Water Efficiency and the SRF Programs. CIFA 2009 Veronica Blette ~ EPA Office Wastewater Management

Transcription

1 Water Efficiency and the SRF Programs CIFA 2009 Veronica Blette ~ EPA Office Wastewater Management

2 Session Overview Need for water efficiency SRF program eligibility Implementation of the Recovery Act State Experiences New Mexico DWSRF Washington CWSRF

3 We Need Water Efficiency Our national thirst for water is increasing Between 1950 and 2005, U.S. population doubled while the demand on public supply systems more than tripled Water utilities may need to invest more than $500 billion to update aging infrastructure in the next 20 years More than $335 billion for drinking water More than $200 billion for wastewater

4 Need for Water Efficiency At least 36 states are predicting water shortages by 2013, even under non-drought conditions (GAO, 2003) Demand coupled with climate change will increase stresses on water supplies Potential regional impacts from climate change on water resources include: Changing precipitation patterns and distribution Shrinking snowpacks, glaciers, reservoirs Increasing stormwater runoff, water quality hazards Rising sea levels, saltwater intrusion Potential consequences could include: Decreasing freshwater supplies Increasing demands (e.g., landscape irrigation) Increasing stress on wastewater and stormwater infrastructure

5 Residential Water Use Across the US Sample of Residential Water Use by State Gallons Per Person Per Day Maine Virgina Michigan U.S. Average New York California Colorado Nevada

6 Seasonal Water Use Peak Daily Use Sample Comparison Gallons per Household per Day Winter Use Average Use Seasonal Peak Use

7 Personal habits + growing population + climate patterns + infrastructure needs = A Perfect Storm 41% 46% 114% 37% Domestic Water Use (Gal/day/person) Domestic Water Use in Gallons per Day per Person and Projected Percent Population Change by % 56% 109% 16% 6% 35% 15% -6% 6% 6% 60% 9% 13% 28% 1% 15% 21% 7% 15% 8% 9% 8% 12% 30% 13% 10% 2% -5% 47% 52% 28% NH 33% VT 17% 4% 39% 79% 3% 11% MA 20% RI 10% CT 8% NJ 16% DE 29% MD 33% (Sources: Water data from USGS, Estimated Use of Water in the United States in 2000, County level data for 2000; population data from U.S. Census Bureau, State Interim Population Projections by Age and Sex: ) 7

8 Potential for Water Savings from Simple Actions Retrofitting the average home with water-efficient fixtures and appliances (toilets, faucets, showerheads, clotheswashers, and dishwashers), can save 30,000 gallons of water per year. if one out of every 10 homes in the United States made this upgrade, we could save more than 300 billion gallons and nearly $2 billion dollars annually. Replacing all older, inefficient toilets in U.S. homes with WaterSense labeled toilets would save 640 billion gallons of water per year Estimated Public Supply Water Use in U.S. (1995, USGS)

9 It s Not Just About Water Pumping and treating water requires vast amounts of energy Nationally ~3-4%, in California up to 20% American public water supply and treatment facilities consume about 56 billion kilowatt-hours (kwh) per year.-enough electricity to power more than 5 million homes for an entire year. Water efficiency saves energy and reduces greenhouse gas emissions If one of every 100 homes installed water-efficient fixtures Would save about 100 million kwh of electricity per year Avoiding 80,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions Equal to removing nearly 15,000 cars a year from the road

10 Benefits can be significant Cost savings from delayed implementation of costly alternatives Savings to individual homeowners in both water and energy bills and possibly wastewater charges Potential reduction in physical size of surface water alternative facilities or volume of ground water pumping Reduction in peak demands, which reduces size of the least utilized portion of capacity The most cost effective way to find the next gallon of water may be through water efficiency

11 Strategies for adapting and building resiliency to water-stressed conditions Within the Watershed Public Water System Efforts Consumer or End User Efforts Demand Forecasting Land Use Practices Water Rights & Allocation Identifying Future Alternative Sources Metering Water Audits Leak Detection & Repair Conservation Rate Structures Low Flow Toilets/Showerheads Rebate Programs Xeriscaping Lawn Watering Restrictions

12 Sustainability = Managing Supply and Demand In the past, solutions focused on determining how to get more water (led to the boom in dam construction) More appropriate that developing new sources be considered after exploiting other savings. Planning Promoting land use policies (state and local), State water plans, and regional water management policies that encourage conservation Better management of existing water at system level leak detection reducing evaporation off storage Reducing demand of end users metering water and appropriate rates water efficient products/practoces Developing new sources water reuse/reclamation desalination conjunctive use practices that to leave more water in the stream during critical periods.

13 Make the best use of what you have before seeking alternative sources 13

14 You can t manage it if you don t measure it efficiency is tied to accountability New Revenue New Water 14

15 Real Losses = New Water SFPUC, 2005

16 SFPUC,

17 Saving Water on Site Water Conservation Improving Water Efficiency Behavioral Approaches (e.g., adjusting watering schedules, response to billing) Technological Approaches Replacing Freshwater With Reclaimed Water (e.g., stormwater) Reuse (reusing wastewater from one process for a different process, e.g., irrigation) Recycling (reusing wastewater from a process for the same process, e.g., cooling towers) Point of Use Reduction (using less water for a task, e.g., high efficiency fixtures)

18 Pacific Institute, Waste Not, Want Not: The Potential for Urban Water Conservation in California Considerable Opportunity for Indoor Savings

19 Helix Water District, CA Cost of New Supply: imported water from other regions $1, per million gallons or $1.55 per 1,000 gallons Cost of Conservation program: $ per million gallons or $0.31 per 1000 gallons Program Includes: Toilet replacements and High efficiency washer rebates Conservation pricing Educational programs for kids and adults System water audit and leak detection program and others Results: since 1990 population increased ~3.0% and per capita use decreased ~5.0% Source: Water Efficiency Journal March/April 2007

20 Austin, TX Cost of New Supply: $8-13 million for additional water from authority, plus additional funds for infrastructure Staffed Conservation program: Excessive outdoor watering education and xeriscape programs Plumbing retrofits Commercial and industrial incentives Rainwater harvesting, and many others Results: Population increased 68% between 1984 and 2004, but total water pumpage increased only 35% Avoided additional water needs and $25 million in infrastructure costs Source: AWWA Journal Feb. 2007

21 Metro Boston Area (MWRA) Cost of New Supply:$500 mill. Cost of Conservation Program:$40 mill.over 20 years Conservation Program included: Extensive education and outreach Low flow fixtures for res. & commercial Audits to be conducted every 2 years and others or Demonstrated residential GPCD or Reported progress toward 65 GPCD Results: Decreased Avg demand from 334 MGD in 1987 to 225 MGD in Avoided need for $500 million dollar additional supply Examples from 2007 presentation by Alice Miller Keyes, GA EPD

22 San Antonio s Conservation Success

23 San Antonio

24 SAWS Savings in New Water Supplies

25 SAWS Savings in Wastewater Treatment

26 Hot off the USGS Presses Public supply Irrigation Bgd

27 The SRFs can be a great driver for water efficiency by both funding projects and facilitating planning

28 Water Efficiency and the SRF Programs 1999 CWSRF Fact Sheet on Water Conservation and Reuse 2001 CWSRF Policy Memo on Use of Funds for Conservation and Efficiency Measures 2003 DWSRF Policy Memo on Use of Funds for Water Efficiency Measures Fact Sheet on Funding Water Efficiency with the DWSRF and CWSRF Programs 2009 Recovery Act includes water efficiency as a type of project under the 20% Green Project Reserve

29 Examples of Eligible Projects Planning and design activities for water efficiency that are reasonably expected to result in a capital project (including water audits) Water meters or automated meter reading systems Retrofit or replacement of water using fixtures, fittings, equipment or appliances (can include rebate programs) Efficient landscape or irrigation equipment Systems to recycle gray water CWSRF X X X X X DWSRF X X X Reclamation, recycling, and reuse of existing rainwater, condensate, degraded water, stormwater, and/or wastewater streams Wastewater collection system leak detection equipment X X Drinking water distribution system leak detection devices and equipment X Costs associated with development of a water conservation plan if required as a condition of DWSRF assistance. Replacement or rehabilitation of drinking water distribution lines X X

30 What about those fixture replacement programs? DWSRF Eligible for public and privately-owned public water systems can fund retrofits in public and private buildings CWSRF As part of a 212 project, retrofits in public buildings are eligible. As part of a 320 project, retrofits in public or private buildings are eligible as long as the 320 estuary plan includes a description of such types of projects. Note: plans can be amended to add such activities by approval of the NEP board, it does not have to go back to EPA for approval.

31 CWSRF and Agricultural Water Conservation Irrigation use in 2000 accounted for about 40 % of total freshwater withdrawals, > 50% for consumptive use Benefits of water conservation Reduce surface water withdrawals and ground water pumping Reduce potential for water contamination from pesticide and fertilizer runoff resulting from intensive irrigation water use Potential Eligible Practices Water reuse Equipment for soil moisture/weather monitoring to support irrigation scheduling Efficient irrigation practices drip, precision sprays Canal/conveyance lining/covering to minimize leakage and evaporation

32 Although not traditional, projects have been funded through SRFs 2006 PISCES Awards Winners Farmer s Irrigation District, Hood River, OR replaced open ditches with pipe, reducing the quantity of chemicals, sewage and sediments entering the river; carried out a low-flow sprinkler head exchange program, installed flow meters and restrictors, and ran an education program to encourage water conservation. The flow of the Hood River increased by 5 cfs which increased hydro power generation PISCES Awards Winners Brunswick County, North Carolina Brunswick County Constructed a tertiary treatment water rec-lamation facility which produces reuse quality water, which is then applied to silvicultural areas and several local golf courses. Orange County Water District, California: implementing a groundwater replenishment system, the largest indirect potable reuse project of its kind in the world. Highly treated wastewater will be pumped to recharge basins where it will percolate into the ground and blend with the County s other sources of groundwater.

33 ..and DWSRF set-asides or other approaches DWSRF set-asides Pennsylvania - leak detection program through its 2% set-aside Vermont - funded a circuit rider to do water audits Several DWSRFs require water conservation plans as a condition of assistance Some provide bonus points if a system is implementing best management practices for water efficiency In Washington State, to support new Water Use Efficiency Rules All funded projects must install source and service meters if they don't already have them. They can use a portion of the DWSRF construction funding to do this if required. Bonus points in scoring are given for any projects that will be installing service meters All funded projects must have have a DOH-approved Water System Plan that includes water use efficiency measures.

34 And then came the Recovery Act and the Green Reserve If water/energy efficiency and water conservation were already allowed, why have a green reserve? Aren t all projects green? But not all states were undertaking projects in the areas that were called out by Congress Those states that did do projects may have limited them to a small subset (e.g., only metering) Shades of Green Was the point of the green reserve to get everybody to consider non-traditional projects and have SRFs work with applicants to improve project plans to include items that otherwise may have been viewed as experimental or simply too costly to consider under normal funding levels? Think more about the watershed.

35 Making the Business Case To qualify as green, some water efficiency projects required business cases Replacement or rehabilitation of drinking water distribution lines (requires business case to prove water /energy efficiency benefits) Replacement of existing meters require a business case to show water/energy savings Looking forward, remember that the goal is not necessarily business as usual, but stretching to get additional savings.

36 What have we seen DWSRF Leaky pipe replacement Meters CWSRF Water reuse/reclamation Leak detection equipment Efficient agricultural irrigation practices

37 What we haven t seen Fixture replacements Conservation plans Leak detection (for DW)

38 The Future GPR is in the 2010 budget Issues raised by stakeholders Shades of green some stakeholders want their types of green projects considered over others (e.g., do meters really do it?) Beating the bushes Have all projects been exhausted by ARRA? Are there projects out there that might not have come to the SRFs before? Can you identify new partners to get them do your work for you? Prioritizing How evaluate head to head and against more traditional public health/water quality issues? What would be the common denominator?

39 Examples Many GPR issues are being addressed in other sessions including one next door right now for which slides will be available on CIFA s website after the meeting New Mexico DWSRF Washington CWSRF

40 WaterSense Program WaterSense is a voluntary partnership program sponsored by EPA to: Promote the value of water and help Americans make smart decisions regarding water use and water-using products Increase the adoption of water-efficient products and services by consumers and organizations EPA develops specifications for performance and efficiency and products are certified by an independent third-party Many partners, including water utilities, states, communities, and organizations promote the program and educate consumers.

41 Questions My request of you - become a WaterSense partner!! WaterSense Web site Toll-free Helpline (866) WTR-SENS ( ) Supports partners, educates the public For more information about the program, contact Veronica Blette, WaterSense Program (202)