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Show Any person, group or organization with an idea for a project that conserves water may apply to participate in the Credit Program. Not all projects submitted will be selected for funding and implementation. All projects must complete all elements listed in the water conservation credit program document dated July 1993. A copy may be obtained from the Central Utah Water Conservancy district. 17.6.1 Public Education Public education is recognized as an integral part of any conservation program. The purpose is to reduce the demand for water through education. With people educated about water and its many values, they will be better prepared to make decisions about efficient water use, conservation methods, water saving techniques and development opportunities. Education projects and programs approved under the credit program are also eligible for 65 percent funding with federal grant monies. 17.6.2 Utah Water Conservation Advisory Board The Central Utah Project Completion Act ( CUPCA) allowed the governor to establish a board consisting of nine members, known as the Utah Water Conservation Advisory Board. The Utah Board of Water Resources was designated to be the new board with the addition of one member from the environmental community. The duty of the board included investigating specific water conservation strategies and then developing water conservation standards and regulations aimed at reducing water demand. These standards and regulations were then recommended for promulgation by state or local authorities in the service area of each petitioner of project water. Complete findings and recommendations are published in a report titled Recommendations for Water Conservation Standards and Regulations in Utah. The findings and recommendations of the Water Conservation Advisory Board are incorporated into subsection 17.3, Water Conservation Opportunities; subsection 17.4, Conservation Methods and Strategies; and subsection 17.7, Issues and Recommendations 17.6.3 Water Conservation Pricing Study Under the CUPCA, the district studied wholesale and retail pricing as a means of encouraging water conservation. The Report on Water Pricing Policy Study was published in October 1995. This study focused on various pricing mechanisms to conserve water. The purposes of the study are to: A) Design and evaluate potential rate designs and pricing policies for water supply and wastewater treatment within the district boundary; B) Estimate demand elasticity for each of the principal categories of end use of water within the district boundary; C) Quantify monthly water savings estimated to result from the various designs and policies to be evaluated; and D) Identify a water pricing system that reflects the incremental scarcity value of water and rewards effective water conservation programs. The study examined policies for irrigation water pricing, wastewater pricing, wholesale and retail pricing, and conservation pricing. The experiences of other water- constrained communities were also examined. The rate structures evaluated include: uniform rates, seasonal rates, drought year surcharges, increasing block rates, ratchet rates, marginal cost pricing and goal based rates. The study pointed out that changes in pricing policies are likely to gain greater public acceptance if they are phased in over time. 17.7 Issues and Recommendations 17.7.1 Water Pricing Incentives Issue - Low water costs do not promote conservation Discussion - Water pricing can be an effective tool in promoting water conservation by providing an incentive to decrease water consumption. Many water pricing structures currently incorporate a constant volume with the basic rate and constant overage charges for use above this rate. If rates are very low, water users will not feel the need to carefully use water because cost seems insignificant. Some water providers fear that raising rates will decrease water sales and thus decrease revenues for 17- 8 |