Designing Water Conservation Policies That Match Sense With Cents: A Case Study Approach

As Georgia increasingly faces the strains imposed by water scarcity, there is growing interest in water conservation programs as a means for dealing with the scarcity problem. There are many types of residential water use conservation programs found in communities across the United States. An important question then becomes: is there one, or possible one set, of conservation policies that apply to all conditions of water scarcity faced by communities with water scarcity problems -- i.e., does a "one size fits all" approach to the design of conservation programs make good sense?In an effort to address this question, we conduct case studies of two cities that face very different water scarcity conditions: Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Phoenix, Arizona. In Albuquerque, where alternative sources of water are very expensive, we find a wide range of incentive-based conservation programs as well as aggressive public outreach and education programs. In Phoenix, where alternative water supplies are relatively inexpensive, incentive-based programs have been rejected; the City relies solely on public outreach and education programs.Examination of the manner in which these two cities have designed their residential water conservation programs provides a clear manifestation of the importance of a government giving close consideration to the benefits and costs associated with any particular conservation program design -- the importance of considering the extent to which the expenditure of "cents" makes good public policy "sense." Such an approach is highly recommended by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and is a basic tool that has been used in U.S. cities whose conservation programs are widely recognized as being exceptionally effective. These observations then raise questions as to the efficacy of state-wide policies requiring, for example, restrictions on outdoor water use in all communities in a state. Our study suggests that Georgia's citizens may well be better served by the adoption of policies designed to "fit" the particular circumstances of water scarcity that is faced by communities affected by the policy. Working Paper Number 2005-00

Enhancing Water Supplies In The Flint River Basin: A Preliminary Exploration Of The ASR Alternative

This study represents the first of a multi-stage project for assessing the physical and economic feasibility of using Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) technology as a means for offsetting water use by new industry in Southwest Georgia. Water quantity in the Flint River Basin is a critically important issue. As a result of water scarcity, the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) may decide to permanently cap water use permits in the Basin at present levels. This very preliminary exploration of the potential use of ASR technology suggests considerable promise for this technology to serve as a means for enhancing water supplies for municipal and industrial (M&I) uses in the Flint River Basin. Our findings should, at a minimum, serve to stimulate interest on the part of local governments in Southwest Georgia in the possibility of establishing a Regional Authority that manages an ASR system that would provide a means by which the region can take its water future in its own hands. Growth, as it relates to access to water, would be locally controlled. The viability of the use of ASR technology must be decided by a regional authority whose decisions will be guided not solely by direct system costs but also by considerations related to the benefits of allowing for the region to accommodate the water needs of new industry and business. In this regard, consideration of such things as job creation and impacts on local tax bases will be of primary importance. The second phase of our ASR research will shed more light on these issues.In this report, we also consider the potential feasibility of using ASR technology to offset agricultural water use. Our preliminary findings in this regard are much less promising in strict economic terms than those related to M&I uses. However, further analyses of long-term social benefits associated with accumulated aquifer storage could change these results. Analyses of these and related topics will be forthcoming in the second phase of this research. Working Paper Number 2005-00

Conservation Pricing Of Household Water Use In Public Water Systems In Georgia's Coastal Communities: A Preliminary Exploration

The purpose of this study is to explore the effect of price on residential water use in public water supply systems in Georgia's Coastal region. Particular attention is focused on measures for the elasticity of demand for residential water use inasmuch as a showing of price inelasticity may make the wider adoption of conservation pricing more palatable to small communities with concerns that raising water prices will reduce much-needed revenues.To clarify the nature and importance of the elasticity measure, consider the following simplified example. A community sells 100 units of water for $1.00 per unit. Its' total revenues are$100. Suppose price is increased by 20% to $1.20, and that the units purchased falls by 30$84.00. In this case, we say that demand is "elastic;" the quantity of water used by folks "stretches" relative to the change in price. With elastic demand, rising prices mean lower total revenues. Suppose, however, that with the 20% price increase, demand fell to only 90 units -- a 10% decrease. Total revenues are now $108. In this case we say demand is inelastic -- quantity doesn't really "stretch" much when prices rise. If demand is inelastic, rising prices means higher revenues.From our limited, phase one efforts in these regards, we use aggregate water pricing data from 50 public water supply systems in 28 coastal counties that participated in a survey conducted during late the period 2003-2005. We find strong evidence that, at the margin, residential water use is indeed affected by prices charged for water in this region. We also find what we regard to be reasonably compelling evidence suggesting that residential water demand is inelastic over the range of marginal prices observed in our sample. This latter finding suggests that the use of conservation pricing as a tool for water conservation may not have an adverse effect on community revenues. Indeed, it may well be the case that increasing water prices will increase, not decrease, the community's revenues from the sale of water.In moving to phase two of this work, a great more will be accomplished in terms of refinements in the nature and quality of data used; greater efforts will be placed on attempts to identify functional forms that will yield best estimates for residential water demand in the state. Our ultimate goal is to be capable of responding to the needs of Georgia communities in the coastal region for information related to how one might improve the design of a community's water rate structure, and to conservation pricing policies that will best serve their interests and the interests of the state. Working Paper Number 2005-00

Redefining the standard compaction test to better describe the usage of cotton picking machines on Australian vertosols

The aim of this project is to investigate the applicability of the standard load used in the Uniaxial Compression Test to describe the impact of large harvesting machines, such as the John Deere 7760 cotton picker (JD7760), on the soil. In the past the Uniaxial Compression Test with a load of 200 kPa has been used to generate a reference maximum bulk density. This test has been used as the Proctor Test was seen to generate a load greater than that typically experienced under farm machinery. However, due to a vast increase in the size and weight of farming machinery it is not uncommon to find soils that have experienced a loading of as much as 600 kPa (JD7760). As such, there is a need to either redefine the load used in the Uniaxial Compression Test or revert to the Proctor Test such that the reference compaction generated is representative of that experienced in the field. In order to achieve the aforementioned aim a review of the pertinent literature has been undertaken. Following this samples were gathered from a variety of sites around South East Queensland. SoilFlex was used to model the distribution of stresses within the soil during the application of a 600 kPa load. (600 kPa being taken as the standard load applied by a JD7760).The results from this analysis are then used to determine a range of applicable loading values (200-600 kPa). Using these values a series of Uniaxial Tests was conducted using a combination of principals derived from articles written by Häkansson (1990) and Suzuki (2013). In addition to this the Proctor Test was undertaken to provide further comparisons. The results from these tests were then compared to the in situ bulk density for each location, allowing for the calculation of a degree of compaction for each loading. Some error was included in the testing that could be resolved through further testing. Despite this the correlations and trends shown within the data support the recommendation of the 1600 kPa proctor test as applicable for simulating the compaction caused by a JD7760

Comparison between RF and electrical signals from the partial discharge activity of twisted pair cables at reduced pressures

A pressure-controlled test facility has been set up that allows the PD behaviour of polymer insulated twisted pair samples exposed to 50 Hz AC voltages in the range of 0 to 10 kV to be characterised. Resulting PD activity is quantified using the methods defined in IEC standard 60270 and by using a simple monopole antenna to detect the RF signals excited inside the pressure vessel by the discharges. This paper gives the results of preliminary tests performed on samples of wire insulated with Ethylenetetraflourethylene, Silicon Rubber and Polyvinylchloride in the pressure range between 103 and 105 Pa in atmospheric air. The dependence of PD inception voltage on the environmental pressure is reported. Changes in the behaviour of the PD activity; the correlations between the RF and electrical measurements and the frequency components of the RF signals as the applied voltage and pressure are varied are characterised and discussed

A more informative way to name plutonic rocks — comment by Frost et al.

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