Water

Austin, USA

World leader in stopping water leakage

What is it?

Austin began its water efficiency program in 1983 in response to increased demand during a housing and commercial boom. Conservation and the enhanced use of reclaimed water (water that is cleaned and serves non-potable purposes) now represent some of the supply strategies to meet the City’s long-term water needs.

How does it work?

Programs include incentives to install water efficient equipment, services to reduce demand, educational programs and regulatory measures. For example, the Toilet Replacement Program has stipulated a maximum flush volume of 1.6 gallons per flush since 1991. A Free Toilet Program and Toilet Rebate Program have helped consumers purchase more efficient model.

Other programs have focused on efficient washing machines, irrigation audits, rebates for rainwater harvesting, drought-tolerant plants and shrubs, awareness raising and other efficiency measures. In addition, seasonal water restrictions regulate behaviour to reduce consumption at critical times.

Around 35% of all Austin Water Utility water sales are to customers in the Industrial, Commercial, and Institutional (ICI) sectors. ICI customers are eligible for a free system-wide water conservation analysis, including inspection of cooling towers and a review of water use in production processes and cooling systems. Savings-based rebates are offered for installation of new equipment and introduction of water-conserving processes.

Next steps

The city aims to reduce water use by 1% a year for ten years and created a package of improvements (21 recommendations) that will amount to peak-day water savings of 32.74 MGD (millions of gallons per day) at an average cost of roughly $1.13 per gallon ($0.30 per liter). If these recommendations are implemented in full, Austin will reduce an additional 9,130 tons of CO2 and save $112.2 million.

New programs are also being proposed, focusing on: Irrigation System Design, Car Wash Efficiency Standards, Required Submeters for Water Billing, Reduce Excessive Water Use Due to High Pressure, Leak Detection, and Reclaimed Water Projects.

Application

• Changes to water rates and plumbing and development codes offer the most potential for water savings with the least investment of resources.
• Ordinances governing customer behaviour (watering restrictions, etc.) are also valuable with effective enforcement, which may require a greater degree of political commitment in addition to personnel resources.
• Rebate programs, particularly for the retrofit of outdated fixtures and appliances, are relatively easy to implement and can easily be expanded as resources allow.
• Programs involving on-site facility audits for irrigation or commercial processes require a higher level of staff expertise and a greater investment of staff time; however, the higher potential for water savings may make audit programs more attractive in areas with large commercial developments.
• Educational and outreach programs are helpful in generating a “conservation mindset,” but the small behavioural changes they initiate (e.g., turning off faucets while brushing teeth) are difficult to measure.
• Marketing efforts are necessary for alerting customers to mandatory restrictions and informing them of voluntary programs; however, with a little creativity and a good understanding of the customer base, marketing can be done effectively even with minimal resources.