Real World ExperiencesBusiness, Industry & GovernmentWater Conservation Program

Jeff SandbergPNWS Conference

May 2, 2008

Customer Requests

• Green building• Cost reduction• Unexpected

increases

Green Buildings - Office

• Replace toilets, faucets, showerheads• Determined fixture use by manf. Date• Estimated savings: 1.6 MG/mth• Actual (so far) 98,000 gal/mth

Green Buildings - Hotel

• Faucets are 0.5 gpm • Installed 2.0 gpm showerheads• Estimated savings: >300,000 gal/mth

Reducing Costs - Office

• Installed 0.5 gpm faucets• Estimated savings: ~ 39,000 gal/mth

Reducing Costs – Glass

• Installed recirculation system• Estimated savings: ~ 450,000 gal/mth

Unknown Use – Asst. Care

• Use ~ 1,150 gpd excess• 8 leaking toilets – 144 gpd per toilet

Markham House24-Hour Water Demand Profile

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Demand Profile Results

Average Flow = 3.1 gpm

Minimum Flow = 0.46 gpm

Min to Avg. Ratio = 0.15

Unknown Use – Tavern

• Excess use ~ 1,900 gpd• Plumber checked• Dye tested.

Unknown Use – Restaurant

• Excess use ~ 5,000 gpd or 3.3 gpm

Unknown Use – Firelines

• Pumps, risers and underground

Unknown Use – Trap Primer

• Ultrasonic metering• Excess use: 27,000 gpd

Unknown Use – Single Pass

• Replaced with air cooled• Savings: ~ 495,000 gal/mth

Unknown Use – @*^%$

• Feline Entertainment• Humidification• Retribution

World Of Conservation…

• To expect the unexpected shows a thoroughly modern intellect. Oscar Wilde

• The simplest answer is usually the correct one.

Ultrasonic Water Meter

Customer ServiceThrough Targeted Water Conservation Programs

Sarah Murphy SantnerPNWC ConferenceApril 2008

• In the City of Portland more than 25% of citizens are classified as low income.

• For the past ten years the Portland Water Bureau has designed and funded conservation programs that are specifically targeted at low-income families.

• Current programs:– Home Water Assessment pilot project– Use Less, Pay Less Resource Conservation

Targeted programs for low-income customers

Home Water Assessment• 2 year pilot project• Leverage existing program though

the Energy Trust of Oregon• 3 water providers partnered

– Portland Water Bureau – Tualatin Valley Water District– Rockwood PUD

• Goal to provide 200 water assessments per year per utility

Home Water Assessment Recruitment

• Portland targeted outreach to low-income customers only

• Mailed an invitation flier to all customers enrolled in Portland’s financial discount program.

• Trained Portland call center staff to make referrals to the program

Home Water Assessment Procedure

• Staff trained by the Energy Trust of Oregon enter private homes.

• Toilet leak test. Replace flapper as needed.

• Measure flow of all faucets and showerheads. Replace aerators and heads as needed.

• Document presence of dishwasher

• Document style (front vs. top load) of washing machine

• Document other leaks

• Customer Response– 7,230 invitations mailed to date– 150 Water Assessments completed– 2% response rate

• Cost– Estimated cost per assessment $50

(devices, staff time, administration, data)

• Water Savings– Total estimated savings to date based on

engineering estimates - 7,147 gallons per day.– Estimated savings 47 gallons/household/day– Approximately $171 year to customer– True savings based on meter data - TBD

Home Water Assessment Results

Use Less, Pay Less Resource Conservation Program

• 2 year pilot project for recycling & water conservation education

• Outreach to 1,000 low-income customers each year

• Leverage established community organizations which have existing relationships with clients

• Train NGO staff to provide education

• Recruit community partners• Focus groups with target audience• Develop training materials & kits for

customers• Train community partners

Use Less, Pay Less Procedure

• Customer Response– 1,000 customers served per year

• Cost– $57 per participant

• Water Savings– Evaluation of savings from another

program done with similar kits showed a 13.4 CCF annual savings

Use Less, Pay Less Results

Sarah Murphy SantnerResidential Conservation

Coordinator

503-823-7444

Sarah.santner@ci.portland.or.us

Questions?