To: Honorable Mayor and Members of Town Council
Through: David L. Corliss, Town Manager
From: Mark Marlowe, P.E. Director of Castle Rock Water
Matt Benak, P.E., Water Resources Manager
Rick Schultz, Water Efficiency Supervisor
Title
Resolution Approving the 2023 Town of Castle Rock Water Conservation Rebate Incentive Program [Entire Castle Rock Water Service Area]
Body
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Executive Summary
The purpose of this memorandum is to request Town Council approval by resolution (Attachment A) of the 2023 Conservation Rebate Incentive program. The program is a cost effective way to save existing water supplies and / or avoid the need to develop new water supplies. When we think of it in this way, the rebate program is a water supply that is completely within out control. The estimated cost per gallon saved for the rebate program is approximately 0.05$ / gallon, while the cost of fully developed delivered new water supplies ranges from 0.09$ - 0.14$ / gallon. This conserved water is less expensive than the current estimated costs to develop new water supplies, and importantly, this water supply is fully within our control as a Town and can be developed much more quickly. The program is proposed to be funded at a level of $200,000 this year, and approximate increase of 38%, with rebates being awarded in any of the proposed categories below on a first come first served basis until the funds have been exhausted.
The core rebate categories remain intact, with only a few proposed changes for 2023.
The proposed rebates and recommended changes for 2023 are:
• Residential ColoradoScape Renovation - Increase the rebate amount from $1.20 to $1.50/square foot. Maintain the existing minimum area required of 400 square feet, or entire front yard. Maintain the existing 1,500 square foot maximum.
• Non-Residential ColoradoScape Renovation - Increase the rebate amount from $1.20 to $1.50/square foot. Maintain the existing minimum area required of 1,500 square feet. Maintain the existing 15,000 square foot maximum.
• Smart Irrigation Controller - Discontinue this rebate category.
• Rotary Nozzle Retrofit Rebate - Up to $5 per nozzle; maximum rebate of $2,000 for non-residential customers.
• Toilet Retrofit Rebate - Increase the rebate amount from $100 to $150 per toilet; maximum rebate of $600 or four (4) toilets for residential and non-residential customers.
• Whole-home Water Monitoring System Rebate - fifty (50) percent of the cost of the system up to $200 for residential and non-residential customers.
The ColoradoScape renovation rebates are the most important of these rebates because reducing outdoor irrigation not only saves valuable water supplies, it also makes it more likely that more of our supply will be used indoors. Supplies used indoors can be reused to extinction while supplies used for outdoor irrigation cannot. Castle Rock Water is committed to incentivizing the reduction of outdoor irrigation especially for non-functional turf grass having set a target in the non-binding memorandum of understanding regarding the Colorado River of a 30% reduction in non-functional turf grass over the next several decades. Less outdoor irrigation allows us to capture more reusable water supplies and it also lowers our peak irrigation demands which are very expensive from an infrastructure standpoint.
Staff Recommendation
Castle Rock Water staff recommends approval of the 2023 Conservation Rebate Incentive Program.
Proposed Motion
“I move to approve the Resolution as introduced by title.”
Alternative Motions
“I move to approve the resolution as introduced by title, with the following conditions: (list conditions).
“I move to continue this item to the Town Council meeting on _____ date to allow additional time to (list information needed).”
Attachments
Staff Report
Attachment A: Resolution
Exhibit 1: Rebates vs Surcharge Violation Revenues
Exhibit 2: Funding Summary