This paper examines how Aurora Utilities evolved from emergency drought response in the
summer of 2002 to a more equitable water budget system by the spring of 2004. In 2002, Aurora Utilities initiated a "one-size fits all" 3-block tier system based on fixed
water block sizes along with very severe water restrictions. By 2003, the utility had progressed
to a water budget system for large irrigators and a fixed outdoor water budget for all
residential accounts and continuance of two day per week water restrictions. By 2004, an individual water budget for all customers was adopted, based on pre-drought water
usage with the outdoor consumption reduced by 30 percent, and the two-day
per week restrictions were continued to provide a framework for customers in which to work with
their individualized budgets.
For a successful program, it was necessary to assemble an interdisciplinary team
comprised of Water Conservation, Media Relations/Public Relations, Utilities Billing,
Utilities Finance, Information Technology, and Planning and Zoning. Not surprisingly,
the usual difficulties associated with interdisciplinary teamwork occurred, from
miscommunication between disciplines, different expectations, coordination of the team,
lack of sufficient time to create the program, and pitfalls of a billing system not designed
for the task. Although there were challenges, the program had many positive outcomes,
such as high customer satisfaction and appeal (much more than the previous
drought restrictions), increased customer participation and response, attainment of the
30 percent reduction goal (33 percent actual), and massive transformation of the
customer's perspection of water consumption and wise water use since 2002. Includes reference.
| Edition : | Vol. - No. |
| File Size : | 1
file
, 760 KB |
| Note : | This product is unavailable in Ukraine, Russia, Belarus |
| Number of Pages : | 11 |
| Published : | 06/17/2005 |
