Middle Rio Grande Regional Water Plan

Appendix 8-A. Steering Committee Review of the 2004 Strategies
Page 2 of 24
2004
Strategy
Name
R1-3—
Rainwater
Harvesting
(A-44)
R1-4—
Conversion
to Low Flow
Appliances
(A-18)
R1-5—Urban
Water Pricing
(A-21)
R1-6—
Greywater
Reuse (A-24)
2015
rankings
Complete a
Progress b
Priority c
Strategy Description from Chapter 10.2 of 2004 Plan
S+ 2 3 Most of the urban and suburban consumptive use of water
comes from outdoor uses, particularly lawns and trees. This
recommendation is for local governments to implement
incentive, public education and/or, if deemed appropriate,
regulatory policies to encourage rainwater harvesting to
achieve the scenario targets.
Y 5 2 High flow appliances contribute to unnecessary use of water.
Local governments should implement incentive, public
education and/or, if deemed appropriate, regulatory policies so
as to encourage all construction, new and old, to utilize
effective low flow appliances such as toilets, clothes washing
machines, dishwashing machines, showers, automatic shutoff
faucets, and broken sprinkler cutoffs. This recommendation
should be converted from the current casual to a highly
vigorous campaign in residential, municipal, industrial,
commercial and institutional uses across the region.
Y 4 5 The plan recommends that jurisdictions examine a variety of
water pricing mechanisms and adopt those that are most
effective at conserving water.
N 1 1 “Greywater” is water from showers and washing machines for
use in outdoor plantings. It does not include toilet water or
water from kitchen sinks. Funding technical and educational
activities to promote safe and effective greywater reuse should
also be considered. (continued on next page)
R1-6— N 1 1 Municipal and industrial (M&I) use of greywater should be
2015 Steering Committee Comments
Since 2004, residential rainwater harvesting has been
promoted by Rio Rancho, ABCWUA and Bernalillo
County. Rooftops as well as swales, berms and
permeable paving have enabled some rainwater
harvesting not in conflict with NMISC or EPA regulations.
Incentives and programs are needed to further this work.
Conversions have been highly effective, as seen by the
great reduction in per capita water use in Albuquerque
metro area over the last decade.
Block pricing has been very effective in the communities
that have implemented it.
This Recommendation is not cost effective for home
owners who would have to run the double plumbing
needed to reuse greywater but could be considered for
new construction. Rio Rancho and ABCWUA currently
have nonpotable water projects.
a Y = Yes, N = No, S = started
b Progress: 1 = Not effective, 5 = Very effective
c Priority: 1 = Low priority; 5 = High priority
Middle Rio Grande Regional Water Plan 2017