The city provides retail water service to city residents and
also provides water on a wholesale basis to additional political subdivisions
located outside of the city limits. The city directly influences the
water use of its retail water users through the water conservation
measures discussed in this plan. The city requires each of its wholesale
customer’s retail utility systems to implement conservation
measures at least as stringent as the city’s conservation measures.
The wholesale customers implement these measures as a part of their
respective retail water supply operations.
(Ordinance 2010-O0055 adopted 7/22/2010; Ordinance 2019-O0044 adopted 4/23/19)
In order to conserve the available water supply, the city adopts the following regulations concerning water conservation through this article. Water uses regulated or prohibited under this water conservation plan are considered to be discretionary and are deemed to constitute a waste of water which subjects the offender(s) to penalties as defined in section 22.08.046 of this plan.
(Ordinance 2010-O0055 adopted 7/22/2010; Ordinance 2019-O0044 adopted 4/23/19)
The city manager or his/her designee is authorized and directed
to implement the applicable provisions of this plan. The city manager
or his/her designee will act as the administrator of the plan, oversee
the execution and implementation of the plan, and will be responsible
for keeping adequate records for program verification.
(Ordinance 2010-O0055 adopted 7/22/2010; Ordinance 2019-O0044 adopted 4/23/19)
(a)
The city’s water conservation goals are to:
(1)
Emphasize conservation in order to delay expensive water supply projects
as long as possible;
(2)
Provide an adequate supply of suitable treated water to meet the
needs of its retail and wholesale customers; and
(3)
Require its wholesale customers to adopt and implement water conservation
plans that will reduce their per capita water use rates.
(b)
The city’s wholesale customer water conservation program is
predicated on the fact that the implementation of conservation measures
must occur largely at the local level. Due to this fact, the city’s
wholesale program is focused on requiring initiatives by its wholesale
customers.
(c)
TCEQ rules require that water conservation plans contain specific,
quantifiable five- and ten-year goals for use in gallons per capita
per day. The goals established as part of this plan are not enforceable.
The gpcd calculation, as defined by TCEQ, is the total average daily
amount of water diverted or pumped for treatment by potable uses divided
by the population served.
(d)
The city’s annual average per capita per day usage declined
by 27% over the past eight years as depicted in the chart below. In
order to determine these values, the city uses total water pumped
from all sources divided by the estimated city population as determined
by the city’s planning department.
|
Year
|
GPCD
|
|---|---|
|
2009
|
145
|
|
2010
|
141
|
|
2011
|
178
|
|
2012
|
152
|
|
2013
|
154
|
|
2014
|
141
|
|
2015
|
131
|
|
2016
|
132
|
|
2017
|
127
|
|
2018
|
130
|
(e)
In order to set the city’s new per capita goal for municipal
water conservation, baseline per capita water use was determined from
the 10-year average per capita per day water use from 2009 to 2018
as determined by the city. This resulted in an average value reflecting
both wet and dry years. The average per capita use from 2009 to 2018
was 143 gpcd with a high of 178 gpcd in 2011 and a low of 127 gpcd
in 2017. The goals for this plan were developed utilizing a 0.5% per
year reduction in per capita water use. This results in a per capita
goal for year 2024 of 139gpcd and a year 2029 goal of 136 gpcd, using
a five (5) year rolling average. This reflects a reduction of 0.5%
per year from the 10-year average of 143 from 2009 to 2018.
(f)
This methodology is similar to that used in the city’s previous
water conservation plans. The former and current plans use a 0.5%
per year reduction in per capita water use goal. The new goals established
under this revised plan are similar to those previously established.
(g)
In addition to the per capita water use goal above, the city has
set a maximum water loss goal of 10% for the retail water delivery
system for both 2024 and 2029. This would correspond to a loss rate
of 13.9 gpcd in 2024 and 13.6 gpcd in 2029. This water loss goal is
a benchmark established by the American Water Works Association (AWWA).
(Ordinance 2010-O0055 adopted 7/22/2010; Ordinance 2014-O0167, sec. 3, adopted 12/18/2014; Ordinance 2019-O0044 adopted 4/23/19)
The city meters the amount of raw water pumped from the BCWF,
Lake Alan Henry, and from the CRMWA supply using meters that are maintained
to record flow with an accuracy of plus or minus 5.0%. The amount
of water delivered to each wholesale water customer is also metered
by the city.
(Ordinance 2010-O0055 adopted 7/22/2010; Ordinance 2014-O0167, sec. 4, adopted 12/18/2014; Ordinance 2019-O0044 adopted 4/23/19)
(a)
Using meters that meet at least the minimum standards developed by
the American Water Works Association and with a metering accuracy
range of plus or minus 5.0%, the city individually meters all water
usage, except that utilized for fire protection. Combined with the
city’s computerized billing system, the city’s universal
metering program has a water delivery accuracy rate of plus or minus
5%, which meets the TCEQ standards for meter accuracy. The city encourages
each wholesale water customer to meter all water usage as well.
(b)
The city uses a random sampling technique to test meter accuracy
and to determine when meters need to be repaired or replaced. The
city randomly samples approximately 400 water meters each year. Depending
on the results of this sample, additional sampling may be done to
target meters of a certain age or meters located within a certain
geographical portion of the city. Meters found to have an accuracy
of less than plus or minus 5% are either repaired or replaced as needed.
(Ordinance 2010-O0055 adopted 7/22/2010; Ordinance 2019-O0044 adopted 4/23/19)
The city maintains a records management system which tracks
the volume of water pumped, water delivered to retail customers, water
sold to wholesale customers, and the volume of water losses. The city’s
utility billing database allows water sales and uses to be desegregated
into the volume used by residential, commercial, public and institutional,
and industrial customers..
(Ordinance 2010-O0055 adopted 7/22/2010; Ordinance 2019-O0044 adopted 4/23/19)
The city takes the appropriate steps to monitor and audit its
water system for water loss in an effort to conserve water, manages
the replacement of old water lines that are prone to leaks and breaks,
investigates customer complaints of low pressure and possible leaks,
visually inspects suspected leaks, and tracks water delivery to customers
to determine illegal connections and abandoned service lines.
(Ordinance 2010-O0055 adopted 7/22/2010; Ordinance 2019-O0044 adopted 4/23/19)
(a)
The city has established goals, objectives and programs that support
a standard for water use. The city’s water conservation program
is comprised of four main strategies in the following order of priority:
(1)
Maintain a rate structure that encourages conservation;
(2)
Reduce water loss within the City’s distribution system;
(3)
Educate the public and provide useful information; and
(4)
Enforce irrigation and waste of water restrictions.
|
In addition, to these broad strategies, Section 6 of the City
of Lubbock’s 2018 Strategic Water Supply Plan (adopted by city
council on January 22, 2019; Resolution No. 2019-R0010), contains
details regarding water conservation strategies the City is pursing
and considering.
|
(b)
The city will evaluate and implement certain administrative changes
to programs, policies, and rules that support water conservation efforts.
In 1992, the city moved from a declining block rate to a uniform block
rate. In 2007, the city passed a revised water rate ordinance with
an inclining block rate structure. In 2017, the city revised the residential
water rate ordinance with additional block rate structural changes
that encourage water conservation. The city also revised the water
conservation plan in 2017 to include mandatory "two day per week"
irrigation of landscape. Other administrative changes may include
the continued review and revision of city codes to determine their
effect on the use of water and active enforcement of rules, codes,
and regulations affecting water use.
(c)
In an effort to manage annual and maximum daily water use, the water
conservation program establishes the following water use standards
for outdoor landscape irrigation:
(1)
Landscape irrigation is allowed to occur twice each week and only
between the hours of 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 a.m. from April 1st through
September 30th. Landscape irrigation from October 1st through March
31st shall not be limited to the hours of 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 a.m.
so as to allow for irrigation during periods when the ambient temperature
rises above 35°F. Landscape irrigation year-round schedules are
based on the last digit of the property address:
(A)
Properties with an address ending in 0, 3, 4, or 9 may water on Monday
and Thursday.
(B)
Properties with an address ending in 1, 5, or 6 may water on Tuesday
and Friday.
(C)
Properties with an address ending in 2, 7, or 8 may water on Wednesday
and Saturday.
(D)
No landscape irrigation is allowed on Sundays.
|
Commercial customers with larger landscapes may apply for a
variance in the event that they are unable to complete the necessary
irrigation cycles during the designated days and times.
|
(2)
Summer irrigation should provide a maximum of 1.5 inches per zone
per week.
(3)
Winter irrigation may occur only when temperatures are above 35°F
so as not to cause a freezing hazard and should provide a maximum
of 1.0 inch per zone per month for dormant grasses (i.e. Bermuda)
and 1.0 inch per zone every two weeks for cool season grasses (i.e.
Fescue).
(4)
Irrigation should occur without water runoff. This may be accomplished
by correctly cycling the sprinkler system and allowing time for the
water to soak into the landscape between irrigation events.
(5)
Handwatering for landscape irrigation purposes is allowed on a daily
basis regardless of the time of year and regardless of the time during
the day.
(6)
New plant material may be irrigated on a more frequent basis until the new plant material is established as defined in section 22.03.133(a)(4) of this Code of Ordinances related to the operation of irrigation systems.
(d)
The city will sponsor programs to educate the public regarding water
conservation activities that support its goals. This includes educating
the general public on the need for and practices of water conservation
through various social media outlets, public service announcements,
presentations to business groups, participation in home and garden
shows, coordination efforts with the Chamber of Commerce, West Texas
Home Builders Association, Lubbock Apartment Association, and supporting
water conservation efforts in the local education system at all grade
levels.
(e)
Structural changes that have been and may be adopted by the city
are those programs that result in a physical modification of water
use devices or practices, such as landscape design and maintenance,
rain and freeze sensors on automatic irrigation systems, plumbing
retrofit or rehabilitation programs, controlling water loss, and by
reusing treated wastewater and stormwater.
(f)
In regards to the city’s wholesale water customers, their retail
utility systems are separate from the city’s retail water system;
therefore, the city does not have the ability to implement most of
the water conservation items discussed above. The city encourages
its wholesale customers to implement these or other appropriate water
conservation measures as a part of their respective retail water supply
operations.
(Ordinance 2010-O0055 adopted 7/22/2010; Ordinance 2016-O0182, sec. 1, adopted 1/12/2017; Ordinance 2019-O0044 adopted 4/23/19)
The city has adopted a water rate structure which is non-promotional (see section 22.03.085 of this code).
(Ordinance 2010-O0055 adopted 7/22/2010; Ordinance 2019-O0044 adopted 4/23/19)
This requirement is not applicable to the city at this time.
The city only owns and operates one water supply reservoir, Lake Alan
Henry, which is located on the South Fork of the Double Mountain Fork
of the Brazos River.
(Ordinance 2010-O0055 adopted 7/22/2010; Ordinance 2019-O0044 adopted 4/23/19)
The water service area of the city is located within Llano Estacado
Regional Planning Area (Region O) and the city has provided a copy
of this plan to the Llano Estacado Regional Water Planning Group to
ensure consistency with the regional water plan.
(Ordinance 2010-O0055 adopted 7/22/2010; Ordinance 2019-O0044 adopted 4/23/19)
(a)
The city routinely monitors the water storage, delivery, and distribution
system components for leaks. Waterline leaks are detected by utility
personnel while reading meters, maintaining their water and wastewater
systems, and while performing other routine surveillance programs.
Any reported leaks are repaired in a timely manner. The wholesale
water customers are responsible for managing their ongoing leak detections,
location, and repair programs.
(b)
At a minimum, the city will conduct a water audit using the methodology
outlined by the TWDB every five years in accordance with current TWDB
rules. Water audits may be conducted on a more frequent basis if the
city deems that action to be appropriate.
(Ordinance 2010-O0055 adopted 7/22/2010; Ordinance 2019-O0044 adopted 4/23/19)
(a)
It is a mandatory requirement for the city to require wholesale customers
with any new or amended contracts or successor contracts to develop
a water conservation plan. Minimum plan requirements for municipal
wholesale customers entering or renewing city contracts include:
(1)
A completed TCEQ utility profile;
(2)
Specific, quantified five-year and ten-year targets for water savings
to include goals for water loss programs and goals for municipal use,
in gallons per capita per day;
(3)
Metering devices having accuracy within plus or minus 5 percent in
order to measure and account for the amount of water diverted from
the supply source;
(4)
A program for universal metering of both customer and public uses
of water, for meter testing and repair, and for periodic meter replacement;
(5)
Measures to determine and control unaccounted-for uses of water (for
example, periodic visual inspections along distribution lines, annual
or monthly audit of the water system to determine illegal connections,
abandoned services, etc.);
(6)
A program of continuing public education and information regarding
water conservation;
(7)
A water rate structure which is not "promotional," meaning a rate
structure which is cost-based and which does not encourage the excessive
use of water;
(8)
A reservoir systems operation plan, if applicable, providing for
the coordinated operation of reservoirs owned by the utility within
a common watershed or river basin in order to optimize available water
supplies;
(9)
A means of implementation and enforcement of conservation practices,
as evidenced by either:
(10)
Documentation of coordination with the regional water planning groups
for the service area of the customer in order to ensure consistency
with the appropriate regional water plans.
(b)
Water conservation plan must include the following additional elements
if the customer serves, or plans to serve in the next 10 years, a
population of 5,000 or greater:
(1)
A program of leak detection, repair, and water loss accounting for
the water transmission, delivery, and distribution system in order
to control unaccounted-for uses of water;
(2)
A record management system to record water pumped, water deliveries,
water sales, and water losses which allows for the desegregation of
water sales and uses into the following user classes: residential,
commercial, public and institutional, and industrial; and
(3)
For wholesale water customers, that they include a requirement that
every wholesale water supply contract entered into or renewed after
official adoption of the customer’s water conservation plan,
and including any contract extension, that each successive wholesale
customer develop and implement a water conservation plan or water
conservation measures using the applicable TCEQ requirements.
(c)
Other measures that the customer could adopt to meet the stated conservation
goals might include but are not limited to:
(1)
Measurement and control of excessive pressure in the distribution
system;
(2)
Ordinances to promote efficiency and avoid water waste;
(3)
Plumbing fixture replacement and retrofit programs;
(4)
Other beneficial reuse of water such as grey water and rainwater
harvesting systems; and
(5)
Other measures as may be applicable.
(d)
All customer plans must be reviewed and approved by city council
before water sales contracts are signed.
(Ordinance 2010-O0055 adopted 7/22/2010; Ordinance 2019-O0044 adopted 4/23/19)
The city shall review and update, as appropriate, the water
conservation plan at least every five (5) years, based on, in part,
an assessment of the previous five- and ten-year goals, new or updated
information such as the adoption or revision of the regional water
plan, or changes in laws or regulations.
(Ordinance 2010-O0055 adopted 7/22/2010; Ordinance 2019-O0044 adopted 4/23/19)
Any water customer or other user of the city’s water supply that violates this water conservation plan shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and subject to a penalty and fine as set forth in section 1.01.004 of this code for each day of noncompliance. In addition:
(1)
Service shall be discontinued to those customers who do not pay their
water bills until all required payments are made; and
(2)
New water service taps will be provided to new construction and new
construction will be approved only if such construction conforms to
adopted ordinances.
(Ordinance 2010-O0055 adopted 7/22/2010; Ordinance 2019-O0044 adopted 4/23/19)
