Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 38, September 20, 2024
(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.
Note: Authority cited: Sections
25213
and
25218(e),
Public Resources Code. Reference: Section
24503.5,
Public Resources Code.
