Dr. Zohrab Samani
Associate Professor
Agricultural Engineering
NMSU

History of City of Las Cruces Water Conservation Efforts

• Approximately 1975 - Implemented inclining block rates
• 1994 - contracted for Water Resources Management Plans
• March 1995 - Urban Water Conservation Plan finalized
• July 1996 - Water inclining block rates were steepened

• October 1996 - Water Conservation Ordinance passed by City Council

---

CITY OF LAS CRUCES
WATER CONSERVATION ORDINANCE

Promotes awareness of water use practices and spreads demand through odd/even watering schedule.

Major features of ordinance:

• No watering between 10:00am and 6:00pm from April 1 to September 30
• Odd/Even watering schedule - all year long
  Odd addresses water Wednesday, Friday and Sunday
  Even addresses water Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday
• Waste, such as water flowing off of property, puddling on the yard, wsajing impervious surfaces with a hose of washing cars without a shut-off nozzle or a bucket, is prohibited
• Leaks must be repaired within five days

Results

• Average water use per residential customer is down for both June and July of 1997 compared to same months of 1996 by 3750 gallons per month. Too early to really assess true reduction in water use.

  ---

  
  
• Ongoing - Public information campaign to continue increase in awareness of water conservation issues

Water Conservation Summary

1995 Water Rate Schedule- peak rate of $1.52/1000 gallons.

Water Resources Management Plan -Looked at sources of water supply and options for wastewater effluent for 40 year planning period.

Water supply - Use groundwater for short term Current rights adequate through 2000. Acquire 26,000 ac-ft new water rights-projected to last through 2020. Pursue firm surface water supply-convert agricultural to M&L Implement water consevation pregram
Wastewater - Continue treatment and discharge to Rio Grarde-more cost effective than three zero discharge options considered. (GW Recharge, Irrigation, Wetlands)

Urban Water Conservation Plan -Developed a menu of 16 options for Water Conservation and grouped them as Level A, Level B and Level C. Aggressiveness, costs to implement and resulting water savings increase from A to C. Anticipated water savings were 15.6 gpcd for Level A, 32.4 gpcd for Level B and 53.1 gpcd for Level C.

Water Conservation Ordinance -Promotes awareness of water use practices and spreads peak demand through odd-even watering schedule. Copies available.

1997 Water Rate Schedule -peak rate increased to $3.35/1000 gallons

Public Relations -To date, direct mail of a pamphlet, How to Be a Water Wizard, explaining the Water Conservation Ordinance, a utility bill insert, Citizen Owner, discussing water conservatian, billboards, newspaper ads, radio ads, radio talk programs and the television show, Focus on Las Cruces have been used to advertise care in use of water. In addition, pamphlets on water Conservation and Wise Water Use Outdoors have been made available at City offces and the library. Workbooks on Using Water Wisely and Water Conservation have been distributed to the Las Cruces Public Schools. Approximately 1200 copies of the Water Conservation coloring and workbook were used as curriculum in the third grade classrooms this est year. LCPS has asked that we provide this material again this year. Also, a set of videos from AWWA has been purchased and will be made available to the LCPS. Videos, a glossy pamphlet and other outreach measures are planned for xeriscape education by the Landscape Architects offce in the near future.

Back to Presentation Index