Section 1624 - Swimming Pool Filter Pump Load Management Standard(a) Application. The provisions of this section are applicable to electric filter pumps which routinely circulate water through private residential inground or aboveground swimming pools within the utility's service area. It does not apply to pumps used to circulate swimming pool water heated by active solar collectors.(b) Program. The utility shall undertake a program to encourage its customers to restrict the use of swimming pool filter pumps as follows:(1) Off-Peak Hours. Customers should operate filter pumps during off-peak hours as determined by the utility for its service area. Customers should run their filter pumps outside of the suggested hours only if the noise from their pumps violates a local noise ordinance, or because their pumps cannot circulate enough water within the suggested hours to properly filter or heat the pool.(2) Operating Time. Customers should restrict filter pump operation to only two hours daily in winter and four hours daily in summer. However, if the pool water does not remain clear or in proper chemical balance, the customer may increase filter operation time by successive half-hour periods until the water remains clear and properly balanced chemically.(3) Time Clock. The utility shall encourage its customers to buy time clocks if they do not already have them. The utility may provide time clocks to those of its customers who do not already have them. The utility shall offer its assistance to any customer who seeks aid in setting time clocks.(c) Program Goals. Within 12 months after the Commission approves a utility's Swimming Pool Filter Pump Plan and the utility's rate-approving body approves a method for recovering the costs of the program, the utility shall have contacted 100 percent of those identified customers to whom the standard applies.(d) Swimming Pool Filter Pump Plan. No later than six months after this article becomes effective, the utility shall submit a Swimming Pool Filter Pump Plan. This plan shall indicate how the utility intends to contact, within 12 months after the Commission approves the plan and the rate-approving body approves the program-related expenditures, 100 percent of those identified customers to whom the standard applies and the measures to be undertaken for systemwide implementation following the contact period. This plan shall, as a minimum, include the following elements of a filter pump program:(1) Objectives--The plan shall describe, in detail, the utility's objectives in pursuing the swimming pool filter pump time clock reset program. It shall also include an assessment of the impact of the program on system reliability, need for new capacity, fuel efficiency, and overall costs.(2) Organization--The plan shall describe how the utility will organize and manage the time clock reset program. It shall include organization charts, qualifications for each position and the reporting relationship of the effort to the President or General Manager of the utility. The plan shall describe how the utility intends to recruit and hire the personnel needed to staff the proposed organization.(3) Schedule and Budget--The plan shall include a detailed schedule for each of the program elements. The schedule shall indicate each task required to complete each element, the level of effort assigned to each task, and the beginning and ending dates of each task. The plan shall include the utility's detailed budget for carrying out all elements of the time clock reset program. It shall display dollars budgeted over time, by task, for personnel, equipment, education and surveys.(4) Customer Contact--The plan shall describe how the utility intends to identify those residences in its service area which have inground or above-ground pools subject to this standard. The plan shall also describe how the utility intends to contact 100 percent of its identified swimming pool customers, within 12 months after the Commission approves the plan and the utility's rate-approving body approves a method for recovering the costs of the program, in order to solicit their participation in the time clock reset program. In its initial contact with each customer, the utility will provide all pertinent information on the timing and duration of swimming pool filter pump use as well as the benefits of using an automatic time clock to run the pump. The plan shall show how the activities of this element are reasonably related to the program goal.(5) Public Education--The plan shall describe how the utility expects to inform the public regarding the use of filter pumps and the cost-effectiveness of purchasing or resetting time clocks.(6) Program Operations--The plan shall describe how the utility intends to cause time clocks to be reset, how resetting will be recorded, and how the utility will provide assistance to any customer who seeks aid in setting or resetting time clocks. If the utility plans personal visits, it shall describe what information will be obtained from each visit. The plan shall describe how the utility expects to determine and demonstrate the cost-effectiveness of purchasing time clocks by pool owners who do not have time clocks. In addition, the plan may describe how the utility will provide time clocks to those of its customers who do not already have them. The plan shall describe how the utility intends to respond to customer questions, problems, or complaints about the program.(7) Program Evaluation and Reporting--The plan shall describe how the utility intends to conduct annual surveys which will enable the utility to determine when and for how long its customers actually use their swimming pool filter pumps. Surveys must use generally accepted and statistically valid survey methods. These surveys shall indicate the percentage of the utility's customers to whom the standard applies that are taking part in the filter pump program. The plan shall show how evaluations, including the program's impact on the load duration curve, will be made and the results fed back into each element to improve the program on a regular basis. The plan shall describe how the utility will report progress in implementing the time clock reset program to the Commission. It shall show how the Commission will be notified, in a timely manner, of unexpected delays or difficulties. The plan shall include an outline of the reporting formats that the utility intends to use for annual reports.(8) Other Information--The plan shall include any other information that the utility deems appropriate for Commission consideration in relation to the time clock reset program. Review and approval of Swimming Pool Filter Pump Plans shall be carried out in accordance with the provisions of Section 1621(d).
As soon as the Commission has approved a utility's Swimming Pool Filter Pump Plan and the utility's rate-approving body has approved a method for recovering the cost of the program, the utility shall begin its swimming pool filter pump program.
(e) Progress Report. Within 15 months after commencing the program, the utility shall submit a Progress Report to the Commission. This Report shall describe how the utility has conducted its program of 100 percent customer contact. This Report shall also specify the level of voluntary customer participation which the utility has been able to achieve as a result of this program, the extent to which the utility has conducted follow-up contacts with its customers, and shall provide any other relevant information which the utility has obtained as a result of its contact program. In addition, the Report shall recommend whether this program should be continued or whether it should be discontinued. Within 60 days after its receipt of a utility's Progress Report, the Commission shall hold a public hearing to determine whether the program should be continued or whether it should be discontinued.
(f) Annual Reports. If the Commission determines that the program should be continued, the utility shall submit a report to the Executive Director within 12 months after such determination, and annually thereafter. These Reports shall describe the utility's ongoing program efforts, shall provide the results of annual surveys which will enable the utility to determine when and for how long its customers actually use their swimming pool filter pumps, and shall indicate the impact of this program on the previous year's load duration curve.(g) Compliance. The utility shall be in compliance with this standard if: (1) The utility is carrying out its program in accordance with the provisions of an approved Swimming Pool Filter Pump Plan;(2) Within 12 months after the Commission has approved the utility's Swimming Pool Filter Pump Plan and the rate-approving body has approved a method for recovering the costs of the program, the utility shall have contacted 100 percent of those identified customers to whom the standard applies; and(3) The utility submits all required reports on time.Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 20, § 1624
Note: Authority cited: Sections 25213 and 25218(e), Public Resources Code. Reference: Section 24503.5, Public Resources Code.