AwwaRF Offers Conservation-Aware Rate Structures Report
Awwa Research Foundation (AwwaRF) has published a new report on water budget-based water rates as a conservation and drought response tool for utilities, according to a July 23 press release.
The foundation sponsored the study on which the report is based in collaboration with the city of San Diego to provide water agencies with information on the benefits and challenges of water budget rate structures. The study also examined the potential uses of water budgets during drought and the steps for their implementation by utilities.
Water budgets—the quantity of water required by an efficient level of water use based on customer-specific characteristics and conservative standards—are an innovative means of improving water use efficiency. Although water budget-based rate structures are not new, improved technology is making them increasingly attractive and effective as a tool by which water suppliers can send a fair and meaningful price signal to customers about their water use. The method also helps reduce water waste, increase efficiency, and manage drought response in a sensible and equitable manner.
Case studies of utilities across the United States that have already implemented this type of system are included.
Water Budgets and Rate Structures: Innovative Management Tools (order #91205) is currently available to AwwaRF subscribers now and will become publicly available later this year.