MANASOTA & PEACE RIVER BBDs Meeting Notebook 10-21-09.docx

B131
Hotel/Motel/Restaurant Water Conservation Program (Water
CHAMP/PRO)
Project Type Basin Initiatives
AOR(s)
Water Supply, Water Quality
Basin(s) General Fund (District), Alafia River, Hillsborough River, Coastal Rivers, Pinellas-Anclote River,
Withlacoochee River, Peace River, Manasota
Cooperator(s)
Project Manager ROE, MELISSA
Task Manager(s)
Status Ongoing
Citrus 20/20, Inc., Citrus County, City of Bradenton, City of North Port - Public Utilities, City of
Tampa, City of Venice, Hillsborough County, Longboat Key, Manatee County, Peace
River/Manasota Regional Water Supply Auth., Progress Energy, Sarasota, Sarasota County,
Tampa Water Department
RYAN, GERALYN
Description
This Basin Initiative (BI) project provides education to hotel/motel management and guests with the goal of reducing
water use. The District provides printed materials to all participating properties to assist owners/managers in
determining ways to save water through their properties' operational processes, including, but not limited to, a towel
and linen reuse program. To build on the success of Water CHAMP, the District created the Water Program for
Restaurant Outreach (Water PRO) to promote water conservation in restaurants. The CHAMP coordinator will
promote the program through the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association, partnerships with utility companies,
direct mail and site visits to association members and independent restaurants. Materials include a button for wait staff
to wear declaring that the restaurant serves water only upon request, information tabletop displays, children's coloring
sheets, coasters and bathroom mirror cling stickers promoting water conservation to be placed on bathroom
mirrors. Both Water CHAMP and PRO are measured for effectiveness by number of participating properties. In
addition, Water CHAMP has proven its success by conducting two water audits on participating properties in 2003 and
2008.
Benefits
Water CHAMP provides the tools and education needed to help hotel/motel staff and guests learn to conserve water.
This program measures the effectiveness of this education effort via actual water savings. The first evaluation of water
savings was conducted by the City of Tampa and Pinellas County Utilities in 2002 and showed that participants saved
an average of 20 gallons of water per occupied room per day. A five-year follow-up water audit was conducted in
cooperation with 16 utility companies to determine the current level of water savings. The audit compared water
consumption of 115 Water CHAMP participants before the program's implementation in 2002 to the amount used
in 2007. The Districtwide audit showed that participants saved an average of 17 gallons of water per occupied room
per day. The slight adjustment in water savings from the first audit to the five-year follow-up audit is attributed to a
larger representative sample of the entire District. Based on the audit results and occupancy rates it is projected
that more than 185 million gallons of water was saved by participating properties in 2009. In addition to water savings,
this program has successfully prompted a change in water-use behavior as well as increased knowledge
and awareness of the need for water conservation to protect the water resources.
Costs
The total cost of the FY2010 program is $83,692 (District - $7,768; Alafia River - $3,941; Hillsborough River - $13,274;
Coastal Rivers - $6,866; Pinellas-Anclote - $16,613; Withlacoochee River - $6,107; Peace River - $15,113; Manasota -
$14,010.) District funds will be used for CHAMP/PRO properties in the Green Swamp Basin. Funds will be used to
pay for CHAMP/PRO coordinator (District temporary employee) salary, travel, printed materials and costs to educate
the audience and promote the programs through advertising, workshops, tradeshows, professional memberships, etc.
The dollar amount allocated per basin is based on anticipated work within that basin. Based on the average number of
guests exposed to the program, the estimated per person cost for the program is less than $.01. As the program
grows, the cost per person decreases. The cost benefit for the project, using the total cost amortized over five years, is
$0.47 per thousand gallons of water.
Additional Information
The total cost of the program in FY2009 was $83,692, with District funds budgeted for the first time to expand the
program to support the ten hotels/motels in the Green Swamp Basin, which is administered by the Governing Board.
Costs were shared as follows: District - $7,828; Alafia River - $3,550; Hillsborough River - $8,107; Northwest
Hillsborough - $4,070; Pinellas-Anclote - $17,372; Coastal Rivers - $6,563; Withlacoochee River - $6,207; Peace
River - $16,271; and Manasota - $13,724. The District has supported this project since FY2002.
Survey results show a 98 percent approval rating from hotel/motel guests.
021 - Manasota Basin 128