5.9.08
 
M.U.D. helps customers explore efficiencies of natural gas, water conservation
by Nancy Line Jacobs, Midlands Business Journal
 
From enclosing with monthly bills seed packets for low water use perennial gardens to exploring relationships with vehicle fleet owners to power company cars with natural gas, Metropolitan Utilities District is seeking innovative ways to help households and businesses reduce their carbon footprint.
 
"Our 'Live Green. Think Blue' campaign launched last year comes from a higher level of consciousness in the global warming discussion," said Doug Clark, vice president of Governmental Affairs and Marketing at M.U.D.

"The efficiencies of natural gas have been forgotten as oil was trading at $25 a barrel instead of close to $120." Clark said. "One of the advantages we have as a water and natural gas company is the ability to provide the public with two of the most needed and environmentally-friendly products on earth."
 
Green living is a lifestyle choice that growing numbers of consumers are considering as they decide which appliances or vehicles to buy, and even on daily refreshment purchases and their packaging.
 
"You can buy a bottle of water for $1.20 at the gas station, but we deliver a thousand gallons directly to your house for the same price," Clark said. "The water we drink every day is closely monitored by M.U.D. so there are definitely economic benefits to using what's already available."
 
Natural gas appliances also represent good consumer value, Clark said, as 90 percent of natural gas generated for home use is consumed as opposed to 27 percent of electricity. More than half of the electricity generated nationally comes from coal. Natural gas currently generates approximately 31 percent.
 
M.U.D.'s customers -- just over 200,000 for natural gas and just under 200,000 for water -- already have been sensible consumers, Clark said.
 
"We constructed the Platte South Plant in 1968 to better serve the growing metropolitan area's water needs and immediately began planning for a third water treatment facility," he said. "Omaha consumers have managed resources so well that we were able to delay construction for 25 years."
 
The Platte West Plant is scheduled to come on line in June, Clark said. "We put allot of conservation efforts into this plant, installing wetlands rain gardens to delay water run-off from rooftops and paved areas, and reusing backwash water instead of discharging it into storm sewers," he said.
 
Use of glass sidelights and low-voltage control systems will help reduce electricity use, Clark said, and native grasses that will stand up to hot Nebraska summers with little water on the 200-acre site at 216th & Q.
 
Clark said educational efforts like M.U.D.'s consumer newsletter and its 50-year-old speakers bureau have helped promote intelligent energy use for decades.
 
"We know our efforts are working because M.U.D. has added more than 30,000 consumers in the past decade, but we're selling the same amount of natural gas, and water use has dropped," Clark said. "People have become seriously committed to conserving, and so has Metropolitan Omaha Home Builders with new home construction with better weather-stripping, windows and insulation. Better built homes are paying dividends."
 
Clark is an energy-conscious consumer who renovated his own 1929 home for increased efficiency. "Before making improvements six years ago, my furnace kicked on every 20 minutes on a cold winter night," he said. "Now it's only about every two hours, and it makes a huge savings difference."
 
In addition to his position with M.U.D., Clark is a lobbyist whose primary objective is keeping abreast of regulations or pending legislation that can affect M.U.D. consumers.
 
"The most critical thing I do as a lobbyist is to see that undue costs aren't placed on our consumers," he said. "Some bills, like double-metering outside the house for measuring internal and external water use, are well intended, but our raw numbers already tell us that most customers are using 28 percent of their water outside and 72 percent inside for daily home functions. Adding another meter at up to $1,000 per home isn't a useful expense."
 
By promoting low water use summer gardens, a joint effort with the Douglas County Extension Office, both commercial and residential customers enjoy attractive landscaping for longer periods, Clark said.
 
"We have an example of one at Village Pointe Shopping Center, and the Extension Office has been a great partner in showing people what they can do with low water flower beds."
 
As M.U.D. looks for other partnerships to use water and natural gas wisely, they are revisiting the possibility of teaming with other companies that would consider using natural gas as a vehicle fleet fuel, Clark said.
 
"M.U.D. has 28 natural gas powered service vehicles traveling daily around the city," Clark said. "Natural gas is currently running about a $1 cheaper per gallon than gasoline and produces almost zero emissions. It's an option that's well worth exploring for vehicles that mainly are used in the metropolitan area."
 
Clark said M.U.D. tried opening four or five natural gas vehicle fueling stations in the area several years ago; they closed due to lack of interest.
 
"We don't have anyone standing in line asking for it right now, but we're seeking discussions with those who are interested in reviewing their use of fleet fuel and would consider 'greening' their vehicles by converting to natural gas. It's not only good for the environment, but for the bottom line," Clark said.
 
With oil prices continuing to rise, Clark is optimistic that the right combination of experts to work out hurdles presented by vehicle conversions and the limited availability of fully natural gas powered cars will reap future benefits.
 
"When you look ahead to environmental factors and costs, natural will shine," Clark said.

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