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Q&A
DEP's water usage monitoring and leak detection efforts for smaller users
1:19:36
·
4 min
Council Member Jim Gennaro inquires about DEP's ability to monitor and address water usage issues in smaller buildings, particularly those with significant leaks. DEP Deputy Commissioner Beth DeFalco explains their program to identify and reach out to properties using over 1 million gallons per day, which likely indicates a leak.
- DEP uses a new metering system to identify homes with high water consumption
- Outreach methods include phone calls and door knocks
- The program aims to reduce water consumption and save money for property owners
Jim Gennaro
1:19:36
Thank you, Councilman Ressler, as always.
1:19:39
And, yeah, before we get to the, the prepared questions, I remember in, in, in, in, in your statement, you talked about how DEP wisely checks in with its, with its bigger, you know, water users to make sure that they're being efficient, they don't have leaks or whatever.
1:20:03
And following that to from, you know, from the macro level down to the micro level, is there any way that DEP could make an assessment of of, smaller users.
1:20:23
I'm not talking about, like, single family homes, but like apartment buildings that have, that are using water at a rate that's above what they normally use, suggesting that there's some significant leak.
1:20:39
And it would have to be something big.
1:20:41
So you've got, you know, a certain building, high rise or whatever, that's using 50% more water or whatever.
1:20:47
Is that the kind of thing that in an emergency, you know, DEP might have the ability to monitor and track and knock on the door over there and say, what's going on with with your usage?
1:21:00
This is, like, it's a pretty big number compared to what you ordinarily use.
1:21:03
I think you have a leak.
1:21:05
Is that is that a thing?
Beth DeFalco
1:21:07
Yeah, chairman.
1:21:08
I can take that question.
1:21:09
I bet.
1:21:10
One of the things that, we, in trying to, reduce consumption looked at our, Bureau of Customer Service looked at was water consumption, especially among 1 in 3 family homes and homes that were using more than a 1000000 gallons per day, which likely indicated a leak.
1:21:27
So using our new metering system, we were able to identify, hundreds of homes that we think are using more than a 1000000 gallons a day.
1:21:33
And we are starting a program now to do direct outreach to those homeowners.
Jim Gennaro
1:21:38
What what was it, like, a phone call or, like, what's the outreach?
Beth DeFalco
1:21:41
Four knocks as well.
1:21:43
Pardon?
1:21:43
And knocking on the door as well if if if need be.
1:21:46
Whatever whatever we need to do for two reasons.
1:21:48
1, because there's plenty of savings in terms of consumption that can be had there.
1:21:52
But also, there's, you know, monetary savings for that property owner.
Jim Gennaro
1:21:55
Right.
Beth DeFalco
1:21:56
So, that's something that, that we're starting to do, and I I think probably a positive thing that we were able to find as a result of the, of the Well, I'm
Jim Gennaro
1:22:04
I'm I'm I'm kinda surprised that it goes right down to the most micro level, which would be the single family house.
1:22:14
And so that is that is good to know that that's part of the, you know, paradigm that the EP uses when things get really, dry.
1:22:25
I I actually think the single family house, although in terms of the percentage of the of of the population of the city that actually lives in single family houses is is is a is a relatively low number.
1:22:38
But I think it's the most commonly occurring building structure.
1:22:43
I think there are more single family houses than there are apartment buildings or what I I I think that's how it works.
1:22:50
So yes, there are a lot of them and, if we catch leaks it, it, adds up.
1:22:58
Okay.
1:22:58
Now we get to now most of my colleagues have asked the questions that I think that I had indicated I wanted to ask, so the method of my madness of of letting my members go first is that they save me work.
1:23:12
Right?
1:23:13
I get the questions asked, and I don't have to do it.
1:23:16
So let's see what's left here.
1:23:26
I think council member Salamanca touched on this.
1:23:29
I have a question that staff prepared.
1:23:31
What work is DEP doing to ensure the safety and fire resistance of New York City's parks?
1:23:38
That's what Salamanca was getting into.
1:23:40
If you can just reinforce that answer for me, I'd appreciate it.