From the Ground Up: Albuquerque Apartments Realize Savings With Rebate and Retrofits


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From the Ground Up:
Albuquerque
Savings With
Project Summary
The property managers at La Paloma Apartments worked with the local water utility, its contractor, and a local!
landscaping company to replace apartment plumbing fixtures and upgrade the complex's irrigation system.
The property saved more than 5 million gallons of water within the first year, and the project paid for itself
within two years, thanks in part to the utility's rebate program.
Background
In 2016, property managers at La Paloma Apartments in
Albuquerque, New Mexico, examined their water use and realized
there were plenty of opportunities for the complex to save water.
They contacted the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility
Authority (ABCWUA) and were connected with the utility's
consultant, Smart Use, to identify potential indoor and outdoor
water efficiency improvements.
ABCWUA also offered a Water Smart Customized Performance
Rebate; for qualifying projects that save at least 100,000 gallons of
water per year, ABCWUA provided a rebate of half the cost of the
project at a rate of $10 per unit of water (defined as 748 gallons) or
$50,000, whichever was lower.
Audits and Upgrades Help Apartments Save
The apartment complex's water efficiency makeover started in
2016, when ABCWUA began providing water usage reports to
help La Paloma identify seasonal spikes and anomalies in water
use. Smart Use then conducted indoor and outdoor water audits to
identify efficiency upgrades, predict water savings, and calculate
the return on investment for all potential projects. This analysis
would be used to secure a rebate.
Smart Use professionals certified by the WaterSense labeled
Qualified Water Efficient Landscaper (QWEL) program conducted
the landscape audit. It quickly became apparent that the best way
to start was with La Paloma's outdated irrigation system and
associated runoff issues that resulted from the land's steep slope.
In 2019, La Paloma hired local water-efficient landscaping company Green Summit to upgrade the irrigation
system. The firm incorporated system-wide pressure regulation at the valves and retrofitted sprinklers with
Apartments Realize
Rebate and Retrofits
Case Study Highlights
•	Property: La Paloma Apartments
(built in 1994)
•	Location: Albuquerque, New
Mexico
•	Landscape size: 371,422 square
feet of irrigated area
•	Number of residential units: 424
•	Water savings: Over 5 million
gallons of water in 2020
•	Cost savings: Approximately
$20,000 in water bills in 2020
Sloping landscape made runoff an issue for the
apartment complex.
PHONE (866) WTR-SENS (987-7367) WEBSITE www.epa.gov/watersense EMAIL watersense@epa.gov
f*. rnA EPA-832-F-21-0Q6
WtlTH March 2021

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Albuquerque Apartments Realize Savings With Rebate and Retrofits
high-efficiency nozzles. These changes ensure the irrigation system operates at its intended pressure and
flow rate for maximum efficiency. Green Summit also installed check valves that keep water in the irrigation
system at the end of a cycle, rather than allowing it to drain. These improvements help ensure more
consistent irrigation across the landscape and save water that was being lost to drainage and runoff.
Green Summit also installed WaterSense labeled weather-based irrigation controllers (WBICs) with rain and
freeze sensors. WaterSense labeled controllers use real-time weather data and landscape attributes to
irrigate only when plants need water. Although Albuquerque is relatively dry, the additional rain sensors
ensure that the irrigation system will not run needlessly during or after rain.
The property managers also decided to upgrade ail apartment units to replace showerheads and faucet
aerators with WaterSense labeled models. To gain support from residents, ABCWUA worked with La Paloma
to develop communication materials to help residents identify leaks and understand the value of the
WaterSense labeled products.
Results
La Paloma saved over five million gallons of water total, both indoors and out, in the first year after the
project's completion. The complex also saved more than $20,000 on its water bills in 2020 and expected to
recover its project costs by the end of 2021. La Paloma property managers have plans for ongoing
improvements to continue saving water—and money—in the future.
Multiple Partners Made the Multifamily Makeover
It took teamwork to implement these successful water efficiency improvements. After becoming interested in
reducing the complex's water use, La Paloma's property managers contacted ABCWUA; they were
encouraged to undertake their indoor installations and irrigation system upgrades and ultimately received
ABCWUA's Water Smart Customized Performance Rebate for $41,600—half the total project cost. In addition
to the rebate, La Paloma staff were able to leverage Smart Use's analytical expertise and Green Summit's
water-efficient landscaping knowledge—a win-win for everyone involved.
ABCWUA was also enthusiastic about the partnership The utility strives to save water on a regional level in
Albuquerque's desert climate, working with multifamily, commercial, and institutional buildings to achieve that
goal. ABCWUA had initially found it challenging to connect with multifamily properties, and La Paloma
presented a great opportunity to expand into that sector. Smart Use is continuing to monitor water savings at
the apartment complex, providing data that will allow ABCWUA to grow its work with multifamily buildings and
help La Paloma continue to save water.
Lessons Learned
• Partner with professionals. The property managers at La
Paloma took initiative to seek out a partnership with the
local water utility to conserve resources. ABCWUA
employees and their contractor provided input on the
design of La Paloma's water efficiency measures, and
QWEL-certified staff suggested specific landscape
improvements. This combination of interest and
qualifications resulted in major water savings.
• Think long-term. La Paloma property managers began
talking to ABCWUA about ways to save water in 2016—three years before they put a shovel in the
ground. The property managers have a five-year plan that ensures their water savings will increase
overtime.

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Albuquerque Apartments Realize Savings With Rebate and Retrofits
•	Don't give up, even when things are going downhill, The team faced challenges while updating
the irrigation system for maximum water savings due to the sloping landscape. Green Summit
monitored and adjusted irrigation system components until the system functioned as intended.
•	Spread the word. La Paloma and ABCWUA prioritized communicating the importance of the water
reduction efforts to apartment residents. As a result, residents responded positively to the upgrades
and helped support the overall initiative.
Acknowledgements
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) WaterSense program would like to thank Carlos Bustos
of the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority for providing information and images for this case
study.
Learn More
The WaterSense website has educational resources on water efficiency in multifamiiy properties. If you're
interested in WaterSense labeled products, visit www.epa.gov/watersense/watersense-products and
https://www.epa.gov/watersense/irriaation-controllers. To learn more about outdoor water efficiency, visit
www.epa.gov/watersense/outdoors. To find out more about irrigation professionals certified by a WaterSense
labeled program, visit wvw.epa.gov/watersense/irrigation-pro.

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