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Newsletter of the VJ. Planning Office and the V.I. ter Resources Research Center Saye SRR Winds gy yr Caribbean Research Institute > College of the Virgin Islands St.Thomas, US.Virgin Islands 00801 809/774-1252 Ext. 250 Vol. 3. No. 2 March-Apr. 1980 Edited By: Henry Smith WATER USEAGE PATTERNS STUDY PRO- VIDING SURPRISING DATA What is the daily per capita demand for water in the Virgin Islands? Amazingly low, if mid- study findings hold for the entire WRRC Water Useage Patterns Study. This study is currently being carried out to obtain a better fix on per capita daily demand for water in the Virgin Islands. Current planning figures run the range of 50 to 150 gallons per capita per day (gpcd) which is too wide a range for effective planning. At approximately four months into the field work of this water use- age study, initial reduction of the raw data involving over 1100 dwelling unit days and almost 4000 per capita days is providing some rather surprising findings. These findings are presented as unweighted averages by dwelling units. (See Table at end of newsletter) For those readers who find the figures presented as being un- believeably low a few points should be noted. First, the findings of this study do not in- clude water used away from home. However, it is felt that because of the timing of the test period ava she thniques used, that the -‘--« 3sented.are probably slightly higher than the true annual per capita useage. For example, the test period included a rainy December with Christmas and school vacation useage which is higher than normal. Because of two preceding years with high rainfall and high cistern levels it can be speculated that water con- servation by water users was not at an all time high. As mentioned by one owner, "We can make the last quarter of our cistern supply last about as long as the first three quarters". Because of the small size, 16 water pumps and 14 dwellings, it is not the contention of this study, at this time, that the figures presented truly represent the current residential demand for the entire population. However, it is felt that these water useage figures are consistent with reasonable water conservation prac- tices and high standards of living in the Virgin Islands. These figures may be used when planning supply requirements that wholly or partially depend on fossil fueled seawater distillation plants. That is, if the true per capita demand for the entire population is greater than those pre- sented by this study, then investment in water conservation is probably a better option than the investment in excessive desalting capacity. * * * * * * WATER USE LOG tf SITE NAME SITE # LOCATION PHONE SECTION I coL. 1 COL.2 COL. 3 COL. 4 COL. 5 & 6 COL. Z DATE & TIME METER VE. NUMBER OF |TOTAL GALLONS}|GALLONS PER DAY NOTES OF READING READING DCCUPANTS * TOTAL|PER CAPITA (days vacant,etc.) * OR TOTAL PEOPLE DAYS SLMMARY: TOTAL DAYS » TOTAL PEOPLE DAYS » TOTAL GALLONS PER CAPITA DAILY USEAGE: AVE, >» RANGE TO » STANDARD DEV. » VAR. SECTION II SITE CHARACTERISTICS: A. NUMBER OF BATHROOMS ° OF DISH WASHING MACHINES B. UNIT IS OCCUPIED BY OWNER » SHORT TERM RENTER(TOURIST) OF BEDROOMS » OF LAUNDRY WASHING MACHINES » OTHER >» WHO ARE OF ISLAND » OR CONTINENTAL » ORIGIN, C. SOURCES OF POTABLE WATER: CISTERN (RAIN) » TRUCKED » WELL » UTILITY PIPELINE » ON SITE DESALINATION » OTHER : D. IS THERE A NON-POTABLE WATER FLUSHING SYSTEM ? YES » NO . IS THERE SUBSTANTIAL USE OF POTABLE WATER FOR IRRIGATION ? YES » NO IS BOTTLED WATER FREQUENTLY USED? YES » NO . » OF GARBAGE DISPOSAL MACHINES : » LONG TERM RENTOR »