national multiple family submetering and allocation billing program ...

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Indoor water use was normalized on total number of units rather than on occupied units because vacancy rates were not found to be a statistically significant factor. Indoor water use was not normalized on a per occupant basis because 15% of survey respondents left that question blank thus reducing the potential sample size. The number of units on the property was answered by 100% of manager survey respondents. In addition, the site visits determined that the reported number of residents was a less accurate value than the reported number of units. Finally, the relationship between total indoor water use at a property and number of units was almost linear (see Figure 5.4). Submetering The analyses conducted on the data showed that submetering achieved water savings of 15.3 percent compared with in-rent properties. These savings were statistically valid and corrected for factors such as year of construction, average number of bedrooms per unit, average rent, presence of play areas, presence of cooling towers, average commodity charge for water and wastewater by the local utility, and classification of the property as a retirement community. A total of seven separate analyses were performed on the data, and all of them arrive at the same conclusion, summarized in Table 5.2, that properties that use submetering to bill customers for their measured water consumption use significantly less water than the traditional in-rent properties. Water savings ranged from 5.6 to 18 kgal per unit per year, or 15 to 48 gallons per unit per day. This represents a reduction in water use of 11% to 26% in properties employing submetering. Based on an evaluation of the different data sets, analyses, and models, the researchers concluded that multivariate model #2 provided the single “best estimate” of expected water use and savings at submetered properties 24 . The number of properties used in each analysis can be seen in Table 5.1. Details of all of these analyses are presented later in this chapter. 24 Submetered properties were identified by manager survey responses. Through the site visits, it was found that 3 out of 20 properties visited (15%) had indicated on the manager survey that they were submetered, but were found to only be metering the the hot water. Thus, the submetered sample is likely to contain some hot water hybrids. 128
Table 5.2 Summarized water use analysis results, submetering Annual Water Use per Unit (kgal) Estimated Difference in Water Use (± 95% confidence interval) Statistically Significant at 95% Confidence Level? In-Rent (or pre- Data Source or Analysis conversion) Submetering kgal/unit/year Percent Postcard Survey 53.21 44.87 -8.34 ± 3.29 -15.7% ± 6.2% Yes Manager Survey 51.61 46.07 -5.55 ± 4.81 -10.7% ± 9.3% Yes Model #1 52.33 43.73 -8.60 ± 4.86 -16.4% ± 9.3% Yes Model #2 52.19 44.23 -7.96 ± 4.84 -15.3% ± 9.3% Yes Model #3 53.19 43.14 -10.05 ± 5.47 -18.9% ± 10.3% Yes Matched Pair 57.59 47.61 -9.98 ± 9.77 -17.3% ± 17.0% Yes Pre-Post Conversion 68.21 50.71 -17.50 ± 18.55 -25.7% ± 27.2% Yes* Conclusion 52.19 44.23 -7.96 ± 4.84 -15.3% ± 9.3% Yes * Test was significant at the 94% confidence level. RUBS The study failed to show any significant water savings associated with Ratio Utility Billing Systems (RUBS). With one exception, none of the analyses shown in Table 5.3 showed any significant reduction in water use that can be attributed to RUBS when compared with traditional in-rent arrangements. Typically the 95 percent confidence interval for RUBS spanned a range that included an increase in expected water use as well as water savings. Statistically significant water use savings from RUBS were detected in only a single comparison test – the matched pair sample. The matched pair comparison, however, is not considered reliable. It relied on the smallest RUBS sample size in the study and, as explained in detail later in this chapter, the in-rent control sample did not appear to be representative of the population of in-rent properties in the study. Based on an evaluation of the different data sets, analyses, and models, the researchers concluded that multivariate model #2 provided the single “best estimate” of expected water use at RUBS properties. After correcting for a wide variety of factors and evaluating numerous different analytic models, the researchers concluded that no statistically significant impact from RUBS could be reliably expected. The number of properties used in each analysis can be seen in Table 5.1. 129
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NATIONAL MULTIPLE FAMILY SUBMETERIN
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CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES............
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Matched-Pair Analysis .............
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LIST OF TABLES Table ES.1.1 Breakdo
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Table 6.6 Elasticity values, analys
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Figure 4.30 RUBS water bill #6 ....
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investigated local water savings as
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We are grateful to the members of a
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quantitative aspects of separate bi
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3. Owner/postcard survey: To identi
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"averages" of impact property water
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in-rent properties, others used the
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of these models included the billin
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70 Average Annual Water Use Per Uni
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COSTS AND BENEFITS Beyond quantifyi
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service charge, then the resident w
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Billing Method Efficient Fixtures?
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70 Avg. Water Use per MF Unit (kgal
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REGULATORY FRAMEWORK REVIEW The fra
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Table ES.1.12 NSUAA Summary of Stat
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above, the researchers offer the fo
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service is preferable, and would he
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practices (BMPs) should be implemen
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infrastructure of the building and
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multi-family housing. The transfer
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CHAPTER 1 INTRODU CTION More and mo
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In 1998, 15.0%, or 15.4 million, of
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TERMINOLOGY AND DEFINITIONS OF BILL
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submetering. With utility-submeteri
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all the two bedroom units for $20 p
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HOW TO USE THIS REPORT This report
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CHAPTER 2 LITERAT URE REVIEW As the
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A review of the literature unearthe
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The price elasticity of water deman
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expected. Additionally, McClelland
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submetered and five control (in-ren
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Another study might want to target
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CHAPTER 3 RESEARC H METHODS, APPROA
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1. Selection of participating study
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STUDY SITE SELECTION The Study aime
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Figure 3.2 National Multiple Family
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Matched pair protocol/survey - conf
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information given the available bud
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survey. Service companies that prov
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in “business to business” calli
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MATCHED PAIR SAMPLE The purpose of
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The second part of the visit requir
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epresentative of a known population
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51 Table 3.7 Postcard survey statis
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Table 3.8 Comparison of annual wate
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postcard survey. Nevertheless, exam
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confidence interval ranged from 49.
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particular property (e.g., the mont
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State PUC officials - water commiss
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10. The PROPID number appearing on
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These costs represent the commodity
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The postcard survey provided inform
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Table 4.4 Average number of units f
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Two-thirds of the properties that r
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Percent of Surveyed Properties with
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$700 Average Rent Per Bedroom ($) $
Page 130 and 131: Percent of Surveyed Properties with
Page 132 and 133: Impact properties were also more li
Page 134 and 135: Table 4.8 Issues considered before
Page 136 and 137: Percent of Surveyed Impact Properti
Page 138 and 139: 60% Percent of Surveyed Properties
Page 140 and 141: From the visits, it was found that
Page 142 and 143: 100% Percent of Surveyed Residents
Page 144 and 145: Roughly similar proportions of resi
Page 146 and 147: inserts for toilets (21%) or low-fl
Page 148 and 149: proportion were unsure, 37% from su
Page 150 and 151: Table 4.18 Ownership and rental rat
Page 152 and 153: Figure 4.17 Submeter water bill #1
Page 158 and 159: wastewater rates are not shown so t
Page 160 and 161: Figure 4.23 Hot water hybrid water
Page 162 and 163: RUBS Sample Bills Seven sample RUBS
Page 164 and 165: wastewater rates are not shown so t
Page 166 and 167: Figure 4.28 RUBS water bill #4 from
Page 168 and 169: Figure 4.30 RUBS water bill #6 RUBS
Page 170 and 171: directly to and then paid by the th
Page 172 and 173: never subtracting for common area w
Page 174 and 175: Late Fees At the start of water bil
Page 176 and 177: 124
Page 178 and 179: intuitively clear, and matches comm
Page 182 and 183: Table 5.3 Summarized water use anal
Page 184 and 185: easonable assumption since there is
Page 186 and 187: Figure 5.1 shows the frequency dist
Page 188 and 189: 40 Difference in Annual Water Use p
Page 190 and 191: after 1995. By including only those
Page 192 and 193: 70 Average Annual Water Use Per Uni
Page 194 and 195: Table 5.11 Statistical tests compar
Page 196 and 197: Factors that Influence Water Use Th
Page 198 and 199: Table 5.12 Association of categoric
Page 200 and 201: Indoor Water Use per Unit in 2001 I
Page 202 and 203: Table 5.13 Continuous factors from
Page 204 and 205: Multivariate Models to Determine Im
Page 206 and 207: properties built before 1995 were c
Page 208 and 209: 70 Average Annual Water Use Per Uni
Page 210 and 211: A = Beta coefficient for “Propert
Page 212 and 213: substantially reduces the sample si
Page 214 and 215: Table 5.17 Model #2 coefficients an
Page 216 and 217: 0.00 indicating that whatever fit d
Page 218 and 219: commodity charge for water and wast
Page 220 and 221: properties having generally lower w
Page 222 and 223: 110 Average Annual Water Use Per Un
Page 224 and 225: analysis, intended to control best
Page 226 and 227: Table 5.27 Paired samples test, all
Page 228 and 229: Table 5.30 Estimated water use befo
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Table 5.33 Comparison of water savi
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180
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sector only reduced usage by 18% (A
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Table 6.1 Avoided costs from submet
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submetered. Complete responses of c
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included in this cost/benefit analy
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Table 6.3 Cost and benefit for owne
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Perceived Concerns In the resident
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With a service fee, residents could
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Table 6.4 Economic return for a res
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ANALYSIS OF PRICE ELASTICITIES Econ
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concluded that if a single elastici
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esults from this analysis point to
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over which they have control than d
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According to the basic consumer cho
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The consumer choice problem can be
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210
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water systems from compliance with
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and methods of practice. NIST publi
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Table 7.1 NSUAA Summary of State Re
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New Surveys of State Agencies and W
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the AWWA WaterStats 1999 database.
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Measures, which dispatches a public
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Mississippi, Missouri, Pennsylvania
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226 Table 7.6 Summary of utility re
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DISCUSSION - KEY EXAMPLES OF STATE
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ill. Condominium associations are g
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under construction after January 1,
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Weights and Measures Regulation In
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from the submetering. Meter testing
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clean and decent housing or the lac
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240
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NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE F
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complaints in all 50 states and app
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- Meters must demonstrate in testin
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- Plumbing systems are space constr
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(2) Twisted or kinked flex supply l
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252
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Estimated Water Use By Different Bi
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there are clear benefits to these s
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study site. These values were then
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immediately strengthens the owner's
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among the nation's key strategies f
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all repair and replacement decision
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These findings underscore the obser
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varies with volume of use) for mult
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Recommendation 6 - Efficient plumbi
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financially responsible for their o
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individual unit, the volume allocat
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RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARC
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Fixed rates - Part of a master mete
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Total-capture submetering - a type
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282
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Corral, L.R. 1997. Price and Non-Pr
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McClelland, L. 1980. Encouraging En
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Young, C.E., K.R. Kinsley and W.E.
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