Water Conservation Tools For Local Governments And Citizens Georgia Department of Community Affairs

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Water Conservation Tools For Local Governments
And CitizensGeorgia Department of Community
AffairsOffice of Environmental Management
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We Depend on Clean Water Daily!

• 372 billion gallons/day in the U.S.
• 5.8 billion gallons/day in Georgia
• 2.7 billion gallons for
• public supply and private wells (47)
• agriculture (28)
• industrial activities (25)
• 3.1 billion gallons for
• electric power generation

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How Much Water Does One Person Need?

• Every day, the average American uses about 150
  gallons of water.

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Georgia Water Sources

• 80 of our water comes from surface water and 20
  comes from ground water withdrawals.
• In the Atlanta region, 85 comes from surface
  water withdrawals with more than half originating
  from the Chattahoochee River.

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The Water Crisis

• Continuing growth, development and population
  increases in many areas are straining existing
  water supplies
• Local governments (and states) are competing for
  available water sources
• Indoor and outdoor water conservation is not
  widely practiced in Georgia (declining rates)

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Natures Boundaries
Georgia Department of Community Affairs
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Watershed Protection Provides

• A comprehensive land use planning and
  implementation process to protect rivers,
  streams, lakes and other waters
• A process to address the disruption of the
  natural drainage flows caused by development and
• A method to address wastewater discharges, storm
  water runoff, and nonpoint sources of pollution.

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Drought in Georgia

• Georgias most recent drought lasted from
  1998-2002
• Equivalent loss of a years worth of rain in
  first three years rainfall
• Surface water flows were greatly reduced
• Reservoir storage was depleted
• Groundwater was lowered, wells dried up
• Soil moisture was low, crops were affected
• State must develop a comprehensive water
  conservation plan -EPD Drought Report

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Drought in Georgia Web Page

• http//www.georgiadrought.org

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1998-2000 Drought Report Recommended

• Water Conservation - State must develop
  comprehensive water conservation plan
• Emergency Relief - State should provide emergency
  grants and loans to assist local governments
• Water Supply - State must fund the implementation
  of the Water Supply Act of 1989 to build regional
  reservoirs

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1998-2000 Drought Report Recommended

• Agricultural Water Use - State must develop an
  effective method to evaluate consumptive use of
  water for agricultural irrigation and implement a
  plan to reduce water use
• State Water Plan - State must perform a detailed
  review of existing water policy and laws and
  develop a comprehensive state water plan

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1998-2000 Drought Report Recommended

• State Drought Plan - State must continue
  developing a comprehensive drought plan and
  drought management process to implement
  appropriate drought response, preparedness and
  mitigation measures in future droughts

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All Is Not Lost!!!Huge Gains Can Be Made Through
Conservation

• Los Angeles, CA has maintained its water use at
  a constant level despite continued growth and
  development.
• Georgia and the Atlanta Metro Area can do the
  same!!!

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Water ConservationWhy should We Do It?(more
reasons than a drought)

• Reduce personal water costs
• Minimize the need for local governments to fund
  expensive reservoir, water treatment plant and
  pipeline projects
• Help maintain sufficient water in streams, rivers
  and lakes for fishing, boating, swimming,
  protection of aquatic life and downstream users

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Water ConservationWhere Do We Start?

• Water has been cheap and plentiful. We need
  to stop taking it for granted!
• Adopt a watershed mentality-everyone has a need
  for clean water.
• In drought conditions, pay even more attention to
  how you are using water!

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Basic components of a water conserving community

• What you should be doing
• Economize (reduce and reuse)
• Repair leaks
• Install water saving devices
• Reuse Water
• Observing water restrictions
• What your local government can/should be doing
• Educating
• Promoting installation of water saving devices
• Enforcing water restrictions
• Implementing changes in System Management

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Install Water Saving Devices

• When buying new appliances, look for water saving
  features such as load size selectors for washing
  machines and selectable wash cycles for
  dishwashers
• Install low-flow toilets to save up to 5.5
  gallons of water with each flush. Ultra low-flow
  (1.6 gpf) are required for new construction or
  remodeling

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Install Water Saving Devices

• Install faucet aerators to significantly reduce
  water use (.8 gpm savings2.00)
• Install low-flow showerheads or flow regulators
  in your existing shower (1.25 gpm savings5.00)
• Install water displacement devices such as milk
  jugs, bags or dams in toilet tanks (up to 2.5
  gpf0.59 or 4.00)
• Install fill cycle diverters to redirect refill
  water into the tank. (.5-1.0 gpf0.50)

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Reuse Water

• Unused or slightly used water (gray water) is
  often suitable for other uses, but local
  restrictions may apply.
• Make the most of any water before you let it go
  down the drain
• Air conditioner and dehumidifier condensate water
  can be collected or redirected to water outside
  plants

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Other Ideas

• Look for water conservation initiatives
• in your area
• Support teaching of the EPA Water Sourcebook
  Series in schools, as promoted by the Georgia
  Water Wise Council
• Patronize businesses that practice and promote
  water conservation

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Getting The Word Out

• Community and special websites
• Public service announcements (PSAs) on radio and
  television stations (Ross King with the GA Water
  Management Campaign [phone])
• Newpaper notices and articles
• Public meetings and presentations
• Brochures and other handouts
• Mailouts in water bills
• Door Hangers

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Changes in System Management

• Incentive-based pricing (increase price with
  demand, summer surcharges, etc.)
• Universal Metering (a meter for each unit in an
  apartment or housing complex)
• Pressure Management
• Water Accounting and Loss Control
• Water-Use Regulation, i.e. restrictions
• The Pollution Prevention Assistance Division
  (P2AD) can lend technical assistance in these
  areas Judy Adler [phone]

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State ActionsWater Restrictions

• When water restrictions are in effect
• EPD's intent is to curtail water use by
  residential and business water users
• Local water utilities may expand the ban
• For the most current water restrictions
• check out http//www.griffin.peachnet.edu/caes/dro
  ught/
• or call EPD at [phone], [phone]
  (outside Atlanta)

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State Actions

• Water Conservation Plans are required from water
  users that
• have groundwater withdrawal permits (or permit
  modifications)in excess of 100,000 gallons per
  day (except ag.)
• have surface water withdrawal permits (or permit
  modifications) in excess of 100,000 a day (except
  ag.).
• Creation of a new water conservation position at
  the DNR to coordinate efforts and expedite action
  on a state drought management plan.

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State Actions(as recommended in Water Issues
White Paper)

• Amendment of the Water Supply Act to make water
  conservation projects eligible for funding
  through the State Revolving Fund
• Provision of tax incentives for water
  -conserving investments.
• Prohibit use of water from a regional reservoir
  until the local government has demonstrated an
  effective water conservation program, including
  water conservation pricing.

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State Government Resources

• Department of Community Affairs (DCA)
• Provides resources and technical assistance to
  local governments and Keep America Beautiful
  Affiliates that want to promote water
  conservation among residents. [phone]
  www.dca.state.ga.us
• Pollution Prevention Assistance Division (P2AD)
• Assist industrial, commercial and institutional
  water users with their water efficiency efforts
  [phone], www.p2ad.org
• Environmental Protection Division (EPD)
• Regulate water use among the various water
  consumers in the state, including discharge
  permits and withdrawal permits.
• Plan water supply and drought management for the
  state. (Drought Report, Water Issues White Paper)
• [phone], www.dnr.state.ga.us/environ

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More Helpful Information

• Water Conservation Devices
• http//www.niagaraconservation.com/ (Niagara
  Conservation)
• http//www.nrgsavers.com/products.htm (NRG
  Savers)
• Water Conserving Communities in Georgia
• Savannah Water Efficiency Program
  http//www.thempc.com/waterresources/welcome.asp
• Georgia Water Wise Council - info on xeriscaping,
  water efficiency, water sourcebook, etc.
  http//www.griffin.peachnet.edu/waterwise/wwc.htm
• Cobb County-Marietta Water Authority
  http//www.watersmart.net/
• Other States
• California Urban Water Conservation Council
  http//www.cuwcc.org/

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More Helpful Information

• Other States, cont.
• Crescenta Valley Water District toilet rebate
  program http//www.cvwd.com/pages/sites.htm
• City of Albequerque http//www.cabq.gov/waterconse
  rvation/insert.html
• Drought in Georgia
• http//www.georgiadrought.org

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Acknowledgements

• This presentation was prepared by the Georgia
  Department of Community Affairs, using
  information available from the US Environmental
  Protection Agency, Georgia DNR Environmental
  Protection Division and Pollution Prevention
  Assistance Division, Association County
  Commissioners of Georgia, City of Griffin, UGA
  College of Agriculture and Environmental
  Sciences, Georgia Water Wise Council, Georgia
  Conservancy and Niagara Conservation Co.