Quantifying Water Use Impacts and Community Benefits for New Industrial Customers

The project focused on large CII water users seeking to develop or operate in Henderson, reflecting that these new customers could have an outsize impact on the City’s water use and its economic development. To develop the Scorecard, WaterNow:

• Reviewed over 20 scorecards in different jurisdictions to identify best approaches for estimating a company’s likely water footprint, as well as economic impacts, equity considerations and other issues.
• Identified best practices utilities are using to require businesses to address their water use to avoid over-burdening systems.
• Interviewed experts and program administrators.
• Developed a prototype Scorecard, applicant questionnaire, and an implementation guide.
• Updated the City’s Sustainability Matrix Worksheet.

These materials were all shared with stakeholders for feedback.

In its final form, the Scorecard:

• Provides a single numeric score encompassing the economic benefits and water use impacts of particular CII applicants to provide an objective basis for comparison, enabling decision makers to objectively compare and weigh applications.
• Summarizes broader key considerations about the businesses seeking to operate in Henderson, such a job mobility, workforce training, use of skills-based hiring practices, environmental, social, and governance certifications, and more.