FY 2009-10 Water Conservation Report 5750 Almaden Expressway San Jose, CA 95118 (408) 265-2600 www.valleywater.org 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. About the SANTA CLARA VALLEY WATER DISTRICT TABLE OF CONTENTS The Santa Clara Valley Water District is the primary water About the resources agency for Santa Clara Santa Clara Valley Water District .....i County, California. It acts not only EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1 as the county’s water wholesaler, but also as its flood protection WATER CONSERVATION 3 agency and is the steward for its In the Home ................................ 4 streams and creeks, underground In Landscape .............................. 6 aquifers and district-built reservoirs. In Business ...................................8 In Agriculture ............................. 11 Outreach & Education .................12 As the county’s water wholesaler, Calendar of Events ......................14 the water district makes sure there Cost-sharing Agreements, is enough clean, safe water for Partnerships .............................. 16 Studies & Research ..................... 17 homes and businesses. As the Acknowledgements .................... 18 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. Santa Clara Valley Water District water conservation vehicle i [This page intentionally left blank] Executive Summary The water district’s Water Total Water Conservation Savings in FY 09/10, Conservation Program also in acre-feet per sector completed two significant reports this fiscal year: 1,000 1,500 an artificial turf study and the Water Use Efficiency 6,900 Strategic Plan. Residential Commercial, Industrial, Institutional Agriculture Landscape 41,200 This ninth annual Water Conservation Report documents the actions taken by the Santa Clara Valley Water District in achieving water conservation goals for FY 09/10. Santa Clara Valley was fortunate to enjoy a year of normal rainfall in FY 09/10. However, after three consecutive dry years, even with this normal rainfall we still had many water supply endangered species that live there by reducing challenges, including the continued decrease in freshwater effluent released from wastewater the water district’s Sacramento-San Joaquin Bay treatment facilities. Delta water supply allocation. Further driving the water district’s water Fortunately, careful planning and investments conservation efforts, in November 2009, in a diverse portfolio of water supply resources Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed the helped us meet our water supply reliability historic water conservation bill, S.B. x 7- 7, at goals. The water district’s water conservation the water district campus, which mandates the program is a key part of this portfolio, with long-term goals of reducing per-capita urban nearly 50,600 acre-feet of water savings in water use by 20 percent by the year 2020. FY 09/10. Water conservation, which relies on a thorough cost-benefit analysis to develop The water district also enjoyed a successful program details and rebate levels, is widely partnership with its water retailers in considered the most cost-effective option in any coordinating efforts to promote water water supply portfolio. Water conservation conservation. The water retailers helped programs reduce demand on existing water and promote this year’s “Save 20 gallons” energy supplies, helping to lessen the costs and campaign, which won the California environmental impacts of developing additional Association of Public Information Official’s supplies. In addition to helping to meet long- Excellence in Marketing and Communications term water reliability goals, the water district’s Award in 2009. The campaign, developed programs also help meet short-term demands in partnership with water retailers and cities, placed on supply during critical dry periods included a variety of media advertising and as well as during a water shortage, such as a was available in many different languages to drought. These programs will also protect the reach our diverse community. south bay salt-marsh habitat and the 1 Water Conservation Programs Program Name Program Participation Total Program EXECUTIVE SUMMfor FYA 09R/10YParticipation to Date RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMS Water Wise House Calls 2,071 29,670 Residential High Efficiency Toilet Program 3,637 8,326 Residential High-Efficiency Clothes Washer Rebate Program 16,559 109,025 Showerhead/Aerator Distribution Program 22,372 296,659 Residential Water Softener Rebate Program 198 1,667 LANDSCAPE PROGRAMS Landscape Survey Program 94 1,294 Landscape Rebate Program • Weather-Based Irrigation Controller Rebates 142 1,053 • Landscape Conversion Rebates 255 606 • Irrigation Hardware Rebates for Residents 179 228 • Irrigation Hardware Rebates for CII 31 46 COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL, INSTITUTIONAL (CII) PROGRAMS Commercial Clothes Washer Rebate Program 367 3,451 CII & Multi-Family Dwelling 3,413 16,427 High Efficiency Toilet Installation Program CII Water Survey Program 136 445 Water Efficient Technologies Program 4 84 Pre-Rinse Spray Valve Program 25 4,346 Mobile Home Submeter Rebate Program 1,740 4,674 Pilot Commercial Water Softener Rebate Program 2 5 Aerator Distribution (0.5 gpm) 2,908 2,908 CII High-Efficiency Urinal Rebate Program 171 171 CII High-Efficiency Toilet Rebate Program 62 62 CII High-Efficiency Urinal Valve Retrofit Program 157 235 2 Water Conservation The water conservation program experienced another successful year, both in terms of water saved and in terms of programs, research and partnerships. The water district saved 50,600 acre-feet of water in FY 09/10 and remains on pace to meet its long-term goal of saving nearly 100,000 acre-feet of water per year by 2030. In addition,water conservation was a key component of the water district’s short-term goal to reduce demands during the recent drought. One of the water conservation campaign’s ads “ “ The water conservation program experienced another successful year. 3 In the Home The water district continues to expand programs in the residential sector, which remains one of the key areas for water conservation. The water district employs a strategy of incentives and rebates, one-on-one home visits with free installations of water-saving devices, workshops, and outreach at community events to promote residential water savings. In FY 09/10, the total annual water savings attributable to all residential conservation programs reached 41,200 acre-feet. A water-wise house call surveyor The water district provides low-flow faucet aerators to residents checking an irrigation system Water-Wise House Call Program Low-flow showerhead The water district has been providing the free and residential aerator Water-Wise House Call Program to county distribution program residents since 1998. The program is available In FY 09/10, the water district distributed to residents of single family homes and to 15,722 residential aerators and 6,650 low- owners/managers of apartments, condominiums flow showerheads. Showerheads and aerators and mobile home complexes. During the survey, are provided free of charge to the public and technicians check for toilet flapper leaks, to local water retailers; they are also installed measure fixture flow rates, offer conservation in residences during Water-Wise House Calls. information, and install free toilet flappers, More than 296,000 showerheads and aerators showerheads and aerators. have been distributed since the program started. Surveyors also test the customer’s irrigation system for distribution uniformity, calculate and program a personalized irrigation schedule, and provide landscaping tips. The water district performed 2,071residential home surveys during FY 09/10. More than 29,000 home surveys have been completed since the program began. 4