What is Water Conservation?
Part One, by Lisa Cyriacks, July 2006
In the broadest sense, water conservation is any action that results in a long-term increase in the productive use of water supply. Colorado state statute defines conservation as: water use efficiency, wise water use, distribution system efficiencies, supply substitution, and curtailment.
Water use efficiency is providing the same or better level of end-use service, e.g. toilet-flushing or showering, with less water. Wise water use is practicing water-conserving behaviors, such as not letting the water run while brushing one’s teeth or shaving, and making water-wise choices such as installing low-water-use appliances inside and low-water-use plants or xeric landscaping instead of conventional lawns outside.
Distribution system efficiency is defined as improvements to a water supply and distribution system, such as operational changes or repairing leaks that result in a reduction in water losses. Substitution of supplies may include such measures as using reclaimed wastewater, such as re-using treated water from the sewage processing plant to water the golf course. Curtailment is where certain uses are reduced such as lawn watering or car washing during a drought.
At a recent workshop presented by the Colorado Office of Water Conservation and Drought Planning, San Luis Valley agencies learned about how to view and implement water conservation as a key element of overall water resources planning. Why plan? As we are all discovering, Colorado water resources are not unlimited and as demands increase from a growing population, long-term water conservation becomes a more important component of planning.
Another critical factor is drought mitigation planning. Drought mitigation planning involves determining the actions and procedures for responding to a drought-related water supply emergency before there is an actual water shortage. Effective planning can minimize the adverse effects of a water supply emergency on public health and safety, economic activity, and the environment.
What You Can Do to Save Water
Most water efficiency and conservation measures need to be implemented by the homeowner or end user. Many measures involve installation of fixtures and appliances that provide the same or better service than ordinary or older models. Examples would include: ultra-low flush toilets, dual flush toilets, waterless urinals, beyond standard efficiency showerheads and faucets, electronic faucets that automatically turn off water, high-efficiency clothes washers and dishwashers, and plumbing add-ons that provide for instant hot water at the tap saving the water wasted when users let the water run to clear cold water from the lines. Some of these technologies provide fairly small water savings. But multiple savings add up.
Outside, home owners can make water wise decisions by selecting types of vegetation that are drought-resistant or require little or no irrigation, selecting irrigation equipment for efficiency, and scheduling irrigation times based on evapotranspiration.
On the supply-side, water providers can improve the distribution system by keeping the system in good repair and reducing water leakage. In a water-short region, a rate of 5% or less water leakage should be sought. Pressure management of lines is also critical to improving efficiency. Decreasing water pressure reduces stresses on pipes and joints, slowing system deterioration and reducing the needs for repairs and extending the life of existing facilities and wear on end-use fixtures and appliances.
Source optimization refers to a host of techniques to match water supply with water needs. Operation of multiple storage systems can allow a utility to adjust for high demands on the system without stressing surface and groundwater pumping systems. Another approach to source optimization is system integration with other utilities. In this approach water supply systems from two or more water providers are physically linked. When one system is water short and the other is not, water can be shared across systems. Of course, all of these options require careful consideration of water rights issues before adoption.
Water providers can also implement water reuse practices that directly apply treated “reclaimed” water to additional use after the minimal use. To the extent that water reuse and recycling increase the proportion of consumptive use in a system, they may reduce return flows and impact water rights of downstream users. Water rights implications must be evaluated when considering reuse and recycling options. Graywater reuse refers to directly using water from shower, washing machines, and bathroom faucets for irrigation. Health codes in Colorado are not favorable to legal use of graywater.
Water is a precious natural resource. The traditional approaches of providing more water by building larger dams, building new tunnels and pipelines to bring water from rivers to cities won’t work well in the future. These approaches have had major adverse impacts on Colorado’s rivers and landscapes. And it is becoming increasingly more controversial to take more water from river basins that have their own growing communities and water needs.
Whether it is issues of water and the environment or communities and economic needs or agriculture use or healthy rivers and recreation, it is more important to improve existing supply infrastructure before simply building more. We need to be prepared to do our part.
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