Saving Water. Kent Halloran, P.E., BCEE. Safety/Water Compliance Engineer The Ohio State University Environmental Health and Safety

Transcription

1 Saving Water Kent Halloran, P.E., BCEE Safety/Water Compliance Engineer The Ohio State University Environmental Health and Safety

2 Discussion Topics Why bother? Energy vs. Water. Water Efficient Landscaping. Water Use Reduction. Top Ten ways to save water.

3 Why bother? 2/3 of the earth s surface is covered in water? Northern Ohio is within the Great Lakes basin, the second largest source of surface fresh water in the world. There will always be water won t there?

4 After all, water renews itself

5 But consider the following facts: 96.5% of the world s water is salt water. ~68% of the Earth s fresh water is in the polar ice caps (U.S.G.S.) According to the W.H.O., approx % of the water on earth is readily available for consumption.

6 What does that mean? Worldwide, over 663 million people lacked adequate drinking water in billion people lack proper sanitation. 948 million people practice open defecation. Many of the world s crops are grown via water mining. Others are irrigated with untreated wastewater. These numbers are DOWN since For more information, visit the

7 What does all this mean? 340,000 children under five die annually from diarrhoeal diseases due to poor sanitation, poor hygiene, or unsafe drinking water that is almost 1000 per day (about 20 since I have been talking). African and Asian women walk an average of 6 km a day to collect water.

8 The BIG Picture: Global locations of the millions of people without access to safe drinking water (based on data from the UNICEF/UN joint report)

9 Aral Sea in Kazakhstan & Uzbekistan Formerly one of the four largest lakes in the world with an area of 68,000 km2 (26,300 sq mi), the Aral Sea has been steadily shrinking since the 1960s after the rivers that fed it were diverted by Soviet irrigation projects. Photographs illustrating the diminution of the Aral Sea. From left to right: (top row) 1973, 1989, 1999, (bottom row) 2001, 2003, 2009 (US Geological Survey and NASA)

10 Aral Sea Fishing Industry

11 North American water concerns Commercial and Sport Fishing Shipping and Industry Infrastructure and Water Quality Agriculture Wildlife and the Environment

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13 Snow cover and fresh water concerns

14 California reservoir/fresh water concerns

15 Ohio s Water Concerns

16 Ohio s water concerns are economic as well as environmental! Total Tourism Impact Lake Region Sales Wages Taxes Employment $12.9 billion $3.3 billion $1.7 billion 119,491 Ohio s economic concerns associated with water: Cost of removing toxins from drinking water and water bans. Revenue associated with agriculture. Industrial and electrical production require water.

17 But I am already trying to save electricity, isn t that enough?

18 Consider issues closer to home. Water and wastewater treatment represent the largest single power users of many communities throughout the region and the country.

19 Water represents electrical power = = Saving water saves electricity, which saves money

20 Power Cost to Treat Water Source: Seawater Desalination Power Consumption, Water-Reuse Association, 11/2011

21 What is a kilowatt-hour (kwh)

22 Water Efficiency Xeriscape. Grey Water Systems Rainwater Harvesting Look at water as the precious commodity that it is!

23 Xeriscape Seven Principles of Xeriscape: Plan & Design for water conservation. Create practical turf areas w/appropriate grass Select low water plants. Use adequate soil amendments. Use Mulches. Irrigate effectively. Properly maintain landscape.

24 Xeriscape can provide a beautiful as well as efficient landscape

25 Typical household water use

26 Grey Water Systems Practical Reuse of spent water. Benefits both potable water consumption and wastewater generation. Connects non-sanitary drains to storage and recycle facility. Spent water still has value, when its managed properly!

27 Grey Water System Using a solids separator (NOT garbage disposal!) on the kitchen sink may allow spent water to be used as gray water. Using a solids separator (NOT garbage disposal!) and special detergent in dishwasher may allow spent water to be used as gray water.

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29 Practical uses for grey water With little or no treatment, grey water uses include Irrigation (soil applied only). Flushing toilets. With some level of treatment or segregation other uses can be considered: Clothes washers can use grey water (or a blending of fresh and grey water) in the wash cycle.

30 Rainwater Harvesting Harvesting rainwater can be an inexpensive method to reduce potable water consumption. Harvesting systems can involve a minimum capital investment. Rainwater uses can be the same as grey water and can be more flexible.

31 Rainwater Harvesting

32 Rainwater Harvesting

33 Rainwater Harvesting the simple approach Rain Barrels

34 Green Roofs Reduces or eliminates one of the most significant impervious surfaces on a site, the roof. Reduce the amount of stormwater runoff generated on site. Can be critical in combined sewer system communities. Improves runoff quality

35 Green Roofs

36 Green Roofs

37 Green Roofs

38 Green Roofs

39 Green Roofs

40 Green Roofs

41 Typical household water use Ave. Household Water in U.S. = 69.3 gallons/day/person Obviously, other regions live with far less.

42 Water Use Reduction Much of the water is wasted by improper use

43 Use in the Kitchen.

44 More Water & Energy Efficient Appliances.

45 Use in the Bathroom. Things homeowners can do to minimize water use.

46 Top Ten ways to $ave Water (without spending a dime!)

47 10. Don t leave water running Turn off the faucet when. Brushing teeth. Washing dishes by hand. Shaving. Washing vegetables. Washing your car (consider using a car wash that recycles the water!).

48 9. Keep a container of drinking water in the fridge Fill a bottle from the tap and keep it chilled. Do NOT use bottled water in an effort to save water. Consider a filtering pitcher if taste is an issue.

49 8. Use re-fillable bottles rather than bottled water Stainless steel or BPAfree (bisphenol A) plastic. Can express your own personality or can often be provided as a give away at various events. Cutting down on all plastic saves water! Do NOT use bottled water in an effort to save water.

50 7. Check your home for leaks Check your water meter on your way out and again when returning (2 hrs+/-). Place a glass under faucets overnight. Add food coloring to the toilet tank. Look for evidence of pipe leaks.

51 6. Don t use your toilet as an ashtray or wastebasket

52 5. Put a plastic bottle in your toilet tank Weigh down bottle with pebbles/sand/etc. Be sure enough water remains in the tank to flush properly. Also be sure bottle(s) do not interfere with valve mechanism. OK, so maybe bottled water CAN help save water.

53 4. Minimize use of garbage disposals In sink disposals use a lot of water. Additional solids can become a maintenance problem for septic tanks. Consider composting food wastes.

54 3. Use Dish and Clothes Washers for full loads only

55 2. Take Shorter Showers Limit shower time to 5-8 minutes. Consider turning off water after rinsing to lather. Showering with a friend only works when showers are brief, in spite of the Axe campaign.

56 1. Eat lower on the food chain w/o processed food (at least on occasion) Agriculture and livestock consume vast amounts of water. It takes 1,850 gal of water to produce 1 lb of beef. It takes only 192 gal to produce 1 lb of wheat. It takes 1000 gal of water to produce 1 gal of milk. Good News! It takes only 300 gal of water to produce 1 gal of beer! Shop the perimeter first!

57 Other Ideas: Walk or use public transportation rather than driving a car. Purchase items that LAST! All manufacturing requires water. Buying goods that have a longer life saves water. Shop at consignment shops, vintage clothing outlets and second hand stores. If you are a gardener, install a rain barrel. Your Water Footprint: The Shocking Facts About How Much Water We Use to Make Everyday Products by Stephen Leahy

58 Words to consider: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle works for all resources!

59 Words to consider: Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do only a little. - Edmund Burke,

60 Questions or Comments Like we say in the sewer, time and tide wait for no man. - Ed Norton (a.k.a. Art Carney) The Honeymooners