EXHIBIT 2-A
DRAFT PROPOSED REVISIONS TO
MPWMD REGULATION XIV, WATER CONSERVATION
Assumptions
1. The existing conservation regulation will apply to all Water Permits issued up to the date specified in the new regulation. The same shall apply to and Change of Title/Use. The ordinance will set a specific date for which the new regulation applies. For example, if the ordinance is adopted in April 2009, water permits issued after a future date (such as June 1, 2009) would be subject to the new regulation. Water Permits issued prior to that date would be subject to the existing regulation. This same theory would apply to Change of Title and Change of Use.
2. The existing conservation requirements will be summarized in the new regulation as a reference for future enforcement of those properties subject to those regulations.
New Subdivisions/Developments
1. All new residential and non-residential developments shall be plumbed for future use of recycled water.
Residential Efficiency Standards for New Structures:
All New Structures receiving a Water Permit
after _____________, 2009, shall meet or exceed the following standards:
1.
New structures are
encouraged to include one or more rainwater cisterns and a system to provide at
least 75 percent of exterior irrigation during normal rainfall years. Discuss possible incentives (higher
rebates?) for this. This voluntary
program should become a requirement after several years.
2.
High Efficiency Toilets
shall be installed that have been manufactured to flush with no more than 1.28
gallons-per-flush; In 2007, California adopted legislation that will lower the
allowable flush volume for toilets and urinals to the high-efficiency toilet
(HET) and high-efficiency urinal (HEU) standards that many water utilities have
been promoting (see EBN Vol. 16, No. 1). These new standards—which reduce
the flush-volume limit from the EPAct-mandated 1.6 gallons (6.1 l) to 1.28
gallons (4.8 l) for toilets and from 1.0 gallons (3.8 l) to 0.5 gallons (1.9 l)
for urinals—will be phased in starting in 2010, with full implementation by
2014. The Plumbing Manufacturers Institute (PMI), the leading plumbing industry
organization in the
3.
Urinals shall be
installed that have been manufactured to flush with no more than 0.125 gpf (one
pint) per flush. Zero Water Consumption
Urinals shall be encouraged in settings where there is a regular maintenance
staff. This standard is greater than
High Efficiency Urinals (0.5 gpf). Ok if
UPC listed. Zero Consumption may require
Code variance by jurisdiction.
4.
Showerheads, Rain Bars,
or Body Spray Nozzles shall not be installed if the fixture or fixtures are capable
of emitting more than 2.0 gallons per minute of water. Installation of multiple fixtures in one
stall shall require timers that allow three minute operating increments.
While certain laws,
principally EPAct, regulate what can be sold,
building codes and plumbing codes regulate how products must be installed. Herein lies an opportunity
to fix a loophole that has allowed a major trend in water waste with showers. While
the federal limit for showerheads is 2.5 gpm, some custom bath builders and a
number of manufacturers get around that limit by installing multiple
showerheads in a single shower stall or selling towers that incorporate
multiple showerheads and body-spray nozzles. Kohler’s WaterHaven custom shower
tower, for example, can deliver more than 10 gpm (38 lpm).
5.
Bathroom faucets shall
not emit more than 1.5 gallon of water per minute at 60 psi. The lavatory faucet or lavatory faucet
accessory shall not be packaged, marked, or provided with instructions
directing the user to an alternative water-use setting that would override the
maximum flow rate of 1.5 gpm at 60 psi, as established by this specification;
6.
An Instant-Access Hot
Water System shall be installed;
7.
The use of non-sodium
water softeners shall be encouraged in New Construction;
8.
Weather-Based Irrigation
System Controllers (e.g. Smart Controllers) shall be installed for irrigated
landscaping;
9.
Drip Irrigation shall be utilized
for watering all non-turf irrigated plantings;
10. Overhead spray irrigation shall
be prohibited for watering trees and shrubs;
11. Rainwater collection and cistern systems shall be installed to
supplement irrigation when new construction occurs on a vacant legal lot of
record. Guidelines will be included
in landscape ordinance when available.
Non-Residential Efficiency Standards for New Structures:
All New Structures receiving a Water Permit
after _____________, 2009, shall meet or exceed the following standards:
1.
New structures are
encouraged to include one or more rainwater cisterns and a system to provide at
least 75 percent of exterior irrigation during normal rainfall years.
2.
High Efficiency Toilets
shall be installed that have been manufactured to flush with no more than 1.28
gallons-per-flush;
3.
Urinals shall be
installed that have been manufactured to flush with no more than 0.125 gpf (one
pint) per flush. Zero Water Consumption
Urinals shall be encouraged in settings where there is a regular maintenance
staff.
12. Showerheads, Rain Bars, or Body Spray Nozzles shall not be installed if
the fixture or fixtures are capable of emitting more than 2.0 gallons per
minute of water. Installation of
multiple fixtures in one stall shall require timers that allow three minute
operating increments.
4.
Lavatory faucets shall not emit more than 0.5
gallon of water per minute at 60 psi. The Energy Policy Act (EPAct) of 1992 and
subsequent EPAct actions limited faucet flows to 2.2-gpm (at 60 psi). In the
mid-1990s, however, the U.S. plumbing codes and standards further reduced that
maximum flow rate to 0.5-gpm for public (non-residential) applications (the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
A112.18.1/Canadian Standards Association (CSA) B125.1 Plumbing
Supply Fittings). “Public” applications are defined in those
implementing codes as all applications that are not defined as
“private”. The codes (Uniform Plumbing Code, International Plumbing Code,
and the National Standard Plumbing Code) each define “private” as inclusive
only of fixtures in residences, hotel/motel guest rooms, and private rooms in
hospitals. All other applications are deemed as within the “public”
category and subject to 0.5-gallons per minute maximum for lavatory
faucets. This includes such applications as single-tenant and
multi-tenant office buildings, schools, gymnasiums, manufacturing facilities,
public buildings (including those where the general public is denied access),
bars, restaurants, retail stores, and any other type of building that does not
fall within the “private” definition.
5.
Bathrooms sinks shall be equipped with automatic
shut off devices or sensor faucets with a maximum flow of 0.25 gallons per
cycle. Metering faucets for non-public
applications are subject to the same codes and standards, all of which set the
maximum water use at 0.25 gallons per cycle. That is, the “on-off” cycle
(or time during which the faucet is on) cannot result in a total flow in excess
of 0.25 gallons of water.
6.
Ultra Low Consumption commercial washing
machines shall be required when a washer is installed in a New Structure
permitted under this Regulation. Need to specify rating.
7.
Ultra Low Consumption commercial dishwashers shall
be required when a dishwasher is installed in a New Structure permitted under
this Regulation. Need to specify qualifying criteria.
8.
Instant-Access Hot Water
System(s) shall be installed for hot water access points to ensure that hot
water is available within ten (10) seconds;
9.
The use of non-sodium
water softeners shall be encouraged in New Construction;
10. The implementation of Best Management Practices shall be integrated
into construction and operation of the project to the extent possible.
11.
Water Efficient Pre-Rinse Spray Valves (add definition “cleaning
time of 26 seconds or less at 1.6 gpm (at 60 psi)”) shall be utilized when a
pre-rinse spray valve is installed. The federal Energy Policy Act of 2005
established a limit of 1.6 gallons per minute (gpm) for pre-rinse spray valves,
which are used to remove food scraps from dishes in commercial kitchens. EPAct
2005 also established, for the first time, a maximum water factor (gallons per wash cycle per cubic foot of capacity)
for commercial dishwashers (setting that maximum at 9.5).
12.
There shall be no single-pass water use systems in ice machines,
hydraulic equipment, refrigeration condensers, x-ray processing equipment, air compressors, vacuum pumps, etc. Air-cooled or better technology shall be
installed when available.
13.
Water cooled refrigeration equipment shall be
prohibited when there is alternative cooling technology available at the time
the Water Permit is issued. Most of this equipment has air-cooled options
available. Additionally, the user can recirculate cooling water to reduce
waste.
14. Boiler-less steamers or connectionless steamers shall be installed in place of boiler-based steamers. Steamers are commonly used in schools, hotels, hospitals and many restaurants for large-scale cooking of vegetables, fish, rice and steamed foods. Most food service establishments use the boiler-based atmospheric steamer. These are "zero pressure" steamers where steam is injected into the cooking chamber. These units typically use between 20 and 40 gallons of potable water per hour while in operation.
New boiler-less steamers, sometimes called connectionless steamers, are
jacketed. The cooking chamber and steam chamber are separated and the
condensate is returned and reused. The steamers use much less water than
atmospheric steamers, typically 2-3 gallons per hour. Because of the
significant energy savings associated with units, EPA has granted Energy Star
ratings to many of these units.
15. Weather-Based Irrigation System Controllers (e.g. Smart Controllers) shall be installed for irrigated landscaping;
16. Drip
Irrigation shall be utilized for watering all non-turf irrigated
plantings;
17.
Overhead
spray irrigation shall be prohibited for watering trees and shrubs;
18.
Rainwater collection and
cistern systems shall be installed to supplement irrigation when new
construction occurs on a vacant legal lot of record. Guidelines will be
included in landscape ordinance when available.
Change of Ownership or Modification of an Existing Water Distribution
System (e.g. Project that Require a Water Permit
1.
High Efficiency Toilets
shall replace all non-HET toilets that were installed more than ten (10) years
from the date of Change of Ownership or issuance of a Water Permit;
2.
Urinals designed to use no
more than 0.125 gpf (one pint) per flush shall replace existing higher flow
urinals with the exception of those fixtures that require replumbing to meet
this requirement. Excepted urinals shall
retrofit with flush valve kits to reduce the flush volume to 0.5 gallons per
flush, if possible. Zero Water
Consumption Urinals shall be encouraged in settings where there is a regular
maintenance staff;
3.
Showerhead flow rates
shall meet or exceed new construction standards;
4.
Bathroom faucet flow
rates shall meet or exceed new construction standards;
5.
Kitchen faucet flow rates
shall meet or exceed new construction standards;
6.
Existing automatic irrigation
controllers shall be replaced with Weather Based Irrigation Controllers (e.g. Smart
Controllers) upon Change of Ownership and as a condition of any Water Permit. Sellers shall provide new owners with a one-year
subscription for the controller (when needed), shall be given instructions on
the use of the controller and shall be given notice of the requirement to
maintain the water efficient irrigation technology. MPWMD and CAW staff will verify
programming during Site visits.
7.
The implementation of Non-Residential
Best Management Practices shall be integrated into construction and operation
of any New Structure to the extent possible.
Non-Residential Change of Use
The items proposed under this heading apply to Non-Residential uses
that change from one type of use to another (i.e. retail to restaurant, or deli
to retail). There are no requirements
for Smart irrigation technology proposed under this heading because most Change
of Use occurs as the result of tenant changes.
1.
High Efficiency Toilets
shall replace all non-HET toilets that were installed more than ten (10) years
from the date of Change of Ownership or issuance of a Water Permit;
2.
Urinals designed to use
no more than 0.125 gpf (one pint) per flush shall replace existing higher flow
urinals with the exception of those fixtures that require replumbing to meet
this requirement. Excepted urinals shall
retrofit with flush valve kits to reduce the flush volume to 0.5 gallons per
flush, if possible. Zero Water
Consumption Urinals shall be encouraged in settings where there is a regular
maintenance staff;
8.
Showerhead flow rates
shall meet or exceed new construction standards;
9.
Bathroom faucet flow
rates shall meet or exceed new construction standards;
10. Kitchen faucet flow rates shall meet or exceed new construction
standards;
11. The implementation of Best Management Practices shall be integrated
into operation of the project to the extent possible.
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