SV Groundwater Use Efficiency: Water Conservation ‘Off the Grid’

1. SV Groundwater Use Efficiency: Water Conservation ‘Off the Grid’ Carrie Pollard Principal Water Programs Specialist carrie.pollard@scwa.ca.gov

2. Overview • Explore possible water conservation programs for unserved population • Partnership with: • Sonoma Valley County Sanitation Dist. • City of Sonoma • Valley of the Moon Water District • Sonoma Valley Basin Advisory Panel • Grant funding – $25,000 from NBWA and in-kind services from partners

3. Goals • Conduct residential and agricultural water use assessments • Develop educational/outreach materials • Investigate feasibility of targeted public outreach meetings and events • Develop a report summarizing the findings and recommendations

4. Residential Site Assessments • Completed 15 assessments through the Water Smart Home Program (WSHP) • Limited participation by well users • Small sample size may not reflect all well users

5. Toilets • 48 toilets measured • 3.2 toilets per home • 29% do not meet current 1992 standard of 1.6 gpf • AB715: Toilets sold must be ≤ 1.28 gpf by 2014 • SB407: All residential properties must have low- flow fixtures by 2014

6. Showerheads • 43 showerheads measured • Average flow rate of 2.08 gpm • 7% do not meet 1992 2.5 gpm standard • 93% had a flow rate of 2.0 gpm • Sonoma, VOM, Agency have been providing free 2.0 gpm for years, now only 1.5 gpm

7. Faucets • 54 faucets measured • Average flow rate of 1.8 gpm, median of 1.5 gpm • 15% do not meet 1992 2.2 gpm standard • Sonoma, VOM, Agency provide free 2.0 gpm kitchen and 1.5 gpm bathroom aerators

8. Clothes Washers • All homes had washers • 47% did not have newer EnergyStar rated washers • 22% of indoor use is for clothes washing • Most efficient washer uses 60% less water than old top load washers

9. Water Softeners • 2 homes had water softeners (13%) • Not a common appliance in Sonoma County • Only 2.8% of homes through the WSHP had them installed

10. Landscape Irrigation • 73% of homes had an automatic irrigation system • 64% of the systems were adjusted by staff to reduce water waste • Homeowners generally do not know how to irrigate efficiently

11. Recommendations for Residential • Promote high-efficiency clothes washers as nearly half are inefficient • Focus on replacing the remaining water guzzling toilets • Educate homeowners about water efficient landscape irrigation and practices

12. Agricultural Site Assessments • 3 vineyards • 6 dairies • Difficult to get participants due to proprietary concerns • Generally efficient, but always room to improve

13. Vineyard Water Use • Water use is monitored and controlled for quality of crops • Cooperative towards conserving water, but requested to not reveal water use • Irrigated with drip systems

14. Vineyard Recommendations • Improve drip system to increase root zone • Modify irrigation frequency and duration to fit soil profile • Begin irrigation as late as possible – after shoot tip growth slows or stops • Use multiple methods to monitor plant water status

15. Dairy Water Use • Majority of water use is for drinking by cows

16. Dairy Water Use • Average water use falls within industry average of 25 to 40 gpd per cow • No correlation between size of dairy and efficiency

17. Efficiency Opportunities • Onsite reuse for barn wash down • Water for cooling (energy savings) • Equipment cleaning water • Capture rain water from barn roofs

18. Water Conservation Outreach • Existing programs already available • Qualified Water Efficient Landscaper • Eco Friendly Garden Tour • Bay Friendly Landscaping • 350 Garden Challenge • Green Business Program

19. Report • Currently drafting report • Draft will be released February 24 • Comments accepted through March 10 • Final report will be distributed

20. SV Groundwater Use Efficiency: Water Conservation ‘Off the Grid’ Carrie Pollard Principal Water Programs Specialist carrie.pollard@scwa.ca.gov