Memorandum
City of
Utilities
TO:
|
David
Corliss, Interim City Manager Debbie Van Saun, ACM, Community Development
Services |
|
FROM: |
Michael Tubbs, Management Analyst,
Utilities |
|
CC: |
Chris Stewart, Interim Director,
Utilities Dave Wagner, Assistant Director,
Utilities |
|
Date: |
August 21, 2006 |
|
RE: |
Conservation Public Awareness Update |
Please
include the following item on the City Manger’s report for the August 29, 2006 City
Commission meeting.
Receive
Conservation Public Awareness Update
Project Title: Conservation Public Awareness
Project Team: Michael Tubbs, Management Analyst and
Project
History:
In April of 2005, we began implementing four water conservation measures
which represent the foundation of the department’s public awareness and
education efforts.
We are on track to achieving full implementation of all four measures
this fall as indicated in the schedule below.
These four measures: Waterwise, classes/workshops, Xeriscape demonstration
garden and a trade show quality marketing display system.
Core Conservation Measures Implementation
Schedule
|
Best
Management Practice/Measures |
FY05
Spring |
FY05
Fall |
FY06
Spring |
FY06
Fall |
|
1.
Sponsor Waterwise Program for 4th Grade USD497 2.
Sponsor 2-4 Workshop/Classes on P&R class offering 3.
Sponsor development of 4.
Purchase Conservation Display for use at Public Event 4-6 times per year i.e.
Earth Day, Water Week etc. |
S S S S |
PI PI PI PI |
PI FI PI PI |
FI FI
FI FI |
PI-
Partial Implementation, FI-
Full Implementation, NI-Not implemented, S-Study
Project Status:
I. Accomplishments - What is the City doing now to promote
water conservation?
In the
fall of 2005 we began implementation of the Waterwise Program in conjunction
with Lawrence Public Schools with the purpose of increasing public awareness
regarding conservation. This program
targets fourth graders. The City
sponsors the program by purchasing Waterwise Activity Kits that contain high
efficiency devices such as shower heads and kitchen Aerators. The teacher and children receive educational
material designed to build the students knowledge, provide high efficiency
devices to their families, and serves as one element of the department’s
community awareness program.
Waterwise Program
Completed initial
implementation of Waterwise program with four schools participating in the
pilot program:
Our intent
is to expand this program district wide to all fourth graders in USD 497 for
the 2006-2007 school year.
Program Participation Summary
|
School |
Contact |
Teachers |
Students |
|
|
Melissa Clover |
1 |
25 |
|
|
Mrs. Eskilson |
1 |
25 |
|
|
Mrs. Hadiji |
1 |
27 |
|
Kennedy Elementary |
Denise Curnes |
1 |
23 |
|
Kennedy Elementary |
Paula Meyers |
1 |
23 |
|
Pinckney Elementary |
Lori Kimme |
1 |
25 |
|
Pinckney Elementary |
Michelle Jacobsen |
1 |
25 |
|
Schwegler Elementary |
Deborah Norwood |
1 |
68 |
|
Totals |
8 |
241 |
|
Total Participants |
|
249 |
Program Impact
Using the
family habits collected from the customer survey information, the 249
participating households are expected to save the following total resources:
|
Total
Projected Resource Savings per Household |
Total
Projected Resource Savings |
|
54,955
gallons of water saved |
13,683,873
gallons of water saved |
|
231
therms of gas saved |
57,449
therms of gas saved |
|
1,709
kWh electricity saved |
425,488
kWh electricity saved |
|
54,955
gallons wastewater saved |
13,683,873
gallons wastewater saved |
Source 2005-2006 City of
Upon
completion of the program, participating families are asked to complete a Water
Adventure Report (WAR) to assess their resource use, verify product
installation and measure participation rates. A few samples are below while a
complete summary of all responses is included in the appendices p 12-21 of the
program summary.
ROTARY ARBORETUM OPEN HOUSE
Saturday, September 30, at 10 a.m. there will be a
ceremony dedicating
the
located near the
Clinton Lake Softball Complex,
The
Recreation Department
and the City of
Department. There will
also be a walking tour conducted of the
arboretum. The event is
free and open to the public.
O 
ther Programs 40
Parks &
Recreation News
Thursday, April
27, 2006
PARKS AND RECREATION RECEIVES A
REGIONAL AWARD FOR ARBORETUM
LAWRENCE –
ISA Midwest Chapter representative Greg Ruether,
Rotarians will also be conducting a work day at the arboretum, assisting with
planting 500 wildflower plants. The wildflower plants are part of the City
of
The arboretum was developed as a way to celebrate the Rotary’s centennial anniversary.
The 30-acre Rotary Arboretum was created through a $50,000 donation of the
three Lawrence Rotary Clubs. The arboretum is on the Parks and Recreation’s
1612-acre leased area from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The arboretum features more than 100 identified trees and shrubs. The arboretum
also features small waterfall ponds.
For more information on the Gold Leaf Award, please contact, parks and
recreation at 832-3450.
Prepared by Roger Steinbrock, marketing
division, 785-832-3458
Conservation related
classes/workshops
Since the spring
of 2006 the Utilities Department and the Park & Recreation Department have
co-sponsored– classes for the public to learn how to use water more efficiently
with regard to landscaping and irrigation system maintenance. In conjunction with the Parks and Recreation
Department, we hope to continue offering classes and workshops related to
conservation in the future.
Development of a Marketing Display
system to promote conservation
Working
to develop a trade show quality display system for marketing conservation,
water quality and other department public relations outreach efforts. The display system will be used at high
visibility public events in an effort to better inform the public of our
services and programs.
This display system can be shared with other department
as the hardware is permanent and each department could have its own graphics
created to best serve their marketing needs. The system is a good
public education tool in the sense that it could be use for any city programs
that we might want to promote as long as graphics are created for any such
needs.
|
Public events & Possible Themes for use of
display |
|
|
|
Spring/Fall Fairs Conservation |
|
County Fair
Conservation/ Biosolids |
|
Home garden Conservation/Biosolids |
|
Water Users Meeting Conservation/Water Quality/Treatment Water |
|
Pretreatment Meeting WaterQuality/Treatment Wastewater |
|
April Showers [Earth Day] Conservation/Water Quality/Treatment Water |
|
Water Reclamation - Wastewater Reuse/Water
Quality/ Conservation |
|
AWWA events
Conservation/Water Quality/Treatment Water |
|
WEF events WaterQuality/Treatment
Wastewater/Conservation WW resuse/Biosolids |
|
KU Engineering Conference |
|
Drinking Water Week Conservation/Water Quality/Treatment Water |
|
Schools
-Conservation/ Water Treatment/Wastewater Treatment/ Water Quality |
|
Carnivals
- Conservation/ Water Treatment/Wastewater Treatment/ Water Quality |
|
Utilities Safety - Workplace Safety |
|
Watershed Venue -Conservation/ Water
Treatment/Wastewater Treatment/ Water Quality |
II.
Issues:
The
development of the marketing display system has been more problematic than the
other three measures. We are working
with a vendor to develop a graphic theme related to our core program areas of
conservation, water quality and other department programs to inform the public
about. Cost seems to be one issue because
the proposed display system is expected to exceed $8,000 dollars. The other issue relates to having the staff
to attend public events during the evening hours and weekends which in turn
could result in overtime expenditures.
On going
funding and support for further implementation of comprehensive conservation
efforts beyond public awareness and education to include: regulations, planning/research
and post-implementation evaluation of programs.
III.
Reflections and Learning:
Participant
Feedback:
“Thank-you
… It was great to have my child be exposed to new ways of conserving natural
resources. What a great way to get the
message out to a lot of people.” (M. McCauley, Parent,
“In my
opinion, the things students liked best about the program . . . using the
products and testing materials in their kitchens and bathrooms at home.” (M.
Clover, Teacher,
IV. Conservation
Matrix
