Agenda - Parks and Recreation Commission - 04/10/2014

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PART III WATER CONSERVATION PLAN A. GENERAL Water conservation programs are intended to reduce demand for water, improve the efficiency in use, and reduce losses and waste of water. Emergency response procedures must include short-term water conservation measures to reduce water demands when supplies are limited. Long-term conservation measures are an important part of water resource management and can also help utility managers satisfy the ever- increasing demands being placed on water resources. Conservation programs can be cost effective when compared to the generally higher costs of developing new sources of supply or expanding water or wastewater treatment plant capacities. B. ROLE OF CONSERVATION Reducing water requirements by decreasing demand and increasing system operating efficiencies can have numerous benefits to the water utility. A number of these benefits are summarized below: Construction of new facilities for water supply, transmission, storage, and treatment may be downsized or delayed. Operation and maintenance costs that depend on demand (pumping and chemical costs, for example) may be reduced. Reliance on the development of new sources to meet demand may be decreased. High-quality surface and groundwater supplies are becoming harder to find at reasonable cost. The general public is becoming increasingly aware of the need to use natural resources wisely. Responsible public agencies can address their community values and expectations by developing and implementing conservation measures that make sense for the local area. The utility can demonstrate water -use efficiency to regulatory agencies. City of Ramsey, Minnesota - M21.34343 Page III -1 Water Emergency and Conservation Plan Prepared by Bolton & Menk, Inc.