Water loss is an escalating concern across the globe, especially when you consider some countries struggle to access clean water supplies. To combat the problem of dwindling water supplies locally, California passed legislation requiring public water utilities to undergo a water audit.
The bill, entitled “SB-555 Urban retail water suppliers: water loss management,” has various implications for water companies across the state.
Following is a review about what the bill mandates and how water utilities can comply with the required water audit.
What Does the Water Audit Bill State?
Existing legislation under the California Water Action Plan, which was first implemented in 2014 by Governor Brown as part of a sustainable water action plan, requires the state to reduce urban per capita water use by 20 percent. The timeline for achieving this is the end of 2020 and requires urban water retailers to develop water use targets.
The SB-555 water audit legislation, adopted January 2017, now requires urban water companies to submit a yearly validated water loss audit report that documents their previous year’s activity.
The SB-555 water audit legislation, adopted January 2017, now requires urban water companies to submit a yearly validated water loss audit report that documents their previous year’s activity.
The water audit must adhere to the methods set forth by the American Water Works Association and be conducted by a certified water loss auditor.
This information will be delivered by the Department of Water Resources, which will post reports online to allow for cross-company comparisons and public viewing.
Additionally, the department must offer technical assistance and the State Water Resources Control Board must adopt the rules by no later than July 1, 2020.
The water audit is mandatory for every utility with more than 3,000 service connections or which produce 3,000-acre-feet of water annually.
To validate an audit, water suppliers must use a technical expert, who can leverage their expertise to confirm data entries while characterizing quality.
The department will adopt standardized methods for submitting reports, while urban retail water suppliers will adhere to standards outlined in the latest version of the American Water Works Association’s Water Audits and Loss Control Program, Free Software, and Manual M36.
Companies must supply their audit on or before October 1st of each year.
The State Water Resources Control Board will contribute $400,000 toward assistance in water loss audit validation for urban water retailers.
Who is Involved?
Each audit should be attested to by an organization’s chief engineer, general manager, or chief financial officer.
If an audit is submitted incompletely, it will be returned to its sender to be updated and sent back within 90 days.
The technical assistance offered by the state water board includes pressure management techniques, metering techniques, condition-based assessment techniques, permanent water loss detection devices, and much more.
The board will later incorporate performance standards, alongside life-cycle cost accounting for evaluation. It might also establish a minimum water loss threshold, which would exempt suppliers from further water loss requirements.
How is Nobel Systems Involved?
To help companies track water loss, Nobel Systems is leveraging its geospatial services and cloud technology. This can integrate with a company’s existing infrastructure, facilitating the sharing of water loss data during each water audit.
Nobel Systems Chief Technology Officer Aretha Samuel is a certified water audit validator. This creates scope for collaboration, where Nobel can execute mandatory audit requirements for its clients.
Nobel Systems has been selected by the Cities of Azusa, Cerritos and the Mission Springs Water District to perform the validation for the water audit. In addition, Nobel will conduct water loss audits for the Rainbow Municipal and the Olivenhain Municipal Water Districts.
For more information about Nobel Systems water auditing program, please visit nobel-systems.com.