Water Conservation Trends Prove Less is More

By Gary Nuss and Randy Sorensen

Developers need to keep abreast of water conservation trends and be prepared to address new regulations and laws governing water use.

Gary Nuss, P.E., serves as the managing principal of Fort Worth-based Carter & Burgess' Water Infrastructure Programs Division. He is a senior vice president of the firm and manager of its water / wastewater division. Randy Sorensen, RLA, FASLA, CLARB, is an associate with the firm and serves as the Fort Worth unit manager in its urban design & planning division.

The last thing that a fast-growing state such as Texas needs is a prolonged drought. Two major factors play into this scenario. First, the number of Texans is expected to increase by 40 percent between 2000 and 2020 and even with aggressive conservation programs, more people will require more water, whether for home use, industrial use or for power generation.

Second, according to the Texas Water Conservation Association, during a future severe drought, many of these cities will not have enough water without instituting severe water restrictions for their customers.

In October of 2006, which was a very dry time for much of the state, customers of 176 water systems faced mandatory water restrictions and over 100 faced voluntary restrictions. With a repeat of the drought of record which Texans experienced in the 1950’s, even water restrictions will not be enough for many areas of Texas to ensure a stable water supply.

Many other U.S. municipalities are confronting water resource constraints and turning to conservation as a primary solution. Through incentives, education, new building codes and laws, and sometimes rate increases and water use restrictions, many communities have had remarkable success. Developers need to keep abreast of these trends and be prepared to address new regulations and laws governing water use.

Landscaping Irrigation for landscaping, typically the top water-use category, has been a major focus of conservation. Citizens have been more receptive to parting with their lawns than ever.

Regulations and higher rates in many regions are pushing developers and landscape contractors to use native plants as alternatives to thirsty, lush grass and imported trees and shrubs. The native plants require less water to sustain and survive in drought conditions. Many cities are requiring the use of native plant materials by code. Some water authorities have developed demonstration botanical gardens, adult education programs, and have promoted the use of native alternatives to the public at large as well as landscape architects and other design professionals.

Laws Spur Conservation Other states, such as California recognize the vital role of plant-life. Recent California legislation will foster more native landscaping and other conservation measures. New housing developments of over 500 homes must ensure that there is an adequate supply of water available. If the proposed development would stress the water supply beyond its budgeted capacity, the developer may be subject to mitigation fees.

In order to avoid those fees, developers can look to other landscaping irrigation resources, including rainwater harvesting from roof runoff to underground storage tanks, pumping water from stormwater retaining ponds, using graywater-treated wastewater from washing machines, dishwashers, etc., and using state-of-the-art drip irrigation systems that minimize water loss from evaporation. The first two options are being used in the majority of Southwest golf courses, parks, and other water-intensive properties. Drip irrigation is becoming the accepted watering method for homeowners and many larger properties.

Rebates and Incentives Rebates for new water-saving equipment and giveaways have had significant impacts on conservation. An important part of East Bay’s conservation efforts is promoting new water-saving equipment, such as self-adjusting weather-based irrigation controller sensors that shut off irrigation systems when it rains, with rebates. The utility carefully monitors the effectiveness of new products, and is a good resource for developers evaluating water-saving technology.

In Phoenix, providing free bathroom fixture retrofits to residents in targeted older and low-income neighborhoods has been a recent strategy. The city replaces old toilets and shower fixtures with new low-flow models for free.

Cities are constantly looking at ways to improve conservation by targeting significant usage that can be reduced with alternatives that are relatively easy and inexpensive to implement. For instance, Phoenix plans to target restaurants by installing 800 new high-pressure nozzles used to rinse dishes before they are sent through automatic dishwashers. Nunley says the city will save at least 25,000 gallons per year per nozzle.

As many of the nation’s arid regions continue to grow in population, water will certainly become more valuable. That may mean higher rates and increased conservation measures will be necessary. As a result, buyers of new homes and commercial properties are likely to demand highly water-efficient buildings and outdoor space.

In what is likely a sign of the future, The Southern Nevada Home Builders Association and the water authority have sponsored the Water Smart Home program, the first of its kind in the US. It certifies qualifying new homes as “Water Smart,” with standards that can save as much as 75,000 gallons of water annually.

Water authorities, such as East Bay and Phoenix, are using school education programs to instill the conservation ethos in children. We’re clearly headed for a more water-efficient future. We all should be prepared to meet it.