Washington Water Efficiency Policies: Enhancing Distribution System Integrity

1. Washington State Department of Health Division of Environmental Health Office of Drinking Water Mike DexelWater Resources Policy Lead Municipal Water Law and Water Use Efficiency RuleRedefining Distribution System Leakage

2. Mission To protect the health of the people of Washington Stateby ensuring safeand reliabledrinking water.

3. The Municipal Water Law (MWL) • In 2003 the state legislature creates law to address growing water needs • Complex water law reform • Water systems can use “inchoate water” for growth within service area • Required Department of Health to adopt rules for efficient use of water

4. MWL Implications • Effect on planning program • With water system plan approval: • Gain additional connections • Expand service area • Result in fewer small water systems • Consistency between water system and local government planning

5. Water Use Efficiency Rule • Involved stakeholder input (Subcommittee Report) • Effective Date: January 22, 2007 • Only applies to municipal water suppliers • Water systems with 15 or more residential service connections • Approximately 2,300 water systems statewide

6. Achievements During First Yearof Implementation (2007) • Getting Started – WUE Guidebook • Over 30 training events statewide • Statewide Public Forum Schedule • Post goal setting meeting notice on DOH Web

7. What are the Water Efficiency Requirements? • Planning • Set customer goals to use water efficiently in a public forum • Annual performance report • Meter installation • Leakage standard

8. Planning Requirements • Forecast water demand based on implementation of WUE program • Implement measures or evaluate for cost effectiveness • Evaluate rates, reclaimed water opportunities • Implement customer measures (such as toilet rebates) to reach goal

9. Goal Setting Requirement • Establish a goal with: • Measurable water savings • Timeframe to achieve the goal • Specific to each water system • Use a public process to establish goal • Designed to enhance the efficient use of water by the water system customers

10. Annual Performance Report Must include: • Annual production • Leakage (volume and percentage) • Progress made in achieving goals • Progress made installing meters

11. Source and Service Meters • Source meters required now • Service meters required within 10 years (January 22, 2017) • Meters must be calibrated, replaced, and maintained for accuracy

12. Rationale for Meters • Authorizing statute, “…(leakage) limit in terms of percentage…of total water supplied” • Provide quantitative data • Most accurate way to calculate leakage • “If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it”

13. Number of Leaks

14. Volume of Water

15. The Leakage Standard • Only applies to distribution system • 10% for most water systems • Follows general principles of International Water Association methodology • Importance of volume

16. Redefining Unaccounted for Water (UAFW) • Leakage is not “UAFW” • Never standardized • Defined differently • All water is accounted for • To understand water loss use: • Distribution system leakage • Authorized consumption

17. Leakage Includes • Actual leaks • Theft • Meter inaccuracies • Meter reading errors • Data collection errors • Calculation errors • Water main breaks

18. Authorized Consumption Includes • Sales to customers • Maintenance flushing • Fire fighting • Cleaning of tanks or reservoirs • Street cleaning Unmetered uses MUST BEtracked and estimated

19. The Leakage Formula Percent DSL = [(TP – AC) / (TP)] x 100 • Where DSL = % of distribution system leakage • TP = total water produced and purchased • AC = authorized consumption

20. What About Volume? • Percentage is not the whole story • Leakage fluctuates with population, water efficiency savings • Reducing water loss is the goal, often better told through volume

21. Alternative Methodology Must be a “Better Evaluation” • Must be approved by the state • Must be published • Must have numerical standards so compliance can be determined

22. Compliance With Leakage Standard Four ways to be in compliance: • 10% or less • Numerical standard for the alternative methodology • Develop and implement a water loss control action plan • 20% or less for 500 connections or less

23. What is a Water Loss Control Action Plan? • Documented effort to reduce leakage by implementing water loss control methods • Timeframe for achieving the leakage standard • Budget to fund the plan • Technical or economical concerns that prevent compliance

24. Higher Leakage Requires Greater Efforts to Reduce Leaks • Assess data accuracy and collection methods (11-19%) • Implement field activities (20-29%) • Implement distribution system leakage control methods (above 30%)

25. How Do I Reduce Leaks? • Conduct water audit; leak detection survey • Repair leaky storage tanks • Calibrate or replace meters • Pressure management • Install acoustic leak detection loggers

26. Why Should I Reduce Leaks? • Regulatory compliance • Make a business case for reducing leaks • Save operating costs • Loss of revenue • Save on energy bills • What is the price of fixing a leak after the damage is done?

27. Why Should I Reduce Leaks? (cont.) • Protect public health, prevent contamination during pressure loss • Demonstrate stewardship of the resource to public/customers

28. Where are Those Leaks? • Majority annual volume of leaks occur on customer service piping • Filter backwash at treatment plant • Tank overflows • Meter inaccuracies • Unmetered facilities (parks, city hall) • Data transfer, math errors • Old infrastructure

29. Take Home Messages • If you can’t authorize it, consider it leakage • Do not use “unaccounted for” water to describe water loss • If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it

30. For More Information Mike Dexel360-236-3154michael.dexel@doh.wa.gov http://www.doh.wa.gov/ehp/dw/ programs/wue.htm

31. Questions?