Washington State Department of Health Division of Environmental HealthOffice of Drinking Water Mike Dexel Water Resources Policy Lead Municipal Water Law and Water Use Efficiency Rule Redefining Distribution System Leakage

Washington State Department of Health Division of Environmental HealthOffice of Drinking Water Public Health - Always Working for a Safer and Healthier Washington 2 Mission To protect the health of the people of Washington State by ensuring safe and reliable drinking water.

Washington State Department of Health Division of Environmental HealthOffice of Drinking Water Public Health - Always Working for a Safer and Healthier Washington 3 The Municipal Water Law (MWL)  In 2003 the state legislature creates law to address growing water needs  Complex water law reform  Water systems can use “inchoate water” for growth within service area  Required Department of Health to adopt rules for efficient use of water

Washington State Department of Health Division of Environmental HealthOffice of Drinking Water Public Health - Always Working for a Safer and Healthier Washington 4 MWL Implications  Effect on planning program  With water system plan approval:  Gain additional connections  Expand service area  Result in fewer small water systems  Consistency between water system and local government planning

Washington State Department of Health Division of Environmental HealthOffice of Drinking Water Public Health - Always Working for a Safer and Healthier Washington 5 Water Use Efficiency Rule  Involved stakeholder input (Subcommittee Report)  Effective Date: January 22, 2007  Only applies to municipal water suppliers  Water systems with 15 or more residential service connections  Approximately 2,300 water systems statewide

Washington State Department of Health Division of Environmental HealthOffice of Drinking Water Public Health - Always Working for a Safer and Healthier Washington 6 Achievements During First Year of Implementation (2007)  Getting Started – WUE Guidebook  Over 30 training events statewide  Statewide Public Forum Schedule  Post goal setting meeting notice on DOH Web

Washington State Department of Health Division of Environmental HealthOffice of Drinking Water Public Health - Always Working for a Safer and Healthier Washington 7 What are the Water Efficiency Requirements?  Planning  Set customer goals to use water efficiently in a public forum  Annual performance report  Meter installation  Leakage standard

Washington State Department of Health Division of Environmental HealthOffice of Drinking Water Public Health - Always Working for a Safer and Healthier Washington 8 Planning Requirements  Forecast water demand based on implementation of WUE program  Implement measures or evaluate for cost effectiveness  Evaluate rates, reclaimed water opportunities  Implement customer measures (such as toilet rebates) to reach goal

Washington State Department of Health Division of Environmental HealthOffice of Drinking Water Public Health - Always Working for a Safer and Healthier Washington 9 Goal Setting Requirement  Establish a goal with:  Measurable water savings  Timeframe to achieve the goal  Specific to each water system  Use a public process to establish goal  Designed to enhance the efficient use of water by the water system customers

Washington State Department of Health Division of Environmental HealthOffice of Drinking Water Public Health - Always Working for a Safer and Healthier Washington 10 Annual Performance Report Must include:  Annual production  Leakage (volume and percentage)  Progress made in achieving goals  Progress made installing meters

Washington State Department of Health Division of Environmental HealthOffice of Drinking Water Public Health - Always Working for a Safer and Healthier Washington 11 Source and Service Meters  Source meters required now  Service meters required within 10 years (January 22, 2017)  Meters must be calibrated, replaced, and maintained for accuracy

Washington State Department of Health Division of Environmental HealthOffice of Drinking Water Public Health - Always Working for a Safer and Healthier Washington 12 Rationale for Meters  Authorizing statute, “…(leakage) limit in terms of percentage…of total water supplied”  Provide quantitative data  Most accurate way to calculate leakage  “If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it”

Washington State Department of Health Division of Environmental HealthOffice of Drinking Water Public Health - Always Working for a Safer and Healthier Washington 13 Number of Leaks

Washington State Department of Health Division of Environmental HealthOffice of Drinking Water Public Health - Always Working for a Safer and Healthier Washington 14 Volume of Water

Washington State Department of Health Division of Environmental HealthOffice of Drinking Water Public Health - Always Working for a Safer and Healthier Washington 15 The Leakage Standard  Only applies to distribution system  10% for most water systems  Follows general principles of International Water Association methodology  Importance of volume

Washington State Department of Health Division of Environmental HealthOffice of Drinking Water Public Health - Always Working for a Safer and Healthier Washington 16 Redefining Unaccounted for Water (UAFW)  Leakage is not “UAFW”  Never standardized  Defined differently  All water is accounted for  To understand water loss use:  Distribution system leakage  Authorized consumption

Washington State Department of Health Division of Environmental HealthOffice of Drinking Water Public Health - Always Working for a Safer and Healthier Washington 17 Leakage Includes  Actual leaks  Theft  Meter inaccuracies  Meter reading errors  Data collection errors  Calculation errors  Water main breaks

Washington State Department of Health Division of Environmental HealthOffice of Drinking Water Public Health - Always Working for a Safer and Healthier Washington 18 Authorized Consumption Includes  Sales to customers  Maintenance flushing  Fire fighting  Cleaning of tanks or reservoirs  Street cleaning Unmetered uses MUST BE tracked and estimated

Washington State Department of Health Division of Environmental HealthOffice of Drinking Water Public Health - Always Working for a Safer and Healthier Washington 19 The Leakage Formula Percent DSL = [(TP – AC) / (TP)] x 100  Where DSL = % of distribution system leakage  TP = total water produced and purchased  AC = authorized consumption

Washington State Department of Health Division of Environmental HealthOffice of Drinking Water Public Health - Always Working for a Safer and Healthier Washington 20 What About Volume?  Percentage is not the whole story  Leakage fluctuates with population, water efficiency savings  Reducing water loss is the goal, often better told through volume

Washington State Department of Health Division of Environmental HealthOffice of Drinking Water Public Health - Always Working for a Safer and Healthier Washington 21 Alternative Methodology Must be a “Better Evaluation”  Must be approved by the state  Must be published  Must have numerical standards so compliance can be determined

Washington State Department of Health Division of Environmental HealthOffice of Drinking Water Public Health - Always Working for a Safer and Healthier Washington 22 Compliance With Leakage Standard Four ways to be in compliance:  10% or less  Numerical standard for the alternative methodology  Develop and implement a water loss control action plan  20% or less for 500 connections or less

Washington State Department of Health Division of Environmental HealthOffice of Drinking Water Public Health - Always Working for a Safer and Healthier Washington 23 What is a Water Loss Control Action Plan?  Documented effort to reduce leakage by implementing water loss control methods  Timeframe for achieving the leakage standard  Budget to fund the plan  Technical or economical concerns that prevent compliance

Washington State Department of Health Division of Environmental HealthOffice of Drinking Water Public Health - Always Working for a Safer and Healthier Washington 24 Higher Leakage Requires Greater Efforts to Reduce Leaks  Assess data accuracy and collection methods (11-19%)  Implement field activities (20-29%)  Implement distribution system leakage control methods (above 30%)

Washington State Department of Health Division of Environmental HealthOffice of Drinking Water Public Health - Always Working for a Safer and Healthier Washington 25 How Do I Reduce Leaks?  Conduct water audit; leak detection survey  Repair leaky storage tanks  Calibrate or replace meters  Pressure management  Install acoustic leak detection loggers

Washington State Department of Health Division of Environmental HealthOffice of Drinking Water Public Health - Always Working for a Safer and Healthier Washington 26 Why Should I Reduce Leaks?  Regulatory compliance  Make a business case for reducing leaks  Save operating costs  Loss of revenue  Save on energy bills  What is the price of fixing a leak after the damage is done?

Washington State Department of Health Division of Environmental HealthOffice of Drinking Water Public Health - Always Working for a Safer and Healthier Washington 27 Why Should I Reduce Leaks? (cont.)  Protect public health, prevent contamination during pressure loss  Demonstrate stewardship of the resource to public/customers

Washington State Department of Health Division of Environmental HealthOffice of Drinking Water Public Health - Always Working for a Safer and Healthier Washington 28 Where are Those Leaks?  Majority annual volume of leaks occur on customer service piping  Filter backwash at treatment plant  Tank overflows  Meter inaccuracies  Unmetered facilities (parks, city hall)  Data transfer, math errors  Old infrastructure

Washington State Department of Health Division of Environmental HealthOffice of Drinking Water Public Health - Always Working for a Safer and Healthier Washington 29 Take Home Messages  If you can’t authorize it, consider it leakage  Do not use “unaccounted for” water to describe water loss  If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it

Washington State Department of Health Division of Environmental HealthOffice of Drinking Water Public Health - Always Working for a Safer and Healthier Washington 30 For More Information Mike Dexel programs/wue.htm

Washington State Department of Health Division of Environmental HealthOffice of Drinking Water Public Health - Always Working for a Safer and Healthier Washington 31 Questions?