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Politics & Government

Utility Officials Talk Conservation, Bill Reduction

Experts from the Crescenta Valley Water District, Glendale Water and Power and Southern California Edison provide tips for consumers on saving resources and money.

If summertime water and power consumption is putting a crimp in your cash flow, officials from local utility companies offered advice on how to more affordably beat the heat.

In an interview with Patch, water and power providers such as the and Glendale Water and Power disclosed a range of conservation techniques and bill-reducing financial incentives that consumers can employ.

Dennis Erdman, general manager of the C.V. Water District, said that while a fairly robust winter and spring rainy season has eased drought conditions and despite a slightly increased consumption so far in 2011 compared to last year, residents have apparently maintained water conservation habits over the last several dry years. During that time the district imposed mandatory water restrictions and took steps to raise awareness about the importance of conservation.

Find out what's happening in Montrose-La Crescentawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Outdoor water use consumes the most overall for a single-family residence, said Natalie Bellissimo, C.V. Water District conservation specialist.

"The first thing we talked to [consumers] about was their outdoor water use," Bellissimo said. "Have you timed your sprinklers ... for when they run off? Have you read your meter, done your sprinklers, and read your meter again to see how much water you're actually using? Have you checked the heads on the sprinklers when the sprinklers are on to make sure that none are broken? Have you checked for higher spots in your lawn area that might signify a leak in the underground pipe that connects all the sprinklers?"

Find out what's happening in Montrose-La Crescentawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Most residents "have done what they can for indoor water use," Bellissimo continued, citing "low-flow toilets, water efficient washing machines, aerators on kitchen faucets ... [and] low-flow shower heads" as the primary water-saving methods for reducing consumption inside the house.

"The district bills customers every two months and estimates average usage at ... 22,000 gallons per billing cycle," Bellissimo said. "The cost of the water, with the service charge, is $119.36 every two months. This does not include sewer fees if applicable."

In addition to sprinkler maintenance and attention to usage, Bellissimo noted indoor conservation techniques such as washing only full loads of dishes or clothes, turning the water off when brushing one's teeth and capturing water from the shower before it becomes warm with a bucket for use on plants. She also suggested keeping tabs on leaky, water-wasting toilets via food-coloring-driven leak-detection tablets offered by the district.

See the accompanying district flyer that details conservation tips for a full range of water-saving practices consumers can apply toward money-saving usage.

Bellissimo further referenced rebates and equipment offered in conjunction with the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, such as weather-based irrigation controllers, rotating sprinkler nozzles and other plumbing fixtures that qualify for a bill discount. These rebates are explained in detail on the Metropolitan Water District's website.

Appliances such as air conditioners obviously command a significant portion of a household's electric bill during summer months.

Glenn Steiger, general manager of Glendale Water and Power, estimated central air conditioning costs $0.15 per kilowatt-hour multiplied by the size of an air conditioning unit for his agency's customers. 

"Let's say you have a two-ton unit, then for every hour that the thing operates it would be two tons [multiplied by] $0.15. So to run it full-tilt for an hour would be $0.30," Steiger said. If it's only a one-ton unit, it's simply $0.15 per hour. If it's a three-ton unit, multiply by three, etc.

Both GWP and Southern California Edison serve residents in La Crescenta and Montrose and offer rebates and other power-saving, money-saving incentives to customers.

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