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Home My WebLink AboutFix a leak documentItem 9 PSC approves Milwaukee economic development rate The Public Service Commission (PSC) approved an experimental water tariff that is intended to encourage business growth and economic development. The December 2010 decision authorizes the Milwaukee Water Works (MWW) to offer discounted water rates to new or expanding businesses within its service area for five years, in exchange for increased water use and job creation. MWW has excess water supply, treatment, and distribution capacity and the utility believes that attracting new businesses will help to spread its fixed costs over a larger customer base. The tariff is open to both new and existing industrial or commercial customers who use a significant volume of water each month. The economic development rate is also available to customers in MWW's wholesale service territory, but the retailing utility must receive PSC approval of its economic develop tariff before it can offer the reduced rate to new or expanding customers. For more information, visit: http: / /city.milwaukee.gov /water EPA considers labeling water softeners Wisconsin communities that rely on groundwater for their water supply often have "hard" water. Cation exchange water softeners remove the calcium and magnesium ions found in hard water by exchanging them with sodium or potassium ions. Because the regeneration process for each device can use more than 10,000 gallons of water and hundreds of pounds of salt per year, these devices are a major residential water use and a significant source of chloride contamination. However, recent improvements in water softening technology demonstrate great potential for water savings. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued a notification of intent (NOI) to develop a specification to develop a WaterSense label for water - efficient, high - performing cation exchange water softeners. The NOI outlines the proposed efficiency and performance criteria and identifies several technical issues that need to be resolved. EPA will host a public webinar on Wednesday, January 19th from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. CST to discuss the NOI. Comments or suggestions can be sent by email to waters ens e-products &erg.com For more information, visit: http: / /www.epa.gov/ watersense /products /watersofteners.html PSC seeks Fix a Leak Week partners Did you know that an American home can waste, on average, more than 10,000 gallons of water every year due to running toilets, dripping faucets, and other household leaks? The PSC is seeking partners for planned media events and other activities during Fix a Leak Week 2011, which runs from March 14 — 20, 2011. If you are interested in participating, please contact Jeff Ripp at (608) 267 -9813 or by email at teffrey.rippFwisconsin.gov If you are not already a WaterSense partner, please consider joining. For more information about Fix a Leak Week, visit: http : / /www.epa.gov /WaterSense/water efficiency /fix a leak.html s•a A ,, Below are some easy ways that your utility, community, or business can get involved with "Fix a Leak Week" in 2011. If you decide to participate with these or any other activities, please let us know so we can post information about your program on the PSC's water conservation website! Contact Jeff Ripp, PSC Water Conservation Coordinator, by email at Jeff rey.Ripp @Wisconsin.Gov for more information. 1. "Don't let dour account get parched by le III <s." Don't throw your money down the drain. A home can waste, on average, more than 10,000 gallons of water every year due to running toilets, dripping faucets, and other household leaks. Your utility can get involved in promoting water conservation and leak prevention in your community, by working with local plumbers and retailers to hang upside -down piggy banks with water droplets at check- outs at local retailers. The campaign could include a sign that directs consumers on where to find more information, such as: • "Ask the cashier about how saving water saves you money." • "Visit aisle 10 to find water - saving devices that can save you money." This campaign creates an interaction between the customers and employees and helps establish a trusting relationship with loyal customers that will come back for advice. The customer will leave feeling that they were helped and that their purchase will help promote sustainability and water conservation. 2. "Leak in g Bridges" Work with local retailers, plumbers, and other partners to place prominent outdoor advertising in strategic locations. How to create a Leaking Bridge: 1. Create a striking visual display — such as banners of water droplets that are placed hanging off a prominent visible location in your community — and place on Main Street, on a busy overpass, or on a prominent billboard. 2. Utilities could work with other sponsors (retailers, plumbers, etc.) to help pay for costs. 3. Sponsors get recognition with their company's logo. 4. Banners could be saved and reused in future years. 3. Tlhe W��ter Tlllee: "�,!V ter D�oesnjt Gl�o�i�� on Tlllees" The "Water Tree" Campaign can help you promote Fix a Leak Week in your community by drawing attention to leaks by using a unique, eye- catchiing display: A tree loaded with water saving devices such as faucet aerators, toilet leak detection dye tablets, low flow showerheads, etc. How to create a Water Tree: 1. Select a large, healthy tree in a prominent high traffic area (downtown, shopping mall, etc). 2. Decorate the tree with toilet tablets and other water saving tools from March 14 - 20, 2011, for Fix a Leak Week. 3. You can advertise your utility or business by having staff on hand to provide information about saving water to consumers. 4. Hand out flyers, and inform people about the items on the tree, provide promotion information or free products, and thank them for stopping by the stand and conserving water. 5. It's a great opportunity to hand out coupons on ENERGY STAR products and /or water saving products available in your community. 4_. i F.i77 W 5777 n7 Kits Obtain water saving kits and hand them out at popular locations such as sporting events or at the mall. You can work with local area businesses to help sponsor the kits or distribute them — such as plumbers or home improvement retailers. Kits are readily available from a number of sources, including several EPA WaterSense partners. 51W.Z7ter C777e177111.0 A Displ�,y t U.tilit,y O /�Cit,�r H�II Set up a water conservation display at the local utility office or at City Hall. The display location could also include scheduled workshops to demonstrate leak- detection and provide water saving tips to consumers. Other ideas include: • A water conservation poster contest with local schools. • Information about your community's water supply and sustainability. • Samples of products such as rain barrels, water - efficient toilets, showerheads, and toilet leak detection kits, drip calculators, and faucets. • Information about where to buy water saving products. • A water meter display showing the cumulative total of water saved by fixing leaks in your community. 6. Fix a Leal< WIUeel< Teacher Curriculum! Ensuring a sustainable water supply for the future depends on today's children understanding the importance of water conservation and efficiency. WaterSense has developed resources to help teachers communicate these values. Your community can get involved by using the WaterSense curriculum in your classrooms. Materials are available at: http: / /www.epa.gov /WaterSense /resources /educational materials.html. Activities include: • A Da in the Li e o a Dro : Worksheet #1 PDF (3 pp, 221K) • A Da in the Li e o a Dro : Worksheet #2 PDF (6 pp, 1.3MB) • Water Use Table (PDF) (1 pp, 105K) • Student and Famil Pled e to Filter Out Bad Water Habits PDF (1 pp, 160K)