WATER CONSERVATION

 

Additional information about Public Works and Utilities’ Water Conservation Program may be obtained by contacting Leila Goodwin, Water Resources Manager at (919) 462-3846, through e-mail at leila.goodwin@townofcary.org, or by visiting the Town’s website at www.townofcary.org.

 

TOWN OF CARY GOALS AND INITIATIVES

Town Focus Areas

Focus Area I:

Community Planning

Focus Area II:  Infrastructure

Focus Area III:  Financial Condition

Focus Area IV:  Municipal Services

Town Goals

Achieve a well-planned community using innovative and proactive planning approaches and techniques.

Ensure that roads, water and wastewater facilities, parks, and other infrastructure exists for the existing citizens and for the future needs identified in the comprehensive plan.

Achieve a stable and strong financial position by accurately estimating, prudently allocating, and managing financial resources.

Achieve a high level of service to the citizens in a prompt, reliable, responsive, and cost-effective manner.

Town Initiatives

(pages 2 and 3 of this document contain full descriptions of each Town Initiative)

Growth Management

  Long Range Water Resources

Housing Program

Comprehensive Planning

Land Use Plan

Environmental Concerns

Infrastructure and Level of Service Standards

Fiscal Plan

Water, Wastewater, Transportation Infrastructure

Broad Band Technology Services

Long Term Financial Plan

Performance Measurement

Short Term Financial Planning

Review Operations

Cost Consciousness and Sustained Service Provision

Public Involvement

Departmental Goals and Initiatives

 

1-6

 

 

 

1,23,6

 

4, 6

 

5

 

   1,2

 

 

 

 

 4,5

 

 

5

 

6

 

6

 

DIVISION GOALS AND INITIATIVES

1.     To manage peak demand and delay future water treatment facility expansions to the extent possible.

2.     To keep water demand at levels that allow/maintain compliance with Cary’s state IBT certificate.

3.     To fulfill Cary’s commitment to the State to incorporate water conservation as part of water supply planning.

4.     To meet the Council goal of 20% gpcd reduction by 2015.

5.     To evaluate programs for cost-efficiency and effectiveness, and adjust programs and priorities as needed.

6.     To maintain a comprehensive approach to water conservation through regulations, educational programs, and incentives.

A.     Regulations

      1.  Water Waste Ordinance

  2.  Rain Sensor Ordinance

  3.  Alternate Day Watering Ordinance

  4.  Water Shortage Ordinance

  5.  Irrigation design and requirements as written in the Appearance Manual

B.   Educational Programs

      1.  Block Leader Program

      2.  Summer Beat the Peak Campaign

      3.  Winter Campaign

      4.  Elementary School Program (SLOW and Pipes), Middle School Program (Advanced Pipes), High School                        Program (Tours)

      5.  Festivals such as Earth Day @ Spring Daze, Gardens for the Cure, Lazy Daze, ToC Holiday Festival,                              Celebrate H2O

      6.  Programs for civic groups such as the Scouts, Rotary, Kiwanis, and churches

      7.  Water Audits upon request or referral from FN Department

 

 

 

C.  Incentives

  1.  Tiered Rate Structure

  2.  Water Budgets

  3.  Rain Barrel Sale Program

  4.  Toilet Flapper Rebate Program

  5.  Give Away Program: showerheads, bathroom and kitchen faucet aerators, shower timers, rain gauges,

        toilet dye tablets and tutorial, drip gauges, soil probes, rain sensor replacement caps

 

FY 2008 ACCOMPLISHMENTS

·    Continued progress towards 2015 goal by reduction in per capita demand.

·    Online registration for watering exception permits stopped when Nov. 1 irrigation ban instituted.

·    Reached 1700 students through classroom lessons alone.

·    Reached all utility customers with water conservation messages via monthly entry in the monthly utility newsletter, Bud; annual Beat the Peak postcard; and direct mailing to all irrigation customers; direct mailing (spigot hanger) sent to all customers based upon citizen idea.

·    Visible to thousands of utility customers at Earth Day @ Spring Daze, Lazy Daze, and Holiday Celebration.

·    Completed Integrated Water Resources Management Plan.

·    Town of Cary became a WaterSense partner

·    Conducted record number of audits

·    Sold record number of rain barrels

·    Working with Steven’s Nature Center and Wake County on a grant to established a rainwater
    harvesting demonstration site

·    Working with Wake County on a grant to establish a rainwater harvesting test site at Ritter Park.

·    Working with Wake County on a grant to establish cisterns in new development

·    Added more pages to web site to help manage drought

·    Temporarily modified Notice of Violation door hanger to reflect irrigation ban.

·    Responded to record number of drought-related inquiries (phone and e-mail)

 

KEY PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES

·         Ensure a 1% annual reduction in per capita water use.

·         In times of water shortage, meet water use reduction goals.

·         Ensure that all customers receive information regarding water conservation ordinances, requirements, and incentives.

 

KEY PERFORMANCE MEASURES


Performance Measure

Actual
FY2007

Estimated
FY 2008

Projected
FY 2009

% reduction in per capita water use

1%

               1%

               1%

% of top users non-residential customers exceeding top tier in consecutive months

30%

29%

29%

% of top user residential customers exceeding top tier in consecutive months

25%

20%

20%

% single family residential customers with Block Leaders

9%

20%

20%

% reduction in irrigation water use by Block Leader coverage area

12%

12%

12%

Compliance rate with rain sensor ordinance

95%

98%

98%

% of customers receiving educational outreach materials

93%

             97%         

             97%         

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

KEY WORKLOAD INDICATORS


Workload Indicator

Actual
FY 2007

Estimated
FY 2008

Projected
FY 2009

Number of students participating in Saving Lots Of Water (SLOW)and Pipes elementary education program

965

1,500

1,600

Number of students in other targeted lessons and festivals (scouts, Earth Day, etc.)

1,475

1,700

1,700

Number of students in middle school education program

0

225

225

Number of students in high school programming

100

100

125

Number of Block Leaders recruited and trained

95

125

140

Number of water audits

25

150

150

Workshops offered

7

9

12

Customers attending workshops

107

100

200

Water conservation targeted mailings--postcard and irrigation letter

47,000

54,000

95,000

Number of rain barrels sold

204

750

725

Site-specific water budgets developed and maintained

3,270

3,280

3,400

Field hours conducting education and enforcement

1,461

2,200

2,000

Notices of Violation issued

1,881

2,100

2,000

Number of irrigation systems checked for rain sensor installation

1,321

1,500

2,000

 

Based upon premise that our requested FY09 budget that includes a part-time temporary education specialist is approved.

 

ACTIVITY HISTORY

Fund Number:  030-7011

 

 

 

 

 

 

Actual

Actual

Actual

Estimated

Budget

Activity

FY 2005

FY 2006

FY 2007

FY 2008

FY 2009

Personnel Services

$231,801

$159,565

      $234,678

      $261,163

$417,231

Operations and Maintenance

$25,057

$ 53,364

$77,375

$292,042

$415,051

Capital Outlay

0

$13,457

0

$16,600

$11,900

Total

$256,858

$226,386

$312,053

$569,805

$844,182

Authorized FTEs

3.75

4

4

5

6

 

SIGNIFICANT BUDGET AND SERVICE LEVEL CHANGES BEYOND CURRENT LEVELS

·         Requesting part-time, temporary education specialist to assist with customer service and expand public outreach.