Water Use Efficiency Program YEAR END REPORT FISCAL YEAR 2008-2009 OUR MISSION The mission of the district is a healthy, safe, and enhanced quality of living in Santa Clara County through watershed stewardship and comprehensive management of water resources in a practical, cost-effective, and environmentally sensitive manner for current and future generations. 5750 Almaden Expressway San Jose, CA 95118 (408) 265-2600 www.valleywater.org i Santa Clara Valley Water District ABOUT THE SANTA CLARA VALLEY WATER DISTRICT The Santa Clara Valley Water District is the primary water resources agency for Santa Clara County, California. It acts not only as the county’s water wholesaler, but also as its flood protection agency and is the steward for its streams and creeks, underground aquifers and District-built reservoirs. As the county’s water wholesaler, the water district makes sure there is enough clean, safe water for homes and businesses. As the agency responsible for local flood protection, the water district works diligently to protect Santa Clara Valley residents and businesses from the devastating effects of flooding. Our stream stewardship responsibilities include creek restoration and wildlife habitat projects, pollution prevention efforts and a commitment to natural flood protection. BOARD OF DIRECTORS Rosemary Kamei District 1 Joe Judge District 2 Richard P. Santos District 3 Larry Wilson District 4 Patrick Kwok District 5 Tony Estremera District 6 Sig Sanchez District 7 From left, Richard P. Santos, Joe Judge, Rosemary Kamei, Tony Estremera, Sig Sanchez, Patrick Kwok, Larry Wilson. ii Water Use Efficiency Program FROM THE OFFICE OF THE CEO This eighth annual Water Use Efficiency Program Year End Report presents the actions taken by the Santa Clara Valley Water District, and the success of the community, in achieving water use efficiency goals for fiscal year 2008/09. As the third dry year in a row, FY 08/09 had many water supply challenges. Along with low rainfall and reduced sierra snowpack, a federal court ruling to curtail pumping from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Bay Delta further restricted the amount of available water. Despite these significant challenges, careful planning and investments in a diverse portfolio of water supply resources helped us meet our water conservation and recycling goals; that is, a reliable water supply for the residents and businesses of the community. Our water use efficiency program is a key part of this portfolio, with nearly 65,000 acre-feet of water savings in FY 2008/09 – roughly enough water to supply 130,000 families in Santa Clara County. Water Conservation is widely considered the most cost-effective option in an available water supply portfolio. Our water conservation program is no different as it relies on a thorough cost-benefit analysis to develop program details and rebate levels. We are proud to report that the district once again received recognition as a statewide leader in water and energy conservation. Out of hundreds applicants, the Santa Clara Valley Water District was one of five organizations, and the only governmental agency, chosen to be honored in the “Best Overall” category from California’s energy efficiency outreach campaign, “Flex Your Power.” Our District helped the community save over 19.5 billion gallons of water through its programs during the last fiscal year (FY 07/08). These programs include technical and financial assistance in the residential, commercial, landscape, and agricultural sectors of Santa Clara County. Using water wisely to meet the needs of the growing community and meet challenges such as the possible continuation of the drought, reduced flow from the Bay Delta and climate change issues, will continue to be a goal of the District in years ahead. Beau Goldie Chief Executive Officer Santa Clara Valley Water District iii Santa Clara Valley Water District WUE UNIT STAFF FOR FY 08/09 (From left): Hossein Ashktorab, Pam John, Karen Morvay, Toni Vye, Bob Siegfried, Kurt Elvert, Jeannine Larabee, Keith Whitman, Ray Wong, Kevin Galvin, Jerry De La Piedra, Stanley Zhu. WATER UTILITY ENTERPRISE: Jim Fielder, Chief Operating Officer TABLE OF CONTENTS WATER SUPPLY MANAGEMENT DIVISION: About the Santa Clara Valley Keith Whitman, Water District ........................................... i Deputy Operating Officer Board of Directors ..................................... ii WATER USE EFFICIENCY EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1 UNIT STAFF: WUE UNIT INTERNS Hossein Ashktorab, FOR FY 08/09 Unit Manager WATER CONSERVATION 5 (From left): Kevin Carley, Jerry De La Piedra, In the Home ............................................. 6 Program Administrator David Nguyen, John In Landscape ........................................... 8 Fosnaugh, Alexsis Shields, Kurt Elvert, In Business ..............................................11 Water Conservation Specialist I Michael Gonzales, Becky Olsen, Erica Silva, In Agriculture .......................................... 15 Kevin Galvin, Senior Water Rosalie Sears. Outreach & Education ..............................16 Conservation Specialist (Not pictured: Events .....................................................19 Pam John, Shawn Kefauver, Cost-Sharing Agreements, Senior Civil Engineer Kira Darlow, Partnerships ............................................ 20 Jeannine Larabee, Elizabeth Sarmiento) Studies & Research .................................. 21 Water Conservation Specialist II Karen Morvay, WATER RECYCLING 22 Water Conservation AND DESALINATION Specialist II What is Recycled Water in Robert Siegfried, Assistant Civil Engineer II Santa Clara County ................................. 24 (Agricultural) Approach ............................................... 26 Toni Vye, District’s Cooperative Project Assistant Relationships ...........................................27 Ray Wong, Education & Outreach ..............................32 Associate Engineer (Civil) Grants & Funding .................................... 33 Stanley Zhu, Senior Civil Engineer Studies & Research .................................. 34 1 Water Use Efficiency Program EXCUTIVE SUMMARY The Santa Clara Valley Water District’s (water district) These programs will also protect the south bay salt-marsh water conservation and water recycling programs habitat and the endangered species that live there by are a key part of its core business, providing about reducing freshwater effluent released from wastewater 17 percent (or roughly 65,000 acre-feet in FY 08/09) treatment facilities. of the district’s total water supply. The water district is planning on raising this percentage significantly; by These programs assist the district in meeting its board ends the year 2030, water use efficiency (WUE) programs, policies for water supply reliability, water conservation which may include desalination in addition to water and water recycling. The board’s ends policies, in conservation and water recycling, will account for conjunction with the district’s 2003 Integrated Water roughly 25-30 percent of the total water supply. Resources Planning Study (IWRP) and 2005 Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP), require that: water Water use efficiency programs reduce demand on conservation is implemented to the maximum extent that existing water and energy supplies, helping to lessen is practical; water recycling be expanded within Santa the costs and environmental impacts of developing Clara County in partnership with the community; and a additional supplies. In addition to helping meet long-term variety of water supply sources are available to minimize water reliability goals, WUE programs also help meet risk. short-term demands placed on supply during critical dry periods as well as during a regulatory drought. STOP AND SMELL THE DROUGHT-RESISTANT FLOWERS. For a better world, landscape with water-wise plants. ©2009 Santa Clara Valley Water District Water Conservation Outreach Campaign ad 2 Santa Clara Valley Water District In March, 2009, as the district entered into its The eighth Year End Report provides an overview third consecutive dry year, the Santa Clara Valley of achievements in Fiscal Year 08/09 and a look at Water District board of directors unanimously passed current water use efficiency programs, including water a resolution declaring a water shortage alert and conservation, water recycling and desalination. The calling upon the cities, the county and water retailers to report also looks at new and future projects, partnerships immediately activate their existing drought ordinances and completed research. and enforce a mandatory 15 percent reduction in water use. The board’s decision to move from voluntary In December, 2008, the district was one of five to mandatory conservation was based upon both a organizations, and the only governmental thorough analysis of Santa Clara County’s current water agency, chosen to be honored in the “Best supply conditions and contingency planning to factor in Overall” category from California’s energy the potential of additional years of drought and other efficiency outreach campaign, “Flex Your impacts to the district’s water supply. To achieve these Power.” The annual Flex Your Power awards identify mandatory restrictions, the water district continues to businesses and government agencies that demonstrate cooperate with municipalities and water retailers. determined efforts to save energy and water, and to decrease carbon emissions in California. The water Additionally, restrictions on pumping water from the district helped save over Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to protect fisheries have 19.5 billion gallons of reduced the quantity and reliability of the district’s water through its programs imported water supplies. Water from the Sierra during the last fiscal snowpack conveyed through the Delta constitutes about year (FY 07/08). These half the district’s drinking water and that supply has been programs include technical significantly reduced. and financial assistance in the residential, Increasing public awareness of the drought commercial, landscape, was a priority for the district and the district and agricultural sectors of stepped up public outreach efforts. A new media Santa Clara County. campaign was developed which included television, radio, newspaper, billboards and online advertisements. Hossein Ashktorab receives the Flex Your Power Award 3 Water Use Efficiency Program In FY 08/09, the Water Use Efficiency Unit completed The analysis, which was recently updated with data an updated version of the report, “From Watts to from FY 07/08 and current energy and air emissions Water,” which provides an analysis of the energy factors, shows that the district’s water conservation savings and air quality benefits provided by the district’s and water recycling programs have resulted in savings comprehensive suite of water conservation and water of approximately 1.82 billion kilowatt-hours (kwh) of recycling programs. These programs have resulted energy, which represents a financial savings of $236 in a cumulative savings of 487,000 acre-feet of new million (in residential electricity rates) and is equivalent to water supplies between FY 92/93 and FY 07/08. In the annual electricity required for 265,136 households. addition to saving water and providing greater water Through saving this energy, approximately 429 million supply reliability, water conservation and water recycling kg of carbon dioxide emissions were eliminated, which is programs save energy and thereby reduce air pollutant equivalent to removing 78,263 passenger cars from the emissions, including carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas roads for one year. that contributes to global warming. WATER CONSERVATION PROGRAMS INDOOR PROGRAMS - RESIDENTIAL Program Participation Total Program Program Name for FY 08/09 Participation to Date Water Wise House Calls 1,592 27,599 Residential High-Effi ciency Toilet 2,459 4,565 Rebate Program Residential Clothes Washer Rebate Program 13,965 92,466 Showerhead Distribution Program 7,253 148,994 Residential Water Softener Rebate Program 465 1,469 Residential High-Effi ciency Toilet Installation 19 19 Program with PG&E LANDSCAPE PROGRAMS – RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL Program Participation Total Program Program Name for FY 08/09 Participation to Date Weather-Based Irrigation Controller 407 902 Rebate Program Irrigation Technical Assistance Program 154 1,108 Water Effi cient Landscape Rebate Program 250 351 Irrigation Hardware Rebate Program 39 49 for Residents Irrigation Hardware Rebate Program for Commercial, Industrial and Institutional 6 15 facilities (CII) 4 Santa Clara Valley Water District COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL, INSTITUTIONAL (CII) PROGRAMS Program Participation Total Program Program Name for FY 08/09 Participation to Date Commercial Clothes Washer Rebate Program 268 3,085 CII & Multi-Family Dwelling High Effi ciency 4,582 13,014 Toilet Installation Program CII Water Survey Program 153 309 Water Effi cient Technologies (WET) Program 2 73 Pre-Rinse Spray Valve Program 26 4,321 Mobile Home Submeter Rebate Program 1,442 2,934 WATER RECYCLING PROGRAMS Total Recycled Water Recycled Water Program Recycled Water Delivered delivered from (Administered by various Santa in FY 08/09 (Acre-Feet) FY 99/00 through Clara County agencies) FY 08/09 (Acre-Feet) South Bay Water Recycling Program 9,697 74,954 Palo Alto Water Recycling Program 3,242 13,090 Sunnyvale Water Recycling Program 1,643 14,669 South County Regional Wastewater 1,902 12,782 Authority Water Recycling Program Total 16,484 115,495