Jun 18, 2024 Resource Management

THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER SILVER.

UH, VICE CHAIR ROBBINS, I JUST, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A COMMENT THAT MR. WRIGHTON BRINGS UP AN INTERESTING POINT THAT IT JUST NEVER OCCURRED TO ME THAT, UH, THE METHANE LEAKS IN THE SUPPLY SIDE ARE REALLY A CONSERVATION DEVICE OR, OR A STRATEGY.

AND THAT MIGHT ACTUALLY FALL UNDER OUR PURVIEW.

UH, I'VE ALWAYS BEEN THINKING ABOUT CONSERVATION BEING ON THE CONSUMER SIDE OR DEMAND SIDE, BUT, UH, MAYBE WE SHOULD START, UH, EXP EXPAND, UH, USING OUR PURVIEW TO LOOK AT METHANE LEAKS IN THE SUPPLY SYSTEM AS WELL.

COMMISSIONER SILVERSTEIN.

TO DO, UH, TO LOOK AT SUPPLY SIDE LEAKS.

UM, VICE CHAIR ROBBINS.

I WONDER IF THE LANGUAGE OF YOUR BYLAWS AMENDMENT NEEDS TO BE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE EMISSIONS, SINCE IT DOESN'T EXPLICITLY SAY THAT.

I'M WONDERING IF THE BYLAWS NEED TO BE, IF WE CAN SQUEEZE IT IN, SQUEEZE IN ADDRESSING EMISSIONS WITHOUT THAT KIND OF LANGUAGE.

WELL, I'M OPEN TO, UH, UH, FRIENDLY AMENDMENTS, UH, BUT WE HAVE UNTIL ITEM THREE TO GET THERE.

UH, BUT, BUT SO THINK IT OVER.

UH, I, I KNOW THAT, UH, I KNOW THAT I WASN'T GOING TO TAKE THAT UP AT THE MOMENT AND I'M OPEN TO FRIENDLY AMENDMENTS, BUT WHAT I, I JUST WAS SPECULATING THAT WE MAY ALREADY HAVE THE POWER

[00:05:01]

THAT'S ALL.

IF, IF THE LAWYERS HAVE LET US DOWN ONCE, I DON'T WANT IT TO HAPPEN TWICE.

SO LET'S TRY TO FIGURE IT OUT BEFORE WE VOTE.

PLEASE.

I DO EVERYTHING YOU TELL ME TO OUT.

COMMISSIONER DULY NOTED ON, UH, THAT, UH, THAT NOTE.

UH, DAN O'BRIEN IS ALSO HERE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.

UM, HI.

MY NAME IS, UH, DAN O'BRIEN.

I LIVE IN THE MUELLER NEIGHBORHOOD, AND I'M, I'M HERE WITH A, A COMMENT AND A REQUEST.

I'M NOT SURE THIS IS THE RIGHT FORUM, BUT I'M HERE AND I WAS ENCOURAGED TO SPEAK ANYWAY.

UM, THIS IS ABOUT STREET LIGHTING.

UM, THERE'S BEEN A, A MOVE TO REPLACE THE OLD OBSOLETE SODIUM VAPOR LAMPS, THE AMBER COLORED ONES WITH LEDS, WHICH I APPROVE, AND THEY LAST LONGER, AND THEY SAVE IT, THEY SAVE ENERGY.

UM, BUT THERE'S ONLY ONE STANDARD REPLACEMENT, AND THAT'S A BRIGHT WHITE, UM, 5,000 DEGREE COLOR TEMPERATURE LAMP.

AND IT'S REPLACING THE AMBER COLORED LAMPS IN NEIGHBORHOODS THAT DON'T NEED THAT BRIGHT LIGHT.

CERTAINLY THAT THAT'S APPROPRIATE IN PARKING LOTS AND BIG INTERSECTIONS AND THE HIGHWAY AND SO FORTH, WHERE PEOPLE NEED MAXIMUM COVERAGE LIKE DAYLIGHT.

BUT IN NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE PEOPLE HAVE BEDROOMS AND SO FORTH, THEY DON'T NEED THAT.

AND IT'S ALSO NOT GOOD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT IN TERMS OF BIRD MIGRATION TO HAVE LOTS OF BRIGHT WHITE LIGHTS WHERE YOU DON'T NEED THEM.

SO, UH, I LOOKED INTO THIS.

THERE ARE A COUPLE OF SOLUTIONS.

ONE, YOU CAN, UH, GET A LAMP THAT HAS A, A VARIABLE COLOR TEMPERATURE FROM AMBER TO BRIGHT WHITE.

AND DEPENDING ON THE POLE IT'S GOING ON, YOU CAN CHANGE THE COLOR OF THE LAMP.

UH, THE SECOND THING IS TO HAVE TWO STANDARDS.

ONE IS A BRIGHT WHITE 5,000 DEGREE AND ONE IS A AMBER COLOR, 2,500 DEGREE LAMP AND USE THEM AS APPROPRIATE FOR, UH, THE APPLICATION.

UM, SO I'M JUST RAISING THIS AS AN ISSUE.

UM, AND, UH, I TALKED TO OTHER PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THERE'S A GENERAL AGREEMENT THIS WOULD BE A, A GOOD IMPROVEMENT.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE, THE COST FACTOR IS, BUT I'VE BEEN TOLD THAT, UM, THE COLOR MAKES NO DIFFERENCE TO THE PRICE OF THESE BULBS.

SO, UH, I'D LIKE AUSTIN ENERGY TO SOURCE, UM, EITHER THE VARIABLE KIND OR A, UM, TWO KINDS OF BULBS FOR DIFFERENT SITUATIONS.

LACK OF A BETTER WAY OF PUTTING IT.

COMMISSIONER ROBBINS OR VICE CHAIR ROBBINS.

I'LL LIVE IT DOWN.

UH, UM, MANY PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM KNOW THIS, BUT THERE'S A PROBABLY A FEW THAT DON'T.

UH, WHEN YOU JUDGE BULBS BY THEIR DEGREES OF COLOR, IMAGINE, UH, A PIECE OF METAL AND IT GLOWS.

AND IF YOU HEAT THAT PIECE OF METAL TO 2,500 DEGREES OR 2,800 DEGREES, IT WOULD GLOW LIKE AMBER, LIKE YOUR OLD FASHIONED INCANDESCENT BULB.

AND IF YOU HEAT IT UP TO 5,000 DEGREES, IT IS A VERY LIGHT BLUE TENT, UH, JUST LIKE SUNLIGHT AT HIGH NOON, UH, FROM THE NORTH.

AND THIS ACTUALLY AFFECTS PEOPLE BIOLOGICALLY, UH, UH, NOCTURNALLY, UH, BEDROOM LIGHTS.

LIGHTS THAT ARE GOOD TO SLEEP, UH, ARE AROUND 2,800 DEGREES.

UH, THAT'S WHAT A SUNSET WOULD LOOK LIKE.

AND SO, UM, IF, IF, IF THIS PERSON'S, UH, WHO CAME HERE, UM, IF HIS SPEECH WAS IN ANY WAY CONFUSING, THAT'S WHAT HE WAS TRYING TO SAY.

PERSONALLY, I LIKE HIS IDEAS.

UH, I'M NOT SURE IF WE ARE OR ARE NOT THE RIGHT FORUM FOR THEM.

UH, I'D, I MEAN, THIS ISN'T A BURNING ISSUE WITH ME, BUT I WOULD BE HAPPY TO CO-SPONSOR A RESOLUTION IF OTHERS ON THE COMMISSION ARE INTERESTED.

SOMETHING THAT JUMPED INTO MY HEAD ON THIS, I MEAN, WE TALKED ABOUT LIKE THE BIRD MIGRATION PATTERNS, AND IF I RECALL, THERE'S A DESIGN OF STREETLIGHT, WHICH I'LL CALL BASICALLY A SHEPHERD'S CROOK SO THAT THE LIGHT POINTS DOWN MORE AS OPPOSED TO KIND OF, I'LL GUESS I'LL CALL, SAY, BROADCASTING FOR

[00:10:01]

UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT AUSTIN ENERGY IS ACTIVELY INVESTING IN AS PART OF WHATEVER THE DARK SKIES TYPE INITIATIVES OR WHATEVER.

UM, IT MIGHT BE INTERESTING TO LEARN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT, MY GUT TELLS ME THAT IS NOT, THIS ISN'T SOMETHING THAT HE, THAT WE WOULD BE HAVING PURVIEW OVER.

I WOULD TEND TO THINK IT WOULD BE EUC OR, UM, ONE OF THE OTHER COMMISSIONS THAT THE CITY HAS.

I I DON'T THINK IT WOULD QUITE FALL INTO OUR REALM, BUT I'D BE INTERESTED TO FIND OUT MORE.

IT KIND OF RELATES TO ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND IT KIND OF, SORT OF MAYBE RELATES TO GREEN BUILDING, UH, IN, IN, UH, THE OVERALL URBAN ENVIRONMENT.

COMMISSIONER FARMER.

UM, CAN I ASK JUST A SORT OF, I GUESS LOGISTICAL QUESTION IS LIKE, IF WE WERE TO BRING FORTH A RESOLUTION ON THIS AND PASS IT, IS THERE AN ISSUE WITH IT IF FOR SOME REASON IT ISN'T WITHIN OUR PURVIEW? OR HOW DO WE FIND THAT OUT? TECHNICALLY, THERE ISN'T.

AND WE CAN PASS A RESOLUTION ON ANYTHING WE CHOOSE TO.

I MEAN, WE CAN TALK ABOUT HOW PAUL SHOULD HAVE TO WEAR POLO SHIRTS TO EVERY MEETING.

UM, IT'S JUST WHETHER OR NOT SOMEBODY FROM COUNCIL CHOOSES TO TAKE THAT UP FROM THE BRICK SYSTEM AND ACTUALLY BRING THAT TO COUNCIL FOR FURTHER ACTION.

THAT'S VICE CHAIR , VICE CHAIR.

YES.

SO, UM, WE CAN PASS A RESOLUTION ON ANYTHING.

IT'S JUST WHETHER OR NOT IT WILL HAVE ANY WEIGHT IS REALLY THE ISSUE, AS OPPOSED TO IF SOMETHING CAME FROM THE COMMITTEE THAT IS ACTUALLY MORE LOGICALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR SOMETHING, THERE IS A GREATER CHANCE THAT THAT WOULD GET TAKEN UP BY A COUNCIL MEMBER COUNCIL.

I, I WILL JUST REPEAT THAT.

UH, I'M FINE WITH TAKING IT UP.

IF THERE ARE, THERE'S OTHER INTEREST AND PEOPLE DON'T HAVE TO DECIDE AT THIS VERY MOMENT, I WOULD, I WOULD CO-SPONSOR IF YOU WANT ON THAT.

UM, UM, ASSUMING, ASSUMING WE GET CLARITY ON PER YOU.

WELL, UM, I WOULD, UH, ENTERTAIN THAT THE SPEAKER CONTACT, UH, ME AND CONTACT, UH, UH, COMMISSIONER FARMER AND, UH, COME UP WITH A DRAFT WORDING.

AND I WOULD ALSO MAKE THE FRIENDLY, CONSTRUCTIVE SUGGESTION THAT YOU ALSO BRING THIS TO THE ELECTRIC UTILITY COMMISSION COMMISSIONER SILVERSTEIN.

SO IT'S PROBABLY WORTH TAKING FIVE MINUTES TO TALK TO THE STAFF AT AUSTIN ENERGY, WHO ARE PROBABLY RESPONSIBLE FOR STREETLIGHTS TO SEE WHAT THE TECH CURRENT TECHNICAL SPECS ARE.

THIS MAY BE SOMETHING THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN HANDLED IN CURRENT PRACTICE.

SO, SO IF I, I BET RICHARD GENESEE WOULD GIVE YOU A PHONE NUMBER.

HE'S THAT HANDSOME GENTLEMAN IN THE TIE OVER IN THE CORNER, SO, SO FIVE MINUTES OF HOMEWORK MIGHT SPARE EVERYBODY SOME TIME.

GOOD IDEA.

IN FRONT OF YOU, YOU HAVE MINUTES THAT WERE PROVIDED TO YOU AHEAD OF THE MEETING.

MOVING ALONG ON OUR AGENDA, UH, IN YOUR PACKETS

[1. Approve the minutes of the Resource Management Commission Regular Meeting on May 21, 2024.]

I HOPE YOU HAD A CHANCE TO LOOK AT THEM.

UM, IF YOU WANT TO HAVE A QUICK REVIEW OF THEM NOW, AND THEN I WILL LOOK TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION.

SO MOVED.

THERE'S BEEN A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER SILVERSTEIN TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND.

GOOD EVENING COMMISSIONERS.

AND GIVEN THAT EVERYONE IS HERE, ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HANDS.

ALL OPPOSED, ABSTENTIONS, THAT WOULD BE 6 0 1 ON THE MINUTES.

THEY ARE APPROVED.

MOVING ON INTO OUR

[2. Recommend approval of the Austin Water Capital Improvement Projects located in the Drinking Water Protection Zone for approval to include in the 5-year Capital spending plan as required by Financial Policy #8.]

AGENDA.

ITEM NUMBER TWO, DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEMS. RECOMMENDED APPROVAL, RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE AUSTIN WATER CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS.

UH, YOU HAVE THIS INFORMATION IN YOUR PACKETS BEGINNING ON PAGE.

UH, IT'S, UH, WELL, IT'S, THANK YOU.

MINE ISN'T NUMBERED ON HERE, BUT NUMBER OF PAGE SIX.

UH, IS THERE SOMEONE HERE FROM AUSTIN WATER WHO'S, UH, GONNA SPEAK TO IT? PLEASE JOIN THE PARTY.

UH, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU TODAY.

UH, MY NAME IS FRED GO, FINANCIAL MANAGER FOR CITY OF AUSTIN IN AUSTIN WATER DEPARTMENT.

SO JOINING ME TODAY IS LAUREN KING, INFRASTRUCTURE MANAGEMENT DIVISION SUPERVISOR.

AND, UH, TODAY I WILL PRESENT A MEMO FOR YOUR INFORMATION REGARDING AUSTIN WATER FINANCIAL.

UH, POLICY

[00:15:01]

NUMBER EIGHT, WHICH PLAYS A CRUCIAL ROLE, UH, IN ENSURING THE STANDING, UM, SUSTAINABILITY AND THE EFFICIENCY OF OUR WATER RESOURCES.

AUSTIN WATER NEEDS TO PRESENT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS LOCATED IN THE DRINKING WATER PROTECT ZONE AS A PART OF THE ANNUAL BUDGET PROCESS.

THESE CAPITAL PROJECTS INCLUDE NEW WATER AND WASTE WATER, UH, TREATMENT PLANS, CAPITAL EXPANSIONS AND GROWTH RELATED PROJECTS.

AS PART OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN BUDGET APPROVAL PROCESS, AUSTIN WATER SUBMITS A PLAN FOR THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM SPENDING FALLS UPCOMING FIVE YEAR PERIOD.

SO THIS YEAR WE SUBMITTED A PLAN FROM PHYSICAL YEAR 2025 THROUGH 2029.

IN THE MEMO, WE INCLUDED A SUBSIDE PROJECT IN THE DRINKING WATER PROTECT ZONE.

THESE PROJECTS REPRESENT IMPROVEMENT REQUIRED TO MEET AUSTIN WATER STANDARDS FOR O AND CUSTOMER SERVICE.

WE HAVE OUTLINED THESE PROJECTS, YING, A TABLE INCLUDED IN THE MEMO, DETAILING A TOTAL OF 10 PROJECTS LISTED ON THE SECOND PAGE ALONG WITH THE MAP OF SIP PROJECT ON THE LAST PAGE.

THESE PROJECTS ARE ALL CARRYING OVER FROM THE LAST FIVE YEARS.

CIP PLAN PRESENTED TO YOU BEFORE.

THERE IS NO NEW PROJECTS IN DRINKING WATER PROTECT ZONE ADDED THIS YEAR.

SO THE TOTAL SPENDING PLAN FOR THE PHYSICAL YEAR 2025 TO 2029 IS $68 MILLION IN COMPLIANCE WITH AUSTIN WATER FINANCIAL POLICY NUMBER EIGHT.

WE ARE INFORMING YOU THESE PROJECTS AND ARE OPEN TO ANY QUESTION YOU MAY HAVE ABOUT THE SPECIFIC, UH, PROJECTS HERE.

THANK YOU, MR. SILVERSTEIN.

COMMISSIONER SILVERSTEIN, THANK YOU.

AND, AND THANK YOU FOR THIS MATERIAL AND FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

I HAVE A, A QUESTION, I DON'T KNOW WHETHER IT'S FOR YOU OR FOR MS. KING KING, RIGHT? YES.

UM, SO ARE THESE THE ONLY CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS THAT ARE ANTICIPATED BETWEEN NOW AND, AND 2029? UH, FISCAL YEAR 29, SORRY.

UH, NO MA'AM.

AND AGAIN, I'M LAUREN KING.

I'M THE SUPERVISING ENGINEER OF THE CIP AND ASSET MANAGEMENT GROUP IN AUSTIN WATER.

THESE PROJECTS REPRESENT PROJECTS THAT ARE BOTH GROWTH RELATED AND LOCATED IN THE DRINKING WATER PROTECTION ZONE.

AH, SO THOSE ARE THE ONLY 10 PROJECTS.

OUR FIVE YEAR CIP CONTAINS OVER 600 PROJECTS TOTAL.

AND SO THIS IS A, A FAIRLY SMALL SUBSET OF THEM.

SO, UM, GOOD.

'CAUSE THAT MEANS I DON'T HAVE TO, UM, HASSLE YOU ABOUT WHETHER ANY OF THESE ARE GONNA SUPPORT, LIKE, DATA CENTERS OR CRYPTO MINERS, AND I DON'T THINK I WOULD BE ABLE TO ANSWER THAT.

UM, AND, AND DO, ARE ANY OF THESE, IF THEY'RE INTENDED TO ADDRESS PRIMARILY GROWTH, WILL ANY OF THESE MAKE A DENT IN THE 15.8% OF, OF AUSTIN WATER THAT IS LOST ACROSS YOUR, YOUR SUPPLY SYSTEM? UH, WATER LOSS SPECIFICALLY? YEAH.

UH, NO MA'AM.

THESE PROJECTS ARE REALLY TO INCREASE CAPACITY, UM, ACROSS THE SYSTEM AND EXTEND, UH, TO PLACES THAT ARE NOT CURRENTLY SERVED.

OF THAT NATURE, THINGS THAT ARE TECHNICALLY NOT REVENUE, BUT THE WATER ISN'T ACTUALLY LOST.

SO LIKE NEW LOADS? YES.

AND SO WATER LOSS WOULD BE MORE ABOUT, UH, KIND OF RENEWAL AND REHABILITATION, FINDING THESE AND EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENTS? YES.

IS THAT, WILL THAT PLAN AND THOSE CAPITAL AND OPERATING EXPENSES, SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSING LOSSES BECOMING TO THIS COMMISSION AT SOME FUTURE POINT? I'M NOT AWARE OF A SPECIFIC SUBSET OF PROJECTS THAT'S BROUGHT TO, UH, ADDRESS THAT SPECIFICALLY.

UM, WE DO HAVE, BESIDES GROWTH, WE ALSO CHARACTERIZE PROJECTS AS RENEWAL OR ENHANCEMENT.

AND SO THAT WOULD GET TO, UH, WHAT YOU'RE DISCUSSING SPECIFICALLY IF, IF THANK YOU, IF YOU COULD PLEASE TAKE BACK HOME TO MANAGEMENT THAT AT LEAST ONE MEMBER OF THIS COMMISSION IS DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT 15.8% LOSSES IN THE SYSTEM, AND THAT I'D LIKE TO SEE A PLAN SPECIFICALLY ON BOTH CAPITAL AND OPERATING PROCEDURES FOR HOW TO IMPROVE THAT NUMBER.

I THINK WE ALL WOULD.

I HOPE WE ALL WOULD.

I'LL CERTAINLY TAKE THAT BACK TO, UH, VICE CHAIR ROBBINS.

UM, I, I, MY UNDERSTANDING OF WA OF THE WATER LOSS STATISTICS IS THAT REAL LOSS THAT IS PIPE LEAKS ACCOUNTS FOR ABOUT 13%, AND THE OTHER COUPLE PERCENT ARE OTHER, UH, AREAS, YOU KNOW, WATER THEFT OR, UH, THINGS

[00:20:01]

IS, IS MY UNDERSTANDING IS, IS MY UNDERSTANDING CORRECT.

I, I, I'M NOT, UH, WELL VERSED ON THE SPECIFICS OF THE, THE WATER LOSS STATISTIC.

AND I WAS LIKE, MY ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, UH, MAY COME UP HERE AND I WAS LIKE, WHEN YOU SET TALK MANAGEMENT, I'M LIKE, HE'S HERE.

UM, , UH, THIS IS KEVIN CRITTENDEN, HE'S THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, UH, KEVIN CRIT, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR AUSTIN WATER.

UM, JUST A COUPLE POINTS.

UM, NUMBER ONE, JUST A REMINDER THAT THIS SPECIFIC REPORT IS REALLY ABOUT A COUNCIL REQUIREMENT TO BRING THESE SPECIFIC TYPES OF PROJECTS.

SO THAT'S WHY IT IS A LIMITED, A MORE LIMITED POPULATION OF PROJECTS.

BUT TO YOUR POINT, I, I FEEL CONFIDENT THAT OVER THE COURSE OF THIS NEXT YEAR, UM, I KNOW WE'VE TALKED TO THE COMMISSION BEFORE ABOUT LIKE OUR WATER CONSERVATION DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN.

UM, I FULLY EXPECT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'LL BE BACK TO YOU ALL BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.

AND THAT CONTEXT, AND CERTAINLY WATER LOSS AND WATER LOSS MITIGATION AND MANAGEMENT WILL BE A BIG TOPIC.

AND SO WE'LL TRY TO INCLUDE THOSE SORTS OF INFORMATION WHEN WE COME BACK TO THE COMMISSION.

UH, TO VICE CHAIR ROBIN'S POINT, UM, I DON'T KNOW THE SPECIFIC DATA POINTS THAT YOU HAVE SPOKEN TO, OBVIOUSLY.

UM, UTILITY SYSTEM WATER LOSS MADE UP OVER A, A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT COMPONENTS.

SOME OF IT IS PHYSICAL LEAKS, SOME OF IT IS RELATED TO METERING.

UM, SOME OF IT IS RELATED TO LOSS AND THEFT.

SO I DON'T HAVE THAT SPECIFIC INFORMATION TO YOU TODAY, BUT AGAIN, WHEN WE COME BACK TO YOU AND TALK ABOUT FURTHER UPDATES TO OUR WATER CONSERVATION PLAN, WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION MORE BETTER DIALED OUT.

ALSO HAVE A VERY ACTIVE PROGRAM TO IDENTIFY THE AGE AND CONDITION OF INFRASTRUCTURE.

WELL, I WAS GOING TO MAKE A POINT, AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTOOD THE CONTEXT BEFORE I MADE THE POINT, BUT LET'S TAKE IT ON FAITH THAT I UNDERSTOOD IT CORRECTLY AND THAT THE WATER LOSS IS ABOUT 13%, THEN IT DOES KIND OF, UM, I'M NOT SURE IF BEGS THE QUESTION IS THE RIGHT TERM, BUT IT, IT DOES, UH, PROMPT CURIOSITY ABOUT WHAT WE COULD DO IN THESE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS IN THE DRINKING WATER, THIS DEVELOPMENT ZONES, UH, TO STOP OR MITIGATE THESE LEAKS.

UH, I DON'T CLAIM TO, UH, UM, I'VE NEVER WORKED IN A WATER UTILITY, BUT I'VE DONE SOME AMOUNT OF RESEARCH OVER THE YEARS, AND BASICALLY THERE'S SOME KIND OF PIPING MATERIALS THAT ARE BETTER THAN OTHERS.

UH, STAINLESS STEEL, DUCTILE IRON, UH, HIGH DENSITY, UH, POLYETHYLENE ARE ALL VERY, UH, VERY GOOD LONG LASTING MATERIALS THAT, UH, IF THEY LEAK, THEY DON'T LEAK MUCH.

UH, AND I, UM, FURTHER, UH, ONE OF THE CURRENT MODERN MATERIALS, UH, USED IN THESE AND OTHER CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, UH, IS HIGHLY TOXIC TO MANUFACTURE.

AND THAT WOULD BE, UH, PVC POLYVINYL CHLORIDE, UH, UH, OUR COMMISSION HAS TAKEN UP POLYVINYL CHLORIDE AND HOW TO GET IT OUT OF HOMES.

WELL, I'M NOT SUGGESTING THAT, UH, IT'S, UM, UM, GETTING INTO THE WATER SUPPLY, BUT I AM SUGGESTING THAT ONE, UH, IT IS HIGHLY TOXIC TO MAKE THE STUFF.

AND TWO, UH, IT IS MORE PRONE TO LEAK THAN HIGHER QUALITY MATERIALS SUCH AS STAINLESS STEEL, DUCTILE IRON, AND HIGH DENSITY, UH, POLYETHYLENE.

AND SO, TO THE EXTENT THAT WE HAVE ANY INFLUENCE, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO THINK THAT THESE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS ARE USING THE BEST MATERIALS SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE 13% LEAKAGE.

SO AGAIN, I'LL JUST SAY THAT AS A, AS A GENERAL REFERENCE, OBVIOUSLY ALL OF OUR NEW CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS THAT RELATE TO WATER DISTRIBUTION ARE DONE WITH MODERN MATERIALS.

UM, THOSE MATERIALS ARE CONSISTENT WITH, UH, UH, AMERICAN WATERWORKS ASSOCIATION, OTHER STANDARDS.

UM, UM, AND SO, YOU KNOW, ALL OF OUR EFFORTS, AND I THINK LAUREN INDICATED, UM, WE'VE GOT A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT PROJECTS, PARTICULARLY OUR RENEW RENEWING AUSTIN PROJECTS THAT REALLY GO IN AND ACTUALLY REPLACE OLD INFRASTRUCTURE.

[00:25:01]

SO, UM, THE COMMISSIONER IS CORRECT THAT WE DO HAVE A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT, UH, PIPING TYPE MATERIALS IN OUR SYSTEM.

OUR SYSTEM, UM, COVERS ABOUT 240 SQUARE MILES.

IT INCLUDES ABOUT 3,800 LINEAR MILES OF PIPELINE, UM, RAGES IN AGE AND DISTRIBUTION.

AND WE'RE ACTIVELY WORKING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE REPLACING THE, THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT'S IN THE POOREST CONDITION AND TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, UM, DO THAT IN, IN AN EXPEDITIOUS MANNER.

AND I AM TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, AND, AND CHARLOTTE, UM, THE CHAIR WILL OF COURSE CALL ON YOU, BUT I, I KNOW YOU WANNA SPEAK.

UH, I, I THINK IT IS HIGHLY APPROPRIATE, RESPECTFULLY, I THINK IT'S HIGHLY APPROPRIATE THAT, UH, OUR COMMISSION LOOK AT AND COMMENT MAYBE ON, UH, THE KINDS OF MATERIALS.

NO, I, I DON'T THINK, I MEAN, PVC MAY BE SPECKED ACCORDING TO AMERICAN WATER WORKS, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT ISN'T TOXIC TO MAKE, AND THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT 15 YEARS FROM NOW, IT'S NOT GONNA BE LEAKING 13%.

UM, UM, I, I'VE MADE MY POINT.

COMMISSIONER DAVIS.

OUTCLASSED BY LAKEWAY, ONE OF ITS SUBURBS.

UM, A QUESTION ABOUT ONE OF THE SUB-PROJECTS.

NUMBER THREE, DAVIS MEDIUM SERVICE WATER TRANSMISSION, MAINE.

UM, THIS IS THE LARGEST PROJECT IN TERMS OF DOLLARS, AND I NOTICED THAT IT, UH, JUMPS UP AFTER FY 30, UM, QUITE SIGNIFICANTLY.

SO IT, I'M WONDERING IF YOU CAN JUST GIVE ME A, A, A TOP LINE OVERVIEW OF WHAT THAT PROJECT DOES AND, UM, WHAT THE, THE PLAN IS, WHY IT'S SO COSTLY IN THE, AFTER THAT FOUR YEAR PERIOD.

ABSOLUTELY.

THE DAVIS MEDIUM SERVICE WATER TRANSMISSION MAIN PROJECT IS A LARGE TRANSMISSION MAIN THAT WILL TAKE WATER FROM THE DAVIS WATER TREATMENT PLANT, WHICH IS LOCATED ON LAKE AUSTIN, KIND OF NEAR THE PENNY BACKER BRIDGE, UH, WEST 35TH STREET, UM, INTO THE CENTRAL PRESSURE ZONE INTO EAST AUSTIN.

UM, CURRENTLY THE DAVIS PLANT IS LIMITED IN HOW MUCH WATER IT CAN DELIVER TO THE CENTRAL PRESSURE ZONE, AND THEN THAT WATER CAN THEN BE CONVEYED INTO THE SOUTH ZONES.

SO THIS WILL INCREASE THE ABILITY TO MOVE WATER FROM THAT PLANT INTO MORE OF OUR SERVICE AREA AND TO SUPPORT THE GROWTH THAT'S HAPPENING ON THE EAST SIDE OF TOWN SPECIFICALLY.

UH, THESE LARGE PROJECTS, UH, TYPICALLY TAKE NINE OR MORE YEARS TO EXECUTE, WHERE THE BEGINNING DESIGN AND PRELIMINARY PHASE ARE A MUCH LOWER EXPENDITURE THAN THE CONSTRUCTION PHASES.

AND SO THAT'S WHY YOU'LL SEE KIND OF A LARGE JUMP IN THE SPENDING IS THAT WE'LL GO THROUGH PRELIMINARY AND DESIGN, AND THEN CONSTRUCTION IS WHERE THE BULK OF THE SPENDING WILL OCCUR.

VICE CHAIR ROBBINS, UH, IT IS COMMISSIONER DAVIS, UM, HAVEN'T EVEN COMMENTED ON WASTEWATER LINES YET.

UH, I MEAN, WHATEVER ELSE YOU CAN SAY ABOUT LEAKING PVC WATER MAINS, THEY'RE NOT TOXIC WASTEWATER LINES.

MAYBE THEY KIND OF ARE.

AND IF THEY ARE LEAKING 15 YEARS FROM NOW, UH, THAT'S, UH, QUITE A BIT MORE CONCERN.

UH, THERE'S ALSO, UH, I WANTED TO COMMENT, UH, I'M, I'M GOING FROM MEMORY HERE, BUT I BELIEVE THAT THE CITY OF LAKEWAY HAS COMPLETELY CONVERTED TO HIGH DENSITY POLYETHYLENE, UH, FOR ALL THEIR NEW SERVICE.

AND THAT THEY DID THAT SOME YEARS AGO.

UH, THEY DID IT ORIGINALLY.

AND I TALKED TO, UM, ONE OF THE PEOPLE AT THEIR UTILITY, UH, I THINK THEY ORIGINALLY DID IT BECAUSE THEY WERE LOCATED SO CLOSE TO THE LAKE AND THEY WERE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR SEWAGE SPILLING INTO IT.

BUT THEN THEY THOUGHT, HEY, THIS WORKS SO WELL FOR SEWAGE, WELL, WHY DON'T WE USE IT FOR WATER TOO? AND SO, UM, HERE WE ARE, AUSTIN CLAIMING TO BE ONE OF THE BEST, MOST ALERT, MOST SELF-AWARE SUSTAINABLE CITIES IN THE COUNTRY,

[00:30:01]

I DON'T KNOW, IS IT, IT, IS IT APPROPRIATE, I'M, I'M JUST SPEAKING OUT LOUD, IS IT APPROPRIATE THAT WE ADD SOMETHING ONTO THIS RESOLUTION ABOUT THIS ISSUE? OR SHOULD THIS BE A SEPARATE CONVERSATION? I WOULD SAY IT SHOULD BE A SEPARATE CONVERSATION IN PART ALSO, BECAUSE, UH, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE PRIMACY ON THIS.

IS THAT CORRECT? PRIMACY IS NOT AN ISSUE HERE, CHAIR.

UH, WE GET TO COMMENT WHETHER ANYBODY ELSE GETS TO COMMENT.

UH, THE ISSUE IS, IS IT THE BEST USE OF OUR TIME AND INFLUENCE TO TAKE THIS UP NOW OR TAKE IT UP LATER, OR TAKE IT UP BOTH NOW AND LATER? AND MY GENERAL PHILOSOPHY IS, IS WE ARE HERE TO DISCUSS THE FIVE YEAR PLAN, AND THAT WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT IS SOMETHING ELSE ENTIRELY THAT COMES BACK TO WHAT WE HAD THEM TALKING ABOUT A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO.

SO IF ANYTHING, I WOULD PROBABLY ASK AUSTIN WATER TO COME BACK IN AND TALK TO US ABOUT EFFORTS THAT THEY'RE MAKING TO MITIGATE THE LEAKAGE PROBLEM AND HOW THIS COMMISSION COULD BE OF SERVICE.

BUT I DON'T THINK THAT THAT IS WHAT I WOULD CALL GERMANE TO WHAT WE ARE DEALING WITH TODAY.

IT IS, BUT I WILL DEFER TO YOUR POINT.

WORKS FOR ME.

COMMISSIONER SILVERSTEIN.

UH, A QUICK QUESTION, MS. KING, THE MUCH OF THE EAST SIDE OF TOWN IS ON CLAY-BASED SOILS, CAN WE ASSUME, AND WITH INCREASED DROUGHT AND HEAT, THOSE SOILS ARE SHIFTING MORE.

CAN WE ASSUME THAT YOU'RE PUTTING IN, YOU'RE, YOU'RE DOING THE, THE TRENCHING AND THE DESIGN OF THESE PIPES SO THAT SOIL SHIFTS AREN'T GONNA BREAK 'EM? UH, YES, MA'AM.

I MEAN, BACK TO, UH, WHAT ASSISTANT DIRECTOR CRITTENDEN SAID, YOU KNOW, WE ARE CONSTANTLY LOOKING AT OUR SPECIFICATIONS AND UPDATING THOSE DESIGN.

WE CERTAINLY LEARNED A LOT IN THE DROUGHT, KIND OF FLOOD CYCLES AND ARE CONTINUING TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR DESIGN TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PUTTING IN INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WILL LAST.

SUPER.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

OH, VICE CHAIR ROBBINS, UM, HIGH DI, HIGH DENSITY POLYETHYLENE, STAINLESS STEEL, AND, UH, DUCTAL IRON, UH, CAN ENDURE EARTHQUAKES FROM STUDY IN JAPAN.

COMMISSIONER FARMER? YES.

IF THERE'S NO OTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS OFF, UH, ON THIS, UH, ITEM, I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION.

SO MOVED.

I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THIS ITEM BY COMMISSIONER SILVERSTEIN.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND.

COMMISSIONER FARMER.

AND THERE WITH A SECOND.

WE'LL TAKE A ROLL CALL VOTE.

UH, VICE CHAIR ROBBINS? YES.

COMMISSIONER DAVIS.

YES.

COMMISSIONER GARY ABSTAIN.

COMMISSIONER TI YES.

COMMISSIONER SILVERSTEIN.

SO THIS PASSES, EXCUSE ME.

MOVING ON TO ITEM

[3. Recommend approving amendments to the Resource Management Commission bylaws to include advising on all matters related to natural gas companies that serve customers within the City of Austin, including franchise agreements, rates, and conservation programs.]

NUMBER THREE IN OUR PACKETS, UH, RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF AMENDMENTS TO THE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT COMMISSION.

BYLAWS, UH, YOU HAVE THIS IN YOUR PACKETS.

WE HAVE SEEN SOMETHING SIMILAR BEFORE, UM, AS YOU SAW IN A NOTE THAT CAME FROM, UH, VICE CHAIR ROBBINS.

UH, THIS IS BECAUSE, UH, WE GOT WHAT WE WILL CHARITABLY CALL BAD LANGUAGE FROM LEGAL.

AND SO THIS IS OUR THIRD ATTEMPT NOW TO, UH, TRY TO GET THIS THROUGH FOR COUNCIL CONSIDERATION.

SO I WILL TURN THIS OVER TO COMMISSIONER ROBBINS TO SET THE TABLE, UH, VICE CHAIR ROBBINS TO SET THE TABLE FOR US.

UH, COMMISSION.

UM, I APOLOGIZE FOR HAVING TO BRING THIS BACK TO YOU, BUT I SPENT CONSIDERABLE TIME, UH, VETTING THE LANGUAGE WITH LEGAL BEFORE.

SO THIS REALLY ISN'T MY FAULT.

UH, THE CITY CLERK AND CITY LEGAL HAS REQUESTED THAT THE COMMISSION REAFFIRM, UH, AND SLIGHTLY CHANGE THE LANGUAGE OF ITS INTENTION.

UH, I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE AMENDMENTS TO THE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT COMMISSION BYLAWS TO INCLUDE OVERSIGHT OF AND ADVISING ON ALL MATTERS RELATED TO NATURAL GAS COMPANIES THAT SERVE CUSTOMERS WITHIN THE CITY

[00:35:01]

OF AUSTIN, INCLUDING FRANCHISE AMENDMENTS.

RATES AND CONSERVATION PROGRAMS ARE MOTION, UH, AT THE LAST MEETING, UH, PASSED, UH, EIGHT ZERO FOR THOSE ATTENDING.

I'M HOPING THAT YOU ALL COULD SUPPORT THE SAME THING.

UM, AND WITH THAT, UM, I'M HOPING THAT THERE'S A SECOND.

SECOND.

SO MOTION WAS MADE BY VICE CHAIR ROBBINS TO APPROVE ITEM NUMBER THREE IN YOUR PACKETS, AND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER SILVERSTEIN.

UM, COMMISSIONER DAVIS, DO DISCUSSION AT THIS POINT.

I'M ACTUALLY ACCUSTOMED TO DISCUSSING BEFORE, BUT YOU ARE ABLE TO DISCUSS.

YES.

I, I WOULD LIKE TO OFFER A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT, UM, TO THE, UM, BYLAWS CHANGES THAT'S PROVIDED IN THE PACKET.

UM, AND THAT WOULD BE EIGHT WORDS IN THE SECTION NUMBER FIVE, D FIVE.

UM, AND THAT WOULD BE AFTER ASSISTANCE TO LOW INCOME CUSTOMERS TO ADD, UM, PROGRESS ON THE NATURAL GAS RELATED EMISSIONS REDUCTION GOALS OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN.

JUST TO CLARIFY, UH, THAT'S FINE.

AND I, I HAVE NO OBJECTION TO THIS FRIENDLY AMENDMENT.

COULD YOU SAY IT ONE MORE TIME AND SLOWLY? YES.

SHALL I READ THAT WHOLE RED LINE SECTION? NO, JUST SAY PROGRESS ON THE PROGRESS ON THE NATURAL GAS RELATED EMISSIONS REDUCTION GOALS OF THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN, NATURAL GAS RELATED EMISSIONS, EMISSIONS REDUCTION GOALS, REDUCTION GOALS OF, OKAY.

OH, YOU'RE CHECKING.

THAT WAS NINE WORDS.

YOU'RE COUNTING THAT TWICE.

THERE WAS ALREADY THAT IN THERE.

PROGRESS ON THE NATURAL GAS RELATED EMISSIONS REDUCTION GOALS OF, UH, AND THEN I THINK THERE SHOULD BE THE, AND THEN CITY OF AUSTIN.

SO WE, THERE'S ACTUALLY NINE WORDS WE'D ADD THE, OKAY.

COMMISSIONER FARMER? YES.

ALRIGHT.

I'M FINE WITH THIS.

SEEING NO OBJECTIONS TO A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT, WE'LL CONSIDER THAT INCORPORATED INTO THIS.

WE DO HAVE A MOTION ON THE TABLE.

IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? THERE BEING NONE.

WE'LL TAKE A ROLL CALL VOTE.

GO BACK TO MY CHEAT SHEET HERE.

VICE CHAIR ROBBINS? YES.

UH, COMMISSIONER DAVIS? YES.

COMMISSIONER GARY? NO.

UH, COMMISSIONER TI? YES.

COMMISSIONER SILVERSTEIN? YES.

AND THE CHAIR WILL VOTE YES.

THIS PASSES 6 1 0.

MAY I ADD, SIR, THAT, UH, THE, THIS WILL, NOW, THIS WILL PROBABLY BE TAKEN UP BY THE CITY COUNCIL AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE ON JUNE 23RD AT NINE 30 AT CITY HALL.

SHOULD ANY OF THE COMMISSIONERS WISH TO SPEAK, UH, FEEL FREE.

YOU CAN, UH, ALSO SIGN UP, UH, UH, AND SPEAK, UH, BY PHONE.

UH, IF, IF, UH, YOU CAN'T TRAVEL THERE, UH, IT MAY BE HELPFUL IF YOU SEND A NOTE TO NATASHA SAYING, HEY, PLEASE SPREAD THIS OUT TO THE COMMISSION SO THAT THAT WAY OUR MEMBERS WHO AREN'T HERE WILL ALSO BE AWARE OF IT.

VERY GOOD.

ITEM NUMBER FOUR, STAFF BRIEFING ON SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL LANDSCAPE TRANSFORMATION ACTIVITIES FROM WATER, UH, AUSTIN WATER.

MOVING ON IN OUR AGENDA.

[4. Staff briefing regarding the Single Family Residential Landscape Transformation Activities by Kevin Critendon, Assistant Director, Environmental, Planning and Development Services and Christopher Charles, Water Conservation Coordinator.]

UM, I JUST SAID JUNE 23RD, AND I WAS MISTAKEN THAT IT'S JULY 23RD.

FORGIVE ME JULY 23RD, THUS THE EMAIL.

THAT'LL WORK.

ALRIGHT, GOOD EVENING.

YOU READY? GOOD EVENING, COMMISSIONERS.

AGAIN, MY NAME IS KEVIN CRITTENDON, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR WITH AUSTIN WATER.

I'M HERE TONIGHT TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON OUR VARIOUS, UH, UH, WATER CONSERVATION ACTIVITIES, SPECIFICALLY AROUND WHAT WE CALL LANDSCAPE TRANSFORMATION.

UM, TONIGHT WITH ME IS CHRIS CHARLES.

[00:40:01]

HE IS WITH OUR WATER CONSERVATION DIVISION.

SO AS WE GO THROUGH THIS, I'M GONNA HIT THE HIGH NOTES, AND, UH, IF I HAVE TO PHONE A FRIEND, I'LL WAVE CHRIS ON OVER AND HE'LL GIVE YOU THE, THE DETAILS.

SO, UM, NEXT SLIDE.

SO WHY NOW? I JUST WANNA GIVE YOU A BIT OF AN UPDATE JUST ON, UH, OUR WATER SUPPLY SITUATION.

OVERALL, IF I HAD TO GIVE YOU THIS PRESENTATION 45 DAYS AGO, THINGS WERE LOOKING A LITTLE MORE DIRE.

LUCKILY, WE'VE HAD SOME INFLOW INTO THE HINDLE LAKES, AND SO WE GET TO BREATHE THE SIGH OF RELIEF MOMENTARILY.

WE'RE STILL IN A REGIONAL DROUGHT.

UM, WATER SUPPLY RESERVOIRS HAVE IMPROVED, HOWEVER, UH, THE COMBINED STORAGE OF LAKE TRAVIS AND BUCHANAN ARE A LITTLE OVER 56%.

SO THAT'S GOOD NEWS.

UM, BUT WE STILL LOOKING IN THE IMMEDIATE PAST, WE STILL HAVE VERY LOW 2022, UH, VERY LOW 2024 WITH VERY LOW INFLOWS.

UM, WE ARE SEEING SOME CHANGES IN OVERALL CLIMATE PATTERNS FROM AN EL NINO TO A MORE NEUTRAL LA NINA STATE.

UM, BUT DROUGHT STAGE TWO, UM, CONDITIONS DO STILL EXIST.

UM, WE'RE STILL CONTINUING TO WATCH.

AND, UM, UM, OF COURSE WE'VE NOTED HERE THAT WHILE WE HAVE SEEN SOME IMPROVEMENT OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS IN JUST PER CAPITA WATER USE, UM, WE KIND OF HAVE PLATEAUED.

AND SO NOW COMES THE TIME FOR US TO KIND OF PICK UP THE EFFORT OR THE ISSUE AROUND OUTDOOR WATER USE AND KIND OF, UM, TRY TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO KIND OF CONTINUE TO CHANGE THAT OUTLOOK.

YOU MAY RECALL THAT IN OUR WATER FORWARD, UH, PLAN THAT WAS ADOPTED BY COUNCIL IN 2018, THERE WAS A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT STRATEGIES INCLUDING WATER CONSERVATION, UM, UH, ADDITIONAL SUPPLY DEVELOPMENT, REUSE, UH, WATER OPPORTUNITIES.

UM, BUT ONE STRATEGY THAT WAS ALSO IDENTIFIED IS WHAT WE HADN'T IDENTIFIED AS LANDSCAPE TRANSFORMATION.

UH, WHAT IS LANDSCAPE TRANSFORMATION? REALLY, IT TALKS ABOUT MOVING FROM OUR MORE TRADITIONAL LANDSCAPING PRACTICES HERE IN AUSTIN.

WE REALLY LIKE OUR LAWNS, UM, AND TRY TO BEGIN TO MOVE PEOPLE TO THINK ABOUT AND USE MORE WATERWISE LANDSCAPING ACTIVITIES.

UM, THE SPECIFIC ITEMS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW AS FAR AS INDIVIDUAL TACTICS OR ACTIVITIES REALLY INVOLVE AND ARE FOCUSED PRIMARILY, AT LEAST THE, THE CODE CHANGES THAT WE'LL TALK ABOUT LATER ARE REALLY PRIMARILY DRIVEN TOWARD NEW RESIDENTIAL APPLICATIONS.

UM, AND AGAIN, WE'RE LOOKING AT, UH, WE'LL BE RECOMMENDING POTENTIAL LIMITS ON TURF, GRASS AND IRRIGATION, ALL WITH THE GOAL OF TRYING TO SAVE AS MUCH AS 2,500 ACRE FEET OF WATER, UH, BY 2040.

SO OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, WE'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN A NUMBER OF OUTREACH ACTIVITIES WITH THE COMMUNITY.

THIS IS JUST SORT OF A LIST.

UM, OUR OUTREACH GOES BACK TO 2022 AND 2023.

WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF, UH, PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT SESSIONS WHERE WE'VE INVITED FOLKS IN TO KIND OF TALK ABOUT SOME OF OUR OPTIONS AND PLANS AROUND TRANSFORMING AUSTIN LANDSCAPES.

UM, WE'VE HAD SMALLER STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS DURING THAT TIMEFRAME.

WE ALSO HAD A, UH, SPEAK UP AUSTIN PAGE WHERE PEOPLE CAN ACTUALLY GO IN, LOG IN AND PROVIDE US THEIR FEEDBACK ABOUT WHAT THEY THINK THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN FORM OF LANDSCAPE TRANSFORMATION.

IN ADDITION TO PUBLIC, UM, OUTREACH, WE'VE ALSO HAD OUTREACH WITH VARIOUS CITY STAFF.

AND SO AGAIN, HERE'S A LISTING OF THOSE STAFF THAT INCLUDES WATERSHED PROTECTION, DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, AUSTIN ENERGY, UM, OFFICE SUSTAINABILITY, EQUITY OFFICE PLANNING, AND HOUSING DEPARTMENT, UH, PARD AND AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT.

IN ADDITION TO INTERNAL STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS, WE'VE ALSO HAD STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS WITH A VARIETY OF, UM, WHAT I WOULD CALL, UM, INDUSTRY GROUPS.

AND SO HERE'S A LIST OF SOME OF THOSE, THE HOME BUILDERS ASSOCIATION.

UM, THESE ARE SOME OF THE CONCERNS, SO I'LL JUST KIND OF READ THOSE OUT THAT THEY'VE EXPRESSED.

I THINK HBAS TYPICALLY CONCERN JUST ABOUT THE IMPACTS OF PROJECT DELAYS.

UM, WE'VE ALSO TALKED TO THE CENTRAL TEXAS PROFESSIONAL IRRIGATION ASSOCIA ASSOCIATION.

I THINK THEY GENERALLY, UH, SUPPORT INCREASED ENFORCEMENT AROUND WATER USE AND, UH, WATER RESTRICTIONS.

UM, ALSO, I THINK THEY ALSO SUPPORT, UH, SOME OF OUR PLANS TO, UM, MAKE HIGH, UH, IRRIGATION SYSTEM, UH, EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENTS.

UH, WE'VE ALSO MET WITH THE ASSOCIATION OF PROFESSIONAL LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS AND THE, UH, TEXAS NURSERY AND LANDSCAPE ASSOCIATION.

OTHER MUNICIPALITIES HERE IN THIS REGION.

IN ADDITION TO THAT OUTREACH, WE'VE ALSO BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH SEVERAL, UM, OTHER CITIES,

[00:45:01]

UM, THESE ARE JUST A FEW EXAMPLES.

UM, FOR EXAMPLE, WE'VE, UH, CONTACTED CITY OF NEW BRONXVILLE.

UM, THEY HAVE A PARTICULAR PROGRAM WHERE THEY, UM, USE, UM, A MODEL HOME PROGRAM THAT ONLY USES 50% TURF IN THOSE MODEL HOMES.

AND AGAIN, I THINK THE, THE, THE GENESIS OF THAT IS TO TRY TO REINFORCE THAT YOU CAN HAVE BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPES WITH LESS TURF.

UM, THE CITY OF FRISCO, UM, THEY'VE ADOPTED A PROCESS WHERE THEY HAVE POST INSTALLATION INSPECTIONS OF IRRIGATION SYSTEMS. WE FEEL LIKE THAT'S A GOOD IDEA, AND YOU'LL SEE SOME OF THIS REPEATED.

UM, THEY ALSO DO SOME IRRIGATION, UM, CHECKUPS AND, UM, THEIR COMMUNITY IRRIGATION SYSTEMS. UM, AND THE CITY OF GEORGETOWN HAS A SPECIFIC RENT, UH, RESIDENTIAL LANDSCAPE ORDINANCE.

SO WHAT WE'VE DONE IS BASICALLY KIND OF AMALGAMATE, UH, SEVERAL DIFFERENT STRATEGIES OR SEVERAL DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES.

WE HAVE IDENTIFIED OR RECOMMENDING ABOUT EIGHT DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES SORT OF SPREAD OUT IN THESE THREE CATEGORIES.

THOSE CATEGORIES ARE TO BUILD WITH SAVINGS, THEN TO SET CUSTOMERS UP FOR SUCCESS, AND THEN TO ENCOURAGE ALTERNATIVE WATER USE.

AND I'LL KIND OF WALK YOU THROUGH THOSE NEXT SLIDE.

SO, BUILD WITH SAVINGS REALLY STARTS WITH THE FUNDAMENTALS, TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT LANDSCAPES AND LAWNS USE THE APPROPRIATE, UH, TOP SOIL.

I I, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WE'RE LOOKING FOR AND SUPPORTING TOP SOILS THAT WILL ARE BETTER AT SOIL MOISTURE RETENTION.

UM, IT INCLUDES MAKING SURE THAT THERE'S AT LEAST SIX INCHES MINIMUM OF TOP SOIL, YOU KNOW, ON DIFFERENT, UM, RESIDENTIAL HOME TRACKS.

UM, MAKING SURE THAT THERE'S A MIX OF TOP SOIL THAT INCLUDES AS MUCH AS 20% COMPOST.

AGAIN, THE ORGANIC MATTER CONTINUES TO HELP ACT AS BOTH A, UM, UM, BOTH A NATURAL FERTILIZER AND ALSO RETAINS MOISTURE.

UM, WE ESTIMATE THAT THOSE SAVINGS ALONE CAN PROBABLY YIELD AT LEAST A 10% REDUCTION IN WATER SAVINGS.

SO THAT'S A GOOD THING.

ANOTHER ELEMENT THAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING IS MOVING TO A, WHAT WE CALL A, A REQUIRED RESIDENTIAL PLAN LIST.

UH, MANY OF YOU HAVE BEEN IN THE AUSTIN AREA.

YOU MAY BE FAMILIAR WITH THE, UH, AUSTIN GROW GREEN GUIDE.

UM, THAT GUIDE IS USED WIDELY BY LOCAL PLANTERS.

IT DOES FOCUS ON, UH, NATIVE AND ADAPTED PLANTS, AND, UM, IT'S VERY POPULAR.

UM, AND ALL OF THIS REALLY IS ABOUT TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ENCOURAGE LANDSCAPES THAT CAN SURVIVE AND THRIVE IN OUR CLIMATE.

ADDITIONALLY, IN THE CONTEXT OF BUILDING WITH SUCCESS, WE WILL BE RECOMMENDING, UH, LIMITATION ON LANDSCAPE AREAS.

AND AGAIN, THIS IS FOR NEW RESIDENTIAL HOMES.

UM, BASICALLY WE WOULD BE LIMITING THE AUTOMATIC IRRIGATION SYSTEMS TO WHERE THEY COULD ONLY BE USED FOR 50% OF THE LAWN AND AREA.

SO, UM, BUILDERS WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNE OPTION TO USE EITHER 50% AND LANDSCAPE, OR, EXCUSE ME, PUT AUTOMATIC IRRIGATION SYSTEMS IN THE FRONT OR THE BACK.

WE EXPECT THAT MOST NEW SUBDIVISIONS WILL OPT FOR FRONT JUST BECAUSE OF HOA AESTHETIC CONCERNS.

UH, WE WILL BE PROVIDING THAT.

WE ESTIMATE THAT THE WATER SAVINGS JUST FROM THIS ACTIVITY ALONE COULD LIKELY REDUCE, UM, OUR OUTSIDE WATER USE BY 35% ANNUALLY.

SO DEFINITELY A BIG OPPORTUNITY, A BIG IMPACT THERE.

TO CONNECT THEIR, THEIR, UM, DISH, UM, CLOTHES WASHING SYSTEM SO THAT IT COULD BE DIVERTED OUTSIDE INSTEAD OF GOING TO THE SEWER.

UM, SOME OTHER OP, UM, SOME OTHER OPTIONS, OR EXCUSE ME, SOME OTHER ACTIVITIES THAT WE'LL BE DOING WITH REGARD IN THE CATEGORY OF SETTING UP CUSTOMERS FOR SUCCESS, UM, WILL BE TO REQUIRE PRESSURE REDUCTION DEVICES.

SO AGAIN, THIS IS TO PREVENT THE POSSIBILITY OR LIKELIHOOD OF OVERSPRAY FOR, UM, INDIVIDUAL IRRIGATION SYSTEMS. UM, ANOTHER WOULD BE TO REQUIRE POST INSTALLATION INSPECTION, AGAIN, TAKEN OFF OF WHAT WE'RE SEEING FROM SOME OTHER COMMUNITIES.

UM, AND THEN FINALLY WOULD BE TO OFFER NEW HOMES, UH, IRRIGATION CHECKUP WITHIN 90 DAYS.

UM, ALL OF THOSE, THESE ARE THE INDIVIDUAL, UM, ESTIMATED SAVINGS FOR THOSE PARTICULAR ACTIVITIES.

BUT AGAIN, IT'S JUST GOING BACK AND MAKING SURE THAT WE REINFORCE WATER USE EFFICIENCY IN THESE TYPES OF IRRIGATION SYSTEMS. NEXT SLIDE.

ANOTHER ELEMENT THAT WE'LL BE RECOMMENDING IS TO, TO REQUIRE THAT NEW HOMES THAT ARE BUILT THAT HAVE AN EXTERIOR WALL, UH, THAT HAVE THEIR LAUNDRY ROOMS IN AN EXTERIOR OR ADJACENT TO AN EXTERIOR WALL, WOULD BE PLUMBED TO BE, UH, LANDSCAPE, UH, LAUNDRY TO LANDSCAPE READY.

SO BASICALLY THIS WOULD INVOLVE SOME PRE PLUMBING DURING THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS, UH, ALLOW THE FUTURE HOMEOWNER

[00:50:01]

AND SO THAT COULD BE USED FOR PLUMBING OF UNDERGROUND PIPING TO BE USED FOR IRRIGATION.

UM, WE ESTIMATE THAT THIS COULD SAVE AS MUCH AS 3,500 GALLONS PER YEAR PER INSTALLATION AT A FAIRLY NOMINAL COST OF ABOUT A HUNDRED DOLLARS WORTH OF CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL DURING THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS.

PRESSURE IN AUSTIN WATER SYSTEM VARIES DEPENDING ON KIND OF WHERE YOU'RE LOCATED.

AND THEN FINALLY, WE RECOMMEND AND WE WILL BE, UH, CONTINUING TO ENCOURAGE, UH, ALTERNATIVE WATER SUPPLY DEVELOPMENT, UM, FOR, UM, UM, UM, EXCUSE ME, FOR BUILDERS AS WELL.

SO THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO REINFORCE THE OPPORTUNITY TO USE RAINWATER CAPTURE SO THAT THAT RAINWATER COULD BE USED FOR IRRIGATION, UH, FOR INDIVIDUAL HOMES AS THEY, UM, UH, MOVE IN.

WE HAVE A VARIETY OF INCENTIVE PROGRAMS FOR RAIN BARRELS AND THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.

THIS WOULD BE A SIMILAR PROGRAM, BUT ACTUALLY AIMED AT THE BUILDERS NEXT SLIDE.

AND SO HERE'S A BUSY SLIDE WITH SORT OF ALL EIGHT OF THOSE, UM, LISTED.

UM, YOU CAN SEE SORT OF ONE BY ONE HOW THEY LAY OUT AS FAR AS POTENTIAL SAVINGS.

I'LL LET YOU GO THROUGH THAT ON YOUR OWN.

I WON'T BOTHER TO READ THAT TO YOU.

BUT, UM, THE REALITY IS, YOU KNOW, THEY ALL HAVE A, A VARIETY OF POSITIVE SAVINGS ON, UM, OUR OUTDOOR WATER USAGE.

UM, AND THEN ON THE FAR RIGHT, UM, IS BASICALLY A SCHEDULE FOR WHEN WE EXPECT, UH, MANY OF THESE TO BE ADOPTED OR IMPLEMENTED.

YOU'LL NOTE THAT A NUMBER OF THOSE ARE ALREADY IMPLEMENTED.

SO AS AN EXAMPLE, THE SOIL REQUIREMENTS ARE ALREADY BUILT INTO CODE.

UM, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH DSD TO, TO ENHANCE OUR, UM, INSPECTION PROCESS SO THEY KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR SO THAT THEY'RE DOING THAT.

RIGHT.

SO THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ONE EXAMPLE OF THINGS THAT ARE UNDERWAY.

UM, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS RIGHT NOW.

UH, WE'VE RECENTLY HIRED SOME NEW, UM, IRRIGATION INSPECTORS.

AND SO THOSE FOLKS WILL BE IN, IN A TRAINING PROCESS, SO THEY CAN START, UM, INSPECTING NEW IRRIGATION INSTALLATIONS.

UM, YOU'LL SEE THE PLUMBING CODE, THE THREE THAT REF REFLECT CHANGES TO THE PLUMBING CODE.

UM, THOSE ARE ALREADY INCLUDED IN DRAFT PLUMBING CODE LANGUAGE.

SO THE 2024 UNIFORM PLUMBING CODE IS SCHEDULED TO GO BEFORE COUNCIL, UM, LATER THIS MONTH.

UM, WE'VE ALREADY MADE OUR RECOMMENDED CHANGES TO THE PLUMBING CODE TO ADD THOSE THREE ELEMENTS.

ONE OF THEM BEING THE PRESSURE LIMITING, UH, THE PRESSURE REDUCTION VALVE, UH, LIMITING THE IRRIGATION AND, UH, THE LAUNCH, THE LANDSCAPE, UH, LAUNDRY LANDSCAPE READY ELEMENT.

UM, THE SPECIFIC REQUIREMENT FOR THE, THE NEW PLANT LIST, WE'RE STILL WORKING WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS IN THE CITY ON A TIMING TO TRY TO INCLUDE THOSE.

UM, THE PLANTING LIST THAT, THAT IS, THERE'S A PLANTING LIST THAT'S CURRENTLY IN ENVIRONMENTAL CRITERIA MANUAL THAT HAS VERY SIMILAR FOCUS, UM, THAT IS SPECIFIC TO, UH, COMMERCIAL LANDSCAPES.

AND SO WE'RE WORKING WITH DEVELOPMENT SERVICES AND OTHERS WATERSHED PROTECTION ON, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THE EASIEST AND BEST WAY TO TRY TO MAKE A SIMILAR REQUIREMENT FOR THE RESIDENTIAL SIDE.

SO WE'RE STILL WORKING ON SORT OF THE, THE TACTICS AND THE TIMING ON THAT.

UM, AND THEN, UM, THE LAST THREE, I MEAN, THE LAST TWO THEN ARE JUST, UM, ITEMS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON AS FAR AS THE BUILDER SCALE RAINWATER HARVESTING REBATE PROGRAM.

UM, WE'RE ALREADY MAKING OUTREACH TO BUILDERS AND TRYING TO GET SOME ADOPTION AND INTEREST IN THAT PROGRAM.

UM, SO WE'LL SEE KIND OF WHERE THAT, WHERE THAT HEADS NEXT SLIDE.

SO WITH THAT KIND OF A QUICK REVIEW THROUGH THAT, AND, UH, WE'LL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.

COMMISSIONER TI UH, THANK YOU ASSISTANT DIRECTOR DEN.

I HAVE, UM, CAN WE GO BACK ONE SLIDE? UH, SO REGARDING THE, UH, REQUIRE IRRIGATION PRESSURE DEVICES, WHAT IS AN IRRIGATION PRESSURE DEVICE? SO BASICALLY, I, I MEAN, IT, IT'S, IT'S JUST A PLUMBING DEVICE THAT'S INSERTED INTO THE WATER SUPPLY LINE FOR THE IRRIGATION SYSTEM TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, THAT THE RANGE OF PRESSURES THAT ARE ACTUALLY INTRODUCED INTO THE PLUMBING SYSTEM ARE HELD WITHIN A REASONABLE RANGE.

UM, UH, OUR

[00:55:01]

WE'RE REQUIRED TO MAKE, UM, MINIMUM PRESSURE, UH, UM, UH, THRESHOLDS BY TCEQ FOR HEALTH AND SAFETY PURPOSES.

BUT THERE ARE MANY AREAS IN TOWN WHERE WE HAVE REASONABLY HIGH PRESSURE.

AND SO THAT THE ISSUE HERE IS TO TRY TO MAKE THOSE AREAS THAT HAVE MAYBE HIGHER PRESSURE IN THE, I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE A, A RANGE OF PRESSURES, BUT YOU KNOW, LIKE IN THE, THE 50 60 PSI RANGE TO TRY TO BRING THOSE BACK DOWN SO THAT THEY'RE MORE EA EASILY REGULATED BY A, A TRADITIONAL IRRIGATION SYSTEM.

I SAW THE PRICE FOR THAT WAS $550 OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT ON THE, UM, ON THE ORIGINAL SLIDE.

SO WHO'S BEARING THAT COST? LEMME GO BACK AND CHECK ON THE, IS THERE A A IS, HUH? YEAH, CHRISTOPHER, CHARLES, UH, CONSERVATION PROGRAM COORDINATOR.

SO, UM, THE COST WOULD BE, UM, BUILT INTO WHAT THE, UH, HOME BUILDER IS ALREADY PAYING FOR THE IRRIGATION SYSTEM.

UH, SO I'M SORRY, THIS IS FOR JUST THE PRESSURE, RIGHT? YOU'RE JUST ASKING ABOUT THE PRESSURE? I'M SORRY.

THE, UM, THAT WOULD BE, UM, SOMETHING THAT THE, WHEN IT'S THE SYSTEM IS TESTED, WE'LL SEE WHAT PRESSURE RANGE THAT IS, AND THAT COST WOULD COME GO INTO THE, THE HOME BUILDER.

UM, AS FAR AS, BECAUSE THESE ARE ALL ON NEW, NEW HOMES, THIS WOULD, THE HOME BUILDER WOULD PICK UP THAT COST SO THE HOMEOWNER WOULD PAY FOR IT.

AND SO THIS IS A, THIS IS A DEVICE THAT'S MEANT TO JUST LIKE BRING THE PRESSURE INTO CERTAIN RANGE, LIKE THIS IS A VALVE, RIGHT? BASICALLY, YES.

UH, THERE'S, THERE'S TWO DEVICES THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT.

ONE IS AT THE HEAD PRESSURE REDUCTION HEADS, AND ONE IS A VALVE THAT, UM, IS WHERE THE, UH, WATER GOES INTO THE IRRIGATION SYSTEM.

GOT IT.

IT JUST SEEMS LIKE A, AN ENORMOUS PRICE TAG FOR A, A VALVE THAT IS BEING REQUIRED TO BE ADDED TO EVERY NEW IRRIGATION SYSTEM.

I BELIEVE.

I BELIEVE THAT THAT $500 COST WAS, UH, THE, THE, JUST THE LABOR AND THE, UM, DEVICES.

THE SLIDE SAID NOT INCLUDING LABOR.

OH, IT DIDN'T, I'M SORRY.

THAT THEN IT WOULD, IT WOULD JUST BE THE HEADS WHICH ARE ABOUT FOUR, UH, DOLLARS, UM, AHEAD AROUND THAT PRICE DEPENDING ON, ON THAT.

AND THEN THE ACTUAL VALVE ITSELF IS IN THE HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS.

BUT THIS ISN'T A, THIS ISN'T LIKE A RELIABILITY MEASURE, RIGHT? IT'S A PRESSURE REDUCTION.

NO, BUT, BUT IF YOU HAVE A HIGH PRESSURE SPEAKING OF SOMEONE WHO'S PAID A BUNCH OF IRRIGATION FIXERS OVER THE YEARS, YEAH.

IF YOU DON'T HAVE THIS KIND OF THING ON, YOU CAN HAVE THE HEADS OF, OF YOU CAN HAVE PARTS OF YOUR IRRIGATION SYSTEM GO SKY HIGH AND THEN YOU END UP PAYING A LOT IN YOUR WATER BILL AND YOUR IRRIGATION REPAIR BILLS.

YEAH, TOTALLY.

IT JUST SEEMS LIKE THE, LIKE THE PRESSURE INPUT TO AN IRRIGATION SYSTEM IS LIKE A FUNDAMENTAL INPUT TO ANY IRRIGATION SYSTEM THAT IS BUILT, RIGHT? AND SO IT'S LIKE I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED, LIKE MY IRRIGATION SYSTEM HAS A VALVE, THAT VALVE COULD BE TUNED BY THE INSTALLER.

I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY ANOTHER VALVE IS NEEDED.

YEAH, I THINK, AND, AND FORGIVE ME FOR THE CONFUSION HERE, I MEAN, I, I HAVE NOT, OR DID NOT MEMORIZE THE SPECIFIC REFERENCE TO PRICE.

I THINK, UM, TO THE COMMISSIONER'S POINT, I MEAN, I THINK BEST PRACTICES AS FAR AS DESIGNING AN INSTALLATION OF AN IRRIGATION SYSTEM WOULD LIKELY INCLUDE PRESSURE REDUCTION.

BUT RIGHT NOW IT'S NOT REQUIRED.

AND SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD MAKE AN ARGUMENT THAT, YOU KNOW, BY, BY APPROPRIATE LANDSCAPE DESIGN AND APPROPRIATE IRRIGATION SYSTEM DESIGN, THAT PRESSURE REDUCTION IS, AGAIN, BEST PRACTICES.

IT'S CERTAINLY THE RIGHT THING TO DO FROM A WATER CONSERVATION STANDPOINT.

UM, BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY GET YOU SOME MORE INFORMATION ABOUT SPECIFICALLY THE DEVICE THAT SEEMS LIKE WE PLACE TO COST ESTIMATE TO LEAVE THIS.

LIKE WHAT DOES IT, WHAT DOES IT ACTUALLY MEAN WOULD BE GREAT.

GREAT BACKUP.

AND THEN THE OTHER QUESTION I HAD IS LIKE ON THE LAND LAUNDRY TO LANDSCAPE, SO IS THAT JUST PLUMBING THE OUTPUT OF THE WASHING MACHINE TO THE IRRIGATION SYSTEM? WHAT, WHAT DOES THAT ENTAIL? SO YOU CAN BACK UP A COUPLE OF SLIDES AND SEE IF WE CAN FIND IT.

I CAN GET YOU TO BACK UP TO, LEMME SEE WHAT SLIDE NUMBER THAT IS.

[01:00:01]

UM, SO THIS IS A BIT OF A SCHEMATIC DRAWING.

SO BASICALLY IT, IT, IT'S A, YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S BASICALLY A Y IN THE DISCHARGE LINE AND THEN A BOX TO RECEIVE THAT WITH A VALVE IN IT.

AND IT'S ALL, UM, PVC COMPONENTS.

SO I MEAN, IT'S VERY, UM, STRAIGHTFORWARD, UH, AS FAR AS ITS DESIGN AND INTENT.

WHAT THIS DOES NOT DO IS THIS DOES NOT REQUIRE THE EXTERIOR, UM, PLUMBING OR IRRIGATION ATTACHMENTS, RIGHT? SO THIS WAS JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT AT LEAST THOSE NEW HOMES HAVE THE ABILITY TO USE THIS FEATURE IF THEY SO CHOOSE IN THE FUTURE, UM, FOR A PRETTY MODEST INVESTMENT IN SOME PLUMBING PARTS, UH, IN THIS STAGE OF CONSTRUCTION.

UM, YOU KNOW, IT COULD GENERATE SIGNIFICANT, UM, WATER SAVINGS.

I THINK THE OTHER ELEMENT TO THIS IS WE DO ANTICIPATE, YOU KNOW, THERE WILL BE SOME PEOPLE THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE OPTION IF, IF THEY'VE GOT AN AUTOMATIC IRRIGATION SYSTEM IN THEIR FRONT OR THEIR BACKYARD, THIS WOULD BE A WAY THAT THEY COULD ALSO BRING ADDITIONAL ALTERNATIVE WATER SUPPLY TO THE OTHER PARTS OF THEIR YARD.

THEY WOULD NEED A TANK TO DO THAT, RIGHT? I GUESS NOT SPECIFICALLY.

I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY A TANK WOULD, UM, YOU KNOW, IMPROVE RELIABILITY, IT MIGHT IMPROVE YOUR ABILITY TO MOVE THAT WATER AROUND.

UM, THE CHALLENGE THAT WE HAVE WITH ALL OF, ALL OF THESE ELEMENTS, UM, YOU KNOW, ALTERNATIVE WATER SYSTEMS, SYSTEMS SYSTEMS, UM, CAN GET SOMEWHAT COMPLEX.

UM, AND THIS IS BY NO MEANS KIND OF FORCING THAT LEVEL OF COMPLEXITY ON EVERYONE.

THIS IS JUST MAKING SURE THAT THE OPTIONALITY IS EASIER TO GET TO IN THE FUTURE.

THE PROBLEM IF WE, IF WE MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY, THE OPPORTUNITY TO, OR, YOU KNOW, THE, THE COST TO GO BACK INTO A BUILDING THAT'S ALREADY CONSTRUCTED AND TRY TO RETROFIT BECOMES PROHIBITIVE.

SO AGAIN, FOR A SMALL MARGINAL INVESTMENT, IT OPENS UP FUTURE OPPORTUNITY FOR INDIVIDUAL LANDOWNERS.

THE JUST ONE THING I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT IS THAT WITH EVERY, UM, A ADDITIONAL PIECE OF HARDWARE, PLUMBING COMPLEXITY, LIKE COMES FAILURE MODES AND THE OPPORTUNITY FOR LIKE LEAKS MM-HMM.

AND, AND THEN, YOU KNOW, A NEGATIVE OUTCOME.

SO, UM, IT DOESN'T, YEAH, I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO NOT CONSIDER THINGS LIKE THIS TO JUST BE LIKE, I'M GONNA USE A PHRASE POORLY FREE MONEY.

RIGHT? IT'S LIKE, OH, IT JUST SEEMS LIKE GOOD SENSE, RIGHT? EVERY HOUSE SHOULD HAVE ONE OF THESE THAT IS NOT OBVIOUS TO ME.

I, I WOULD, FORGIVE ME.

GO AHEAD.

I, I MEAN, I, I WOULD SAY A COUPLE OF THINGS.

I MEAN, NUMBER ONE, UM, AND AGAIN, FORGIVE MY PHRASEOLOGY HERE, BUT I MEAN, NONE OF THESE ARE IDIOT PROOF, RIGHT? SO THEY DO REQUIRE INTENTION, YOU KNOW, BOTH IN THEIR APPLICATION AND USE.

UM, I, I THINK OUR REAL GOAL HERE IS TO TRY TO REFRAME OPPORTUNITIES THAT HAPPEN ON RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION THAT COULD, UM, PROVIDE, YOU KNOW, FUTURE POSITIVE OUTCOME ON WATER REDUCTION.

TO YOUR POINT, YOU'RE RIGHT.

I MEAN, YOU KNOW, EVERY TIME WE TAP INTO A LINE, OR EVERY TIME WE ADD MORE LINE OR EVERY TIME WE ADD VALVES, YOU KNOW, THERE IS SOME, YOU KNOW, OPPORTUNITY FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES AND FAILURE.

WE BELIEVE THAT ON THE NET BALANCE, THIS WILL HELP US SAVE WATER.

THANKS FOR THAT.

AND JUST ONE, ONE LAST POINT.

I, I WANTED TO ASK FOR A SPECIFIC, UM, REQUEST BASED ON THE CONVERSATION WE WERE HAVING EARLIER ABOUT THE WATER, WATER LEAKAGE IN MATERIALS, IT WOULD JUST BE GREAT TO KNOW WHAT IS AUSTIN WATER'S LIKE POSITION ON, UM, THE MA SPECIFICALLY THE MATERIALS QUESTION THAT PAUL KEPT BRINGING UP OF LIKE, WHAT MATERIALS DO YOU USE AND WHY DO YOU THINK THAT IS A GOOD CHOICE? IS LIKE, FEELS LIKE A PRETTY SUCCINCT REPORT THAT COULD INFORM, INFORM US, UM, THAT GETS DIRECTLY AT HIS CONCERN, YOU KNOW, JUST LIKE, WHAT IS YOUR POSITION? AND I'M ASKING YOU TO ANSWER THIS NOW.

IT'S MORE OF LIKE A, JUST A THOUGHT YEAH.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT KIND OF HOMEWORK THING.

I'D LIKE TO KNOW IS LIKE, IS AUSTIN WATER BEING INTENTIONAL ABOUT THAT? LIKE HOW, WHAT IS DRIVING YOUR DECISION MAKING FOR WHAT MATERIALS YOU'RE USING? AND JUST GIVE US THAT EXPLANATION FOR LIKE, WE USE THIS BECAUSE THAT, AND THAT SEEMS LIKE YOU SHOULD HAVE THAT SORT OF BACKUP INFORMATION AVAILABLE.

AGAIN, OUR, OUR WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM USES A WIDE VARIETY OF DIFFERENT TYPES.

WE CERTAINLY DO USE, UM, A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF DUCTILE IRON.

I KNOW THAT WAS ONE OF THE, THE PIPE MATERIALS THAT, UM, THE VICE CHAIR MENTIONED.

UM, WE DO USE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF, UH, HIGH DENSITY POLYETHYLENE, HDPE.

UM, WE DO USE SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF, UM, POLYVINYL CHLORIDE PVC, UM, WHICH IS NOT UNCOMMON, UM, AS A PIPE MATERIAL.

UM, SO I, I GUESS WHAT

[01:05:01]

AND I THINK IT WOULD, IT WOULD HELP INFORM, UM, VICE ROBINSON AND EVERYBODY ELSE THAT HAS THIS, THE CONCERN, LIKE, WHY DON'T YOU JUST USE STAINLESS STEEL EVERYWHERE, IS LIKE A QUESTION ONE COULD ASK.

I THINK I KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT ONE, BUT YEAH, FOR THE, LIKE, JUST THE, GIVE US THE RATIONALE, I GUESS.

SO, BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY WORK ON SOME OF THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE READILY AVAILABLE AT HAND AND TRY TO ANSWER THAT.

I MEAN, AGAIN, IN THE CONTEXT OF PREVENTING LEAKS, WE, OUR GOAL IS TO USE THE APPROPRIATE MODERN MATERIAL FOR THE APPROPRIATE APPLICATION.

I THINK, UH, MR. TRACY KING INDICATED JUST CONVERSATION AROUND OUR CONSTANTLY EVOLVING TECHNICAL STANDARDS TO MAKE SURE THAT IN, FOR INSTANCE, CLAY SOILS, THAT WE USE PIPELINE THAT HAS THE APPROPRIATE MECHANICAL JOINTS AND APPROPRIATE SEALS, UM, WHICH IN SOME CASES MEANS THAT WE DO HAVE TO USE DUCTILE IRON.

UM, THERE ARE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES WHERE WE CAN USE DIFFERENT TYPES OF MATERIAL.

UM, AGAIN, OUR, OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S A, UM, YOU KNOW, WATERTIGHT AND A SAFE SYSTEM TO USE.

UM, ON THE EARLIER CONVERSATION AROUND WATER LOSS, WE CERTAINLY ARE DEDICATED TO REDUCING OUR WATER LOSS ACROSS THE CITY.

UH, IT INCLUDES A LOT OF FACTORS AND CERTAINLY PIPELINES AND PIPELINE LEAKS ARE PART OF THAT.

UM, BUT ALSO THINGS LIKE OUR RESPONSE TIME TO PIPELINE LEAKS.

AND SO WE HAVE A VERY ACTIVE AND ROBUST, UM, RESPONSE PROGRAM, AND WE DO, UM, HAVE A VERY GOOD TRACK RECORD THERE.

UM, WE ARE MOVING ON THE METERING SIDE, OF COURSE, I THINK WE'VE TALKED PERHAPS BEFORE ON OUR, UM, AUTOMATED METERING SYSTEM.

SO OUR, MY A TX WATER AND WE'RE CHANGING OUT EVERY METER IN THE SYSTEM, UM, TO ACTUALLY HAVE A MODERN DIGITAL METER WHERE PEOPLE CAN GET, YOU KNOW, DAILY INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR WATER USE.

SO, UM, WE RECOGNIZE IT'S A BIG ISSUE, IT'S A CONCERN TO US, AND WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO WORK ON THAT, AND WE'LL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO KEEP YOU UPDATED AS DIFFERENT PROGRESS IS MADE IN THOSE CATEGORIES.

COMMISSIONER DAVIS, YOU'VE BEEN VERY PATIENT, .

I WILL SAY ALSO IN THE SUMMERTIME, YOU KNOW, WHEN IT GETS HOT AND PEOPLE START, UM, BAD BEHAVIOR AROUND THEIR WATER USE, IT'S NOT UNCOMMON THAT OUR 3 1 1 SYSTEM LIGHTS UP AND WE GET LOTS OF PHONE CALLS AND SEND PEOPLE OUT AND DO THOSE INVESTIGATIONS.

UM, MY QUESTION IS ABOUT, UH, ENFORCEMENT OF THE DROUGHT STAGE RESTRICTIONS.

AS I'M LOOKING AT THE POTENTIAL SAVINGS, UM, PER GALLONS, PER YEAR, PER HOME, DOES AUSTIN WATER HAVE A WAY OF MEASURING, UM, THE AMOUNT OF POTENTIAL SAVINGS THAT COULD BE HAD IF PEOPLE STUCK TO THE ACTUAL RESTRICTIONS OF, OF THE DROUGHT STAGE WATERING? UM, AND I KNOW THERE'S NOT A TON OF BUDGET FOR ENFORCEMENT.

UM, I KNOW THERE IS SOME ENFORCEMENT, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE ANECDOTALLY, I, WHEN I TALK TO PEOPLE, I'VE HEARD, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE DON'T EVEN REALIZE THAT THEY'RE ONLY SUPPOSED TO BE WATERING ONCE PER WEEK.

PEOPLE HAVE NO IDEA I WATER TWO, THREE TIMES A WEEK.

DO YOU HAVE A WAY TO QUANTIFY HOW, HOW BIG THAT IS? BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE, YOU KNOW, FOR, FOR A UTILITY AS BIG AS AUSTIN WATER, IF WE, WE CAN, THERE, THERE SHOULD BE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY IN REALLY GETTING JUST TO STICK COMPLIANCE TO THE DROUGHT RESTRICTIONS.

SO CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHERE WE STAND ON THAT? SO YEAH.

UM, I WILL SAY THAT WE HAVE A, UM, WITHIN OUR WATER CONSERVATION TEAM, WE HAVE A SPECIFIC, UM, WORK GROUP THAT IS SPECIFICALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR ENFORCEMENT AND ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES.

UM, DEPENDING ON THE TIME OF THE YEAR.

UM, IT'S NOT UNCOMMON FOR US TO, UM, MORE BROADLY UTILIZE THE ENTIRETY OF THE WATER CONSERVATION DIVISION.

UH, WE UP OUR, UM, USE OF TEMPORARIES OVER SUMMER MONTHS, AS AN EXAMPLE.

SO WE DO A LOT OF WORK IN THE ENFORCEMENT AREA.

WE HAVE, UM, I WOULD SAY A VERY, UM, ROBUST AND SERIOUS SET OF PENALTIES THAT WE CAN APPLY.

UM, I WOULD SAY THE CHALLENGE WITH IT ALL IS, YOU KNOW, AUSTIN'S A BIG PLACE.

UM, IT'S A LITTLE BIT LIKE LOOKING AT SPEEDING TICKETS, UM, YOU KNOW, AS MANY SPEEDING TICKETS AS THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAND OUT.

THERE'S STILL A LOT OF SPEEDERS.

UM, SO OUR BIGGEST, YOU KNOW, I THINK OUR BIGGEST OPPORTUNITY IS SORT OF, UM, WHAT I WOULD DESCRIBE AS SORT OF SELF COMPLIANCE OR, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, TAKING IT UPON THEMSELVES TO BE KNOWLEDGEABLE.

AND SO WE SPEND A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY ON THE AWARENESS SIDE.

SO WE HAVE LIKE AN $800,000, UM, ANNUAL BUDGET FOR VARIOUS, UM, PUBLIC INFORMATION ACTIVITIES.

MOST OF THAT IS FOCUSED ON WATER CONSERVATION, WATER CONSERVATION AWARENESS.

UM, BUT

[01:10:01]

SO, UM, AGAIN, I THINK IT'S, UM, SORT OF A BROAD CONTEXT OF OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE, AND WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE TO TRY TO, UM, PUSH ON ALL THOSE LEVERS TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, OVERALL THAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO KEEP EVERYBODY, UM, AWARE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF WATER CONSERVATION AND KIND OF CHANGING THOSE BEHAVIORS EITHER IN A DROUGHT SITUATION OR MORE IMPORTANTLY, SINCE WE'RE KIND OF MOVING MAYBE A LITTLE BIT OUT OF A DROUGHT SITUATION JUST IN THEIR EVERYDAY WATER USAGE.

OKAY, THANK YOU.

UM, AND MY OTHER QUESTION WAS, YOU MENTIONED THAT GEORGETOWN HAS A LANDSCAPE ORDINANCE.

WHAT IS THAT LANDSCAPE ORDINANCE? ASK CHRIS TO HELP ME OUT ON THAT ONE.

YEAH, YEAH, THEY, UM, GEORGETOWN ACTUALLY, UM, HAVE HAD A, A LANDSCAPE ORDINANCE WHERE, UM, THEY, UM, SORT OF LIKE OUR COM, OUR COMMERCIAL LANDSCAPE ORDINANCE, WHERE THEY HAD TO ABIDE BY, UH, CERTAIN RULES.

UH, THEY, THEY, UM, AFTER TALKING WITH THEM RECENTLY, UM, THEY, UM, AREN'T, THEY DON'T HAVE THE MANPOWER TO ENFORCE IT, SO IT'S JUST WRITTEN INTO THEIR CODE, BUT IT'S STILL WRITTEN INTO THEIR CODE TO, UM, UM, I'M TRYING TO REMEMBER THE EXACT, UM, THINGS.

BUT THEY, THEY HAD TO USE, UM, CERTAIN PLANTS AND, UM, CERTAIN PERCENTAGES OF, OF, OF PLANT BEDS AND THAT AND THAT, LIKE, BUT UM, YEAH, I CAN'T, I CAN'T REMEMBER THE EXACT DETAILS, BUT, UM, THE, UM, BUT AFTER TALKING TO THEM RECENTLY, THEY SAID THAT THEY HAVE IT IN THE, THE CODE, BUT THEY JUST CAN'T ENFORCE IT WITH THE MANPOWER THAT THEY HAVE.

SORRY ABOUT THAT.

UH, AND JUST, JUST TO GO BACK TO WHAT YOU, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT EARLIER, UM, THAT WAS THE, UH, UM, ENFORCEMENT, WHICH IS WHAT, WHERE I STARTED WHEN I FIRST STARTED WORKING AT AUSTIN WATER BACK IN 2011.

UM, IT'S JUST PROGRESSED EVERY SINGLE YEAR, EVERY SINGLE SUMMER OR ENFORCEMENT IS JUST A WONDERFUL TEAM.

UH, THEY ARE, THEY USE, UH, 3 1 1 CALLS TO HELP 'EM OUT WITH ENFORCEMENT, AND THEY ALSO USE, UH, GIS MAPS TO SEE WHERE THOSE CALLS ARE COMING FROM AND WHERE THE ACTUAL VIOLATORS ARE COMING FROM TO FOCUS IN ON THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS.

AND WE STILL, IT DOESN'T MATTER.

IT, IT, WE GET THIS INFLUX OF PEOPLE COMING INTO AUSTIN THAT JUST DON'T KNOW THE WATER RESTRICTIONS.

WE DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO INFORM THEM, BUT WE STILL GET ONE OR TWO THAT JUST, YOU KNOW, THEY THINK THAT IT'S OKAY TO WATER THREE TIMES A WEEK.

COMMISSIONER FARBER, UM, I JUST, THERE'S, UH, NOTHING IN HERE THAT'S KIND OF INSIDE THE BUILDING.

SO IS THAT, HAVE YOU GUYS ALREADY KINDA SQUEEZED THAT STONE AND YOU'RE NOT GETTING ADDITIONAL REDUCTIONS FOR, YOU KNOW, GOOD VALUE OUT OF FURTHER CONSERVATION AT FAUCETS AND TOILETS AND SHOWERS AND SINKS? UM, THIS SPECIFIC PRESENTATION IS JUST PARTICULAR TO LANDSCAPE TRANSFORMATION, SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE LIMITED.

UM, AND CHRIS CAN PROBABLY ANSWER THIS AND I'LL LET HIM FINISH HERE, BUT I MEAN, I THINK, I THINK GENERALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE PLUMBING INDUSTRY IS, YOU KNOW, CONTINUES TO HAVE MOVED A LONG WAY.

SO I'VE BEEN IN THIS BUSINESS FOR A LONG, LONG TIME.

WE'VE MOVED A LONG WAY FROM THREE GALLON PER FLUSH TOILETS, UM, CERTAINLY HIGH EFFICIENCY, UM, WATER, UM, LAUNDRY WASHERS, UH, HIGH EFFICIENCY DISHWASHERS.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE STARTING TO SEE THOSE MORE IN THE MARKET.

UM, I DON'T KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT ALL, YOU KNOW, OPPORTUNITIES, SO I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE GOT ANYTHING SPECIFIC ON KIND OF MORE IN NON LANDSCAPE, RIGHT? NO, UM, KEVIN'S RIGHT, UH, WE, UH, THE INDUSTRY STANDARDS ARE, ARE ALREADY LOW ENOUGH.

THERE'S NOT TOO MANY THREE GALLON TOILETS OUT THERE, UH, IN THE RESIDENTS WHERE WE CAN SORT OF SEE THE BIG SAVINGS.

IT'S GOING DOWN VERY SLOWLY, UM, FROM 1.6 DOWN TO 1.2, 1.1 GALLONS PER TOILET FLUSH.

UM, BUT, UH, WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING RECENTLY FOR INSIDE THE HOME IS WE'VE ALWAYS, UM, GIVEN OUT FREE, UH, FAUCET AERATORS, UH, LOW FLOW SHOWER HEADS, UH, IF YOU WERE TO COME INTO OUR OFFICE.

BUT SINCE, UH, COVID WE'VE, UH, SORT OF CHANGED OUR IDEA.

AND SO WE'RE DOING MAIL OUTS, AND THAT'S A BIG, BIG THING WHERE WE WE'RE SENDING OUT, UM, AT LEAST 15, UH, MAILOUTS A WEEK, UM, TO DIFFERENT PEOPLE, UH, JUST THAT ASK FOR THOSE LOW FLOW SHOWER HEADS, AERATORS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

GREAT.

THIS APPLY TO THEM? UM, SO GENERALLY SPEAKING, OUR WHOLESALE CUSTOMERS ARE REQUIRED TO FOLLOW, UM, AT LEAST, UM, AUSTIN WATERS CONSERVATION WATER CONSERVATION PLAN, OR BE AT LEAST AS STRICT OR STRICTER.

VICE CHAIR ROBBINS, DOES 6% OF AUSTIN'S WATER GOES TO WHOLESALE CUSTOMERS? WILL

[01:15:01]

UM, THE DETAILS OF INDIVIDUAL PROGRAMMING, UM, IS NOT SPECIFIED IN THE CONTRACT.

UH, AND MOST OF THE CONTRACTS WE DO OFFER, LIKE MANY OF OUR WATER CONSERVATION INCENTIVES AND OTHER PROGRAMS, UM, ARE AVAILABLE TO WHOLESALE CUSTOMERS.

UM, BUT SPECIFICALLY THIS ELEMENT OF REDUCING OR REQUIRING, UM, REDUCTION, FOR INSTANCE, IN, UM, THE AUTOMATIC IRRIGATED AREA WOULD NOT APPLY TO WHOLESALE CUSTOMERS.

I THINK THAT'S CORRECT.

YES, SIR.

I BELIEVE YOU, BUT I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY.

PERHAPS YOU COULD MAYBE REPHRASE YOUR QUESTION AND I'LL TRY TO ANSWER IT AGAIN.

WELL, IT WAS ACTUALLY A COMMENT, BUT, OH, OKAY.

UM, I, I MEAN, IS IT ILLEGAL FOR AUSTIN TO REQUIRE THAT NEW HOMES BUILT IN THE TERRITORY OF WHOLESALE CUSTOMERS HAVE THE SAME WATER RESTRICTIONS AS AUSTIN? I WOULDN'T SAY IT'S ILLEGAL.

OUR, THE STATUTORY ABILITY TO INVOKE THAT BECOMES VERY COMPLICATED.

SO IN THESE CASES, UM, OUR STATUTORY AUTHORITIES IS BEING APPLIED THROUGH THE ADOPTION, THE CITY'S ADOPTION OF THE LOCAL, OF THE UNIFORM PLUMBING CODE.

UM, WE DON'T REQUIRE ANY OR OUR WHOLESALE CUSTOMERS TO ADOPT ANY SPECIFIC PLUMBING CODE.

SO I MEAN, THAT'S, WELL, I THINK KIND OF THE TECHNICAL ANSWER.

AS RESILIENCE AND RELIABILITY.

I AM MAKING A COMMENT THAT, UH, UNLESS IT IS OUTRIGHT ILLEGAL, I THINK AUSTIN SHOULD BE REQUIRING THIS OF NEW HOMES IN THE WHOLESALE AREAS.

UM, THIS IS A REGION WIDE PROBLEM.

UH, THEY'RE NOT MAKING ANY MORE WATER, AND THEY SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO MEET THE SAME STANDARD THAT WE DO, THAT WE IN AUSTIN, UH, ARE REQUIRING OF NEW HOMES.

UM, I ALSO, UH, WANNA MAKE A COUPLE OTHER, UM, COMMENTS.

UM, I THINK RAINWATER'S GREAT, AND IF I HAD THE MONEY, I WOULD PUT IT ON MY HOUSE, BUT IT WOULDN'T BE, UH, SAVING A WHOLE LOT OF WATER, PARTICULARLY IN PEAK TIMES.

UH, UH, RAINWATER IS, I GUESS YOU CAN STORE IT AND USE IT AT PEAK, BUT IT IS USUALLY NOT USED IN THAT WAY.

UH, I LIKE RAINWATER BECAUSE, UM, IT, UH, ALLOWS, UH, MOSTLY UNADULTERATED WATER TO BE USED FOR PLANTS OR DRINKING.

UH, UM, I HAVE ONLY ONCE SEEN A RAINWATER SYSTEM THAT WAS COST EFFECTIVE, UH, IN THE CITY.

UM, HAVING SAID ALL THIS, UM, WHAT ARE, WHAT IS AUSTIN WATER'S REASON FOR, UM, POSSIBLY REQUIRING IT IN THE FUTURE FOR NEW HOME BUILDERS, OR SHALL I SAY, INCENTIVIZING IT FOR NEW HOME BUILDERS? FORGIVE ME.

SO AGAIN, UH, THE OPPORTUNITY TO INCENTIVIZE IT FOR HOME BUILDERS REALLY WOULD BE AROUND, UM, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO PROVIDE, UM, SOME COST INCENTIVES TO ACTUALLY BUILD MORE SOPHISTICATED SYSTEMS THAT I THINK WOULD ADDRESS SOME OF THE CONCERNS THAT I THINK YOU WERE ALLUDING TO AS FAR

[01:20:01]

UM, LARGER STORMWATER, RAINWATER CAPTURE SYSTEMS, UM, OF A CERTAIN SIZE CAN BECOME, UH, SOMEWHAT COMPLEX AND SOMEWHAT COSTLY.

UM, BASICALLY THE, YOU KNOW, AS YOU TRY TO BUILD THAT SYSTEM OR DRIVE THAT SYSTEM TO BE MORE RELIABLE, THERE ARE ADDITIONAL COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH IT.

UM, AGAIN, I THINK OUR, OUR GOAL HERE IS NOT REALLY AROUND REQUIRING RAINWATER.

UH, WE DO KNOW THAT, UM, INDIVIDUALS DEVELOPING RAINWATER HARVESTING AT THEIR HOUSE IS SOMETHING THAT OUR CUSTOMERS, UM, ARE INTERESTED IN.

WE SEE A LOT OF ACTIVITY THROUGH OUR RAIN BARREL PROGRAM, UM, REGARDLESS OF THE SUSTAINABILITY OF IT, I MEAN, WE REALLY BELIEVE THAT THE BIG, THE BIG FUTURE PUSH HERE IS TO TRY TO CONTINUE TO INCENTIVIZE, EDUCATE PEOPLE OVER MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICES ON THEIR LANDSCAPE, UM, SELECTION THEIR PLANTS, UM, TRYING TO LIMIT TURF AREA.

AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY CAN MAKE MODEST INVESTMENTS IN RAINWATER HARVESTING, CERTAINLY THAT'S WATER THAT, UM, DOESN'T COST ANYTHING.

AND FOR ALL THE, ALL THE, THE, UH, REASONS YOU STATED AS FAR AS BEING REASONABLY UNADULTERATED AVAILABLE, IT'S JUST AN OPPORTUNITY TO USE AND, AND INCREASE AWARENESS AROUND THE POSSIBILITY OF WHAT ALTERNATIVE SOURCES CAN PROVIDE TRUE.

BUT IT'S BEING DONE WITH, UH, RATE PAYER MONEY.

UM, WE HAVE AT LEAST ONE MORE IMPORTANT ITEM, AND SO I'M NOT GONNA TAKE UP A WHOLE LOT MORE OF YOUR GOOD TIME TONIGHT.

UH, BUT I DO WANNA, UH, TELL THE COMMISSION, UH, THAT, UM, IN THE FUTURE, UH, I THINK WE OUGHT TO TAKE UP, UH, WHAT WE DO ABOUT LANDSCAPES FOR THE OTHER BUILDINGS FOR MULTIFAMILY, UH, COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL, UH, AND WHOLESALE, UH, RESIDENTIAL DEALS WITH 35% OF CONSUMPTION.

AND THAT'S IMPORTANT, AND I'M ONE OF THEM, BUT THE OTHER, UM, TWO THIRDS, UH, NEEDS TO BE DEALT WITH AS WELL.

AND I'D LIKE TO COME BACK TO THAT AT A FUTURE TIME.

UH, I ALSO, IN MY RESEARCH, HAVE AN INVENTORY OF ALL THE PIPE THAT HAS BEEN LAID IN AUSTIN SINCE I GUESS THE 1930S, UH, IN EXCEL SPREADSHEETS FOR BOTH WATER AND WASTEWATER.

AND IF THIS WOULD INTEREST ANY OF THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION, LET ME KNOW.

I WILL BE GLAD TO SEND IT TO YOU.

UH, WITH THAT, UH, I CURTAIL FURTHER COMMENTS.

ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ON THIS? THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME THIS EVENING, FOLKS.

FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS. IS THERE ANYTHING THAT SOMEBODY WOULD LIKE TO BRING UP FOR FUTURE MEETINGS? WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE, I, I GUESS I'LL JUST COMMENT FOR THOSE THAT WEREN'T ON THE EMAIL.

MOVING ON IN OUR AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FIVE.

MY UNDERSTANDING IS THIS HAS BEEN PULLED TODAY AND WE'LL BE, BE RESURFACING AGAIN NEXT MONTH OR MAYBE IN AUGUST, DEPENDING ON HOW MEETINGS AND WHATNOT GO.

SO WITH THAT, WE'RE ON TO

[FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS]

UM, SO I DECIDED TO GO AHEAD AND PUNT MY ITEM, UH, FOUR OR FIVE TODAY TO NEXT MEETING TO GIVE MYSELF A CHANCE TO CONNECT WITH AUSTIN ENERGY A FEW TIMES AND SEE IF WE CAN COME TOGETHER WITH SOMETHING THAT'S, UH, UH, JOINTLY DEVELOPED.

I'M, I'M DISAPPOINTED.

I I WAS, UH, I, UH, AND I'M NOT DISAPPOINTED AT YOU, I'M JUST DISAPPOINTED THAT WE DON'T GET TO HEAR IT TONIGHT.

I WAS, UH, IT, IT IS IN THE DOCUMENTS, SO PHIL, YEAH, YOU CAN DEFINITELY I DID.

YOU DID.

I REALLY THINK THAT AUSTIN ENERGY SHOULD SEND, UH, COMMISSIONER SA SARITA AND TIM HARVEY, THEIR, UH, THE HEAD OF THEIR SOLAR PROGRAM, UH, ON A JOINT FACT FINDING MISSION TO AUSTRALIA.

AND IF YOU HAVE ANY, ACTUALLY, THIS IS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS YEAH.

FEEL FREE TO YEAH, I WAS GONNA MAKE A SUGGESTION, UH, AND I'LL FLOAT IT NOW.

UH, WOULD IT BE BETTER IF WE DID THAT OFF OFFLINE? NO.

OH, OKAY.

GOOD TRY.

LOU ALMOST GOT IN THERE FOR IT.

UH, AND IT'S GOING TO BE, PEOPLE ARE GONNA THINK, THEY'RE GONNA ROLL THEIR EYES AND THINK THAT I AM BEING SARCASTIC AND ME SARC, I, UH, THIS IS HALF SERIOUS.

[01:25:01]

, I, I KNOW I, I SAID YOU'D LAUGH AND I SAID YOU'D THINK I'M BEING SARCASTIC.

NO, WE WANNA GO ON IT, BUT WE'RE, WE'RE PAST THE SEASON WHERE WE COULD SUGGEST BUDGET ITEMS TO COUNCIL.

SO, UH, THIS COULD BE PROBABLY CONTAINED WITHIN THEIR, THEIR, UH, THEIR EXISTING BUDGET.

THEY COULD MOVE THINGS AROUND.

BUT, UH, COMMISSIONER TI IS CORRECT THAT, UH, AUSTRALIA HAS PROFOUNDLY LOWER SOLAR RETAIL COSTS AND HOW MANY OF, I MEAN, THE AUSTRALIAN STRATEGY MAY NOT BLEND PERFECTLY WITH WHAT CAN BE DONE IN AMERICA, BUT THERE MAY BE SOME GOOD THINGS THAT WE CAN DIRECTLY TRANSFER.

AND I THINK A FACT FINDING MISSION WOULD BE IN ORDER.

AND SO I, I'M JUST PUTTING THIS OUT HERE.

UM, UH, I WAS, ANYWAY, UM, THAT, THAT, THAT, UH, I'LL HOLD THAT.

THAT'S, THAT'S ONE COMMENT.

COMMISSIONER SILVERSTEIN, I THINK, UM, HAVING HAD THE, THE PLEASURE OF REVIEWING THIS PRESENTATION ALREADY, UM, IN THE PACKET, I THINK THERE ARE SOME WONDERFUL SUGGESTIONS THERE.

THE ONLY ONE THAT I WOULDN'T SUPPORT WITH IS, IS THE ISSUE OF WRECKS, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THAT THE AVERAGE HOMEOWNER WOULD KNOW WHAT THE HECK TO DO WITH IT.

I THINK IT'S IN BETTER HANDS THAN THE UTILITY.

BUT OTHER THAN THAT, I THINK THERE'S SOME GREAT COM RECOMMENDATIONS IN THERE, AND I ENCOURAGE YOU AND, AND TIM TO HAVE A BIG OLD TIME GOING THROUGH THESE.

UH, I, I, IN MY CORRESPONDENCE WITH AUSTRALIA, I'VE COME TO FIND OUT THAT THE LOCALS REFER TO THEIR GOOD COUNTRY AND CONTINENT INFORMALLY AS THE LAND OF OZ.

AND I, I THINK THAT WE SHOULD, UH, WE SHOULD SEND OUR TWO COMPATRIOTS THERE.

DULY NOTED.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER ITEMS THAT, UH, COMMISSION WOULD LIKE TO TAKE UP ON FUTURE, UH, AGENDAS? I KNOW THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT WHAT, WE'RE TRYING TO COME UP WITH SOME SORT OF WORDING ON WHAT IT IS WE'D LIKE TO DISCUSS ABOUT MATERIALS, UH, WITH, RELATED TO WHAT IS USED IN INSTALLS BY AUSTIN WATER TO UNDERSTAND JUST KIND OF A, A GENERAL EDUCATION ON WHAT IS USED AND WHEN AND HOW AND WHY.

UM, THAT SEEMED LIKE A TOPIC OF INTEREST.

AND I WILL LET PEOPLE SMARTER THAN ME FIGURE OUT HOW IT IS.

THEY'D LIKE TO ASK THAT QUESTION AND SEE ABOUT GETTING A PRESENTATION.

SHOULD WE INCLUDE THIS WHEN THEY COME BACK WITH THEIR WATER CONSERVATION PLAN, OR SHOULD IT BE SEPARATE? UH, DIDN'T THEY ALREADY ADOPT THAT PLAN? THEY DID IT, UH, IT'S, IT'S ON CON CONDITIONALLY, IT'S ON THE WEBSITE DATED MAY TWO, BUT, BUT THEY ARE, I THINK THEY MADE A COMMITMENT TO REVISIT IT.

UH, MS. EVERHART, AM I CORRECT? SORRY, SAY ? UH, I BELIEVE THAT AUSTIN WATER DID ADOPT THEIR WATER CONSERVATION PLAN, BUT THEY MADE A COMMITMENT TO COUNCIL TO REVISIT IT.

UH, I DUNNO YET, BUT WE CAN FIND OUT.

COMM UH, UH, MS. GOODWIN, WOULD, YOU KNOW.

COMMISSIONER SELF ESTEEM.

YOU ALSO HAD RAISED YOUR HAND FOR SOMETHING ELSE.

I, UH, AS YOU'VE HEARD AT A COUPLE MEETINGS NOW I'VE BEEN BRAGGING ON AUSTIN WATER TO, TO BE MORE FORMAL ABOUT A LEAK MANAGEMENT PLAN.

AND, UM, AND I'LL JUST KEEP DOING THAT UNTIL THEY GIVE US A PROMINENT PRESENTATION.

WHY DON'T WE FOLLOW, UH, YOUR TAT SUGGESTION SHARE AND PUT, UH, PIPELINES AND WATER LEAKS ON FOR, UH, AN AGENDA ITEM IN THE NEAR FUTURE? THAT SOUNDS GOOD.

THAT SOUNDS GOOD.

UH, I DO ALSO HAVE ONE ADMINISTRATIVE ITEM TO BRING UP.

I MENTIONED THIS AT OUR LAST MEETING, AND SO I'LL MENTION IT AGAIN WHEN COMMISSION MEMBERS ARE SENDING THINGS TO NATASHA GOODWIN, UH, FOR THIS COMMISSION TO CONSIDER, PLEASE HAVE YOUR SPONSORS LINED UP.

PLEASE HAVE YOUR LANGUAGE LINED UP AND PLEASE HAVE ANY SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION THAT YOU'RE GOING TO NEED LINED UP.

THESE THINGS WILL BE DUE AT 5:00 PM FIVE BUSINESS DAYS BEFORE

[01:30:01]

THE COMMISSION MEETS.

IS THAT THE CORRECT TERM OR THE CORRECT TIMING? YEAH, WE HAVE A SCHEDULE .

AND I'LL SEE THE ON HERE.