To: Honorable Mayor and Members of Town Council
From: Mark Marlowe, P.E., Director of Castle Rock Water
Matt Benak, P.E., Water Resources Program Manager
Rick Schultz, Water Conservation Specialist
Title
Resolution Approving the 2017 Conservation Rebate and Incentives Program
Body
________________________________________________________________________________
Executive Summary
The purpose of this memorandum is to request Town Council approval of the 2017 Conservation Rebate Incentive program.
The Water Conservation Master Plan (WCMP) was adopted in 2006 with an overall goal of achieving a water savings of 18% (165 to 135 gallons per capita per day) through various programs. The Castle Rock community, with the help of the Castle Rock Water team, has met, exceeded, and maintained this goal. In 2015, the Water Resources / Conservation Division of Castle Rock Water updated this document. The new Water Efficiency Master Plan (WEMP) received approval from the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) in February 2016. The new plan set a goal of an additional 18 percent (122 to 100) water savings by 2055.
One way Castle Rock Water continues to work toward sustaining and building on the conservation goals outlined in the original Water Conservation Master Plan and the new Water Efficiency Master Plan is by offering rebates to the community. The new plan calls for evaluating options to expand this program. Evaluation of potential changes to the program will be done in 2017, but staff does not recommend any changes in 2017. Staff is recommending the same level of funding for the 2017 rebate incentive program as in 2016, $45,000. The program will continue to be funded by revenue from violations and Block 4 conservation surcharges.
The current rebates available to the Town of Castle Rock Water customers are:
• SmartScape Renovation - $1 per square foot of high water use (HWU) plant material
removed (minimum of 250 sq. ft., maximum of 1,500 sq. ft.).
• SMART Irrigation Controllers - 50 percent of the cost of the controller up to $300 per controller; maximum of $300 for residential; and $1,500 for commercial or Homeowner Association (HOA) property owner. These controllers make it easier for customers to irrigate during hours when irrigation is most efficient.
• Rotary Nozzle Retrofit - Up to $5 per nozzle; maximum rebate of $2,000 for non-residential customers.
• Rain Sensors - 50 percent of the cost of the sensor up to $50.
If the customer-driven advanced metering infrastructure pilot testing is successful, staff may add these units to the program. The estimated cost of installing these units is $1,000. Staff would proposed to include these units at the full cost of reimbursement since they are still in the pilot testing phase.
Other than potentially adding the customer-driven advanced metering units to the program, there are no other proposed changes for 2017.
History of Past Town Council, Boards & Commissions, or Other Discussions
On February 22, 2017, the Castle Rock Water Commission unanimously recommended support of the 2017 Conservation Rebate Incentive Program as presented.
Budget Impact
The 2017 program will continue to be funded from revenue generated during 2016 from watering restriction violations and a portion of funds from the Block 4 surcharge rate. The average revenues generated and estimated costs for the violations program are shown on Attachment B. The total proposed amount for 2017 is $45,000 available for the conservation incentive program, including irrigation evaluations.
Attachment C looks at rebates for the previous three years, shows the total amount spent for each year, and then breaks that amount into totals for each rebate category. The average over the last three years is the starting point designated for each rebate in 2017.
The amounts and percentages shown in Attachment C represent the starting point, and will be adjusted accordingly, based on actual applications received. If and when funding is depleted in an individual category, funds from one category may be moved to cover demand in another category.
Staff Recommendation
The Castle Rock Water staff recommends approval of the 2017 Conservation Rebate Incentive Program, to be effective March 8, 2017.
Proposed Motion
“I move to approve the Resolution as introduced by title.”
Attachments
Attachment A: Resolution
Attachment B: Funding Summary
Attachment C: Funding by Category