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HomeMy WebLinkAbout6.d. Second Meter Water Useage TABLE ONE One Meter vs. Two Meter Households SAMPLE-1 Meter Households w/Irrigation Systems(sample of 23) Percent of Percent Gal Per Quarter Usage Total Use Above Q1 Household Q1 265 11% 12 Q2 594 25% 124% 26 Q3 1,102 47% 316% 48 Q4 396 17% 49% 17 2,357 102 2 Meter Households(803) Percent of Percent Gal Per Quarter Usage Total Use Above Q1 Household Q1 11,752 11% 15 Q2 22,625 21% 93% 28 Q3 47,927 45% 308% 60 Q4 23,247 22% 98% 29 105,551 131 All Other 1 Meter Households(5486) Percent of Percent Gal Per Quarter Usage Total Use Above Q1 Household Q1 66,559 17% 12 Q2 89,928 24% 35% 16 Q3 134,838 35% 103% 25 Q4 89,071 23% 34% 16 380,396 69 All Households(6312) Percent of Percent Gal Per Quarter Usage Total Use Above 41 Household Q1 78,576 16% 12 Q2 113,147 23% 44% 18 Q3 183,867 38%u 134% 29 Q4 112,714 23% 43% 18 488,304 77 Note: Actual 2015 usage, all figures in thousands G:\Water�20160222 UC 2nd meter analysis.docx The data in T_�BLE ONE suggests the need for a greater conservation effort among all our customers with irrigauon systems, not just those with a second meter. r,s mentioned in the previous agenda item, these initiatives may be effective in this specific area of need: • Distribute targeted educational material to households with irrigation systems (may be difficult to determine which households) • Annually mail letters to the top 10% of residential�vater users (appro:�imately 650 households) comparing their use to the average household • Include an informational insert with utility bills • Actively enforce the sprinkling restrictions (including the monetary penalty) • Enhance the City webpage with new information, and draw attenuon to it with a news flash and/or Mayor press release Another option may be to focus on our second meter customers and adjust our billing system so that all irrigation water is billed at the highest rate of$2.60 per thousand gallons. In the eYample below, the 3"' quarter domestic usage is 15,000 gallons and the irrigation usage is 84,000 gallons. The current billing system adds the two meters together before applying the tiered rates. Consequently, the second meter households that use less than 48,000 gallons on their domestic meter are paying a lower rate for their irrigation water until they reach the 48,000 gallon threshold. The following tables illustrate the difference. Current Billin Ad�usted Billin Gallons Rate Total Gallons Rate Total 12,000 $1.11 $13.32 12,000 $1.11 $13.32 12,000 $1.39 $16.68 3,000 $1.39 $4.17 24,000 $1.74 $41.76 84,000 $2.60 $218.40 51,000 $2.60 $132.60 99,000 $235.89 99,000 $204.3G Under both billing scenarios, this customer is saving$151.20 in sewer use charges for the quarter compared to a similar customer without the second meter (84 x $1.80). Because this may be viewed as unfairly penalizing households with second meters, a final option may be to increase the highest tier rate so that all high water users are affected. r1 typical household that does not irrigate would rarely consume more than 48,000 gallons in a quarter, so their rates would not be significandy impacted. SUMMARY Staff is providing this information for discussion purposes; no action is required. Consideration should be given to implementing some of the suggested initiatives listed in the report, keeping in mind that some may require more staff time and/or resources than what is currendy available. G:\Water�20160222 UC 2nd meter analysis.docx