COMMERCE, CA, Nov. 10, 2014 -- The Central Basin Municipal Water District of California (CBMWD) has officially completed the Water and Energy Emergency End Use Demand Management Measure Project, a $2-million grant awarded by the Department of Energy (DOE), which includes the Conservation Grant Project, Community Awareness Program and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) Program -- three elements to achieve both water and energy savings.
The grant project made history by bridging the water and energy conservation nexus. "Completing the DOE grant project is a milestone and a reflection of Central Basin's dedication to assisting communities in their efforts to achieve water-efficiency," said Richard Aragon, CBMWD interim general manager and CFO. "This project, along with the other grant projects we have in place, are helping to set industry standards for water-efficiency and now, energy use."
Conservation Grant Project
The purpose of the Conservation Grant Projectwas to evaluate indoor and outdoor water usage in public facilities and conduct audits to identify fixtures that could achieve the most water savings. CBMWD conducted 40 site evaluations and retrofitted 37 of the 40 sites, at no cost to the facilities.
Those sites that received retrofits include: Bellflower Unified School District, Compton Unified School District, Lynwood Unified School District, and Montebello Unified School District. Over 10,900 retrofits were completed at the 37 school sites, including: 1,050 faucet aerators, 9,690 rotating nozzles, 57 weather-based irrigation controllers, 70 water-efficient urinals, 116 high-efficient toilets, and five high-efficient washers.
Community Awareness Program
The second element of the DOE grant is the Community Awareness Program, a web-based platform used to send notifications on water usage, drought emergency and conservation measures. Water retailers in the CBMWD service area will have the capability of sharing notifications with their respective service area.
Accordingly, residents will be able to create profiles to receive notifications and conservation information, such as rebates. The website serves as a resourceful hub where retailers and residents can receive timely information.
SCADA Program
In the third element of the DOE grant, CBMWD used funding to install a SCADA program in its recycled water delivery system. The program will reduce energy consumption by adjusting the schedule of the recycled water pumps. Currently, the pumps in the recycled water system use a large amount of energy due to the constant on and off cycling; the new system will allow staff to adjust its schedule to achieve energy savings.
CBMWD will continue to apply for funding to create future innovative projects such as this one. For more information on the District's current projects, visit www.centralbasin.org.
See also:
"Innovative project makes history as first to mutually reduce water, energy use"
"New energy-water nexus bill stresses need for source-to-site energy analysis"
About Central Basin Municipal Water District of California
Central Basin is a public agency that wholesales imported water to cities, mutual water companies, investor-owned utilities and private companies in southeast Los Angeles County, serving a population of more than 2 million. In addition, Central Basin provides the region with recycled water for municipal, commercial and industrial uses. Formed in 1952, Central Basin is committed to ensuring a safe and reliable water supply for the region. For more information, visit www.centralbasin.org.
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