1 STAFF REPORT
DAT
E: December 5, 2023
T
O: Justin Hess, City Manager
F
ROM: Dawn Roth Lindell, General Manager, Burbank Water and Power BY: Drew Johnstone, Sustainability Officer, Burbank Water and Power S
UBJECT: Approval of the Proposed Update to Burbank Water and Power ’s Water Conservation Rebate Program to Increase Bill Credits for Pool Cover Incentives
RE
COMMENDATION
Approve Burbank Water and Power (BWP) to continue the pool cover incentive with the following modifications to add pool cover reels as an eligible cost and to increase the maximum bill credit amount from $50 to $100 per address.
BACKG
ROUND
On average, residential pools hold between 18,000 to 20,000 gallons. Without a cover, pools lose about one- fourth of an inch of the surface water volume daily, solely due to evaporation. This can amount to 10 ,000 to 20,000 gallons of water per year – up to the full volume of the pool lost to evaporation on an annual basis.
C
overing one's pool provides additional benefits beyond water loss. For instance, a pool cover can keep water temperatures about 10 degrees higher, which may reduce heating costs. Additionally, a cover can significantly reduce chemicals' evaporation by as much as 70%, reducing those costs as well. A cover also helps to keep debris out of the pool.
I
n stages III-VI of Burbank’s Sustainable Water Use Ordinance, pools are required to be covered when not in use. Considering this requirement, in 2015, the Council asked that BWP provide a pool cover incentive to residents. On June 23, 2015, Council approved a pool cover incentive of up to $50 (not to exceed the cost of the cover and only applicable when the city is in stage III or higher of the Sustainable Water Use Ordinance) for Burbank residents purchasing a pool or spa cover with the following terms and conditions:
• B
urbank residents with a current and non- delinquent City of Burbank water account are eligible for the rebate.
• The cover must be a physical cover. Chemical products are not included in this rebate.
• The cover must be new.
WATER AND
POWER
2 • The pool cover or pool cover devices (such as solar pool rings) must cover at least 85% of the pool's surface, or as much as can reasonably be provided. • An original receipt, dated after May 14, 2015, must be submitted with the rebate application.
• Application must be submitted within four months of the purchase date. • Covers are subject to inspection for program compliance. • Eligible customers may receive rebates every 36 months for new covers.
DISCUSSION
At the BWP Board meeting on November 3, 2022, a Board Member requested BWP staff to investigate the possibility of adding a pool cover reel as an eligible cost to be incentivized to make using a pool cover easier, especially for an aging population and single residents. Pool cover reels are an accessory to a pool cover , allowing for quicker and easier removal or replacement of the cover, which the BWP board and staff believe will result in higher pool cover utilization and associated water savings.
BWP recommends adding a pool cover reel as an eligible cost and updating the bill credit limit to $100 (up to $50 for either a pool cover or reel, or up to $100 for both) . The proposed new terms and conditions are as follows:
• Billing credit requests must be submitted no less than 30 days from the date of purchase.
• Applicant must be a BWP customer with an active account. • The application must be signed, dated, and contain ALL the supporting documentation.
• Credit applies to pool covers, solar pool rings and pool cover reels. The pool cover must conform to the size and shape of the pool and cover at least 85% of the pool’s surface to act as an effective barrier to evaporation.
• Credit applies to new pool covers/reels only.
• Liquid pool covers do not qualify.
• BWP reserves the right to conduct a site visit to confirm pool cover compliance. • The pool cover credit is only available during stages III-VI of the Sustainable Water Use Ordinance.
• Customers may reapply for a pool cover credit every three years, if stage III or above is in effect.
• The billing credit is limited to one bill credit per address up to $100.00 (up to $50 credit for either a pool cover or reel, or up to $100 for both).
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Modification of this program is not a project under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The creation of government funding mechanisms or other government fiscal activities which do not involve any commitment to any specific project which may result in a potentially significant physical impact on the environment are not projects under CEQA. (14 CCR § 15378(b)(4).) This activity involves increasing funding to an already existing program for pool covers. Such covers are accessories to existing pool uses and will not involve any significant expansion of uses related to the existing pool or property.
As a result, no further environmental review is necessary. 3 FISCAL IMPACT
Funding for the program is limited to the allocation approved in the fiscal year (FY) 2023- 2024 budget of $300,000 for various water conservation rebates . In FY 22- 23, BWP provided 72 pool cover bill credits, totaling $3,600. BWP estimates 40 to 60 pool cover applications in FY 23-24, totaling $4,000 to $6,000 in bill credits.
CONCLUSION
On November 2, 2023, the Burbank Water and Power Board , with two board members absent, voted four to one to recommend the Council approve the proposed modifications of the pool cover incentive portion of the Water Conservation Rebate Program. By adding a pool cover reel as an eligible cost and updating the bill credit limit to $100 (up to $50 for either a pool cover or reel, or up to $100 for both), BWP board and staff believe this will result in higher pool cover utilization and associated water savings.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment 1 – Pool Cover Credit Application