New Mexico Office of the State Engineer

Water Conservation and
Quantification of Water Demands in
Subdivisions

A Guidance Manual for
Public Officials and Developers

Prepared by
Brian C. Wilson, P.E.

The Office of the State Engineer logo

New Mexico State Engineer Office
Technical Report 48
May 1996

Published by
New Mexico State Engineer Office
Bataan Memorial Building
P.O. Box 25102
Santa Fe, NM 87504-5102

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	Webmaster's Note: The page numbers on the table of contents for this report on this website will not match the original document due to a problem in the electronic conversion from the original source to the pdf format. The entire document is present with the exception of Appendices A and D as noted below in the Appendices section of the Table of Contents.

Contents

1. PURPOSE      1

2. THE NEW MEXICO SUBDIVISION ACT AS AMENDED IN 1995      1

   2.1. Classification of Subdivisions      1

   2.2. Statutory Responsibilities of County Commissions      2

   2.3. Statutory Responsibilities of the State Engineer Office      2

   2.4. Time Limit on Administrative Action      3

   2.5. Contents of Disclosure Statement      3

3. PROTOCOL FOR SUBMISSION OF PROPOSALS AND COMMENTS FROM PUBLIC AGENCIES      4

4. REQUIRED CONTENTS OF SUBDIVISION PROPOSALS      4

5. PROTOCOL FOR REVIEW OF PROPOSALS      5

6. WATER CONSERVATION MEASURES      7

   6.1. Indoor Plumbing Fixtures      8

      6.1.1. Toilets      8

      6.1.2. Showerheads      8

      6.1.3. Faucets      8

      6.1.4. Insulated Hot Water Pipes      8

   6.2. Appliances      9

      6.2.1. Air Conditioners      9

      6.2.2. Dishwashers      9

      6.2.3. Hot Water Heaters      9

      6.2.4. Washing Machines      9

      6.2.5. Water Softeners      10

   6.3. Landscaping      10

      6.3.1. Xeriscape      10

      6.3.2. Landscape Design Requirements      13

      6.3.3. Training Landscape Maintenance Personnel      15

      6.3.4. Irrigation with Reclaimed Wastewater      15

      6.3.5. Water Harvesting      17

   6.4. Recreational Water Facilities and other Water Features      18

   6.5. Design and Operation of Water System      18

      6.5.1. Pressure Reduction      18

      6.5.2. Metering      19

      6.5.3. Rate Structures (Water Pricing)      19

      6.5.4. Recordkeeping and Water Audits      19

7. WATER DEMAND ANALYSIS      20

   7.1. Classification of Water Systems      20

      7.1.1. Individual Domestic Well      20

      7.1.2. Shared Well      20

      7.1.3. Community Water System      20

   7.2. Community Water System      20

      7.2.1. Example Calculation of Maximum Allowable Subdivision Water Use      25

   7.3. Shared Well      27

   7.4. Methods for Limiting Maximum Allowable Subdivision Water Use      28

8. DESIGN REQUIREMENTS FOR COMMUNITY WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS      29

   8.1. Design Flow      29

      8.1.1. Average Day Demand      29

      8.1.2. Maximum Day Demand      29

      8.1.3. Maximum Hour Demand      29

      8.1.4. Maximum Day Plus Fire Flow      30

   8.2. Pipe Flow Velocity      30

   8.3. Pressure      30

   8.4. Sizing Pipelines      30

   8.5. Hydrant Flow Rate and Location      31

   8.6. Storage      31

   8.7. Adequacy and Reliability of System      32

9. WATER RIGHT REQUIREMENTS AND LIMITATIONS      32

   9.1. Doctrine of Prior Appropriation      32

   9.2. Owning a Water Right      32

   9.3. Obtaining a Water Right      32

   9.4. Quantifying a Water Right      34

   9.5. Changing Ownership      34

   9.6. Separating a Right from the Land      34

   9.7. Changing the Place or Purpose of Use      34

   9.8. Specification of Water Right and Water Use Limitations in Disclosure Statements      35

      9.8.1. Individual Domestic Well      35

      9.8.2. Shared Well      35

      9.8.3. Community Water System      35

      9.8.4. Extended Community Water System      36

      9.8.5. Metering Requirements      36

REFERENCES      37

TABLES

   Table 1. Indoor water use in single and multi-family dwelling units with water conserving plumbing fixtures and appliances, in gallons per capita per day (gpcd).      22

   Table 2. Needed fire flow (NFF) for one and two-family dwellings based on Insurance Services Office standards.      25

APPENDICES


NOTE: Appendices A. and D. are xeroxed materials from other publications and are not available in electronic format. If you would like to review these appendices, please contact the Office of the State Engineer, Water Use and Conservation Bureau to obtain a hardcopy of the complete report.

   A. Model Ordinances Governing Landscape Design Requirements

      (1) Marin Municipal Water District, California

      (2) City of Palo Alto, California

   B. Procedure for the Quantification of Evaporative Cooling Water Requirements

   C. Landscape Irrigation Requirements in New Mexico

   D. Insurance Services Office Procedure for Calculating Needed Fire Flow



   Table of Contents in .PDF format.

   Water Conservation and Quantification of Water Demands in Subdivisions - A Guidance Manual for Public Officials and Developers in .PDF format.

   Appendix B. Procedure for the Quantification of Evaporative Cooling Water Requirements in .PDF format.

   Appendix C. Landscape Irrigation Requirements in New Mexico in .PDF format.