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ESCO Water Conservation and Efficiency Flashcards

6 cards from real ESCO practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

Read the first 6 ESCO Water Conservation and Efficiency flashcards as text

  1. What is the typical simple payback period that makes a water conservation measure financially attractive to include in an ESCO bundled contract?

    Answer: Under 5 years when bundled with longer-payback energy measures

    Water measures often have short paybacks and are bundled with longer-payback measures to create an overall project that meets financing requirements.

  2. Which type of sensor is installed in a urinal to enable automatic flush control and prevent unnecessary water use in a no-flush or low-flush retrofit?

    Answer: Passive infrared (PIR) occupancy sensor

    PIR sensors detect body heat to confirm actual use, triggering a flush only when a user is present and then departs.

  3. In US Energy Policy Act (EPAct) 1992, what maximum flush volume was mandated for new residential toilets?

    Answer: 1.6 gallons per flush (gpf)

    EPAct 1992 set the federal standard of 1.6 gpf for toilets, replacing older 3.5–7 gpf models and establishing the baseline ESCOs compare against for further upgrades.

  4. What does 'peak demand management' mean in the context of a water utility's rate structure for a large facility served by an ESCO?

    Answer: Scheduling high-water-use processes during off-peak hours to reduce peak meter demand charges

    Some water utilities charge demand-based fees; shifting large water uses such as irrigation or cooling tower makeup to off-peak periods lowers those charges.

  5. Which rainwater harvesting end use is most commonly approved by US state plumbing codes without requiring a separate permit?

    Answer: Outdoor irrigation

    Most US states permit harvested rainwater for outdoor irrigation with minimal regulatory burden, making it the easiest end use to implement in an ESCO project.

  6. An ESCO calculates the avoided sewer cost for water savings. If 1 million gallons are saved annually and the combined water/sewer rate is $8.00 per thousand gallons, what is the annual cost savings?

    Answer: $8,000

    1,000 thousand-gallon units × $8.00 = $8,000 in annual avoided water and sewer charges.