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2017 Resource Efficiency & Community Service Awards - Application Page 9 <br />Describe how this activity promotes the efficient use of natural resources <br />and /or serves local community needs. <br />During drought conditions, water conservation is key to meeting customers' demand for <br />water. This campaign, which resulted in reduced water use, enabled the Water Resources <br />Division to meet customer demand — avoiding any kind of rationing —and supply sufficient <br />water for the entire community. Furthermore, anytime a consumer opens the faucet, it's more <br />than water that's flowing. According to the California Energy Commission, up to 28% of <br />residential electricity goes to water - related uses. Wise water use such as washing full loads <br />of laundry and dishes, and taking shorter showers, helps residents save energy. It also helps <br />reduce the City's demand on the power grid since it is pumping and moving less water. Water <br />conservation helps preserve our natural resources and reduces our carbon footprint. <br />Describe and quantify, if possible, the actual or anticipated benefits as a <br />result of the activity to customers, ratepayers, and /or the community. <br />Water conservation and efficiency is central to Santa Ana's long -term sustainability as a <br />municipal water provider. The "Every Drop Counts: Let's Not Waste It" campaign was highly <br />successful in rallying the community to do its part and save water. Santa Ana water <br />customers reduced their usage by 17 %, exceeding the City's state - mandated target by 5 %. <br />This is the most important metric we used in evaluating the effectiveness of our campaign. <br />Furthermore, residents learned ways to easily save water by modifying their everyday habits. <br />These newly acquired habits helped water customers avoid penalties and, in fact, saved <br />them an average of 15% on their water bills in 2016. Since the statewide mandate and new <br />water use restrictions were established, no violation warnings have been sent by the City, <br />which is a clear indication that customers heard the campaign message and remained in <br />compliance. Awareness and a focus on smart water use reinforces the importance of <br />environmental stewardship and will ensure we are all working towards building a more <br />sustainable future for California. <br />Describe how the benefits of this activity might be applicable to other <br />utilities /agencies. <br />Santa Ana's "Every Drop Counts: Let's Not Waste It" campaign has proven that a fully <br />integrated communications program can create quantifiable results in achieving reduced <br />water use throughout one's customer base. Other utilities and agencies can learn from and <br />build upon Santa Ana's experience in educating and incentivizing customers to save water. <br />W_AH T _i <br />