Oklahoma City's population continues to grow, but its residents are actually using less water than a few years ago.
The results of the city's latest water consumption survey show average residential use has fallen 3.4 percent since last year, The Journal Record’s Brian Brus reports:
Oklahoma City’s total number of water utility accounts increased from 177,192 to 179,405 since 2013, while the total volume of water used by those accounts declined from 832.7 million gallons to 814.8 million. That suggests conservation efforts initiated during the drought a few years ago have been successful, said Bret Weingart, assistant director of Oklahoma City’s utilities department. He also credited improvements in home appliances and plumbing technology in helping to reduce waste.
Officials credited the drop to an even-odd lawn watering ordinance that went into effect in 2012, along with other water conservation measures, including new technology. But Weingart says the changes aren’t due to financial reasons, but rather because of sustainability.
About 10 percent of Oklahoma City’s water is sold to its neighbors, and Norman, El Reno, and Edmond have to adhere to the same strict conversation standards, Brus writes:
In Norman, for example, the inverted rate block structure means the more water customers use, the more expensive it becomes on a per-unit basis, Utilities Director Ken Komiske said. In addition, the Norman City Council and water customers approved a July/August surcharge for residential customers that use a lot of water as an additional incentive to conserve. The city’s Environmental Control Advisory Board runs a “Water’s Worth It” landscaping contest that recognizes water customers for efficient landscaping. The major benefit of conservation is the reduction in peak summertime usage, Komiske said. Peak demand stresses pumps and pipes and can lower pressure throughout the system. Conservation efforts have driven peak demand down.
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