. implementation of a local
city ordinance).
Purpose of Municipal Best Management Practices
The following best management practices are a resource and planning tool to improve and enhance
water efficiency and conservation for municipal water providers. This guide offers a detailed
description of specific measures, program elements, policies and procedures that can be
implemented by municipal water providers to help ensure reliable and sustainable water supplies
for future generations.
The guide is intended to be used by water
professionals including water providers, local
governments, consultants, design engineers,
irrigation professionals, and others throughout
the state to help select the most sensible and
cost effective water conservation measures
and programs. Utilities can use many of these
best management practices to include as a
framework for developing strategies in their
water conservation plan. These best
management practices are designed to assist
water providers of all sizes to develop
effective water conservation programs that
deliver real demand reductions among
customers.
This Guide of Best Management Practices for
Municipal Water Providers should be seen as
an essential companion to the water
conservation planning resources developed by
the Texas Water Development Board and
Water Conservation Plans
A water conservation plan can be a very useful
and effective management tool that sets the
foundation for a utility’s long-term water
supply strategy.
In fact many municipal water suppliers are
required to develop a plan. Those plan
requirements can be found in the Texas Water
Development Board guidelines.
Successful water conservation plans will
contain best management practices as
measures to meet the targets and goals
identified within the plan.
For a complete checklist and more information
about the water conservation plan
requirements please visit: www.twdb.texas.gov
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April 2013
can be used by water providers large and small to help select appropriate, cost effective water
conservation program measures.
Implementation of any or all of these best management practices is strictly voluntary and should be
based on the entity’s analysis of the costs and benefits of implementation for their service area. As
new technologies become more affordable and/or infrastructure investments are made, we hope that
providers will consider implementing additional conservation measures.
What is a Best M a n a g e m e n t Practice?
Experience in developing and implementing water conservation programs over the past decades has
resulted in a body of knowledge in Texas and across the United States. This knowledge combined
with experience, research, and analysis has resulted in the development of “best management
practices” (BMPs) which are water planning, management, efficiency measures and policies designed
to deliver proven water savings and improved water management.
Getting Started
Every municipal water provider has their own specific set of conservation priorities and circumstances
based upon their customer base, water supply, and growth potential. Water conservation programs
are tailored to meet the needs of each individual utility and there really is no “one size fits all”
approach.
To assist municipal water utilities and policy makers in selecting appropriate best management
practices, we have offered general groupings of best management practices to consider as
you establish a framework for building your water conservation program and incorporate
strategies.
Assembly Package I: Foundational
Conservation programs are unique, but there are foundational best practices described in this
guide that make sense for all water providers in Texas regardless of circumstances. These utilityside best practices form the backbone of a sound water conservation program and set the stage
for implementing cost-effective water conservation measures in the future. Assembly Package I is
the most basic and could be considered a “minimum” package of utility-side conservation best
practices. Utilities just starting to integrate water conservation into overall water resources
planning and those with limited budgets should start with a package similar to Assembly
Package I which includes utility-side best practices that are considered fundamental and
foundational for the establishment of an effective and low cost water conservation program.
Assembly Package II: Programmatic
This package includes best practices from package I, and ads in regulatory and programmatic best
practices that provide substantial water savings at a relatively low cost for water utilities to implement.
For utilities with limited staff resources and program budgets, regulatory measures are the easiest and
least expensive way to achieve water savings. The conservation best practices in this package impact
the utility side and ensure new and re-developed landscapes are as efficient as possible through
regulations. Assembly Package II builds on the practices included in Assembly Package I and includes
low and moderate cost best practices with maximum impact. Utilities seeking to implement a low to
1.0 Introduction |
April 2013
moderate level program with utility and customer-side measures should consider a package similar to
Assembly Package II.
Assembly Package III: Comprehensive
This package includes a comprehensive set of best management practices. Utilities that implement a
complete package of best management practices in this guide are taking the most proactive approach
to water efficiency. While other conservation program measures beyond these best practices exist,
most of the available water savings will be captured and accelerated through the implementation of
these best practices. Assembly Package III offers a comprehensive package of best management
practices described in this Municipal Best Management Practices Guide. Those seeking maximum costeffective water savings should consider a package similar to Assembly Package III.
Please keep in mind that these assembly packages are just suggested groupings of best practices.
Each provider must decide which best practices make the most sense for their specific situation
and conservation goals.
Few water providers will have the resources to implement all the mentioned best practices covered in
this guidebook. When developing a water conservation program tailored to the needs of the
community, it is anticipated that a utility will start with some of the more foundational best
management practices and add selected additional relevant best management practices.
ASSEMBLY PACKAGE I
Conservation Analysis and Planning
Conservation Coordinator
Cost Effective Analysis
System Operations
Metering of All New Connections and
Retrofit of Existing Connections
System Water Audit and Water Loss
Control
Education & Public Awareness
Public Information
ASSEMBLY PACKAGE II
Conservation Analysis and Planning
Conservation Coordinator
Cost Effective Analysis
Water Survey for Single-Family and MultiFamily Customers
System Operations
Metering of All New Connections and
Retrofit of Existing Connections
System Water Audit and Water Loss
Control
Financial
Water Conservation Pricing
Education & Public Awareness
Public Information
School Education
Rebate, Retrofit, and Incentive Programs
Conservation Programs for ICI Accounts
Regulatory & Enforcement
Prohibition on Wasting Water
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April 2013
ASSEMBLY PACKAGE III
Conservation Analysis and Planning
Conservation Coordinator
Cost Effective Analysis
Water Survey for Single-Family and Multi-Family Customers
System Operations
Metering of All New Connections and Retrofit of Existing Connections
System Water Audit and Water Loss Control
Financial
Water Conservation Pricing
Education & Public Awareness
Public Information
School Education
Rebate, Retrofit, and Incentive Programs
Conservation Programs for ICI Accounts
Residential Clothes Washer Incentive Program
Residential Toilet Replacement Programs
Showerhead, Aerator, and Toilet Flapper Retrofit
Water Wise Landscape Design and Conversion Programs
Conservation Technology
New Construction Graywater
Rainwater Harvesting and Condensate Reuse
Water Reuse
Regulatory & Enforcement
Prohibition on Wasting Water
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April 2013
Implementing Best Management Practices
It is important that water utilities focus on the efficiency of their supply operations while
promoting water efficiency to their customers. A utility can reduce water loss through careful
and regular monitoring of its water delivery systems through practices such as a system water
loss audit. In addition, water conservation pricing can provide an effective method of
encouraging water efficiency by the customer through feedback from the cost of the water to
the user. A conservation coordinator can provide an effective method of ensuring that the
utility’s conservation programs are well administered and effective. Prohibition on water
wasting can help send a message to users about the value of water as well as educate the
general populace about simple steps to save water.
Despite the variety of water uses and numbers of water users, many patterns of water use,
especially in domestic water use are common. As a result a number of conservation measures
have been developed in municipal settings over the past several decades to reduce the total
gallons consumed for daily activities without reducing the benefit of the water used. For
example toilet replacement programs and fixture retrofit and incentive programs focus on
indoor water use.
Outdoor water uses driven by climatic differences, and water needs of different plants, and
used for diverse purposes result in best management practices which are focused on good
landscape management principles. Landscape irrigation conservation and incentives focuses on
water savings that can be obtained through efficient operation of automatic irrigation systems.
School education affects water consumption through changes in behavior as students learn
about water resources and the wise use of water. Water surveys for single-family and multifamily customers educate customers about specific water saving opportunities as well as water
wasting practices which may be present in their home or business. Public information can affect
water consumption through changes in behavior as customers learn about water resources, the
wise use of water and the utility’s conservation program.
Rainwater harvesting and condensate reuse focuses on water savings that can be obtained
through capturing rainwater or the condensate from large cooling systems while new
construction graywater focuses on reuse of water which has been used in washing clothes.
1.0 Introduction |