AgdaPkt 2011-03-07 - Laserfiche WebLink

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6.3B Page 1 RE PORT To the Honorable ;Mayor and `City Council From the City Manager March 7, 2011 SUBJECT Redwood City Meter Replacement Project — WaterSMART Water and Energy Efficiency Grant Application RECOMMENDATION Adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager to commit the City to the financial and legal obligations associated with future receipt of WaterSMART Grant financial assistance as it pertains to the City's meter replacement program. BACKGROUND In January 2009, Redwood City began the first year of its newest water conservation program entitled The Budget Based Rates Program (Program). The new Program allocates a water budget for each dedicated irrigation account based on each customer's irrigated area using real -time weather data and charges them using a three - tiered rate system. As a part of the Program, a pilot project was initiated using Automated Metering Infrastructure (AMI). This allowed irrigation meter readings to be collected via radio waves instead of the conventional walk/read method. The new irrigation meters allow irrigation customers to view hourly water use information through the City's Water Allocation Program web -tool. This enables the City to provide irrigation customers with daily water budget and consumption information in near real -time. Because irrigation meter readings are being collected hourly, the City is also able to provide automated email notifications to these customers. Daily email alerts are sent to any customer who has a continuous water leak, allowing the customer to locate and repair the leak as soon as possible. In addition, a weekly "over budget alert" and custom "My Water Use" report is sent to customers to help them manage their water use. This allows customers to reset irrigation timers or address inefficiencies within their irrigation systems before going over their budgeted amount of water. The results of Redwood City's Budget Based Rates Program have been overwhelmingly positive. In calendar year 2009, Redwood City reduced irrigation usage by 15% over calendar year 2008. This was equivalent to 246 acre -feet, or 80 million gallons of water savings. In 2010, the program proved to be a continued success, as irrigation demands declined an additional 10% over 2009. Irrigation demands are now 23% less than they were in 2008, an equivalent of 380 acre -feet (124 million gallons) annually, exclusive of potable water savings attributed to the City's recycled water program. The success of the Budget Based Rates Program is due in part to the City's AMI pilot project and Public Works Services (PWS) has identified an opportunity to leverage this new technology by making it available to residential and commercial customers. Installation of the new automated meters will allow residential customers to view hourly water use information through the City's new web -tool. The City will then have the opportunity to provide residential customers with the same, near real -time water budget