Water Conservation Policies
Municipal water management has traditionally focused on...
providing sufficient supply to meet the growing demand. In today's world, the emphasis is on conservation, and every gallon saved is one gallon less to be delivered, with commensurate savings across the board. Conserving water at the municipal level sets an example for residents, helps decrease capital expenditures for water delivery and wastewater treatment systems and cuts energy costs.
Innovative municipal water conservation programs may include:
• Lining and covering reservoirs to limit evaporation
• The use of water-saving fire equipment
• The installation of a closed-loop water reclamation system for irrigation purposes
• Metering for leak detection and accurate billing
• Organic turf and xeriscape plantings that require less water
• Educational programs for employees and managers
• Creation and distribution of public education materials
Austin, TX, requires Onsite Water Reuse Systems for most new commercial, multifamily, and mixed-use development projects with 250,000 square feet of gross floor area or more.
Derby, KS's Water Conservation Rebate Program provides financial incentives for residential and commercial utilities customers to switch to high-efficiency appliances and smart irrigation controllers, and to repair leaky fixtures.
Erie, CO's turf replacement rebate program offers up to $2,000 for qualified projects.
In Los Angeles County, CA, the Safe Clean Water Program funds stormwater initiatives that improve water quality and increase water supply.
Los Angeles, CA, Department of Water & Power also offers a Turf Replacement Rebate to residential and commercial customers who replace grass with low water-use landscape.
Nampa, ID's popular Waterwise Rebate Program helps residents reduce lawn or update an inefficient irrigation system.
North Hempstead, NY, in partnership with Nassau County Soil and Water Conservation District, offers up to $350 rebates to residents (1 per household) for installing native plants in their home landscape.
Orange County, CA, Water District reuses water for many different purposes, including industrial, irrigation and drinking.
The City of Santa Fe, NM, Water Conservation Office website includes extensive information about rebates, regulations, landscaping, education, and other relevant information.
Spokane, WA's SpokaneScape Lawn Replacement Program offers up to a $500 credit toward resident utility bills after removing lawn and replacing it with water wise plants and mulch.
The St. Johns River (FL) Water Management District website provides extensive information about the how and why of water conservation, including incentives and rebates.
Tucson, AZ, delivers reclaimed water to nearly 1,000 customers to irrigate their landscapes, as well as to the desert at the Sweetwater Wetlands, South Houghton Area Recharge Project, and the Santa Cruz Heritage Project. Tucson Water recharges the local aquifer with the remaining allocation of recycled water.
Washington County, UT, will pay property owners for each square foot of grass removed and replaced with water efficient landscaping.
Resources
Slow the Flow is a great resource for Utah residents to learn about rebates, and best practices to reduce water usage.
The Texas Water Conservation Implementation Task Force produced a comprehensive resource called Best Management Practices Guide.
The University of Florida Institute of Food & Agricultural Sciences (UF IFAS) provides information about the Florida-Friendly Landscaping Program, focusing on healthy, beautiful landscapes that protect Florida's natural resources.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides both direct and indirect assistance in the area of municipal wastewater treatment technologies, including technical assistance for small communities. They also have information geared toward residents in the WaterSense portion of their website.
Home Water Works is a project of the nonprofit Alliance for Water Efficiency, dedicated to the efficient and sustainable use of water. Located in Chicago, the Alliance serves as a North American advocate for water efficient products and programs, and provides information and assistance on water conservation efforts.
References
[1] Olmstead, S. M., & Stavins, R. N. (2009). Comparing price and nonprice approaches to urban water conservation. Water Resources Research, 45(4)
[2] United States Environmental Protection Agency. (2017). WaterSense Statistics and Facts. https://www.epa.gov/watersense/statistics-and-facts
[3] Wisser, D., et al. (2010). The significance of local water resources captured in small reservoirs for crop production – A global-scale analysis. Journal of Hydrology, 384(3-4), 264-275.
[4] Mawhinney, J. R., & Back, G. G. (2016). Water Mist Fire Suppression Systems. SFPE Handbook of Fire Protection Engineering, 1587-1645.
[5] Blandin, G., et al. (2018). Can osmotic membrane bioreactor be a realistic solution for water reuse? Npj Clean Water, 1(1).
[6] Koo, D., et al. (2015). Towards Sustainable Water Supply: Schematic Development of Big Data Collection Using Internet of Things (IoT). Procedia Engineering, 118, 489-497.
[7] Cornell University Cooperative Extension Rockland County (2009) Conserve Water with Xeriscape Landscaping. http://rocklandcce.org/resources/conserve-water-with-xeriscape-landscaping
[8] EDP Guidance Department (2007) Water Conservation Education Programs.
[9] Kenney, D. S., et al. (2008). Residential Water Demand Management: Lessons from Aurora, Colorado. JAWRA Journal of the American Water Resources Association, 44(1), 192-207.