The Planner’s Role in Urban Water Conservation Philip Stoker Robin Rothfeder PhD students, City and Metropolitan Planning University of Utah Stephanie Duer Water Conservation Programs Manager Salt Lake City Public Utilities

Population Growth * Percent change in population , U.S. Census Bureau

Drought National Drought Mitigation Center September 23 rd 2014

Water Management and Conservation Goals - meet future demand - withstand drought - cheaper and less impactful than large water supply projects State Required Water Conservation Plans (Utah) - population, and supply forecasts - articulate conservation goal - articulate implementation plan - required every 5 years Water Conservation Actions - efficient technology i.e. soil moisture sensors - education i.e. “slow the flow” - tiered rates - demonstration gardens - others

City Planning and Conservation Statewide Initiatives : Envision Utah: conserve water resources State Water Strategy Advisory Team Regional Planning : Federal Mandate for MPO’s to exist for transportation planning Municipal Master Plans (Salt Lake City Central Community) - investigate ways to encourage and reward conservation water use - ensure that city properties are managed for efficient water use - serve as an example of water-wise landscaping - consider policies to promote further conservation and decrease water waste Municipal Ordinances (Denver Colorado) - duty of the owner….to maintain vegetation. - prohibit restrictive covenants requiring turf grasses

What is the planner’s role in urban water conservation? Can planners predict water use? How does the design of cities affect water conservation? Are there planning strategies that can be employed to aid water conservation?

Predictors of Water Use

People Place Design

Predictors of Water Use Public Utility Data: monthly water use Tax Assessors Data: lot size, assessed value, number of bathrooms etc. PRISM Climate Data: precipitation and temperature Remote Sensing: Calculate turf, canopy, and impervious surface cover. People Place Design

Databases Salt Lake City Public Utilities : 90,000+ connections Monthly water use Service type

Databases Tax Assessors Data : 300,000+ parcels Number of bathrooms, bedrooms, acres, taxed value, lot size Parcel ID

Building the Database 2011 Parcels (GIS) Public Utilities Assessors Database PRISM Climate Data Unit of Analysis Remote Sensing

What is the planner’s role in urban water conservation? Can planners predict water use? How does the design of cities affect water conservation? Are there planning strategies that can be employed to aid water conservation?

Collaborators