CONGRATULATIONS: the nightmarish proposal to revise BMP 3 has been replaced with one that appears reasonable

There is a new conceptual proposal for the water-loss control BMP on the table, put forward by, or acceptable in principle to Group 2 (Environmentalists), one that would require water agencies to complete the spreadsheet, “AWWA WLCC Water Audit Software” every year or two. This is really big news. The original proposal would have been a nightmare to implement.
Read the rest of this entry »

When Have You Spent Enough?

In Problem #1 we discussed how the leak detection “trigger” would change for the worse. In Problem #2 we discussed the lunacy of a water agency spending more money to conserve an acre-foot of “paper” water than of real water. Now we highlight the impossibility of complying with the “cost-effectiveness” standard of the proposed BMP 3.

Read the rest of this entry »

Upside-Down Logic: compelling water agencies to spend more money conserving ‘paper water’ than real water, requiring meter replacement program that are NOT cost-effective in the real world

If your general manager prefers spending more money to conserve “paper” water than real water, they’ll love the CUWCC staff proposal (see it here).

Read the rest of this entry »

Calculating Your Agency’s Leak Detection “Trigger”

Here, Matt Lyons from the Long Beach Water Department offers the first in a series of postings that will address the core problems with the CUWCC’s proposed BMP 3. He begins by providing 3 things all retail water agencies should keep in mind over the course of the BMP review process:

3 Things Retail Water Agencies Should Keep in Mind:

• AB 1420 (state law potentially denying state funds to agencies not in compliance with the BMPs) mostly applied to retail water agencies because they have the most measurable, difficult BMPs to achieve.
• Some BMPs are already too difficult for more retail water agencies to comply with; for example, more than half of the retail water agencies are out of compliance with BMP 1 (water audits) and BMP 6 (HECW Rebates), yet the proposed BMP 3 is much more challenging than either of them.
• Proposals cannot become a BMP without a majority approval from Group 1 members (water agencies).

Read the rest of this entry »

Last week, the first CUWCC Caucus for Southern California water agencies was held at the Long Beach Water Department. If you missed it, here is a look at the key points discussed (click Here for the full meeting notes):

Read the rest of this entry »

This Friday (from 9:30 am -11:30 am) the Long Beach Water Department will host the first California Urban Water Conservation Council (CUWCC) Caucus for Southern California Group 1 Members. Key agenda items include:

• Department of Water Resources (DWR) draft implementation of AB 1420
• Laird/Feuer AB 2175
• CUWCC ambitious BMP revision agenda for 2008

If you’d like more information on any of these topics, or if you’re interested in attending, email Matt Lyons.

Share this article:

Here, Toby Roy from the San Diego County Water Authority provides some important updates that all CUWCC water agencies should know about the State Model Landscape Ordinance DWR recently released for public comment:

Read the rest of this entry »

Central Basin invites water agencies that are members of the California Urban Water Conservation Council (CUWCC) to contribute regularly to the Water Cooler. Here, Matt Lyons from the Long Beach Water Department kicks things off by explaining how blogging will help open a much-needed dialogue about water conservation among the state’s water agencies (also referred to as “Group 1 Members” within the CUWCC.)
Read the rest of this entry »