Area of Opportunity 3#
Encourage greater integration of water efficiency into land use planning and building codes#
How a newly developed or a re-developed property uses water largely can be determined by the land use and building codes in place at the time of development. These regulations include requirements for landscapes, irrigation systems and requirements for the minimum efficiency of indoor fixtures and appliances. By increasing water efficiency requirements, growth and re-development lead the way in ensuring a more sustainable future.
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- Increased efficiency of development
- New development will lead by example
- Less waste from pursuing retrofits of recently developed projects
- Reduced impact of population growth
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- Landscape requirements and incentives for new development
- Contractor education and trainings
- New and re-development plan review requirements
- Require the top tier of efficiency of WaterSense appliances and fixtures
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Beginning in 2012, the City’s Green Building Code mandates WaterSense toilets and other fixtures in all new residential and commercial facilities. This is estimated to save between 20-25 percent annually. In 2019, this code was updated to improve the efficiency of showerheads and commercial faucets.
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This Area of Opportunity aligns with City Plan Strategic Objectives (PDF 6.2MB) 1.3, 1.11, 3.7, 4.7 and 4.8.
Did You Know?
You can reduce ‘vampire’ power waste by unplugging electronics that are not in use or plugging them into a smart power strip.
Scraping your dishes clean instead of rinsing them before putting them in the dishwasher saves water.
Pretreating clothing stains may avoid the need to rewash.