What is the Water SMART allocation program?
Water allocations are a scientific method of calculating the water use needs at a residence and are implemented to promote greater water use efficiency. Water SMART allocations are provided to all individually metered residential homes and are based on the specific indoor and outdoor water needs of each individual residence.
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How is my outdoor water allocation calculated?
Outdoor allocations vary by landscaped area and daily weather conditions in the Santa Clarita Valley. Based on weather data and evapotranspiration (ET) factors (see What is the formula for daily outdoor water allocations? and What is evapotranspiration? FAQs), calculations are made to determine how much water is needed for a healthy lawn and landscape. The calculations assume landscapes at single family homes consist entirely of turf grass, generally the highest water using landscape type. Valencia Water Company evaluated over 50 distinct neighborhood communities in the Valencia Water Company service area. Each community was evaluated for the typical landscaped area and will vary based on the size of each lot. Variances are generally available. Should you need an allocation greater than the standard amount for your home, you may download the Variance Request form, or call our Customer Service department at (661) 294-0828.
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How is my Indoor water allocation calculated?
Indoor water use is usually much smaller when compared to outdoor water use. For single family residences, indoor water usage typically accounts for less than 1/3 of a customer’s total usage. Indoor allocations are fixed at 6,500 gallons for a 30 day month based on national research conducted by the American Water Works Association Research Foundation (AWWARF) that shows what an average household of four living in a single-family home would need if they used water efficiently and had the appropriate water-efficient fixtures. For example, in a home with a 2.5-gallons-per-minute showerhead (efficient), a shower under 8 minutes is considered being Water SMART. Your indoor allocation is calculated based number of days in a billing period. So if your billing period is 30 days long the allocation is 6,500 gallons, if it’s 28 days it will be slightly less than 6,500, if 33 days it would be slightly more. Variances are available upon request for special needs.
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Why were four people in a household used?
Many water allocation programs in the country are implemented with flat amounts for indoor allocations, based on studies (such as by AWWARF) that show what a typical single-family residence would use. It is generally cost prohibitive to survey every residence to determine present-time household size and specific indoor fixtures, so an average household size is used. The Valencia Water Company’s analysis of homes in its service area showed an average of slightly more than 3 people per household. Therefore, 4 people per household were used to represent the average household size. Of course, residents are always encouraged to be as efficient as possible, regardless of how many reside in the house.
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How do I know my water allocation?
Water allocations are provided to customers on their monthly bill and on our Web site. Customers can log onto their secure accounts through our Web Connect service, see current and past monthly allocations, how their allocations are split between indoor and outdoor use, and their actual water use compared to the allocation. If a customer finds that their water use is in the Inefficient or higher ranges, there are many tools offered by Valencia Water Company to help them become more efficient. See a sample of this information below.
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Why do we need water allocations?
We live in a semi-arid area, so conservation is important to ensure we have long-term supplies for future generations. Valencia Water Company customers have been doing a good job at saving water. An allocation program provides customers with greater detail about their individual water use, enabling them to better monitor their use and help them identify where they can be even more efficient. Being water efficient is good for California whether we’re in a drought or not. The water we save today will be there when we really need it.
Valencia Water Company’s allocation program also is in response to water conservation initiatives by the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) and to recent state legislation requiring water purveyors a per-capita reduction in water use of 20 percent by 2020. Valencia Water Company is a public water utility regulated by the CPUC. Under the CPUC’s “Water Action Plan,” the commission is requiring water purveyors to implement conservation plans, measures and tiered rates. Valencia Water Company believes its Water SMART program is an effective and fair approach to meeting these objectives.
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Are water allocations new?
Water allocation programs have been around for more than 20 years and increasingly are being implemented in communities throughout California and the Western United States. In communities using allocations, many customers have become more efficient without sacrificing their lifestyle. On average, customers provided additional information about their water use become 20 percent more efficient.
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What are the advantages of a water allocation?
For customers, they can see more precise information about their water use and how much of their water should be used indoors and out. Such helpful information allows customers to better monitor their water use and more easily identify where they can be more efficient with this most precious resource. In the Santa Clarita Valley, typically 2/3 of the water delivered to homes is used outdoors, primarily for irrigating landscapes. In most cases, homeowners over-water their landscapes. The allocation program provides more precise calculations for landscape irrigation.
For Valencia Water Company, allocation programs can help reduce water demands and, thus, minimize purchases of expensive imported water from Northern California. Additionally, minimizing overall water demands on the system extends the budget for repairs and maintenance of Valencia Water Company’s infrastructure system. Collectively, these things will help keep water rates low.
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Will water allocations vary?
Water allocations generally go up or down depending on the time of year and weather conditions. Valencia Water Company receives actual weather data for the region on a daily basis, so allocations may vary with fluctuating weather patterns. Generally, more water is allocated to homes during the summer months when landscapes need the water the most and less in the winter. Indoor allocations will vary by the length of the billing period, based on 6,500 gallons for a 30 day period.
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Why do I get my water allocation after the month is over?
Your water allocation will be calculated using actual ET data. If the allocation was to be given in advance, the allocation would have to be based on historic water usage and weather data. This program is purposely designed to create shifts in usage based on actual present weather patterns.
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What are the allocation ranges?
The Water SMART allocation program will show customers their monthly allocation, along with five descriptions of their use (from low to high) within this allocation. These ranges are:
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| Super Efficient: |
0 – 40% of allocation |
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| Efficient (Base): |
41% - 100% of allocation |
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| Inefficient: |
101% - 150% of allocation |
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| Excessive: |
151% - 200% of allocation |
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| Wasteful: |
201% and greater of allocation |
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If I am above my allocation, how do I reach the efficient level?
In most cases, water customers who exceed their base (efficient level) allocation can take a few simple steps to be more efficient and remain within their baseline allocation. Already, our Web site provides a variety of tools to help customers – from easy-to-use water conservation tips, to home water surveys, to rebates for installing high-efficiency toilets, and more. For information, visit our Conservation section or call a customer service representative at (661) 294-0828.
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Will my rates change with a water allocation?
The Water SMART allocation program is being introduced now so customers can become familiar with how it works and take steps to improve their water efficiency. You will be charged the same price per unit of water consumed regardless of the allocation level. Ultimately, the allocation program will include a tiered rate structure, pending approval by the California Public Utilities Commission. Valencia Water Company anticipates the tiered rate system to be in place in early 2011.
Under the tiered rate system, customers who remain within their efficient allocation will pay the standard rate. Customers who use the smallest amount of the allocation will pay the lowest rate for reaching the “super efficient” allocation level. Customers who exceed their efficient allocation will pay higher rates. Once it goes into effect, the tiered rate system is designed to provide incentives to customers to be water efficient and to make it more costly to those who waste water.
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Will everyone have a water allocation?
The Water SMART allocation program will initially roll out to individually metered residences with plans to expand to other customer categories. Individually metered residences are the largest category of Valencia Water Company’s customers.
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Are there other ways to encourage people not to waste water?
Water allocations are based on need and, thus, a fairer method than, say, asking everyone to conserve 10 percent of their historic water use. The “reduce historic use” methodology actually penalizes customers with efficient water use practices. Water purveyors who have implemented water allocation programs such as ours have seen significant decreases in water use, particularly because these programs help change the behaviors of people who were constantly wasting water.
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What if I need more water?
Variances, which increase the water allocation, can be reviewed and granted on a case-by-case basis. Variances can be granted only for unique situations, such as for special medical needs or large landscapes. Should you need an allocation greater than the standard amount for your home, you may download the Variance Request form, or call our Customer Service department at (661) 294-0828.
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What is the formula for daily outdoor water allocations (WA)?
The outdoor calculation formula looks like this:
WA (Gal/Day) = ET0 * Kc * ALandscape * 0.623 / IE
(The key is below)
- WA = Water Needed for Irrigation (Gallons/Day)
- ET0 = Evapotranspiration Factor (Inches/Day)
- Kc = Crop Coefficient for Plant Type=.7 (assumes all turf grass)
- ALandscape = Landscaped Area (Square Feet)
- 0.623 = Conversion Factor (Gallons / Sq. ft.)
- IE = Irrigation Efficiency= .71
The WA for each day in a billing period, which various between 28-33 days, is accumulated to give the outdoor water allocation for the entire period.
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What is evapotranspiration?
The amount of water a customer should apply on a landscape varies by weather conditions and time of year. If it hasn’t rained during the hotter, longer days of summer, a landscape can dry up quicker and, therefore, a customer needs more water to keep a landscape healthy. Usually starting in September, as days grow shorter and cooler, water stays in a soil longer and a customer does not need to water as much. Evapotranspiration (ET) is the loss of water in the atmosphere by the combined process of evaporation (from soil and plant surfaces) and transpiration (from plant tissues).
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Where do you get the evapotranspiration information?
This information is downloaded daily from the California Irrigation Management Information System (CIMIS), a program of the Office of Water Use Efficiency, California Department of Water Resources. CIMIS weather stations, (there are over 120 automated weather stations in California), collect weather data on a minute-by-minute basis, calculate hourly and daily values and store them in dataloggers. For more information on how CIMIS stations collect and process data, go to http://wwwcimis.water.ca.gov/cimis/infoGenCimisOverview.jsp. For detailed information on our local CIMIS station, Santa Clarita #204, Click Here
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