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The Rise and Fall of Water Budgets in Aurora, CO

The Rise and Fall of Water Budgets in Aurora, CO. Kevin Reidy Water Conservation Supervisor Aurora Water. Background-Aurora, CO. 309,000 inhabitants East side of metro Denver area On the Eastern Plains 14-15” annual precipitation

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The Rise and Fall of Water Budgets in Aurora, CO

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  1. The Rise and Fall of Water Budgets in Aurora, CO Kevin Reidy Water Conservation Supervisor Aurora Water

  2. Background-Aurora, CO • 309,000 inhabitants • East side of metro Denver area • On the Eastern Plains • 14-15” annual precipitation • 95% of water supply comes from snowpack high in the Rocky Mountains • 65,000 single family residential accounts; 10,000 Multi-family, Commercial and Other accounts

  3. Aurora Water Conservation Xeriscape Youth Education Education Ordinances & Standards Aurora Water Conservation ICI Restrictions Education Customer Services Rate Structures

  4. 2002: Emergency Drought Response • 40% of snowpack lost in April • Mandatory every third day watering began May 15 • Effective Sept. 1, 2002 • No watering on Sundays • No watering from 7 a.m.- 7 p.m. • Watering can only occur for 1 hour total • New lawns banned

  5. 2003: Evolution within Drought Response • March 2003 Aurora’s reservoir system was only 27% of capacity full • Opportunity to reframe situation and engage our customers in a water conservation partnership • Not just recipients of a mandatory watering schedule

  6. 2003: Sowing Seeds • Voluntary water budget program for large irrigators • to avoid time constraints of water schedule and hour time limits • Good test case for transferring methodology to every water account the next year

  7. 2004: Broadening the Equity Umbrella • 2004 - a more equitable and individualized water budget system • Tier I- All 69,000 water accounts received • most recent winter quarter average • 70% of 2000-2001 outdoor consumption. • New accounts received a default setting • 3.2 people per household @ 70 gpcd • 3000 sq. ft. @ generally accepted bluegrass ET rates.

  8. Building blocks and issues • Building a team • Water Finance and Billing, Aurora Planning, and IT department • Communicating across disciplines • “Discipline Devotion” • Billing system issues • Communicating the program

  9. Building blocks and issues • Historical Billing Data Issues • Leadership backing the idea • Customer Acceptance

  10. Tier Rate Structure Evolution 2002- 3 Tier system • Based on fixed gallon amount (breakpoints) 2003- 3 Tier account based system • Based on non-individualized allocations for accounts. • Indoor budget was individualized but outdoor budget was standard for everyone. 2004- 3 Tier individualized account system • Based on individualized allocations for accounts. • Indoor and outdoor budgets were individualized but outdoor budget was based on history reduced by 30%.

  11. 2005-2006 • 2005 - increase budgets due to less severe drought stage but still based on a 20% of the 2000-2001 outdoor average • 2006 -based on historical usage from 2005 the outdoor portion adjusted up by 23% • Did not use full allocation in 2006

  12. 2007 • Water budgets were taken off the table as a rate structure • Replaced with a one-size fits all approach • 4 blocks of water steeply increasing

  13. 2007 continued • Residential/townhome • Base $8.50 • Tier I $3.60 WQA • Tier II $4.50 Next 15K/Next 4K • Tier III $8.25 Next 10K/Next 3K • Tier IV $10.75 all else • Conservation credit of $3.75 each month usage is 3K or less

  14. 2007 continued • Multi family • Block I = $3.60 WQA • Block II = $4.50 Next 50% of WQA • Block III = $8.25 Next 100% of WQA • Block IV = $10.75 all else • BIG Problem: Domestic meters that have very low WQA but irrigate large areas in summer

  15. So…what derailed the concept?The perfect storm • Prairie Waters Project (2005-2006) • 38 mile pipeline to return water from South Platte river to Aurora • 850 million dollar project • Need to change rate structure to fund project • For various reasons- key leadership out at crucial points • Conservation taken out of loop • Outside consultant brought in

  16. The perfect storm (contd.) • Prairie Waters Project • Initial phase began in 2005 • Focus from drought and water budget began to shift to massive project • Shift of focus lessened attention and thus diluted support • Refocused on paying for project (12%,12%, 8%, 5% annual revenue increases needed)

  17. The perfect storm (contd.) • Director out due to illness-leadership support suspended • Water director, finance director vacant • Manager over water conservation out in late 2006; I was out on paternity leave for 2 months in fall 2006

  18. The perfect storm (contd.) • Conservation uninvited/outside consultant • No communication between conservation and finance/consultant • Conservation offered advice once some of the implications to customers were realized • Customer not really considered-no appeals process-only big picture view

  19. Backlash • “We liked the way you did it a few years ago” • Large HOA properties hit with high bills; some large lot residential hit with very high bills • No appeals process; Water dept. could not do anything; very unhappy customers

  20. Backlash • 2008 rate structure • Residential (1-4 units) 3 tier structure but still one size fits all; tiers are large enough to accommodate most users • Multifamily & commercial 2 tier system with an annual allocation based on 2005-2006 usage • Return of the water budget? • Some kind of appeals process in place

  21. Are we returning to water budgets? • Probably not for residential (yet); possibly for large and commercial properties • Working again to utilize GIS • Trending toward an informational water budget approach vs. billing on water budgets

  22. Lessons learned • Gather a diverse team in order to institute GIS • Stormwater, forestry, CIP, water quality, conservation, water resources • In other words, show that this just isn’t the crazy hippies in conservation wanting this!

  23. Lessons Learned • Timing is everything • While we were able to start down the water budget path, we couldn’t fully convert to a true water budget approach • Avoid rate fatigue • Don’t change rate structure so much; find something that will work and stick with it

  24. Lessons Learned • Plan out next attempt very carefully • Gather more support from top down • Create robust GIS using coalition • Secure informational budgets first; create proven track record; then convert to billing with them • Track water consumption through informational budgets, especially Water Smart Reader users

  25. What is next? • Continue to use the past drought and momentum gained to affect a permanent change in our customer base • Continue to provide the support and tools necessary to aid in this cultural transformation (to include self-regulated water budgets!!) • Water Customers Water Stewards

  26. Contact Information • Kevin Reidy-Water Conservation Supervisor • Aurora Water-Water Conservation Division • kreidy@auroragov.org • 303-739-7387 • www.aurorawater.org

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