Dairy Operations

Dairies use water for cooling, cleaning, livestock drinking water and other purposes. Conservation requirements are based on water use needs per cow in the base program. In addition, the Third Management Plan offers a BMP program for dairies to allow greater flexibility in water use per cow while still maintaining a high level of water efficient technology.

Large-scale Cooling Facilities

Any cooling facility with a total cooling capacity of at least 1000 tons must be managed to maintain operating efficiency while minimizing wastewater for disposal. The Second Management Plan regulated only new cooling facilities with over 250 tons capacity. The changes were in response to input from the regulated community. Conservation requirements include maintaining enough cycles of concentration to meet a minimum concentration of silica or total hardness in blow down water.

Large-scale Power Plants

Large plants producing 25 megawatts or more of electricity must achieve a specified number of “cycles of concentration,” a measure of the degree to which cooling water is recycled. As water is recycled, salt concentrations increase due to evaporation and fresh water must be added for proper operation. Maximizing cycles of concentration saves water. Pre-1985 facilities must achieve 7 or more cycles, and post-1984 facilities 15 or more cycles.

Metal Mines

Metal mining facilities that use or intend to use 500 acre-feet or more per year are regulated. An acre-foot is equivalent to 325,851 gallons. Specific requirements are intended to maximize recycling, minimize evaporation losses, and minimize water used in tailing transport, dust control and revegitation. Metal mines must also prepare long-range conservation plans. Mines that began operation after 1984 and new facilities must meet additional requirements designed to minimize water waste.

New Large Industrial Uses (>100 acre-feet per year)

New large industrial water uses (such as for ice manufacturing or other industry) must submit a conservation plan to ADWR. ADWR evaluates conservation potential and customizes conservation requirements to the type of use.

New Large landscape Uses

Areas planted with water intensive plants are limited to a maximum area of 10,000 ft2 (20,000 ft2 for hotels and motels) plus 20% of the total landscapable area in excess of 10,000 ft2 (or 20,000 ft2 for hotels and motels). The surface area of pools and ponds are counted in the water-intensive area because of evaporation. For example, if a non-hotel facility has a total of 15,000 ft2 available for planting, and no water features, the maximum area that could be planted with high water use plants would be 11,000 ft2 (because 10,000 + 0.20(15,000-10,000) = 11,000).

Sand and Gravel Facilities

Sand and gravel facilities that use or intend to use more than 100 acre-feet of water per year must: construct disposal ponds or install clarifiers to collect and reuse runoff and drainage water; construct their facilities to maximize reclamation of wash water; implement measures to reduce water used for dust control and cleaning; and prepare and implement long-range water conservation plans.

Turf-Related Facilities

Facilities with 10 or more acres of turf, including golf courses, cemeteries, parks, schools, and housing development common areas, are regulated. ADWR calculates annual water allotments based on the acres of turf, low-water-use landscaping, and lake surface area. New facilities have limitations on the acreage of turf and surface area of lakes eligible to receive an allotment. Turf facilities have flexibility accounts with credit and debit limits to adjust for droughts and wet periods. As an incentive to use treated effluent for landscape watering, each acre-foot of effluent used for landscape watering is counted as 0.7 acre-foot in determining compliance with the allotment. Allotments are not enforceable when facilities use 100% effluent. Facilities are required to develop site-specific landscape water conservation plans. Water saving strategies include installation of state-of-the-art efficient landscape watering systems, reduction of turf, use of low-water-use plants, mulching to reduce evaporation, and proper soil preparation.