Columbia Basin Water Smart Initiative
2013 Implementation Plan
ONGOING ACTION ITEMS (to be delivered in 2013)
Water Smart Ambassador Program
Timeline: Spring/Summer 2013
The Water Smart Ambassador program will soon be underway for the third year. We will conduct a
program review in the fall with the communities that participate in 2013 in order to determine the
approach for future years. Hiring should begin in March 2013 – Neal Klassen will be in contact with all
communities that have expressed an interest in delivering an Ambassador Program in 2013.
Water Loss Management Training
Timeline: Week of May 27, 2013
Building on the Water Loss Management (WLM) Training courses held in January 2012, October 2012,
and January 2013, we will deliver two EOCP registered field courses in May 2013. As with previous
courses, participating local governments will be required to pay only travel and accommodation costs.
Course dates will be scheduled as soon as possible.
*Prerequisite: in order to be eligible to attend this acoustic leak detection field course, registrants must
have attended a minimum of one of the previous Water Smart water loss management training courses.
Monitoring and Reporting, and Data Analysis Support
Timeline: November 2013 to January 2014
2012 data analysis is now underway. Communities will receive their 2013 monitoring and reporting
spreadsheets by November 2013. **Completed 2013 data reports, including match funding reports for
2013 Contribution Agreements are due Jan 31, 2014.
Face to Face Community Meetings
Timeline: Spring 2013 and 2014
2013 face to face meetings have been scheduled and will focus on:
 Analysis and interpretation of 2009-2013 data sets;
 Updates to 2009 water balances (using AWWA free software, where possible);
 Review of community progress to date and development of 2013 annual mini-reports;
 Identification of barriers to and opportunities for progress toward 2015 targets;
 Ongoing Water Smart Action Plan implementation support;
 Preparation for transition to community driven approach to Water Smart Initiative;
 Data sharing approvals.
It is our intention at this time to deliver face to face meetings once again in the Spring of 2014.
NEW FOR 2013/2014 Delivery
What: Local Government Irrigation Best Practices Training
Why: Improvements to local government irrigation practices and technologies are second only to
water loss management as the most significant opportunities for communities to conserve
water. Training in both operational best practices and irrigation technologies will support Water
Smart Communities to achieve measurable water conservation outcomes.
Who: Local government parks, public works, and/or engineering staff.
When: February 2014
OPTIONAL ITEMS FOR CONSIDERATION BY COMMUNITIES
In order to determine the 2013/2014 suite of action items to be delivered by the Water Smart
Initiative, we are seeking detailed feedback from communities. Please review the list of possible action
items outlined below, and click here to complete our survey by 4:00 p.m. MST Wed., March 6, 2013.
What: Water Loss Management Training for Utility Operators (repeat courses)
Why: In 2012 and 2013 Water Smart delivered a four-course training series in water loss management
for utility operators. The courses were EOCP registered and each course was attended by nearly
50 operators from around the Basin. The courses were:
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January 2012 – 2 day Comprehensive Water Loss Management Training (1.2 CEUs)
October 2012 – Night Flow Analysis and District Metered Areas (DMAs) (0.6 CEUs)
January 2013 – Pressure Management, DMAs, and Water Audits (0.6 CEUs)
May 2013 – Acoustic Leak Detection Field Course (0.6 CEUs)
If there is adequate demand to do so, Water Smart may consider repeating some or all of these
courses in 2013/2014 for operators who were unable to attend one or more of the courses
when they were first delivered.
Who: Water Operators in all Basin Utilities
When: Timeline to be determined based on community demand and feedback
What: Water Loss Management Training for Utility Managers and Engineers
Why: Basin communities are losing between 20 and 80 per cent of their treated water supply through
leaks in the distribution system and residential connections. In addition to being the most
significant water conservation opportunity for virtually every Basin community, a robust water
loss management program is an essential part of achieving water utility infrastructure resilience.
Intended to be complementary to the EOCP registered operator training courses offered in
2012/2013, the proposed training will support water utility managers and engineers to develop,
budget for, and supervise a comprehensive water loss management program. It will cover
problem identification, work plan development, data analysis, and budgeting from a
management perspective.
Who: Water utility managers and/or engineers.
When: September 2013 assuming adequate community demand
What: Repeat Multi-Community Requests for Proposals (RFPs)
Why: To date the Water Smart Initiative has coordinated three multi-community RFPs:
 2010 Acoustic Leak Detection (view the RFP)
 2012 Water Loss Management Planning (view the RFP)
 2012 Water Metering Assessments (view the RFP)
If there is community demand to do so, we will coordinate a second round for these RFPs.
Regardless of demand for a multi-community RFP, all communities are welcome to use the
templates to develop and post their own RFPs.
Who: All Water Smart communities
When: Timeline to be determined based on community demand and feedback
What: Water Meter Implementation Planning and/or Procurement RFPs
Why: Previously, Water Smart Communities were generally not prepared to pursue development and
implementation of customer water metering programs. With the completion of a number of
water metering assessments, it is possible that some communities may soon be prepared to
move ahead with development of implementation plans and/or procurement for water meters.
If there is demand to undertake either of the following RFPs, we will work with those
communities to determine the appropriate timing and approach for the RFPs:
 Water Meter Implementation Planning: this RFP would be suitable for those communities
that have determined to move ahead with some form of customer water metering program
(e.g.: ICI or Universal metering). The RFP would seek a contractor to develop detailed meter
connection counts, meter and reading hardware specifications, an installation and outreach
plan, and procurement papers.
 Water Meter Procurement: this RFP would either follow the Implementation Planning RFP,
or could be used by communities who already know what type and number of meters they
need, but are seeking economies of scale by participating in a multi-community RFP process.
Who: All Water Smart communities
When: Timeline to be determined based on community demand and feedback
What: Learning Opportunity - Water Rate Setting for Revenue Stability and Sufficiency
Why: Many Water Smart Communities (with both flat and variable water rates) have expressed an
interest in gaining education in the area of water rate setting. We are proposing to begin with a
webinar or seminar that will support communities to better understand the process of setting
sustainable water rates to support water conservation objectives and achievement of water
utility revenue sufficiency and stability. Topics to be explored may include:
 Differences between operations and maintenance and full-cost accounting budgets
 Rate structures to achieve a variety of water conservation and revenue objectives
 Data requirements for sustainable water rate setting
 Effectively communicating water rates to utility customers
Who: CAOs, CFOs, and/or Elected Officials in all Water Smart communities
When: Timeline to be determined based on community demand and feedback
What: Water Rate Setting Education
Why: Some Water Smart communities (with both flat and variable water rates) have expressed an
interest in water rate setting education. We are proposing to begin with a webinar or seminar
that will support communities to better understand the process of setting sustainable water
rates as a tool to support the achievement of water conservation objectives and water utility
revenue sufficiency and stability.
Who: CAOs, CFOs, and/or Elected Officials in all Water Smart communities
When: Timeline to be determined based on community demand and feedback
What: Water Utility Cost of Services Study Multi-Community RFP
Why: Accurately determining the annual and long term costs of water utility services is critical to the
achievement of water infrastructure sustainability and resilience for Basin communities. There
may be an opportunity for Water Smart communities to collaborate in a multi-community RFP
for procurement of cost of services studies. By accurately determining the full-cost of
operations, maintenance, and future repair and replacement, a water utility will be better able
to set water rates and to ensure the viability of the utility for the long term.
Who: All Water Smart communities
When: Timeline to be determined based on community demand and feedback