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Water Efficiency Master Plan Update Presented To City Council

On Tuesday, November 14, the Longmont City Council heard an overview of the Water Efficiency Master Plan (WEMP). This plan was presented to council by Ken Huson, Water Resources Manager.
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This content was originally published by the Longmont Observer and is licensed under a Creative Commons license.

On Tuesday, November 14, the Longmont City Council heard an overview of the Water Efficiency Master Plan (WEMP). This plan was presented to council by Ken Huson, Water Resources Manager.

According to the 2017 WEMP final report submitted to city council, "The effectiveness of water efficiency programs is difficult to quantify due to other factors that influence water use, such as variable weather, changes in customer behavior, and organic replacement of old fixtures with more efficient fixtures. However, gross per capita water use in Longmont has declined from 215 gpcd [gallons per capita per day] in 1996 to 140 gpcd in 2015, a reduction of approximately 34 percent."

Mr. Hunson attributes this success to the residents of Longmont by stating, "Our community has consistently indicated an interest in protecting and conserving Longmont’s valuable water resources."

The changes being made in the 2017 WEMP from the 2008 WEMP are as follows:

  • Revised focus of plan from indoor efficiency to outdoor efficiency
  • HE [high efficiency] clothes washer, HE dishwasher, and AMR [automated meter reading] meter programs are being phased out
  • Added stealth toilet technology to toilet rebate program
  • Additional focus on smart controller technology
  • Additional water data use reporting

According to City Council Communication, "Approval and implementation of this 2017 plan update will require an estimated expenditure over the next seven years of $980,000. The proposed average water conservation program funding per year is $140,000. The fund sources will be the Water Operating Fund (50%) and Water Acquisition Fund (50%). The total estimated water savings during the next seven years will be approximately 644 acre-feet."

After hearing an overview of the WEMP Longmont City Council unanimously passed resolution R-2017-111, which adopts the plan for the City of Longmont and allows the water resource team to submit the plan to the State of Colorado for approval.