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of these models included the billing methodology (submetering or RUBS) as a factor. The results of this methodology are a set of models that account for a variety of different factors shown to influence water use. At the same time these models also evaluate the impact of submetering vs. in-rent billing and RUBS vs. in-rent billing. Step-wise regression was also used to create a multivariate model that includes all of the relevant independent variables shown to have statistical significance. The single most statistically powerful predictive multivariate regression model developed in this study was Model #2. This model was selected as the “best estimate” of water use and savings in submetered and RUBS properties because of the large sample size (n=953), because it had one of the highest coefficients of determination (R 2 =0.245) of any of the more the 50 models examined by the researchers, and because the overall model was found to be statistically significant at the 95% confidence level. Model #2 includes eight independent variables identified as significant from the ANOVA and Pearson Correlation analyses. In addition, a ninth variable, the use of a RUBS, was forced into the model. Even though it was not found to be statistically significant whether a property used RUBS was central to this study and it was important that the variable be included explicitly. The resulting nine independent variables were: ! Average number of bedrooms per unit ! Year the property was built (1994 and earlier or 1995 and later) ! Rental property (private and government subsidized) vs. non-rental properties (i.e. condominiums, private resident owned, and other) ! Utility’s average commodity charge for water and wastewater ! Presence of a play area ! Presence of a cooling tower ! Classification as senior citizen/retirement community ! RUBS ! Submetering Fundamental information and statistics from the regression model are presented Table ES.1.6. The adjusted coefficient of determination (R 2 ) for Model #2 is 0.245. This indicates that the model explains about 25 percent of the variability in the data. The coefficient of determination (R 2 ) is a measure of the goodness of fit of the model to the actual data on which site visits determined that the reported number of residents was a less accurate value than the reported number of xxvi
the model was based. A model with a perfect fit would have an R 2 value of 1.0. The P-value for the model itself is 0.00 indicating that whatever fit does exist is statistically significant at the 95% confidence level. Table ES.1.6 Model #2 summary statistics, coefficient of determination, and significance Adjusted R Std. Error of Degrees of R R Square F P-value Square the Estimate Freedom 0.502 0.252 0.245 21.39659 952 35.366 0.000 Predictors: (Constant), submetering, rental property (compared to non-rental property), play area, cooling tower, is the property considered a senior citizen/retirement community, average price utility charges for water and wastewater, RUBS, property built before 1995 (compared to properties built 1995 or later), average number of bedrooms per unit Dependent Variable: Indoor water use per unit (average 2001, 2002) The coefficients presented in Table ES.1.7 present the magnitude of the “effect” of the different independent variables in the model. The coefficients are additive, and details about how to formulate the generic equation from these coefficients are found in the body of the report. Of particular interest are the coefficients for RUBS and submetering. In Model #2, eight of the nine independent variables were statistically significant. The only factor that wasn’t statistically significant was RUBS. The B coefficient shows the magnitude of the effect, and is graphically displayed in Figure ES.1.1 and Figure ES.1.2. For submetering the B coefficient was –7.96 indicating that submetered properties used 7.96 kgal per unit less water than in-rent properties after adjusting the other significant independent variables. This effect was statistically significant at the 95% confidence level. The B coefficient is a measure of the effect of each factor in the model. It is worth noting that three factors in this model were found to be more significant influences on multi-family water use than submetering. These are: (1) whether the property was built before 1995; (2) whether the property has a cooling tower; and (3) the average number of bedrooms per unit. Another three factors were found to have an influence on water use with similar magnitude to submetering. These are: (1) whether the property is a senior/retirement community; (2) whether the property has a play area; and (3) whether the property is a rental. units. Finally, the relationship between total indoor water use at a property and number of units was almost linear. xxvii
Page 1 and 2: NATIONAL MULTIPLE FAMILY SUBMETERIN
Page 3 and 4: CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES............
Page 5 and 6: Matched-Pair Analysis .............
Page 7 and 8: LIST OF TABLES Table ES.1.1 Breakdo
Page 9: Table 6.6 Elasticity values, analys
Page 12 and 13: Figure 4.30 RUBS water bill #6 ....
Page 14 and 15: investigated local water savings as
Page 16 and 17: We are grateful to the members of a
Page 18 and 19: quantitative aspects of separate bi
Page 20 and 21: 3. Owner/postcard survey: To identi
Page 22 and 23: "averages" of impact property water
Page 24 and 25: in-rent properties, others used the
Page 28 and 29: 70 Average Annual Water Use Per Uni
Page 30 and 31: COSTS AND BENEFITS Beyond quantifyi
Page 32 and 33: service charge, then the resident w
Page 34 and 35: Billing Method Efficient Fixtures?
Page 36 and 37: 70 Avg. Water Use per MF Unit (kgal
Page 38 and 39: REGULATORY FRAMEWORK REVIEW The fra
Page 40 and 41: Table ES.1.12 NSUAA Summary of Stat
Page 42 and 43: above, the researchers offer the fo
Page 44 and 45: service is preferable, and would he
Page 46 and 47: practices (BMPs) should be implemen
Page 48 and 49: infrastructure of the building and
Page 50: multi-family housing. The transfer
Page 53 and 54: CHAPTER 1 INTRODU CTION More and mo
Page 55 and 56: In 1998, 15.0%, or 15.4 million, of
Page 57 and 58: TERMINOLOGY AND DEFINITIONS OF BILL
Page 59 and 60: submetering. With utility-submeteri
Page 61 and 62: all the two bedroom units for $20 p
Page 63 and 64: HOW TO USE THIS REPORT This report
Page 67 and 68: CHAPTER 2 LITERAT URE REVIEW As the
Page 69 and 70: A review of the literature unearthe
Page 71 and 72: The price elasticity of water deman
Page 73 and 74: expected. Additionally, McClelland
Page 75 and 76: submetered and five control (in-ren
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Another study might want to target
Page 81 and 82:
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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$700 Average Rent Per Bedroom ($) $
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Percent of Surveyed Properties with
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Impact properties were also more li
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Table 4.8 Issues considered before
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Percent of Surveyed Impact Properti
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60% Percent of Surveyed Properties
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From the visits, it was found that
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100% Percent of Surveyed Residents
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Roughly similar proportions of resi
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inserts for toilets (21%) or low-fl
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proportion were unsure, 37% from su
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Table 4.18 Ownership and rental rat
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Figure 4.17 Submeter water bill #1
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wastewater rates are not shown so t
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Figure 4.23 Hot water hybrid water
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RUBS Sample Bills Seven sample RUBS
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wastewater rates are not shown so t
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Figure 4.28 RUBS water bill #4 from
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Figure 4.30 RUBS water bill #6 RUBS
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directly to and then paid by the th
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never subtracting for common area w
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Late Fees At the start of water bil
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124
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intuitively clear, and matches comm
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Indoor water use was normalized on
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Table 5.3 Summarized water use anal
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easonable assumption since there is
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Figure 5.1 shows the frequency dist
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40 Difference in Annual Water Use p
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after 1995. By including only those
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70 Average Annual Water Use Per Uni
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Table 5.11 Statistical tests compar
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Factors that Influence Water Use Th
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Table 5.12 Association of categoric
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Indoor Water Use per Unit in 2001 I
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Table 5.13 Continuous factors from
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Multivariate Models to Determine Im
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properties built before 1995 were c
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70 Average Annual Water Use Per Uni
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A = Beta coefficient for “Propert
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substantially reduces the sample si
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Table 5.17 Model #2 coefficients an
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0.00 indicating that whatever fit d
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commodity charge for water and wast
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properties having generally lower w
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110 Average Annual Water Use Per Un
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analysis, intended to control best
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Table 5.27 Paired samples test, all
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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
Page 336 and 337:
Corral, L.R. 1997. Price and Non-Pr
Page 338 and 339:
McClelland, L. 1980. Encouraging En
Page 340:
Young, C.E., K.R. Kinsley and W.E.
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