The Need to Conserve Water Remains

We’re now receiving the forecast “above average” winter rainfall (up to 60% more than usual in some areas) which is great, but the biggest issue is rebuilding the snow pack as the source of most of our year-round water.  Unfortunately, predicted warmer weather means that even two wet winters won’t be enough to get past the drought.  And that still leaves us with long-term problems. Even before our “great drought” we’ve been drawing ground water far faster than it’s replenished by normal rainfall levels, and it’s important to remember that San Diego currently imports 85% of its water.

So it’s clear that the long term solution is to use less water.

The emergency cutbacks have been unpleasant, to say the least.  Recycling water, that is using the same water more than once, is a great opportunity moving forward.  “Waste” water can be purified back to high-quality potable (drinkable) water, but for many uses such as irrigation only minimal treatment is necessary.  We can dramatically cut usage while still enjoying many of the things we’ve had to forgo the last few years.

Municipal Projects

Water districts and municipalities have been planning, and constructing, water reclamation plants long before the latest drought.  They have the goal of purifying waste water back to drinking quality in order to avoid the huge cost of a second piping system to distribute non-potable water to all their customers.  But that’s still very expensive and construction takes quite a long time.  Even so, Southern California has been a leader.  You can learn about our major project here:  http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/politics/San-Diego-Eyes-Recycled-Water-Project-in-Drought-Conditions-283058261.html#ixzz3tTDNFOiB

San Diego County has also established projects using simpler treatments to recycle water for non-drinking purposes.  With limited “purple pipe” to distribute reclaimed water to nearby users, many individuals have also taken advantage of the facility to haul out water to more distant locations.  You can find it, and other locations at http://www.sandiego.gov/water/recycled/availability/.  As an example, the Point Loma facility was created to reuse roughly 1/2 of the waste water going through it as an ecological and economic alternative.  Considering short supplies, it just makes since to reuse precious water rather than dumping it into the ocean.

Cities, agencies, and voters are now strongly behind these sorts of projects as the path to reliable and sustainable water supplies. In many locations reclamation can be used for crop irrigation and help deal with rapidly dropping water tables.  But it’s also possible, and economical, to have a major impact by recycling water at each building where it’s used, and reuse that water right at the site.  Studies indicate that the total costs are lower, and that numerous small projects can come online far faster than “mega projects”

Home Water Recycling

With a little investment homeowners can do their own water reuse that’s far more effective and convenient than a bucket in the shower.  Water recycling systems costing any where from a few hundred to several thousand dollars are a great way to get showers and lawns back to normal without increasing water usage.  Low-cost systems provide filtered water that can be used in landscaping with a few precautions, and the high-cost systems deliver sparkling clean sanitized drinking water quality.  Together with other conservation measures it’s possible to bring usage in line with availability far into the future.

Not all water needs to be of drinking quality, so reuse makes a lot of sense. The drains from showers, tubs, bathroom sinks, and clothes washers can be used for irrigation, and eliminate a major portion of the  household’s water bill.  But it’s important to fully understand what water sources can be safely reused, what treatment is necessary, and how the reused water should be handled.  In other words, installation by an experienced professional.

Appropriately sized systems are available from companies such as Aqua2 and Nexus.  Some companies, such as Sloan and Saniflo, have products that transfer water from the bathroom sink into the toilet tank.  LEED projects and guidelines show that reductions of 50 to 70% over pre-drought usage can be readily achieved, so that we can cut yet back another big chunk and and still have green landscaping.

Water Recycling for Commercial Buildings

On-site recycling is already required for landscaping and other “aesthetic” uses at many commercial facilities and has been quite successful at office parks, hotels, resorts, schools, and more.  Besides irrigation and fountains, reclaimed water can be used in cooling towers and boiler feeds with the proper treatment.  But they do require additional plumbing for capturing “clean” or grey water, and separate supply plumbing if reclaimed water is to be used for flushing.

So, again, professional plumbing companies with water recycling experience are called for.  But the building owner’s investment has significant returns.  Commercial reuse cuts both potable water use and waste water discharge roughly in half, saving on both water and sewer fees.  And recycling is often necessary in order to meet development restrictions.

For larger facilities, even blackwater can be recycled with systems such as those from Aquacell that filter, bio-treat, ultra-filter, disinfect, and then finally chlorinate.

In Brief

Looking back on Southern California’s history, dams and canals were the lifeblood that created nearly all of our inland cities and agricultural areas.  Even today an adequate and reliable water supply is vital for a vibrant economy.  Yet even in “good times” we’ve been depleting groundwater and other sources.  So it’s critical that residents, businesses, and water agencies work together to use water recycling for a sustainable future we’ll all enjoy.

With no relief this winter, we need a redoubled effort of near-term water conservation, but we actually did a little backsliding.  December 2014 water use was down some 22% compared to the year before, yet January 2015 usage was only some 9% less than the previous January.  It’s absolutely critical that everyone — residents, business owners, facilities managers, and agriculture — do their part.

In this post we’ll cover some of the things households and commercial interests should be doing.  This includes tips for quick reductions as well as plumbing and appliance measures to address our long-term problem.  Most will also save you some money.

Important Conservation Measures for Today

In Southern California we’ve already implemented many water-saving measures over the years, but we need to pay attention to our habits and make an extra effort for the next few years.

Mandated

Outdoor water use accounts for around 1/2 of residential consumption, and restrictions can be easily enforced.  So there are several mandates concerning big water wastes, carrying fines on the order of $500 for violations.  Depending on your location they typically include the following.

• Improperly adjusted sprinklers leading to run-off on to sidewalks or streets.
• Watering during the heat of the day.
• Using a hose to clean driveways or sidewalks.
• Washing a vehicle with a hose lacking a self-closing nozzle.

These measures save hundreds of gallons of water per month for each of millions of locations.

Also Important

There are many other ways we can save significant amounts of water in our homes and businesses.

• Fix leaks promptly.  A single leak often wastes 20 gallons every day; that’s over 500 gallons a month.
• Use your dishwasher only for full loads.
• When washing dishes by hand, soak them rather than scrubbing under flowing water.
• Shower rather than taking a bath.  Filling a bathtub just once can take over 50 gallons.  Try to limit your showers to around 5 minutes; that’s less than 15 gallons.
• For those who can’t shower, lowering the water level in the tub a bit can save hundreds of gallons each month.

Sometimes making seeming minor changes can actually make a big difference.  Something as simple as turning off the water while brushing your teeth can save the average family some 300 gallons of water a month.  The same goes for turning off the water while washing your hair.

Outdoors, mulching can go a long way.  Not only can it make your landscaping or garden healthier, it can safe some 25 gallons per watering for every 1,000 square feet of area (smaller than 30 by 35 feet).  Watering heavily, but less often, also saves significantly overall.

For More Information and Water Conservation Tips

There are innumerable tips and tricks for saving water.  Here are just two of the websites we’ve found helpful.

http://saveourwater.com/what-you-can-do

http://www.bewaterwise.com/

Efficient Water Use for Tomorrow

Water shortages are a long-term problem for Californians, so we need to continue to improve the effectiveness of how we use water.  Whenever it’s time for a major repair or remodeling, lean towards replacement with water-efficient fixtures and appliances.  Many qualify for grants and rebates, for both residential and commercial properties.  You can learn about them here:  http://socalwatersmart.com/.

Here are some highlights.

Indoor Water Use

Even with modern fixtures, toilets together with clothes washers account for about 1/4 of all home water use.  A new water-efficient washing machine can save some 15 gallons per load.  The latest toilets use even less water, especially dual-flush models.  For commercial buildings, waterless urinals are now effective — clean, odorless, and low maintenance.  Even if you already have low-flow shower heads, the latest fixtures can provide a further 20% reduction in water consumption.  A water efficient dishwasher can save roughly 5 gallons per load.  Many of these steps qualify for rebates and other incentives.

Outdoor Water Use

Soil moisture meters can fine-tune your watering schedule so that you’re not wasting water by irrigating when it’s not needed.  Installing a drip irrigation system avoids the surprisingly large water loss from evaporation from using sprinklers.  Switching to drought-tolerant landscaping is the biggest win, saving 30 to 60 gallons per watering for every 1,000 square feet.  The various rebates and grants also cover special sprinklers, rain barrels, soil moisture sensors, and even for reducing the square footage of turf.

Give ASAP Drain Guys & Plumbing a call if you’re interested in taking the next step, consulting with a professional about how you can do your part to conserve this precious commodity.