WATER DEMAND COMMITTEE

 

ITEM:

DISCUSSION ITEM

 

4.

DISCUSS DEVELOPMENT OF POLICY REGARDING HIGH EFFICIENCY TOILETS AND ISSUANCE OF WATER CREDIT

 

Meeting Date:

September 29, 2011

Budgeted: 

N/A

 

From:

David J. Stoldt,

Program/

 

 

General Manager

Line Item No.:     N/A

 

Prepared By:

Stephanie Pintar

Cost Estimate:

N/A

 

General Counsel Approval:  N/A

Committee Recommendation:  N/A

CEQA Compliance:  The replacement of existing facilities is a categorical exemption under Class I, §15301 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

 

SUMMARY:  In March 2010, the Water Demand Committee tabled a proposal to require High Efficiency Toilets (HET) in place of Ultra Low Flush (ULF) Toilets.  Since March 2010, the Cease and Desist Order has been finalized, and most of the toilets sold in the state are HET.  The Peninsula’s water use is slowly closing in on the regulatory limits and additional conservation is necessary to achieve continued compliance.  Requiring HET where ULF Toilets are now required is timely.

 

DISCUSSION:  On and after January 1, 2014, all toilets and urinals, other than blow-out urinals, sold or installed in California must be high-efficiency models.  California Health and Safety Code Sections 17921.4 and 18944.11 require manufacturers selling toilets or urinals in this state to offer high-efficiency models for sale in a specified percentage of all models offered, including 50% by January 1, 2010, 67% by January 1, 2011, 75% by January 1, 2012, 85% by January 1, 2013, and 100% by January 1, 2014. Manufacturers are required by January 30 of 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2013, to inform, in writing, the California Energy Commission of the percentage of high-efficiency models it is offering for sale that year compared to the total number of models offered for sale. Staff has requested this information from the California Energy Commission and will report to the committee at the September 29th meeting.

 

Staff is proposing that Regulation XIV be amended to require HET, rather than ULF Toilets.  The installation of HET is already frequently occurring, and the incentive of a credit for installing HET is no longer needed.  HET toilets almost exclusively dominate the market and retailers have started reducing the cost of ULF Toilets to eliminate stock as manufacturers concentrate on HET models.  At this time, newer technology, such as the Ultra High Efficiency Toilet (UHET) should be incentivized by the District. 

 

The following bullet points summarize the impacts of changing the District’s standard for toilet flush volume from ULF Toilets to HET:

 

 

 

 

RECOMMENDATION:  The committee should discuss staff’s proposal and provide direction.  If directed to pursue this amendment, staff will discuss the proposed changes with the Monterey County Association of Realtors prior to preparing an ordinance for the Water Demand Committee’s review.

 

BACKGROUND:  Over two years ago, prior to first reading of Ordinance No. 142 in 2009, the Water Demand Committee discussed the impacts to the District’s water credit program if new conservation requirements, such as requiring High Efficiency Toilets (HET), were implemented.  At that time, the committee recommended that the ordinance be bifurcated, removing sections that affected the availability of residential water credits and leaving the existing standards.  The committee reasoned that there was no immediate need to disallow the reuse of water savings.  A copy of the staff report is provided as Exhibit 4-A.

           

EXHIBIT

4-A      Staff Report from March 26, 2010, Water Demand Committee Meeting

 

 

 

 

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