CITY OF GLENWOOD SPRINGS WATER EFFICIENCY PLAN MAY 13, 2014 Municipal Water Efficiency Plan City of Glenwood Springs, Colorado DRAFT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW ELEMENT Water Consulting & WaterDM December 16, 2014 PAGE 0 MUNICIPAL WATER EFFICIENCY PLAN City of Glenwood Springs, Colorado PREPARED BY P.O. BOX 140785 DENVER, CO 80214 AND 1339 HAWTHORN AVENUE BOULDER, CO 80304 December 16, 2014 CITY OF GLENWOOD SPRINGS MUNICIPAL WATER EFFICIENCY PLAN DECEMBER 16, 2014 DRAFT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW TABLE  OF  CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................................................... 1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................................................... 2 Profile ........................................................................................................................................ 2 Population ................................................................................................................................... 2 Water Demand Forecasts ........................................................................................................... 2 Water Efficiency Planning Process and Goal Setting .................................................................. 3 Water Efficiency Program ........................................................................................................... 4 Water Efficiency Plan Approval .................................................................................................. 5 Roaring Fork Regional Water Efficiency Plan .............................................................................. 5 1. PROFILE OF EXISTING WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM ...................................................................... 6 1.1 Overview......................................................................................................................... 6 1.2 Regional Setting .............................................................................................................. 7 1.3 Water Supply and Reliability .......................................................................................... 7 1.3.1 Potable Water Supply ................................................................................................. 8 1.3.2 Water and Wastewater Treatment .......................................................................... 12 1.3.3 Capacity and Reliability ............................................................................................. 12 1.3.4 Proposed Water and Wastewater Projects .............................................................. 12 2. WATER DEMANDS AND HISTORICAL DEMAND MANAGEMENT .......................................... 13 2.1 Demographics and Service Area Characteristics .......................................................... 13 2.2 Historical Water Demands ........................................................................................... 14 2.3 Seasonal and Peak Day Production .............................................................................. 21 2.4 System Water Losses .................................................................................................... 22 2.5 Past and Current Demand Management Activities ...................................................... 23 2.6 Demand Forecast ......................................................................................................... 23 2.6.1 Population Planning Projections ............................................................................... 24 2.6.2 Demand Forecasts .................................................................................................... 25 2.6.3 Estimated Cost of New Supply Options .................................................................... 30 3. SELECTION OF WATER EFFICIENCY ACTIVITIES ..................................................................... 31 3.1 Summary of the Selection Process ............................................................................... 31 3.2 Demand Management Activities .................................................................................. 32 3.2.1 Foundational Activities ............................................................................................. 33 3.2.2 Targeted Technical Assistance and Incentives ......................................................... 36 3.2.3 Ordinances and Regulations ..................................................................................... 38 3.2.4 Public Education and Information ............................................................................ 40 4. IMPLEMENTATION AND MONITORING PLAN ....................................................................... 41 4.1.1 Monitoring and Evaluation ....................................................................................... 41 4.1.2 Revenue Stability ...................................................................................................... 42 5. ADOPTION, PUBLIC REVIEW, AND APPROVAL OF WATER EFFICIENCY PLAN ....................... 42 6. COMPLIANCE WITH STATE PLANNING REQUIREMENTS ...................................................... 42 6.1.1 Glenwood Springs Compliance ................................................................................. 43 PAGE ii CITY OF GLENWOOD SPRINGS MUNICIPAL WATER EFFICIENCY PLAN DECEMBER 16, 2014 DRAFT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW 7. 8. ROARING FORK REGIONAL WATER EFFICIENCY PLAN .......................................................... 45 REFERENCES .......................................................................................................................... 46 LIST  OF  TABLES Table 1. Population and Annual Water Deliveries (AF/yr) from 2005 through 2013 a. ................ 15 Table 2. Total Indoor and Total Outdoor Water Deliveries from 2005 through 2013. ................ 16 Table 3: Sectoral and Seasonal Water Deliveries from 2005 through 2013 (AF/yr). ................... 17 Table 4: Annual and Daily Flow Production Characteristics from 2005 through 2013. ............... 22 Table 5: Population Growth Projections from 2015 through 2050. ............................................ 24 Table 6: New and Updated Water Efficiency Activities and Water Savings Estimates. ............... 32 Table 7: AWWA Water Audits and Loss Control Programs. ......................................................... 34 Table 8: Treated Water Rates and Rate Structure Effective 2012. .............................................. 35 Table 9: Bulk Water Rates Effective 2012. .................................................................................... 35 Table 10: Raw Water Rates Effective 2012. .................................................................................. 35 Table 11: Inside Corporate Limits Wastewater Rate Effective 2012. ........................................... 36 PAGE iii CITY OF GLENWOOD SPRINGS MUNICIPAL WATER EFFICIENCY PLAN DECEMBER 16, 2014 DRAFT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW LIST  OF  FIGURES Figure 1. Glenwood Hot Springs & Lodge. ...................................................................................... 6 Figure 2. Glenwood Springs Water Supply Schematic. ................................................................... 8 Figure 3. Grizzly Creek at the City's Diversion Structure. ............................................................... 9 Figure 4. Average and Minimum Monthly Streamflow at Grizzly Creek gage, 1976 through 1996. .............................................................................................................. 9 Figure 5. No Name Intake Minimum Monthly Diversions, 1976 through 2013. .......................... 10 Figure 6. Changes in Population and Annual Water Deliveries from 2005 through 2013. .......... 15 Figure 7. Average Monthly Demands by Water Use Sector from 2009 through 2013. ............... 18 Figure 8. Distribution of Sectoral Demands from 2009 through 2013. ........................................ 19 Figure 9: Distribution of Annual Water Use by Sector in 2013.................................................... 20 Figure 10. Distribution of Customer Connections in 2013. .......................................................... 21 Figure 11: Actual and Forecast Population from 2000 through 2050. ........................................ 25 Figure 12: Baseline, Passive, and Active Demand Forecasts through 2050. ................................ 27 Figure 13. Water Providers Participating in the Roaring Fork Regional Water Efficiency Plan. ........................................................................................................................... 46 PAGE iv CITY OF GLENWOOD SPRINGS MUNICIPAL WATER EFFICIENCY PLAN DECEMBER 16, 2014 DRAFT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW LIST  OF  ABBREVIATIONS AF AF/yr AMR AWC cfs CII City CWCB F gpcd gpd gpm IPC MG MGD PRV acre-feet acre-feet per year automated meter reading average winter consumption cubic feet per second commercial, institutional, and industrial City of Glenwood Springs Colorado Water Conservation Board Fahrenheit gallons per capita per day gallons per day gallons per minute International Plumbing Code million gallons million gallons per day pressure reducing valve Front Cover photograph of City of Glenwood Springs obtained from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glenwood_Springs,_Colorado#mediaviewer/File:Glenwood_springs_co.jpg PAGE v CITY OF GLENWOOD SPRINGS MUNICIPAL WATER EFFICIENCY PLAN DECEMBER 16, 2014 DRAFT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The development of the City of Glenwood Springs Water Efficiency Plan was a collaborative effort funded by a Colorado Water Conservation Board grant as part of the Roaring Fork Watershed Regional Water Efficiency Plan. The project has been supported through the financial and in-kind participation of the following stakeholders: City of Aspen Town of Basalt Town of Carbondale City of Glenwood Springs Snowmass Water and Sanitation District Colorado Water Conservation Board Ruedi Water & Power Authority Roaring Fork Conservancy Community Office for Resource Efficiency Colorado River District This Water Efficiency Plan updates and builds upon, rather than duplicating, the previous plan which was completed in 2009. City of Glenwood Springs staff provided access to detailed datasets and system information that facilitated the preparation of this Water Efficiency Plan. The consultant team would like to thank the following staff members for their time and input on this document: Buddy Burns, City of Glenwood Springs Robin Millyard, City of Glenwood Springs Jerry Wade, City of Glenwood Springs PAGE 1 CITY OF GLENWOOD SPRINGS MUNICIPAL WATER EFFICIENCY PLAN DECEMBER 16, 2014 DRAFT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW EXECUTIVE  SUMMARY PROFILE The City of Glenwood Springs (City), Colorado, located in Garfield County, is a municipality established in 1885. The City adopted a Home Rule Charter in 1966. Glenwood Springs is located at an elevation of approximately 5,746 feet at the intersection of Interstate 70 and Colorado State Highway 82. The City is approximately five square miles with a current planning population of approximately 10,600 residents. It hosts the largest natural hot springs pool in the world and is a popular tourist destination. It is also home to one of the Colorado Mountain College campuses. Glenwood Springs owns and operates its own water and wastewater utilities. It provides potable water to all customers in the service area and raw water for irrigation to a small subset of customers. Glenwood Springs obtains potable water through senior water rights on Grizzly and No Name Creeks in the Flat Tops Wilderness Area. The City also holds the rights to 500 acre-feet/yr (AF/yr)  of  water  in  Ruedi  Reservoir.    The  City’s  raw  water  system is largely gravity fed, which reduces the need for costly pumping. Only two areas of the City require pumping for treated water service. POPULATION The City is expanding slowly and anticipates growth between 1 and 2 percent per year through the 2050 planning period. More accelerated growth would be unlikely given the steep slopes, flood plains, river canyons, and federal lands along the City borders. This Water Efficiency Plan covers a 36 year period from 2015 – 2050. Assuming this rate of growth continues, it is forecast that the population of Glenwood Springs will increase from 10,581 in 2013 to approximately 14,800 by 2035 and 18,800 by 2050. This represents a 77% increase in the population, or approximately 1.6% per year. WATER DEMAND FORECASTS As part of the water efficiency planning process, three distinct water demand forecasts were prepared. First, a baseline demand forecast starting from 2015 and going out to 2050 was prepared. This baseline forecast did not include the impact of water conservation of any kind, even passive water savings, and was developed only to assess the adequacy of future supplies under reasonable worst-case conditions and to demonstrate the impact of anticipated efficiency improvements. Baseline water demand in 2014 was 1,998 acre-feet (AF) and under the baseline forecast is expected to increase by 1,546 AF, resulting in a total demand of 3,544 AF in 2050. A second water demand forecast through 2050 includes the impact of passive efficiencies from Colorado legislation, and federal plumbing codes and standards. This forecast found that City PAGE 2 CITY OF GLENWOOD SPRINGS MUNICIPAL WATER EFFICIENCY PLAN DECEMBER 16, 2014 DRAFT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW water demands will increase to approximately 3,065 AF in 2050, or 479 AF less than they would be under the baseline forecast. A third forecast was prepared that includes the anticipated impact of the  City’s  planned  water   efficiency program measures described in this plan. Under this forecast, demand increases to just 2,837 AF in 2050. Compared with the original baseline forecast, if the elements of this plan are fully realized, then it is estimated that water demand at 2050 will be reduced by 708 AF/yr as result of passive and active water conservation measures in Glenwood Springs. These forecasts form the core of the Water Efficiency Plan and are the forecasts on which estimated conservation savings are based. The analysis completed as  part  of  the  City’s  2009   water conservation plan indicated that  the  likely  yield  of  the  City’s  direct  flow  water  rights  on   Grizzly Creek and No Name Creek plus its contract water in Ruedi Reservoir equals 10,026 AF in an average year and 7,525 AF in a dry year. The maximum annual water use in Glenwood Springs over the past 10 years was 2,357 AF in 2007, and the range of forecast future demands in the year 2050 are from 2,837 AF to a maximum of 3,541 AF. Based on this analysis, it is concluded that the dry-year  yield  of  the  City’s  water  rights  is sufficient to meet current and forecast future demands.1 CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACT ON WATER USE Recent climate change forecasts indicate a warming trend in irrigation season temperatures in the Glenwood Springs region. While it is becoming more common to consider potential climate change impacts on water supply planning, the likely impacts on water demands are less understood. However, some impacts on water demands are already included in the forecasts provided in this plan, because recent water demands are utilized to project future water demand patterns and these demands reflect actual consumption patterns based on current climate conditions. Regular updates to these projections and this plan can assist in better understanding both demand-side and supply-side impacts from future climate change. Without having a crystal ball to foresee the future, a sensible approach to water demand forecasting in a changing climate is to regularly update and refine demand projections based on actual current conditions. WATER EFFICIENCY PLANNING PROCESS AND GOAL SETTING The City carefully developed this Water Efficiency Plan in accordance with the Colorado Water Conservation Act of 2004 so that it meets or exceeds all statutory requirements according to 1 The  “dry  year”  is  based  on  an  average  of  historic  dry  years  and  is  not  intended  to  represent  any  specific  set  of   drought probabilities or return intervals. Such considerations would be part of a separate drought response plan. PAGE 3 CITY OF GLENWOOD SPRINGS MUNICIPAL WATER EFFICIENCY PLAN DECEMBER 16, 2014 DRAFT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW Colorado Revised Statute § 37-60-126. The City  utilized  the  Colorado  Water  Conservation  Board’s   Municipal Water Efficiency Plan Guidance Document dated July 2012 to inform and guide the development of this conservation plan. To  fulfill  Colorado’s  statutory  water  efficiency planning requirements, a series of water conservation program scenarios were developed that incorporated a wide variety of indoor and outdoor efficiency measures that have been cost-effective when implemented in other Colorado utility service areas. For Glenwood Springs, there is very little (if any) cost savings for the  utility  or  customers  associated  with  reducing  water  demands  because  the  City’s  water rights are ample and treatment costs are relatively low. Consequently, it is not cost-effective for Glenwood Springs to expand its mandatory water conservation program at this time, beyond the basic program described in this report. In spite of the lack of a real financial incentive, Glenwood Springs remains committed to water efficiency and to current conservation efforts, which include the majority of the most important and effective measures such as metering, water loss control, and conservation pricing. Although the City has adequate water supply to meet all anticipated future needs, it has also demonstrated a long-term commitment to wise water stewardship and responsible and efficient use of its water resources. The City has established a water efficiency goal of (0.5%) savings per year compared with a continuation of current demand. Carried through for 20 years to 2035, this water efficiency effort could reduce demand in Glenwood Springs by a total of about 349 AF/yr compared with a continuation of current demand patterns. Based on careful analysis of current demands and expected growth, the City believes this level of savings to be readily achievable. This goal will be re-evaluated on a regular basis, as Glenwood Springs intends to update the Water Efficiency Plan every seven years. This means that five or more additional plan updates will be completed before 2050, affording ample opportunity  to  update  and  refine  the  City’s  conservation  program  and  goals  as  needed. WATER EFFICIENCY PROGRAM The City of Glenwood Springs does not have a dedicated water conservation staff member and its conservation2 program is implemented by the Water and Wastewater Superintendent and other staff members. In addition, the City hires outside contractors to assist in implementing certain water efficiency program activities such as leak detection. The City has demonstrated a commitment to water use efficiency, and even without a dedicated staff member, has implemented many fundamental and proven water conservation measures including metering, a conservation-oriented water rate structure, utility water loss reduction, and public education and information about water efficiency. 2 The terms water efficiency and water conservation are used interchangeably throughout this document. PAGE 4 CITY OF GLENWOOD SPRINGS MUNICIPAL WATER EFFICIENCY PLAN DECEMBER 16, 2014 DRAFT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW The  City’s  first water efficiency plan was approved by the City and the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) in 2009. This Plan updates and builds upon the previous plan. WATER EFFICIENCY PLAN APPROVAL THIS SECTION TO BE COMPLETED AFTER PUBLIC REVIEW ROARING FORK REGIONAL WATER EFFICIENCY PLAN The  City’s  primary  water  supply  sources are outside of the Roaring Fork watershed, and the City’s  Water  Efficiency  Plan  will  have  a  limited  direct  effect  on  flows  in  the  Roaring  Fork  River.   The City is pursuing a water efficiency goal of about 0.5% per year so that the firm yields from No Name and  Grizzly  Creek  continue  to  meet  the  City’s  demands  through  2050.  While  these   actions will reduce or eliminate the need for the City to utilize Ruedi Reservoir as a primary water supply in dry years, it should be noted that any use of Ruedi Reservoir water by the City could have the impact of increasing flows in the Roaring Fork River given that the City is located at the confluence of the Roaring Fork and Colorado Rivers. The City of Glenwood Springs can, however, make a significant contribution to the regional plan by partnering with other water providers on water efficiency programs and the City is committed to assisting with the implementation of the Roaring Fork Regional Water Efficiency Plan. PAGE 5 CITY OF GLENWOOD SPRINGS MUNICIPAL WATER EFFICIENCY PLAN DECEMBER 16, 2014 DRAFT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW 1. PROFILE  OF  EXISTING  WATER  SUPPLY  SYSTEM 1.1 OVERVIEW Glenwood Springs was originally inhabited by nomadic Ute Indian Tribes, and the natural hot springs continue to attract visitors from around the world today. The City of Glenwood Springs (City), Colorado is a municipality established in 1885. The City adopted a Home Rule Charter in 1966. Glenwood Springs was originally known as Defiance, Colorado. Defiance was established in 1883 and consisted of a camp of tents, saloons, cabins and various lodging establishments. Town Founder Isaac Cooper's wife Sarah was having a hard time adjusting to the frontier life and in an attempt to make her environment somewhat more comfortable, persuaded the founders to change the name to Glenwood Springs, Colorado after her beloved hometown of Glenwood, Iowa. The  City’s  unique  location at the confluence of the Colorado River and the Roaring Fork River, as well as a stop on the railroad, historically have made it a center of commerce in the area. Glenwood Springs is located at an elevation of approximately 5,746 feet at the intersection of Interstate 70 and Colorado State Highway 82. The City currently has a planning population of approximately 10,600 residents. It hosts the largest natural hot springs pool (Figure 1) in the world and is a popular tourist destination. The Glenwood Whitewater Park, located on the west side of Figure 1. Glenwood Hot Springs & Lodge. Glenwood Springs, also provides year-round outdoor recreation for river enthusiasts. Additionally, Glenwood Springs is home to one of the Colorado Mountain College campuses. The City is expanding slowly and anticipates growth between 1 and 2 percent per year through the 2050 planning period. More accelerated growth would be unlikely given the steep slopes, flood plains, river canyons, and federal lands along the City borders. It is estimated that the planning population of Glenwood Springs will increase from 10,581 in 2013 to approximately 14,800 by 2035 and 18,800 by 2050.3 3 This assumes a constant growth rate of 1.6% per year. PAGE 6 CITY OF GLENWOOD SPRINGS MUNICIPAL WATER EFFICIENCY PLAN DECEMBER 16, 2014 DRAFT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW 1.2 REGIONAL SETTING The Roaring Fork Watershed is located within the Colorado River Basin in central Colorado on the west side of the Continental Divide. The watershed includes the Sawatch, Collegiate and Elk Mountain Ranges and 8 peaks exceeding 14,000 feet in elevation. Snowmelt from the mountainous headwaters contributes to the streamflow in three primary rivers (Roaring Fork, Fryingpan, and Crystal) that eventually contribute to the flow in the Colorado River in the City of Glenwood Springs. The drainage area of the Roaring Fork watershed is approximately 1,450 square miles. According to the State Water Supply Initiative (SWSI, 2010), the Colorado River Basin has a projected 2050 M&I water supply gap of 40% with respect to projected water demands. The Colorado River Basin supplies water to over 30 million people in the arid southwest, with the Roaring Fork Watershed contributes about 991,100 AF to the Colorado River per year (USGS, 2013). The Roaring Fork Watershed experiences a wide range of climatic conditions from year to year as well as from season to season. Climatological records provide evidence of recurring major droughts in Colorado of various length and intensities. Water suppliers in the western United States accommodate this uncertainty through reservoir storage, consideration of "firm yields" in estimates of water availability, raw water supply development, and "demand side" strategies such as voluntary or mandatory restrictions on outdoor water usage. Plans to reduce usage are necessary to stretch the available water supply to help meet future demands and sustain periods of drought. Water supply systems in the Roaring Fork Watershed are at risk from possible forest fire, floods, failure of infrastructure, and contamination of all or part of the raw water supply. In order to respond to emergency or drought situations, contingency plans are typically designed for implementation of mandatory conservation measures in stages that minimize impacts to the economy, life-styles, and environment of the community. 1.3 WATER SUPPLY AND RELIABILITY Glenwood Springs owns and operates its own water and wastewater utilities. It provides potable water to all customers in the service area and raw water for irrigation to a small subset of customers. The initial components of the Glenwood Springs water system date back to the early  1900’s  when  the  first  public water system was established to provide potable water for domestic use and firefighting purposes. The system has been continually upgraded and improved since that time. The Glenwood Springs Water and Wastewater Department provides safe, high quality drinking water. City staff maintain raw water flows to the Red Mountain Water Treatment Facility in sufficient quantities to meet system demands. Staff also perform operations and maintenance functions for the treatment facility, booster stations, pump stations, vaults and storage tanks. PAGE 7 CITY OF GLENWOOD SPRINGS MUNICIPAL WATER EFFICIENCY PLAN DECEMBER 16, 2014 DRAFT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW Crews perform routine laboratory testing and reporting per the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) guidelines and requirements. Crews also perform maintenance and repair of system piping and appurtenances on approximately 60 miles of pipe, provide system control, leak detection, line locations, pressure checks, meter calibrations, meter repairs and replacements. City staff regularly perform cross connection control inspections, and install taps for new services and oversee new installations and extensions. 1.3.1 Potable Water Supply The City of Glenwood Springs obtains its potable water supply from diversions on Grizzly and No Name Creeks. These tributaries are located to the north of the Colorado River, and their headwaters are located on the south side of the Flat Tops Wilderness Area. The watersheds are located on forest service lands, and City staff report that raw water is of excellent quality. The City also holds the rights to 500 AF/yr of water in Ruedi Reservoir, which the City can divert as a backup supply through its emergency pump station located on the Roaring Fork River. A general schematic  of  the  City’s  water supply system is shown on Figure 2. *Figure not to scale and has been reoriented for formatting purposes Figure 2. Glenwood Springs Water Supply Schematic. PAGE 8 CITY OF GLENWOOD SPRINGS MUNICIPAL WATER EFFICIENCY PLAN DECEMBER 16, 2014 DRAFT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW 1.3.1.1 Water Reliability Analysis The  City’s  2009  Water  Conservation  Plan  (2009   Plan) included a water availability analysis related  to  the  City’s  diversions  on  Grizzly  and   No Name Creeks (Aquacraft, 2009). The primary source of data relied upon in the 2009 Plan was the Grizzly Creek near Glenwood Springs, Colorado gaging station that was operated from September 1976 to September 1996. The average and minimum monthly streamflow values over the period of record from the 2009 Figure 3. Grizzly Creek at the City's Diversion Structure. Report are reproduced below in Figure 4. The gage records indicate that the majority of the annual flow occurs during the three-month period from May through July. Flows decline from August through April, and are at the lowest level in late winter and early spring. As noted in the 2009 Plan, the accuracy of the gaged data is not known, and it is possible that the accuracy of wintertime measurements was impacted by ice. The Grizzly Creek gaging station is located above  the  City’s  point  of  diversion  on  Grizzly  Creek,  so  the  2009  Plan  estimated  the  natural  flow   available  at  the  City’s  diversion  point  by  scaling  streamflows  based  on  drainage  area ratios. Figure 4. Average and Minimum Monthly Streamflow at Grizzly Creek gage, 1976 through 1996. PAGE 9 CITY OF GLENWOOD SPRINGS MUNICIPAL WATER EFFICIENCY PLAN DECEMBER 16, 2014 DRAFT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW The City conveys its Grizzly Creek diversions south and west to the No Name Creek drainage through a pipeline and tunnel where  it  discharges  above  the  City’s  No  Name  point of diversion and tunnel. Water is collected at the City’s  No Name diversion point from the creek as well as from the discharge from the Grizzly Creek tunnel. Water is conveyed through a series of flumes and settling basins and screens to the No Name tunnel, which is approximately 4,500 feet in length and 5 feet in diameter. There is not a continuously recording streamflow gaging station located on No Name Creek; however, City staff regularly read staff gages installed near the diversion structure to determine the rates of flow being diverted to the City and bypassed down No Name Creek. There are also daily diversion records for the No Name diversion structure for the period from 1975 to 2013. Based on the way the City operates the No Name structure, there must be at least as much water available in the creek as recorded in the diversion records. The diversion data indicate that the minimum monthly diversion over the period of record was 97 AF/month in October of 1986, and that multiple months had diversions just over 100 AF/month (Figure 5). However, based on a review of the City’s  staff  gage  records dating back to July 1988, the total streamflow in No Name Creek in a dry year such as 2002 still exceeded 400 AF/month, with a large volume continuing to be bypassed. Figure 5. No Name Intake Minimum Monthly Diversions, 1976 through 2013. PAGE 10 CITY OF GLENWOOD SPRINGS MUNICIPAL WATER EFFICIENCY PLAN DECEMBER 16, 2014 DRAFT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW 1.3.1.2 Canyon Tanks The City has two raw water tanks of 250,000 gallons each, for a total raw water storage of 0.5 MG (1.5 AF). These tanks provide flow regulation for the pipeline rather than long-term raw water storage. 1.3.1.3 Roaring Fork Intake and Red Mountain Water Treatment Plant From the Canyon Tanks, the raw water flows in a pipeline across the Colorado River and under the Roaring Fork River (in recently installed pipelines) and up to the Red Mountain Water Treatment Plant. At the crossing of the Roaring Fork River, there is a pump station and inlet, which allows Ruedi water from the Roaring Fork to be delivered to the Red Mountain Water Treatment Plant should water not be available from the Grizzly-No Name system for any reason. The City owns a contract for 500 AF/yr of water from Ruedi Reservoir, which would provide the water by reservoir releases. With the current infrastructure, the City cannot concurrently operate the Grizzly-No Name system with the Roaring Fork pump station, so Ruedi water can be used as an alternate supply but cannot be used as a supplemental supply to the Grizzly-No Name system. The pump house on the Roaring Fork has a 5 MGD (7.75 cfs) capacity. As documented in the 2009 Plan, the capacity of the Red Mountain Water Treatment Plant is 8.65 MGD. 1.3.1.4 Summary of Raw Water Yields Based on communication with City of Glenwood Springs staff, and review of the No Name staff gage data maintained by the City, the water supply analysis completed as part of the 2009 Plan was determined to be reasonable and applicable for this plan update. The 2009 Plan analysis indicated that the likely yield of the City’s  two  direct  flow  water  rights  on  Grizzly  Creek  and  No   Name Creek plus its contract water in Ruedi Reservoir equal 10,026 AF in an average year and 7,525 AF in a dry year.4 As noted in the 2009 Plan, these are simply engineering estimates and additional data could show that these estimates should be further refined for certain applications. In addition, the peak day demands of the system will be greater than the average flows. Fortunately, peak demands in Glenwood Springs are due to irrigation that occurs in the summer months when available flows are greatest. City staff have reviewed the analysis presented in the 2009 Plan and indicate that the conclusions remain appropriate. The 2009 Plan indicated that when drier years occur, shortages to the system could follow. These  infrequent  shortages  are  addressed  as  part  of  the  City’s  current  drought  response  plan.     While the Water Efficiency Plan can and should be an integral part of the drought response plan, in this case, the City appears to have a sufficient supply such that an extraordinary effort in this area does not appear to be warranted, but should be considered as  part  of  the  City’s   normal water resources planning process. 4 The maximum annual demand for water in Glenwood Springs over the past 10 years was 2,357 acre-feet. Hence, the  dry  year  yield  of  the  City’s  water  rights  at  7,525  acre-feet is sufficient to meet current and future demands as shown later in this plan document except potentially under more severe drought conditions. PAGE 11 CITY OF GLENWOOD SPRINGS MUNICIPAL WATER EFFICIENCY PLAN DECEMBER 16, 2014 DRAFT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW 1.3.2 Water and Wastewater Treatment The raw water in the system does not have salinity problems and is essentially free of turbidity for ten months out of the year. The City treats all potable water at the Red Mountain Water Treatment Plant (WTP), which went on-line in 1978 and has the capacity to treat 8.65 MGD. In 1995, the Red Mountain WTP was upgraded with new pre-treatment facilities that included chemical treatment, flocculation, and sedimentation. The City finished construction of a new wastewater treatment plant in November 2012, located in West Glenwood Springs. The new plant replaces the old facility that was operated for 30 years and had exceeded its useful life. The new wastewater treatment plant was designed to accommodate a potential future expansion to treat 3.9 MGD, however the first phase was built for a 1.95 MGD capacity. It is anticipated that the plant will not need to be expanded for at least 15 years and possibly longer. Much of the impetus for developing the 2009 water conservation plan was to fulfill the necessary requirements to secure a construction loan from the Colorado Rural Water and Power Authority (CRWPA). 1.3.3 Capacity and Reliability Glenwood Springs is fortunate to have physically abundant, high quality water sources that primarily drain a pristine, protected watershed. No Name and Grizzly Creeks provide source diversity and redundancy in the primary supply with the Roaring Fork River as a reliable backup. The  City’s  water  rights  are  senior  and  are  sufficient  to  meet  the  supply  needs of the community beyond the 2050 planning horizon, even if minimal or no additional conservation measures are implemented. The collection system is well maintained and is extremely reliable. Glenwood  Springs’  water  supply  infrastructure  (including  the  water  treatment  plant,   transmission mains, and storage facilities) is of adequate capacity to meet the supply needs of the community beyond the 2050 planning horizon of this Water Efficiency Plan. The design of the treated water system currently utilizes gravity for most water delivery except for two small high elevation zones that require pumping. Glenwood Springs has a reasonable amount of treatment capacity in the existing water treatment plant, and additional treated water storage will be considered as the need arises. The City staff have done an excellent job of maintaining the infrastructure over the years, implementing an aggressive water main replacement program as well as a leak detection and repair program. Continued replacement and upgrading of water transmission and water distribution will be implemented as funding allows. The City had an existing Water Conservation Master Plan, which was originally approved in 1996 and revised in 2003. However, this plan did not meet all of the current statutory planning requirements, hence an updated plan was prepared in 2009 and is now being updated again. 1.3.4 Proposed Water and Wastewater Projects In addition to constructing the new wastewater treatment plant in 2012, the City of Glenwood Springs  has  made  upgrades  and  capacity  increase  to  portions  of  the  City’s  main  treated  water PAGE 12 CITY OF GLENWOOD SPRINGS MUNICIPAL WATER EFFICIENCY PLAN DECEMBER 16, 2014 DRAFT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW delivery line in recent years. To address peaking issues, the City is currently budgeting a new 500,000 gallon water storage tank to be constructed next to the existing 500,000 gallons of water storage in the Cardiff Tank in the southern service area, for a combined storage of 1,000,000 gallons. The City has a history of requiring new subdivisions to put in additional storage and/or use raw water for irrigation purposes. The City will continue to consider similar and other mechanisms that address the additional costs of supplying new development in upland areas. The City is also in the process of upgrading all water meters to the Badger Orion system with automated metering reading (AMR). Aside from these efforts, there are no other water and wastewater infrastructure project planned beyond standard maintenance and repair efforts. 2. WATER  DEMANDS  AND  HISTORICAL  DEMAND  MANAGEMENT As part of the water efficiency planning process, three distinct water demand forecasts were prepared. The purpose of these forecasts was to present a range of reasonable estimates of water demand for Glenwood Springs through the year 2050, given anticipated population growth, and to estimate the impact of the water conservation measures that occur both “passively”  as  a  result  of national  and  state  plumbing  codes  and  standards  and  “actively”  as  a   result of specific programs and measures to be implemented by the City. These forecasts were also used for the important purpose of establishing the  adequacy  of  Glenwood  Springs’  water   supply system to meet future demands. The first step in the forecasting process was to gather data and information on the history of water demands and conservation in Glenwood Springs. Through a careful review of these data and information, a baseline demand for Glenwood Springs was established. Next, historical population data were used to establish the baseline population, and Glenwood Springs planning data were used to forecast population growth out to 2050. This section of the Glenwood Springs Water Efficiency Plan describes historical water demands and demand management efforts in the City. 2.1 DEMOGRAPHICS AND SERVICE AREA CHARACTERISTICS The City of Glenwood Springs provides treated water and wastewater services to a service area with a current planning population of approximately 10,600 people5. The City is expanding slowly and anticipates growth between 1 and 2 percent per year through the 2050 planning period. More accelerated growth would be unlikely given the steep slopes, flood plains, river canyons, and federal lands along the City borders. For planning purposes, it is estimated that 5 A 2013 population estimate of 10,581 is used by the City for certain internal planning purposes, however comparison to 2010 census data indicates that planning numbers are higher than actual population (see Table 1 footnote below). PAGE 13 CITY OF GLENWOOD SPRINGS MUNICIPAL WATER EFFICIENCY PLAN DECEMBER 16, 2014 DRAFT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW the population of Glenwood Springs will increase to approximately 14,800 by 2035 and 18,800 by 2050.6 To better understand water use among different water use sectors, Glenwood Springs uses the following customer category assignments for its water service accounts. Each water account is assigned one of the category designations below. Residential (all dwelling types) Motels and hotels Restaurants Hospitals and nursing homes Schools Commercial Irrigation Bulk users7 Senior residential Senior irrigation Customer  information  is  stored  in  the  utility’s  customer  billing  system.   2.2 HISTORICAL WATER DEMANDS Annual metered water use in Glenwood Springs has ranged from 1,788 AF/yr to 2,357 AF/yr over the last 9 years (Table 1). This  level  of  use  means  that  Glenwood  Springs  is  a  “covered   entity”  that  is  required  to develop, adopt, make publicly available, and implement a water conservation (efficiency) plan that will encourage its domestic, commercial, industrial, and public facility customers to use water more efficiently according to Colorado Revised Statute §37-60-126. According  to  the  statute,  a  “covered  entity”  is defined as a municipality, agency, utility, or other publicly owned entity with a legal obligation to supply, distribute, or otherwise provide water at retail to domestic, commercial, industrial, or public facility customers, and that has a total annual demand for such customers of two thousand acre-feet or more. Water use increased in 2007 and 2008, but the subsequent demands returned to more or less the same level of increase the City experienced prior to 2005, while population continued to increase (Figure 6). These changes are typical of municipal demand trends across the United States, which have generally declined or held steady in recent years. Fluctuations in Glenwood Springs water demand is normal for a city of this size and character, located in a region with variable weather conditions and irrigation requirements. 6 7 This assumes a constant growth rate of 1.6% per year. Bulk water is treated water provided via a water drop station located in the City. PAGE 14 CITY OF GLENWOOD SPRINGS MUNICIPAL WATER EFFICIENCY PLAN DECEMBER 16, 2014 DRAFT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW Table 1. Population and Annual Water Deliveries (AF/yr) from 2005 through 2013a. Year Population 2005 9,553 2006 9,715 2007 9,881 2008 10,049 2009 10,219 2010 10,527 2011 10,545 2012 10,563 2013 10,581 BASELINE 10,581 Residential 1,115 1,157 1,224 1,183 1,059 1,115 969 1,164 1,085 1,083 Commercial 590 599 682 623 532 515 509 578 521 531 Hospital/ Nursing 26 35 48 52 44 43 38 45 46 43 Schools Irrigation Bulk 13 343 8 12 379 2 14 388 1 12 366 2 11 306 2 13 361 2 11 259 2 17 366 6 17 287 3 17 318 6 Total 2,094 2,184 2,357 2,238 1,954 2,048 1,788 2,176 1,958 1,998 12,000 3,000 10,000 2,500 8,000 2,000 6,000 1,500 4,000 1,000 2,000 500 0 Metered Water Deliveries (AF/yr) Population (#) Note: a) Population data presented in Table 1 is used by the City for certain internal planning purposes, however census data indicated that the 2010 population was actually 9,614 people. Higher planning population projections are reasonable for purposes of this document. 0 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Population Metered Water Deliveries Figure 6. Changes in Population and Annual Water Deliveries from 2005 through 2013. PAGE 15 CITY OF GLENWOOD SPRINGS MUNICIPAL WATER EFFICIENCY PLAN DECEMBER 16, 2014 DRAFT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW The baseline population and demand data shown in Table 1 were selected based on recent historical demands and the best available understanding of water use in Glenwood Springs moving forward into the future. The baseline demands are an important element of the three demand forecasts developed in this plan. In some cases, baseline demands that exceeded the actual demands in 2013 were chosen because 2013 water use in those categories was less than in other recent years. To assess the adequacy of water supplies in the future, it is essential to include a full level of potential future demands that are not biased by the normal fluctuations in demand observed in 2013 or any individual year. An estimated breakdown of indoor and outdoor historical demands in Glenwood Springs based on periodic consumption data provided by the City are shown in Table 2. Typically, about 54% of the annual water demand in Glenwood Springs is for indoor purposes and 46% is for outdoor irrigation. Table 2. Total Indoor and Total Outdoor Water Deliveries from 2005 through 2013. Year 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 5-YR AVG Indoor (AF/yr) 1,092 1,196 1,260 1,196 1,106 1,126 993 1,106 1,108 1,082 Outdoor (AF/yr) 1,003 989 1,098 1,042 848 922 796 1,070 850 909 % Indoor 53% 55% 53% 53% 57% 55% 56% 51% 57% 54% % Outdoor 47% 45% 47% 47% 43% 45% 44% 49% 43% 46% Apr to Oct Temp (deg F) 60.4 59.6 60.7 58.5 58.2 59.6 58.6 60.6 59.6 59.6 Glenwood  Springs’  consumption  data  was  further  disaggregated  by  water use sector as shown in Table 3. Indoor and outdoor demands for each category were estimated using a standard average winter consumption (AWC) approach where indoor use from the winter months (January, February, and December), when there is typically no outdoor irrigation occurring, is used to estimate indoor use for the entire year. Indoor use is then deducted from the total to estimate outdoor use. PAGE 16 CITY OF GLENWOOD SPRINGS MUNICIPAL WATER EFFICIENCY PLAN DECEMBER 16, 2014 DRAFT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW Table 3: Sectoral and Seasonal Water Deliveries from 2005 through 2013 (AF/yr). Year 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 5-YR AVG Residential Indoor Outdoor 659 456 716 440 723 501 710 473 669 390 691 424 598 371 669 495 669 417 656 426 Commercial Indoor Outdoor 398 192 450 149 494 188 436 187 388 144 387 128 355 154 382 196 386 135 377 153 Hospital/Nursing Indoor Outdoor 26 0 19 15 29 19 41 11 39 5 36 6 30 8 38 7 39 7 36 7 Schools Indoor Outdoor 11 2 8 4 12 2 7 5 8 3 9 3 8 4 12 6 11 5 10 4 Irrigation Only Indoor Outdoor 0 343 0 379 0 388 0 366 0 306 0 361 0 259 0 366 0 286 0 318 Bulk 8 2 1 2 2 2 2 6 3 3 Total 2,094 2,184 2,357 2,238 1,954 2,048 1,788 2,176 1,958 1,993 PAGE 17 CITY OF GLENWOOD SPRINGS MUNICIPAL WATER EFFICIENCY PLAN DECEMBER 16, 2014 DRAFT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW 350 80 300 70 60 250 50 200 40 150 30 100 20 50 10 0 0 Jan Total Feb Mar Apr May Jun Residential Commercial Jul Average Monthly Temperature (F) Average Monthly Water Demands (AF) As with most municipalities in Colorado, the City of Glenwood Springs demands are higher during summer months due to outdoor water use. Figure 7 shows the average monthly demands over the past 5 years from 2009 to 2013 by water use sector. As expected due to outdoor water use, most water use sector demands increase during summer months from June through October and the residential pattern correlates particularly well with temperature during summer months. Residential usage peaks in August, and the demand is 2.8 times the AWC. Commercial water usage increases during summer months to a lesser degree, as evidenced by the peak monthly usage being  2.1  times  the  AWC.  The  “Other”  accounts  shown  in   Figure 7, which include schools, hospitals/nursing, and bulk accounts, are more consistent throughout the year and are not as influenced by outdoor demands. The distribution of sectoral demands in Glenwood Springs are also very consistent between years, as shown in Figure 8. Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Irrigation Other Temperature Figure 7. Average Monthly Demands by Water Use Sector from 2009 through 2013. PAGE 18 CITY OF GLENWOOD SPRINGS MUNICIPAL WATER EFFICIENCY PLAN DECEMBER 16, 2014 DRAFT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW 3% 100% Water Demand Distribution (%) 16% 80% 27% 60% 40% 54% 20% 0% 2009 2010 Residential 2011 Commercial 2012 2013 Irrigation 5-YR AVG Other Figure 8. Distribution of Sectoral Demands from 2009 through 2013. In 2013, residential demand accounted for 55.4% of the total demand in Glenwood Springs, commercial accounted for 26.6% and the other categories (hospitals, schools, irrigation, and bulk sales) accounted for the remaining 18%. A pie chart showing the components of the 2013 water usage in Glenwood Springs is presented in Figure 9. PAGE 19 CITY OF GLENWOOD SPRINGS MUNICIPAL WATER EFFICIENCY PLAN DECEMBER 16, 2014 DRAFT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW Schools, 0.9% Hospital/ Nursing, 2.3% Bulk, 0.1% Irrigation, 14.6% Commercial, 26.6% Residential, 55.4% Figure 9: Distribution of Annual Water Use by Sector in 2013. A pie chart showing the percentage of customer connections in 2013 by water use sector in Glenwood Springs is provided in Figure 10. Residential customers are most prevalent in Glenwood Springs, accounting for 83.7% of all service connections. Commercial customers account for 13.0% of connections, dedicated irrigation accounts account for 2.6% of connections, and the remaining accounts are attributed to schools, hospitals, and bulk customers. PAGE 20 CITY OF GLENWOOD SPRINGS MUNICIPAL WATER EFFICIENCY PLAN DECEMBER 16, 2014 DRAFT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW Schools, 0.4% Irrigation, 2.6% Bulk, 0.1% Hospital/Nursing, 0.1% Commercial, 13.0% Residential, 83.7% Figure 10. Distribution of Customer Connections in 2013. Although residential customers make up approximately 84% of customer connections, they comprise only 55.4% of the total annual demand. Commercial customers (13% of connections) account for 26.6% of annual demand. Dedicated irrigation accounts make up 2.6% of connections but account for 14.6% of annual demand. 2.3 SEASONAL AND PEAK DAY PRODUCTION A summary of average day and peak day water production at the Red Mountain WTP is provided in Table 4. Over the last five years, the average day water production has averaged 2.23 MGD and the peak day production has averaged 4.14 MGD. This indicates that the City experiences an average peaking factor of approximately 1.86. The Red Mountain WTP has a maximum rated capacity of 8.65 MGD, so the City has an excess capacity of 4.51 MGD on the peak day and consequently has no problem meeting current peak production demands for water. In addition, the City has the ability to store 5.65 million gallons in treated water storage tanks, which can be used to meet short-term peak demands. As discussed later in this plan, peaking capacity is not a constraining factor for Glenwood Springs in any of the future demand scenarios. PAGE 21 CITY OF GLENWOOD SPRINGS MUNICIPAL WATER EFFICIENCY PLAN DECEMBER 16, 2014 DRAFT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW Table 4: Annual and Daily Flow Production Characteristics from 2005 through 2013. Year 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 5-YR AVG Annual Production (AF/yr) 2,551 2,737 2,756 2,889 2,555 2,566 2,563 2,256 2,548 2,497 Annual Production (MG) 831 892 898 941 833 836 835 735 830 814 Average Daily Flow (MGD) 2.278 2.444 2.460 2.579 2.281 2.290 2.288 2.014 2.275 2.230 Maximum Daily Flow (MGD) 5.5 5.5 5.7 5.0 4.2 4.5 3.4 4.0 4.6 4.1 Peaking Factor 2.4 2.2 2.3 1.9 1.9 1.9 1.5 2.0 2.0 1.9 2.4 SYSTEM WATER LOSSES The  City’s  water  mains  are  in  good  condition and system leakage in Glenwood Springs is currently estimated to be between 5% and 7% (as further described below), which is well below the 10% threshold that is often estimated as the national average. The City annually contracts with a leak detection firm that utilizes sophisticated listening equipment to locate leaks in approximately 25% of the water mains each year. Repairs are then made based on this analysis. While a comparison of average annual production to total metered water deliveries shows an annual loss on the order of 20%, the largest loss of water in the Glenwood Springs system is associated with intentional bleeder losses from aerial pipes that cross the Colorado River. Because pipes are exposed to the ambient air temperature, freezing is a real threat. To prevent freezing, the City must continually bleed raw water from aerial pipes during the winter (November – April) to ensure that water is always moving through the pipe. The water bled from the pipe drains into the Colorado River. While this is a standard practice for utilities located in cold climates, the City is working toward eliminating the need for this discharge. Several years ago, the City temporarily metered these aerial pipes to determine the extent of the water loss associated with the required bleeding. From this metering effort, bleeder losses of treated and raw water were estimated at 350,000 gallons per day. The practice of bleeding water from the raw water pipelines to the Colorado River is a planned procedure and really does  not  constitute  a  “loss”  to  the  system, since reducing the amount of bleed would not increase the available water supply. Water from the No Name diversion is simply being diverted over and above the requirement for water by the system, and then returned to the river through the bleed valves. In the American Water Works Association (AWWA) M36 Water Audits and Loss Control Programs manual, the  City’s  practice  of  bleeding  water  is  categorized  as   “Unbilled  Unmetered  Consumption”, which  falls  under  the  broader  category  of  “Authorized   PAGE 22 CITY OF GLENWOOD SPRINGS MUNICIPAL WATER EFFICIENCY PLAN DECEMBER 16, 2014 DRAFT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW Consumption”  and  by  definition  is  not  a  water  loss. This operational practice is necessary in that demand in the water system is so low during the winter that flow in the pipe would drop to the point where it could freeze. If the demand in the system were greater, then the bleed would be reduced accordingly and the flow into the treatment plant would be increased. Since the water is available for use if needed, it does not represent a true loss to the system. When accounting for the authorized consumption associated with the bleeder practice, the remaining losses are estimated to be on the order of 5% to 7%. Currently there are no readily available options for reducing or eliminating the losses associated with these bleeder valves. By metering the aerial pipes from time to time, the City is able to ensure that these losses are kept to an acceptable level. While this is a standard procedure for utilities located in cold climates, Glenwood Springs is investigating new technologies and options for insulating the pipe to reduce these losses. For the present, the  City’s  efforts  are  adequate  and  represent  best   practices based on industry standards. 2.5 PAST AND CURRENT DEMAND MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES The Glenwood Springs Water and Wastewater Department currently employs seventeen people including the Public Works Director and Water and Wastewater Superintendent. The City of Glenwood Springs does not have a dedicated conservation staff member and its conservation program is implemented by the Water and Wastewater Superintendent, billing staff, and other staff members. The City has demonstrated a real commitment to water use efficiency, and even without a staff member dedicated to water conservation, has implemented many of the most essential water efficiency and conservation program measures. The City of Glenwood Springs has implemented a variety of water efficiency activities since 2009, when the last water conservation plan was prepared. The  City’s  2009 conservation plan called for a total savings of 130 AF by 2030 over the baseline demand forecast. The City estimates the implementation of the 2009 plan and the passive and active efficiencies achieved have already conserved more than 200 AF to date. Based on this, in five years, Glenwood Springs has already achieved (and exceeded) the goal the previous plan had set for 2030. It should be acknowledged that part of the reason the goal was achieved is that population growth in Glenwood Springs was significantly slower than anticipated from 2009 through 2013. 2.6 DEMAND FORECAST As part of the preparation of the Water Efficiency Plan, three separate demand forecasts were prepared: 1. Baseline Forecast (without conservation) 2. Passive Savings Forecast 3. Passive and Active Savings Forecast PAGE 23 CITY OF GLENWOOD SPRINGS MUNICIPAL WATER EFFICIENCY PLAN DECEMBER 16, 2014 DRAFT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW The baseline forecasting method used historical demand patterns to establish baseline per capita demand, and then to increase these demands with population out to 2050 as if the 2014 per capita water use patterns continued without change. This is a standard approach to demand forecasting, but it does not take into account any expected impacts of water efficiency. The second and third forecasts were developed using a more robust approach, where demands were separated out by water use sector or customer category (e.g. residential, commercial, irrigation, schools, etc.), with seasonal and non-seasonal demands (outdoor and indoor) disaggregated for each category. Then a separate demand forecast out to 2050 was prepared for indoor and outdoor demand in each customer sector category. This allowed the impacts of specific water efficiency measures like high-efficiency toilets and clothes washers to be considered. 2.6.1 Population Planning Projections The planning population of Glenwood Springs in 2014 was approximately 10,600. Staff have indicated that the City plans for growth of 1.6% per year; however, the rate of growth from 2010 to 2013 averaged only about 0.2% due to the economic downturn. For the purpose of water supply planning, the full 1.6% annual growth rate was assumed so that the adequacy of future water supplies can be assessed. Table 5 shows the population forecast from 2015 through 2050. These data are shown graphically in Figure 11. Under this forecast, population grows from 10,770 in 2015 to 18,771 in 2050, an overall increase of 74% in the next 36 years. Table 5: Population Growth Projections from 2015 through 2050. Year 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 2045 2050 Population 10,770 10,942 11,117 11,295 11,476 11,659 12,622 13,665 14,794 16,016 17,338 18,771 PAGE 24 CITY OF GLENWOOD SPRINGS MUNICIPAL WATER EFFICIENCY PLAN DECEMBER 16, 2014 DRAFT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW 20,000 18,000 16,000 Population 14,000 12,000 10,000 8,000 6,000 4,000 2,000 0 Forecast Historic Figure 11: Actual and Forecast Population from 2000 through 2050. Glenwood Springs does not currently have a build-out population planning projection. However,  the  physical  characteristics  of  the  City’s  setting  will  likely  function as an effective limit to large-scale future growth. Steep canyon walls, the Colorado and Roaring Fork River flood plains, and federal lands that abut City boundaries are all likely to limit future growth and development.    As  such,  the  City’s  population  planning projections, while conservative by the standards of many Colorado communities, may over-estimate future population. In the forecasts shown here, a 1.6% annual growth rate is anticipated. The actual growth rate (prerecession) over the past few years has been closer to 0.2% per year. For water and conservation planning purposes, the projections used by the City and presented here are responsible and appropriate for assessing water supply adequacy. Furthermore, since this plan is scheduled to be updated every seven years, there is ample opportunity to refine these forecasts to better match actual growth trends in Glenwood Springs. 2.6.2 Demand Forecasts As part of the water efficiency planning process, three distinct water demand forecasts were prepared. A description of each scenario and the forecasting methodology is presented below. PAGE 25 CITY OF GLENWOOD SPRINGS MUNICIPAL WATER EFFICIENCY PLAN DECEMBER 16, 2014 DRAFT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW The costs and benefits associated with these scenarios are considered in the next section of this plan document. 2.6.2.1 Forecast Methodology First, a baseline demand forecast starting from 2015 and extending through 2050 was prepared. This baseline forecast did not include the impact of water conservation of any kind, even future passive water savings, and was developed only to assess the adequacy of future supplies under reasonable worst-case conditions, and to demonstrate the impact of anticipated efficiency improvements. The baseline forecast in based on a combination of anticipated demographic and land use changes in Glenwood Springs. In the baseline forecast, all demands (indoor and outdoor) increase proportionally with the population at the current rate of usage. A second water demand forecast through 2050 was developed that includes the impact of passive efficiencies from Colorado legislation, and federal plumbing codes and standards. A third forecast was prepared that includes the anticipated impact of the  City’s  planned  water   efficiency program measures described in this plan. The second and third forecasts include the impacts of water efficiency and were developed using a more robust approach that considers anticipated changes in each customer sector in Glenwood Springs. To develop these forecasts, demands were separated out by water use sector (e.g. residential, commercial, irrigation, schools, etc.), with seasonal and non-seasonal demands (outdoor and indoor) disaggregated for each category as shown in Table 3. Then a separate demand forecast through 2050 was prepared for indoor and outdoor demand in each customer category. This allowed the impacts of specific water efficiency measures like highefficiency toilets and clothes washers to be considered. These three forecasts form the core of the water efficiency plan and are the forecasts upon which estimated conservation savings are based. Each forecast shows demand starting in 2015 and going through the planning horizon of 2050 (36 years). The results are provided in Figure 12 and further described in the sections below. PAGE 26 CITY OF GLENWOOD SPRINGS MUNICIPAL WATER EFFICIENCY PLAN DECEMBER 16, 2014 DRAFT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW 4,000 Annual Water Demand (AF) 3,500 3,000 2,500 2,000 1,500 1,000 500 Baseline Forecast Passive Conservation Forecast 2050 2048 2046 2044 2042 2040 2038 2036 2034 2032 2030 2028 2026 2024 2022 2020 2018 2016 2014 0 Active Conservation Forecast Figure 12: Baseline, Passive, and Active Demand Forecasts through 2050. Baseline Forecast The concept of the baseline forecast is to exclude conservation of any kind and to simply assume that typical baseline demand patterns (i.e. the water use patterns of 2000-2013) are continued into the future without change. It is also assumed that typical water demands for the City will change proportionally with increases in population. This assumes new customers joining the system use water identically to the current customer base. The fundamental purposes of the baseline forecast are to assess the adequacy of future supplies under reasonable  “worst  case”  conditions  (i.e.  no  water efficiency gains), and to demonstrate the anticipated impact of water efficiency in Glenwood Springs from both passive and active conservation programs. The baseline forecast is presented in Figure 12. Key assumptions in the baseline forecast include: Baseline water use patterns for Glenwood Springs (Table 1). Population forecast for Glenwood Springs (Table 5). PAGE 27 CITY OF GLENWOOD SPRINGS MUNICIPAL WATER EFFICIENCY PLAN DECEMBER 16, 2014 DRAFT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW Water use in all sectors, both seasonal and non-seasonal, changes proportionally with the population. Outdoor water use impacts from temperature and precipitation in 2050 are similar to 2015. Baseline water demand in 2014 was 1,988 acre-feet (AF) and under the baseline forecast is expected to increase by 1,546 AF/yr to 3,544 AF in 2050. This represents a 77.4% increase in water demand over the next 36 years. Passive Conservation Forecast A second water demand forecast was prepared through 2050 that includes the impact of anticipated passive efficiencies from Colorado legislation and federal plumbing codes and standards, on a sector-by-sector basis for both indoor and outdoor use. Colorado Senate Bill 2014-103, which was passed in 2014 and phases out the sale of low-efficiency lavatory faucets, showerheads, flushing urinals, and tank-type toilets, is an example of local legislation that is accounted for in the forecast of passive conservation between 2015 and 2050. This forecast found that City water demands will increase to 3,065 AF in 2050. The passive forecast is presented in Figure 12. Key assumptions in the passive conservation forecast include: • • • Baseline water use patterns for Glenwood Springs (Table 1). Population forecast for Glenwood Springs (Table 5). Outdoor water use in all sectors increases proportionally with the population. Outdoor water use impacts from temperature and precipitation in 2050 are similar to 2015. 1% per year decrease in residential indoor per capita water use (from 54.9 gallons per capita per day (gpcd) in 2014 to 38.3 gpcd in 2050), continuing trends of the past 15 years8. 0.5% per year decrease in per capita commercial indoor use from ongoing replacement of fixtures, appliances and equipment and new Colorado legislation under Senate Bill 14-103 that phases in the sale of only high-efficiency WaterSense labeled fixtures starting in 2016. 0.5% per year decrease in per capita hospital/nursing indoor use from ongoing replacement of fixtures, appliances, and equipment and new Colorado legislation under Senate Bill 14-103 that assures high-efficiency plumbing in new construction. 0.5% per year decrease in per capita school indoor use from ongoing replacement of fixtures and appliances and new Colorado legislation under Senate Bill 14-103 that assures high-efficiency plumbing in new construction. 8 Based on results from the Water Research Foundation Residential End Uses of Water Update (to be published in 2014). PAGE 28 CITY OF GLENWOOD SPRINGS MUNICIPAL WATER EFFICIENCY PLAN DECEMBER 16, 2014 DRAFT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW Bulk water sales increase annually, proportionally with increases in population. The passive conservation forecast hypothesizes a 53.4% increase in water demand over the next 36 years and suggest that more efficient fixtures and appliances could help reduce future demands in Glenwood Springs by 478 AF/yr compared with the baseline. Active Conservation Forecast A third forecast was prepared that includes the anticipated impact of the  City’s  planned  water   efficiency program measures described in this plan. Under this forecast, demand increases to just 2,837 AF in 2050. Compared with the original baseline forecast, if the elements of this plan are fully realized, then it is estimated that water demand at 2050 will be reduced by 708 AF as result of passive and active water conservation measures in Glenwood Springs. The active conservation forecast is presented in Figure 12. Key assumptions in the active conservation forecast include: • • • • • • • • Baseline water use patterns for Glenwood Springs (Table 1). Population forecast for Glenwood Springs (Table 5). Outdoor water use in all sectors increases proportionally with the population, but is reduced by 0.25% per year due to a combination of factors including:  Glenwood’s   conservation-oriented rate structure which charges higher rates for outdoor use, densification as the City grows, anticipated smaller lot sizes in future developments, irrigation efficiency improvements, ongoing landscape transformation from traditional turf to water-wise  plants,  and  the  City’s  ongoing  education  and   information efforts. Outdoor water use impacts from temperature and precipitation in 2050 are similar to 2015. 1.1% per year decrease in residential indoor per capita water use (from 54.9 gpcd in 2014 to 36.9 gpcd in 2050), continuing trends of the past 15 years and reflecting recent changes to Colorado law under Senate Bill 14-103 that phases in the sale of only high-efficiency WaterSense labeled fixtures starting in 2016. 0.75% per year decrease in per capita commercial indoor use from ongoing replacement of fixtures, appliances and equipment and new Colorado legislation under Senate Bill 14-103 that assures high-efficiency plumbing in new construction. 0.75% per year decrease in per capita hospital/nursing indoor use from ongoing replacement of fixtures, appliances, and equipment and new Colorado legislation under Senate Bill 14-103 that assures high-efficiency plumbing in new construction. 0.75% per year decrease in per capita school indoor use from ongoing replacement of fixtures and appliances and new Colorado legislation under Senate Bill 14-103 that assures high-efficiency plumbing in new construction. Bulk water sales increase annually, proportionally with increases in population. PAGE 29 CITY OF GLENWOOD SPRINGS MUNICIPAL WATER EFFICIENCY PLAN DECEMBER 16, 2014 DRAFT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW The active conservation forecast hypothesizes a 42.0% increase in water demand over the next 36 years and suggests that more efficient fixtures and appliances and reduced outdoor water use could help reduce future demands in Glenwood Springs by 708 AF/yr compared with the baseline. 2.6.2.2 Limited Financial Benefits of Conservation The City of Glenwood Springs has an ample raw water supply and excess water treatment capacity to meet current demands and all projected future demands over the next 36 years. There are no infrastructure projects that could be delayed or eliminated if the City were to adopt  a  more  aggressive  water  conservation  program.    Because  of  the  City’s  fortunate  position   regarding its water supply and delivery system, the financial benefits of increased water efficiency in Glenwood Springs are essentially non-existent. Some small cost savings might be achieved through reduced chemical costs and a small amount of reduced pumping, but these would most certainly be offset by the decrease in revenue associated with demand reductions. The City of Glenwood Springs does not see a significant financial benefit to increased water use efficiency at this time. In spite of the lack of a real financial incentive, Glenwood Springs remains committed to water efficiency and to current conservation efforts. 2.6.2.3 Climate Change Impact on Water Use Recent climate change forecasts indicate a warming trend in irrigation season temperatures in the Glenwood Springs region. For example, one report indicates temperatures for the 2035 to 2064 time period are forecast to increase by an average of approximately 4 degrees F as compared to the period from 1971 to 2000 (CIRES, 2014). While this may increase the uncertainty in outdoor water demand projections, the net effect depends on numerous factors such as the amount and type of landscaping material, irrigation management practices, etc. Furthermore, some of the impacts on water demands are already included in the forecasts provided in this plan, because recent water demand are utilized to project future water demand patterns. It is important to consider both demand-side, as well as supply-side, impacts of future climate change on overall water supply conditions. The forecast methodology provided in this plan, along with regular updates to the demand projections, will assist in this process. 2.6.3 Estimated Cost of New Supply Options Given that the Glenwood Springs water supply is ample to meet anticipated future demands, and since Glenwood Springs has no pending water supply infrastructure projects beyond normal maintenance, there are no calculable avoided costs for new supply associated with demand reduction. Consequently it is not possible to calculate a benefit/cost ratio for any of the conservation activities developed in this study. For this plan, all required elements were PAGE 30 CITY OF GLENWOOD SPRINGS MUNICIPAL WATER EFFICIENCY PLAN DECEMBER 16, 2014 DRAFT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW considered, but ultimately the current conservation program was selected as the best option for Glenwood Springs. In spite of the lack of a real financial incentive for water efficiency, Glenwood Springs remains committed to its current conservation efforts, which include many of the most important and effective measures such as metering and conservation pricing. 3. SELECTION  OF  WATER  EFFICIENCY  ACTIVITIES The City of Glenwood Springs considered a wide variety of water efficiency programs and measures before selecting the final components for inclusion in this plan. Efficiency measures were screened using a variety of criteria including: Feasibility and practicality, Water savings and estimated cost per AF. The  City  utilized  the  CWCB’s  Municipal Water Efficiency Plan Guidance Document (CWCB 2012) to inform and guide the development of this conservation plan. 3.1 SUMMARY OF THE SELECTION PROCESS The City implemented a tiered screening and selection process for evaluating potential water efficiency activities. Existing activities were included in the list of measures, and unless duplicative, existing activities are expected to continue as part of the ongoing water efficiency program. Cost was a key factor for Glenwood Springs, when considering which efficiency program measures to implement. As noted above, the financial benefits of increased water efficiency in Glenwood Springs are essentially non-existent. A traditional cost-benefit analysis could not performed because no financial benefit could be quantified. Conservation program measures were selected with the knowledge and understanding that the City does not have a designated water conservation budget or dedicated program staff. At the same time, the City has developed an effective demand management program over time by including core foundational elements like rates and ordinances that  are  part  of  the  City’s  regular  management  activities. This information and understanding helped guide the efficiency activity selection process. Initial Screening. An initial screening was conducted by the consultant team, using the CWCB screening and evaluation worksheets (CWCB, 2012) and the Guidebook of Best Practices Guidebook for Municipal Water Conservation in Colorado (CWW, 2010) as the key technical resources, along with professional experience. Activities that made it through the initial screening were assembled and passed along to the staff for screening. PAGE 31 CITY OF GLENWOOD SPRINGS MUNICIPAL WATER EFFICIENCY PLAN DECEMBER 16, 2014 DRAFT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW Final Screening. The final level of screening and final selection of water efficiency activities was made by the  City’s  Public  Works  Director,  Water and Wastewater Superintendent, and other water department personnel. During the final screening, care was taken to select a suite of activities capable of achieving the level of water savings needed by Glenwood Springs to achieve the stated water efficiency goals. 3.2 DEMAND MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES Table 6 presents the new and updated water efficiency activities selected for inclusion in this plan. Each measure is described in more detail in the sections below. Table 6: New and Updated Water Efficiency Activities and Water Savings Estimates. Water Efficiency Activities Sectors Impacted Ongoing Activity? Automatic Meter Reading Installation and Operation All YES Enhanced Water Loss Control All Conservation-Oriented Rates All Implementation Period of New Activities Projected Water Savings 2015 - 2050 (AF/yr) 2014-2018 for existing & ongoing for new customers annual 50 FOUNDATIONAL ACTIVITIES YES 50 100 TARGETED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND INCENTIVES, AND NATURAL REPLACEMENT OF FIXTURES AND APPLIANCES Fixtures, Appliances, and Incentives All, indoor YES 108 Outdoor Water Efficiency All, outdoor YES 150 Commercial, Institutional, and Industrial Water Efficiency ORDINANCES AND REGULATIONS CII YES 120 Regulatory Measures All YES Irrigation CONSIDERING Waste of Water Ordinance Update All YES Update landscape development regulations for new construction to place emphasis on water efficiency in residential development EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES SF & MF residential Water Reuse and Recycling 2015 Potential 2018 under Regional Plan Collaboration Public Information and Education All YES K-12 Education All YES TOTAL SAVINGS THROUGH 2050 (AF/YR) Savings depend on size and scope of reuse project. 100 30 708 PAGE 32 CITY OF GLENWOOD SPRINGS MUNICIPAL WATER EFFICIENCY PLAN DECEMBER 16, 2014 DRAFT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW 3.2.1 Foundational Activities 3.2.1.1 Metering A good metering program is fundamental to the success of water conservation efforts. Colorado statute requires all water providers to meter the water use of its customers and to bill based on metered consumption. In Glenwood Springs, 99.5% of the customers (including all municipal facilities) are metered and billed based on metered consumption. Municipal customers including City parks, the local cemetery, and water and wastewater treatment plants all pay for the water they use.9 The City is in the process of upgrading all water meters with AMR, with a goal of being fully automated within the next three to five years. Approximately 2,000 AMR meters have been installed to date, which is a substantial increase from the 2009 plan estimate of approximately 296 AMR meters installed at that time. The effort is ongoing, and the City is already taking advantage of the capabilities of this system where the meters have already been installed. City staff are using information from the AMR system to identify customer side leaks and for general water management and system improvements. Customers with abnormal usage during a billing period are automatically flagged in the system and alerted to the situation, offering opportunity for prompt repair. The Badger Company makes a water meter-monitoring device that can be provided to the customers. This attaches to a magnetic surface such as a refrigerator and works like the odometer of a car. It has three registers that display volumes recorded by the meter. The main register  (“=”)  displays  the  total  volume  that  has  flowed  through  the  meter  since  it  was  installed. In  addition  there  are  two  other  registers  (“A”  and  “B”)  that  display  the  volume  recorded  since   the last time these were reset (like trip registers on an odometer). The customer can use these to track annual, monthly or daily water use. In addition, the monitors have a light that flashes if a period of zero flow has not occurred in the last 24 hours. This alerts customers of a leak in its system. The City is evaluating the usefulness of this device as part of its conservation and drought response efforts and considering providing these devices on a limited basis after the meters are updated. 3.2.1.2 Enhanced Water Loss Control Leak detection and water loss control are also fundamental water efficiency practices for all water utilities. As discussed above in Section 2.4, system leakage in Glenwood Springs is currently estimated to be between 5% and 7%, which is well below the 10% threshold that is often estimated as the national average. This low rate of system leakage is not an accident, but rather the product of an aggressive water main replacement and repair program in Glenwood Springs. The  City’s  largest loss of raw and treated water is related to the intentional bleeder 9 Some agencies in Colorado provide unlimited, free water to some municipal customers. PAGE 33 CITY OF GLENWOOD SPRINGS MUNICIPAL WATER EFFICIENCY PLAN DECEMBER 16, 2014 DRAFT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW losses from aerial pipes that cross the Colorado River. However, since the water lost as a result of the bleeding operations is available for use if needed, it does not represent a true loss to the system. Furthermore, the City is investigating opportunities to mitigate the freezing issues as a water conservation effort. Conducting an annual system water audit, using the AWWA Water Audits and Loss Control Programs software, will further assist the City in managing its water by categorizing all water uses and identifying real losses that directly impact revenue, as shown in Table 7 below. Table 7: AWWA Water Audits and Loss Control Programs. 3.2.1.3 Conservation-Oriented Water Rate Structure and Billing System Glenwood Springs is a fully metered community and currently bills its customers on a monthly basis using a three tier inclining block rate structure. The City is in the process of upgrading the entire metering infrastructure to the AMR system. This system enables frequent remote interrogation of water meters. The City is already taking advantage of this capability to help identify leaks and abnormal usage in the approximately 2,000 sites where the meters have been installed. The meter replacement project will be implemented over approximately a five year timeframe. The City’s  computerized  billing system includes a residential category, but does not distinguish between single family and multi-family residential customers. Similarly, it does not distinguish between sub-categories of commercial and institutional end users. These additional billing categories, while not essential, would be useful in identifying above-normal water uses, forecasting changes in demand, and in targeting specific conservation programs. Such an effort could be most efficiently  undertaken  when  upgrading  the  City’s  computerized  billing  system, and the City will revisit the idea of expanding customer categorization at that time. PAGE 34 CITY OF GLENWOOD SPRINGS MUNICIPAL WATER EFFICIENCY PLAN DECEMBER 16, 2014 DRAFT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW This City’s  three  tier inclining block rate structure shown below in Table 8 has been in place since January 2012. In this rate structure, tier 2 represents a 33% increase over tier 1 and tier 3 represents a 33% increase over tier 2. The 5,500-gallon block one allotment represents a reasonable estimate of indoor water use for the single-family sector (the largest customer class in the City) and as a result, the rate structure sends an effective price signal that differentiates between indoor and outdoor use for many customers. Irrigation taps that utilize treated water are charged at the tier 2 rate. Separate rate structures apply to bulk water purchases and raw water customers. The rates themselves are set based on the cost of service requirements of the City. Table 8: Treated Water Rates and Rate Structure Effective 2012. Rate Tier Tier 1 – up to 5,500 gallons/month Tier 2 – from 5,501 – 17,500 gallons/month Tier 3 – over 17,500 gallons/month Fixed monthly service fee Water Rate Per 1,000 gallons $2.06 $2.74 $3.64 $11.97/month The schedule of rates and charges for bulk water customers is shown in Table 9. Bulk water sales are made to residents and visitors filling up water tanks and other large containers. Charges for bulk water are more than eight times higher than the tier 1 charges for regular Glenwood Springs' customers. There are only 5 bulk water accounts in the entire City and bulk demand summed to about 0.1% of total demand in Glenwood Springs in 2013. Table 9: Bulk Water Rates Effective 2012. Rate Tier Per 100 gallons Fixed customer charge Water Rate Per 100 gallons $1.71 $11.97 The schedule of rates and charges for raw water customers is shown in Table 10. Raw water is sold to a limited number of parks and dedicated irrigation sites that are located with convenient access to raw water supply infrastructure. Charges for raw water are 17% lower than tier 1 water rates, reflecting the lower cost of service for providing that water, i.e. no treatment. Table 10: Raw Water Rates Effective 2012. Rate Tier Per 1,000 gallons Fixed customer charge Water Rate Per 1,000 gallons $1.71 $11.97 PAGE 35 CITY OF GLENWOOD SPRINGS MUNICIPAL WATER EFFICIENCY PLAN DECEMBER 16, 2014 DRAFT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW 3.2.1.4 Wastewater Rates Wastewater charges comprise the largest chunk of the combined monthly bill for many Glenwood Springs customers. The minimum monthly wastewater bill for customers inside corporate limits is $58.36 regardless of the volume of use during the billing period. Wastewater charges are typically based on the winter average billing for each customer (except for restaurants and hotels or motels with beverage service in which case it is based on actual yearround consumption). The schedule of wastewater rates and charges for customers inside corporate limits is shown in Table 11. Charges for customers outside the corporate limits are approximately 50% higher. Table 11: Inside Corporate Limits Wastewater Rate Effective 2012. Customer Category Minimum monthly bill – all users regardless of consumption (i.e. volumetric charges only apply if they exceed this minimum amount) Restaurant Hotel or motel with food & beverage service Hotel or motel without food & beverage service All others (residential, commercial, etc.) Volume Charge ($/1,000 gallons) Billing Period $58.36 (not Billed monthly, 12 months/year volumetrically based) $7.97 $6.39 Billed monthly, 12 months/year Billed monthly, 12 months/year $5.51 Billed monthly, 12 months/year $5.51 Billed monthly, 12 months/year. Volumetric charges during the summer months are based on the winter average water consumption. 3.2.2 Targeted Technical Assistance and Incentives 3.2.2.1 Fixtures, Appliances, and Incentives In  Glenwood  Springs’  case,  the  threat  of  water shortages primarily occur during low flow times in the late fall through early spring prior to snowmelt runoff. This means that for Glenwood Springs, there is a substantial value in reducing its non-seasonal, or indoor, water uses. The gradual replacement of inefficient fixtures and appliances and other water using devices is an excellent way to accomplish this objective. Glenwood Springs promotes the replacement of old and inefficient toilets, showerheads, faucets, and clothes washers through its regular education efforts. The City is considering PAGE 36 CITY OF GLENWOOD SPRINGS MUNICIPAL WATER EFFICIENCY PLAN DECEMBER 16, 2014 DRAFT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW updating promotional materials to include WaterSense and Energy STAR labeled fixtures and appliances that represent an efficiency improvement over Energy Policy Act requirements. In the past, Glenwood Springs has sponsored a retrofit program for showerheads, toilets, and faucets but does not currently implement this program because it is not cost effective given the water supply conditions. For the same reasons, Glenwood Springs has not implemented a rebate program to encourage and accelerate installation of efficient fixtures and appliances for the purpose of water savings, preferring instead to rely on natural replacement. However, in 2014, the Glenwood Springs Electric Department is offering rebates for Energy Star qualified dishwashers and clothes washers, with the primary impetus being the associated energy savings. 3.2.2.2 Outdoor Water Efficiency Glenwood Springs experiences high summer peak water demands due in part to the regular influx of tourists, but largely due to irrigation demands from customers with automatic sprinkler systems. The City has taken a number of steps to help reduce irrigation demands, starting with customer education. The City actively promotes efficient irrigation practices. In the spring, the City often sends outdoor efficiency information as a bill stuffer and encourages customers to tune up their irrigation systems for maximum efficiency and beauty, and to avoid water waste with additional public television messaging. The City previously established a Xeriscape demonstration garden at the Community Center, featuring a variety of plants that are suitable to the local region and climate and require less water than traditional turf landscapes. While that specific demonstration garden was subsequently removed to accommodate a facility expansion, other public areas throughout the City including trail systems accomplish similar objectives. City staff work to set an example through the efficient irrigation of parks and public lands. All City parks, medians, and other irrigated areas are metered and billed based on actual water use. The City delivers and sells raw water to a number of parks and large irrigation sites that are  located  in  close  proximity  to  the  City’s  piped  raw  water  supply. It is cost prohibitive to extend the raw water system much beyond its current reach, but sites located on or very near the raw water pipe network are encouraged to join the raw water system and to remove their treated water irrigation demands from the system. The  City’s  billing rate structure encourages outdoor water efficiency for its largest customer class, single-family residential, by setting the tier 2 break point at 5,500 gallons which effectively distinguishes indoor use (tier 1) and outdoor use (tier 2 and tier 3). The City has also considered developing and implementing an irrigation efficiency program targeted at high volume water users. The lack of staff resources and the sufficiency of the current water supply have put this effort on hold for the time being. PAGE 37 CITY OF GLENWOOD SPRINGS MUNICIPAL WATER EFFICIENCY PLAN DECEMBER 16, 2014 DRAFT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW While not a long-term water conservation measure, in the event of a climatological drought that  affects  the  City’s  supply,  Glenwood  Springs  is  prepared  to  implement  outdoor  watering   restrictions to reduce demands as required. 3.2.2.3 Commercial, Institutional, and Industrial Water Efficiency Without a formal water conservation program and accompanying staff, Glenwood Springs seeks to encourage commercial, institutional, and industrial (CII) water efficiency through education and pricing mechanisms. Pricing water and wastewater services appropriately has been shown to be an effective method for reducing water demands (Mayer et. al. 2008), (Mayer et. al. 2004), (Howe, 1982). In Glenwood Springs, CII customers are billed for water using the same rate structure as residential customers, which means that large users pay for most of their water at the tier 2 and tier 3 rates. Wastewater rates, presented above in Table 11, are tailored to specific customer categories such as restaurants and the hospitality industry (typically the largest water users in Glenwood Springs). Restaurants pay the highest wastewater charges because of the cost associated with treating the wastewater from these customers, which includes significant amounts of food waste. The hospitality industry in Glenwood Springs, the largest block of non-residential water customers, has adopted a number of the best management practices regarding unnecessary washing of towels and sheets promoted through the US EPA WAVE program as well as other hospitality related efficiency efforts. Guests at many Glenwood Springs lodging establishments are encouraged not to change their sheets and towels every day unless necessary. The City also encourages the replacement of old and inefficient toilet fixtures in hotels and motels through education, information, and price signals, but does not have a rebate program to incent fixture replacement. 3.2.3 Ordinances and Regulations 3.2.3.1 Regulatory Measures The City regularly reviews local codes and regulations for opportunities to specify water conservation requirements. The  City’s  Comprehensive  Master  Plan  also  reflects  water   conservation and regional planning effort goals and values. Several significant conservation-oriented regulatory measures have been enacted in Glenwood Springs including a mandatory  (where  practical)  connection  to  the  City’s  raw  water  system, landscape development standards that focus on water efficiency, the consideration of Xeriscape when developing parking facilities, the adoption of the International Plumbing Code (IPC) as a requirement for new construction, and the adoption of a waste of water ordinance and drought management plan. Some of these specific regulations are described further below. The current waste of water ordinance included in Article 080.040.060 of the City’s  Municipal   PAGE 38 CITY OF GLENWOOD SPRINGS MUNICIPAL WATER EFFICIENCY PLAN DECEMBER 16, 2014 DRAFT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW Code focuses on waste of water from fixtures. Future code updates should consider including specific requirements on outdoor water use such as: prohibiting excessive watering, limiting the maximum number of irrigation days per week, and prohibiting irrigation in the middle of the day, during high winds, while raining, etc. City codes state that, if practical and reasonable in the sole opinion of the City, any property proposed to be developed or redeveloped that is located within the City and within four hundred (400) feet of any established raw water irrigation line with available water rights for such purposes must connect to the City's raw water irrigation system in order to irrigate any lawn or other vegetation located thereon. The City has adopted the IPC as a requirement for new construction, which includes a number of standard efficiency measures. A section that impacts Glenwood Springs is P2903.3.1 (reprinted below) that requires a pressure reducing valve if the maximum static pressure exceeds 80 psi. P2903.3.1 P2903.3 Maximum pressure. Maximum static pressure shall be 80 psi (551 kPa). When main pressure exceeds 80 psi (551 kPa) an approved pressure-reducing valve conforming to ASSE 1003 shall be installed on the domestic water branch main or riser at the connection to the water service. Through the IPC, pressure reducing valves are required in locations where water main pressure exceeds 80 psi. Pressure Reducing Valves (PRVs) have been shown to dramatically reduce indoor and outdoor leakage in communities with high water pressure. In a city such as Glenwood Springs that has high irrigation demands, PRVs can reduce the frequency of blown sprinkler heads and valves and can improve overall irrigation system efficiency. PRVs have also been shown to have an impact on indoor demands in both the residential and commercial sectors. The EPA WaterSense New Home Specification requires a maximum static pressure of 60 pounds per square inch, which is often achieved through installation of a PRV, and builders have noted that customers like the consistency provided through a PRV. Glenwood  Springs’  landscape development regulations for new construction place a strong emphasis on water efficiency in new commercial development. The intent of the commercial landscape design standards (Article 070.150.080) is to  “enhance  the  visual  appeal  of  new   development and to protect and preserve the natural beauty of Glenwood Springs. Landscaping improves air quality, complements the appearance of buildings, buffers potentially incompatible neighboring land uses, mitigates the environmental and visual impacts of surface parking areas, and conserves residential and commercial property values.” The general guidelines for commercial landscaping specifically recommend the following elements related to water conservation (Article 070.150.080(b)): PAGE 39 CITY OF GLENWOOD SPRINGS MUNICIPAL WATER EFFICIENCY PLAN DECEMBER 16, 2014 DRAFT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW (2) Limit to the greatest extent possible the amount of over-site grading and the amount of land area devoted to impervious surfaces in order to preserve existing native vegetation and natural landforms. (5) Incorporate water conservation into all aspects of the design including species selection and plant location and groupings based on irrigation needs. (6) Select native species that have a proven ability to withstand drought and that adapt well to the urban environment. Glenwood Springs also promotes the use of Xeriscaping in parking lot construction. The landscaping design code for parking lots (Article 070.050.100) states,  “For lots with twenty (20) or greater spaces, at least twenty percent (20%) of the total unenclosed parking area, including access ways, shall be devoted exclusively to landscaping of trees, shrubs, ground cover and Xeriscaping, which reduce the visual impact and assist in defining on-site traffic movement.” The City has adopted a Drought Management Plan that authorizes the City manager to implement water use restrictions as needed to address mild, moderate, and severe drought restrictions. Mild drought restrictions are intended to achieve a water use reduction of 10%, while moderate and severe drought restrictions are more restrictive to achieve reductions of 30% and 50%, respectively. 3.2.3.2 Water Reuse and Recycling Glenwood Springs used treated effluent at the pervious wastewater treatment plant site and is currently considering the reuse of treated effluent at the new wastewater treatment plant for irrigation purposes. 3.2.4 Public Education and Information A  key  component  of  Glenwood  Springs’  water  conservation efforts is public education and information. The City provides information to customers about ways to conserve water and avoid water waste through flyers and bill stuffers and the utility maintains conservation materials and information that are available upon request. Education efforts focus on both indoor and outdoor water demands. More recently, the City has also been providing public education on outdoor water efficiency through the local television station. The City finds this method of communication to be far reaching and extremely cost-effective. Glenwood Springs' education efforts extend into the local public schools and community college. Since the City is built at the confluence of two major rivers, water appears plentiful and abundant at first glance. A regular series of field trip tours of the water and wastewater treatment plants and conservation demonstration project are provided to K-12 students and teachers. These tours include discussions of water conservation behaviors and importance of water efficiency. The City also currently makes funding available for the LivingWise Program in which kits containing efficiency measures for hands-on activities at home were made available PAGE 40 CITY OF GLENWOOD SPRINGS MUNICIPAL WATER EFFICIENCY PLAN DECEMBER 16, 2014 DRAFT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW to all elementary school 5th grade classes in 2013. The program facilitates installation of efficiency measures in homes and builds knowledge about energy and water. The City is also looking into other programs like River Watch of Colorado and Project WET. 4. IMPLEMENTATION  AND  MONITORING  PLAN The City of Glenwood Springs does not have a dedicated conservation staff member or a formal, stand-alone water conservation program. However, the City has demonstrated a real commitment to water use efficiency, and even without a formal program has implemented many of the most essential water conservation program measures as described above. Even though Glenwood Springs has ample water supply to meet all forecast future needs in the absence of any water conservation efforts, the City believes water efficiency and demand management are important values to instill in the utility and citizenry. The City plans to continue to promote wise water use and efficiency through a variety of efforts, most notably its conservation-oriented rate structure, automatic meter reading infrastructure, utility water loss control efforts, and public education. 4.1.1 Monitoring and Evaluation Glenwood Springs will review and update this Water Efficiency Plan at least every seven years, or as needed. The City monitors water use on a regular basis and will maintain consumption records. Progress towards meeting the conservation goal can be evaluated when the conservation plan is next updated and into the future using empirical data. This tracking analysis will help determine what, if any, additional conservation program measures are necessary to help Glenwood Springs meet its stated goal by 2050. Beyond tracking conservation progress every seven years, the City produces monthly and annual demand reports for each customer sector and the system as a whole and keeps close track of demand. Unexpected or abnormal water usage by a customer or sector is quickly identified and investigated. The City is already using the new Badger AMR system to identify customer-side leaks and plans to expand this effort as more Orion meters are installed. The City also plans to participate in annual water demand reporting to the State as required under House Bill 1051. It is anticipated that this annual effort will produce useful data to assist the City in monitoring and evaluating progress toward achieving its conservation goals. When the conservation plan is updated, new forecasts will be developed and the adequacy of the  City’s  water  supplies  will  be  compared  against  forecast  future  demand.    If  necessary,  the   City will adopt additional demand management measures. The evaluation done for this plan PAGE 41 CITY OF GLENWOOD SPRINGS MUNICIPAL WATER EFFICIENCY PLAN DECEMBER 16, 2014 DRAFT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW indicates that the Glenwood Springs has ample raw water supply to meet all forecast future demands. 4.1.2 Revenue Stability The  City’s  water  rate  structure  includes  a  fixed  charge  component  and tier sizes designed to promote efficiency and revenue stability. Glenwood Springs does anticipate a growth in water demand  over  time  as  the  City’s  population  grows.    Water  efficiency  as  practiced  by  Glenwood   Springs helps ensure water rates remain as low as possible for customers, because efficiency is being achieved at a lower cost than procuring new supplies or constructing new infrastructure. 5. ADOPTION,  PUBLIC  REVIEW,  AND  APPROVAL  OF  WATER  EFFICIENCY   PLAN THIS SECTION TO BE COMPLETED AFTER PUBLIC REVIEW 6. COMPLIANCE  WITH  STATE  PLANNING  REQUIREMENTS Colorado Revised Statute § 37-60-126 requires a covered entity to develop, adopt, make publicly available, and implement a water conservation (efficiency) plan that will encourage its domestic, commercial, industrial, and public facility customers to use water more efficiently. According  to  the  statute,  a  “covered  entity”  means  a  municipality,  agency,  utility,  or  other   publicly owned entity with a legal obligation to supply, distribute, or otherwise provide water at retail to domestic, commercial, industrial, or public facility customers, and that has a total annual demand for such customers of two thousand acre-feet or more. Key elements that must be fully evaluated in development of the plan are listed as follows: A. Water-saving measures and programs including: I. water-efficient fixtures and appliances; II. low water use landscapes, drought-resistant vegetation, removal of phreatophytes, and efficient irrigation; III. water-efficient industrial and commercial water-using processes; IV. water reuse systems; V. distribution system leak identification and repair; VI. information and education; VII. conservation-oriented rate structures and billing systems; VIII. regulatory measures designed to encourage water conservation; IX. incentives to implement water conservation techniques including rebates. B. Role  of  conservation  in  the  entity’s  supply  planning. C. Plan implementation, monitoring, review, and revision. D. Future review of plan within seven years. PAGE 42 CITY OF GLENWOOD SPRINGS MUNICIPAL WATER EFFICIENCY PLAN DECEMBER 16, 2014 DRAFT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW E. Estimated savings from previous conservation efforts as well as estimates from implementation of current plan and new plan. F. A 60-day minimum public comment period (or other time period based on local ordinance). The  following  section  of  the  plan  details  Glenwood  Springs’  compliance  with  this  statute. 6.1.1 Glenwood Springs Compliance The City of Glenwood Springs developed this conservation plan in order to comply with Colorado Revised Statute § 37-60-126. Each element of compliance is documented below. A. Consideration of specific conservation measures. (I) Fixture and appliances – The City actively promotes the installation of water efficient fixtures and appliances through its regular conservation education efforts and through its adoption of the International Plumbing Code. The City has carefully considered and evaluated the costs and benefits associated with give-aways, rebates, and incentives to encourage more rapid adoption of efficient technology, but no additional expenditures are economically justified because of the ample raw water supply available and the resulting benefit-cost analysis. (II) Low water use landscaping – The City actively promotes water wise landscaping practices through its conservation education efforts and conservation-oriented rate structure, and demonstration of Xeriscape principals in public spaces and trail systems throughout the City. The City encourages the installation of water wise landscapes through landscape development ordinances. The City irrigates a number of properties using raw water and will continue to seek new opportunities for raw water irrigation. The City has carefully considered and evaluated the costs and benefits associated with rebates and incentives to encourage more efficient irrigation and water wise landscaping, but no additional program expenditures are economically justified because of the ample raw water supply available and the resulting benefit-cost analysis. (III) Commercial, Industrial and Institutional (CII) measures – The City actively promotes CII water conservation through its regular conservation education efforts and conservation-oriented rate structure. The hospitality industry – the biggest water users in Glenwood Springs – has voluntarily adopted a variety of water efficiency measures and practices. The City has carefully considered and evaluated the costs and benefits associated with rebates and incentives to encourage CII retrofits and efficiency, but no additional program expenditures are economically justified because of the ample raw water supply available and the resulting benefit-cost relationship. (IV) Water reuse systems – Glenwood Springs is currently considering the reuse of treated effluent at the wastewater treatment plant for irrigation purposes. PAGE 43 CITY OF GLENWOOD SPRINGS MUNICIPAL WATER EFFICIENCY PLAN DECEMBER 16, 2014 DRAFT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW (V) Water loss and system leakage reduction – The current program includes an active utility water loss and leak detection program that includes testing approximately 25% of the system annually. The new metering system is being used to help identify customer side leaks. The City has worked hard to replace aging water mains and reduce water loss where possible. (VI) Information and public education – A  key  component  of  Glenwood  Springs’  water   conservation efforts is public education and information. The City provides information to customers about ways to conserve water and avoid water waste through flyers, bill stuffers, and public television messages, and the utility maintains conservation materials and information that are available upon request. (VII) Water rate structure – Glenwood Springs currently bills its customers on a monthly basis using a three-tier inclining block rate structure. This conservation-oriented rate structure has been in place since January 2000. (VIII) Regulatory measures – Glenwood Springs has regulatory measures in place that encourage the use of raw water and mandate the inclusion of a pressure-reducing valve when  pressure’s  exceed  80  psi.  The City promotes water wise landscaping in new construction through two ordinances: 070.150.080, and 070.050.100 (discussed in detail earlier). The City has adopted the International Plumbing Code as a requirement for new construction, which includes a number of standard efficiency measures. The City regularly reviews local codes and regulations for opportunities to specify water conservation requirements. (IX) Incentives – Glenwood Springs promotes the replacement of old and inefficient toilets, showerheads, faucets, and clothes washers through its regular education efforts. However, in 2014, the Glenwood Springs Electric Department offered rebates for Energy Star qualified dishwashers and clothes washers. In the past, Glenwood Springs has sponsored a retrofit program for showerheads, toilets, and faucets but does not currently implement this program because it is not cost effective given the water supply conditions. B. Role of conservation in Glenwood Springs supply planning. This Water Efficiency Plan represents  Glenwood  Springs’  most  comprehensive  effort  to  integrate  water   conservation into water supply planning. Through this plan, the City has clearly established that its raw water supply is sufficient to meet future growth under all current planning scenarios. C. Plan implementation, monitoring, review, and revision. The City monitors water use on a regular basis and will continue to do so. The City produces monthly and annual demand reports for each customer sector and the system as a whole and keeps close PAGE 44 CITY OF GLENWOOD SPRINGS MUNICIPAL WATER EFFICIENCY PLAN DECEMBER 16, 2014 DRAFT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW track of demand. The City also plans to participate in annual water demand reporting to the State as required under House Bill 1051. It is anticipated that this annual effort will produce useful data to assist the City in monitoring and evaluating progress on achieving its conservation goals. Glenwood Springs will review and update this Water Efficiency Plan every seven years or as needed. During this review, progress towards achieving the stated conservation goal will be evaluated. D. Future review of plan within seven years. Glenwood Springs will review and update this Water Efficiency Plan every seven years or as needed. E. Estimated savings from previous conservation efforts and current plan. Since 2009, it is estimated that Glenwood Springs has already conserved more than 200 AF of water which exceeds the forecast from the previous conservation plan. The active conservation forecast prepared for this 2014 plan includes the anticipated impact of the City’s  planned  water  efficiency  program  measures.    Under  this  forecast,  demand   increases to around 2,837 AF in 2050. Compared with the original baseline forecast, if the elements of this plan are fully realized, then it is estimated that water demand at 2050 will be reduced by 708 AF (20% total reduction, 0.53%/year) as a result of passive and active water conservation measures in Glenwood Springs. F. Public comment period. THIS SECTION TO BE COMPLETED AFTER PUBLIC REVIEW 7. ROARING  FORK  REGIONAL  WATER  EFFICIENCY  PLAN The development of the City of Glenwood Springs Water Efficiency Plan was a collaborative effort funded by a Colorado Water Conservation Board grant as part of the Roaring Fork Watershed Regional Water Efficiency Plan. The Regional Water Efficiency Plan is published under separate cover and focuses on regional opportunities to increase municipal water efficiency. The  City’s  Water  Efficiency  Plan  will  have  a  limited  direct  effect  on  flows  in the Roaring Fork River because the  City’s  primary  water  supply  sources  are  outside  of  the  Roaring  Fork   watershed. The City is pursuing a water efficiency goal of about 0.5% per year so that the firm yields from No Name and Grizzly Creek continue to meet the  City’s  demands  through  2050.   These actions will reduce or eliminate the need for the City to utilize Ruedi Reservoir as a primary water supply in dry years, although any use of Ruedi Reservoir water by the City could have the impact of increasing flows in the Roaring Fork River given that the City is located at the confluence of the Roaring Fork and Colorado Rivers. The City of Glenwood Springs can, however, make a significant contribution to the regional plan by partnering with other water providers on water efficiency programs and the City is committed to assisting with the implementation of the Roaring Fork Regional Water Efficiency Plan. PAGE 45 CITY OF GLENWOOD SPRINGS MUNICIPAL WATER EFFICIENCY PLAN DECEMBER 16, 2014 DRAFT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW Figure 13. Water Providers Participating in the Roaring Fork Regional Water Efficiency Plan. 8. REFERENCES Aquacraft, Inc. (2009, June). Water Conservation Plan, Glenwood Springs, Colorado. CIRES Western Water Assessment (2014, August). Climate Change in Colorado: A Synthesis to Support Management and Adaptation, Second Edition. Colorado Water Conservation Board (2012, July). Municipal Water Efficiency Plan Guidance Document. Colorado WaterWise (2010). Guidebook of Best Practices Guidebook for Municipal Water Conservation in Colorado. Howe, C. W. (1982). The Impact of Price on Residential Water Demand: Some New Insights. Water Resources Research 18(4):713-16. PAGE 46 CITY OF GLENWOOD SPRINGS MUNICIPAL WATER EFFICIENCY PLAN DECEMBER 16, 2014 DRAFT FOR PUBLIC REVIEW Mayer, P.W. et. al. (2008, May). Water Budgets and Rate Structures: Innovative Management Tools. Journal of the American Water Works Association. Vol. 100, No. 5. Mayer, P.W, et. al. (2004). National Submetering and Allocation Billing Program Study – Project Overview and Preliminary Results. Proceedings of the Water Sources Conference 2004, Austin, TX., Proceedings of the AWWA Annual Conference, Orlando, FL. SWSI (2010). Statewide Water Supply Initiative 2010 Final Report, Colorado Water Conservation Board. USGS (2013). Water-Data Report 2013, 09085000 Roaring Fork at Glenwood Springs, CO. http://wdr.water.usgs.gov/wy2013/pdfs/09085000.2013.pdf PAGE 47