Water & Energy Saving Products

Water scofflaws: Go soak your heads (under a low-flow showerhead)

After years of inaction, blatant and willful violations of federal law, and lack of enforcement by previous administrations, the U.S. Department of Energy has just announced that they intend to pursue enforcement actions against the manufacturers of water-using appliances that violate national water and energy savings laws that have been on the books for nearly 20 years.

A number of very simple, but important, water-using fixtures can be designed to work beautifully and yet save enormous amounts of water. That was the idea behind the water-efficiency standards that passed with the National Energy Policy Act of 1992 (yes, 1992!). That law put in place rules for manufacturers of toilets, showerheads, and faucets. And since those rules went into effect, a huge amount of water, and energy, and money has been saved.

But like all rules and regulations, they are only as good as society's willingness to follow them and government's willingness to enforce them. Almost all of the major manufacturers have done a great job in producing high-quality fixtures that meet the standards. But a few manufacturers have flouted the law by either failing to ensure that their water fixtures met the national standards, or by failing to prove it to federal regulators. And until recently, federal regulators looked the other way, or didn't look at all. (Of course, this isn't the only instance of the complete failure of the federal government to enforce rules already in place to protect the environment, nor is it the most egregious). Five years ago, the Plumbing Manufacturers Institute, California Urban Water Conservation Council, East Bay Municipal Utilities District, and the City of Seattle notified federal and state agencies of independent test results for some commercial showerheads showing blatant violations of the National Energy Policy Act. Yet no action was taken at the time.

That is changing. A couple of weeks ago, the US Department of Energy's Office of the General Counsel issued "Notices of Proposed Civil Penalties" to four manufacturers of showerheads for failing to certify that their products meet the standard flow rate of 2.5 gallons per minute. Unless the manufacturers satisfy the DoE within thirty days, the Department will file action either in District Court or with an Administrative Law Judge.

Water Number: $3,475,120. This is the total of the proposed civil penalties the Department of Energy will impose on these four manufacturers if they fail to certify that their products meet the conservation standards of the law. The cost to society in lost water, higher energy use, unnecessary greenhouse gas emissions, and money out of pocket for homeowners is far, far higher.

Why is this such a big deal, beyond the fact that the law is the law? Water-efficient fixtures save water, energy, wastewater treatment costs, water purification costs, and money for homeowners. When water utility demand is reduced by improvements in efficiency, new costly investment in water supply can be delayed or even prevented. And the numbers add up:

A ten-minute shower using a showerhead that uses 5 gallons per minute, as opposed to one that meets the standard of 2.5 gallons per minute, will use an extra 25 gallons of water. If you take a shower every other day, this could save as much as 4500 gallons of water per year. 4500 gallons would cost me around $30, including my water and wastewater and local sewer costs. But it would also cost me another $14 in natural gas costs just to heat that extra water. That's around $44 a year in savings from an efficient showerhead, which typically costs just a few tens of dollars to buy and install. And these savings come year after year after year. And some of the showerheads found to be violating the standards used 12 or 13 gallons per minute, not just 5. [Another problem is plumbers and architects who are starting to install shower "systems" with multiple showerheads. Each single showerhead might meet the federal standard, but this loophole is certainly a violation of the spirit of the law.]

Source: Peter Gleick

This showerhead is highly efficient (under 2 gallons per minute) and gives a great shower.

Multiply that waste over the population of California, or the United States, and the water and energy savings are massive. In the Pacific Institute's 2003 report on the potential for urban water efficiency improvements, we estimated that if all remaining inefficient California showerheads were swapped out for water-efficient models, they would save 40 billion gallons a year now being used wastefully for showers. And some of the newest, well-designed showerheads flow at 1.5 gallons per minute -- another massive improvement even over the federal standard of 2.5 gpm.

Some studies suggest that shower length can go up when low-flow showerheads are installed, though others actually have found a drop in shower duration. And no doubt some readers will complain about how crummy their showers feel. But well-designed showerheads, even low-flow showerheads, feel great. If you don't like your low-flow showerhead because of the feel, get a good one and maintain it -- the expense is small.

Water resource management, to which water conservation is a critical component, demands that we ensure the efficient use of this resource that is increasingly becoming scarce. Water resources have a direct relationship with economic activities and population growth.

The government has directed all government agencies to lead in water conservation measures to mitigate the possible detrimental effects of the looming water crisis. Members of the Cabinet have been urged to set the example in their respective offices in conserving this vital life-giving and life-sustaining resource.

For its part, the private sector is strongly urged to undertake a comprehensive and integrated plan to address the possible effects of the El Niño phenomenon, which could result in P20 billion loss to the economy in the next six months, and affect 543,844.8 hectares of rice lands, 273,411.6 hectares of cornfields, and pose a threat to around 16,992 hectares of fishery areas.

With the onset of the summer months and the impending El Niño phenomenon, we could really use some water conservation tips. On the part of government, there are initiatives to encourage the conservation of dam water, do cloud seeding in areas already affected by the dry spell and during the summer months.

One source has it that running a faucet for five minutes uses as much electricity (for water purification, delivery, and treatment) as burning a 60 watt light bulb for 14 hours. The same source estimates our average consumption per day for taking a bath can use 37 gallons of water; using a shower, 40 gallons; washing dishes by hand, 20 galllons; and toilet flushing, around 100 gallons. In the average home, toilet flushing accounts for about 800 gallons of water per week. These quantities are on top a few liters of water we consume daily for drinking and cooking.

Households, which consume the most quantity of water daily for their myriad activities, are enjoined to do their part to help ensure a steady supply of this vital resource, which would redound to a significant amount of savings and monetary terms

A group of 32 excited fourth- and fifth-graders from Saint Raphael School gathered at the lip of Bon Tempe Reservoir last week on Mount Tamalpais to learn a little about where their water comes from.

The field trip is part of a new program launched by the Marin Municipal Water District to get children thinking not only about the county's limited water supply but the environment that surrounds it.

"It gives them an appreciation for where their water comes from and that it is a limited resource," said Craig Lauridsen of the district's water conservation department, who spoke to the students. "It's also a great outdoor learning experience."

He gave them some facts and figures to think about:

- The district produces an average of 25 million gallons of water a day, enough to fill a garden hose long enough to wrap around Earth 12 times.

- Less than 1 percent of water produced by the district is used for drinking.

- It costs 75 cents to fill a year's worth of water bottles from the tap, versus more than $1,000 if the bottles are bought from a store.

AmeriCorps volunteers also lead the giggling, smiling students in a game of rock, paper, scissors to show them how the food chain works. Students paired off, and those who won climbed the chain moving from grass seeds to field mice, to snakes and then hawks, until returning back to Earth.

Sarah Weiss, fifth-grade teacher at Saint Raphael, watched as her students played the game.

"We try to talk about recycling,

and we study water use in class and will look at the food chain, too," Weiss said. "This is a really good hands-on opportunity for the students." Parent Roberto Cortez liked the discussion of water. "It gives them a good sense from where the most precious thing comes from. It's not from the faucet," he said. His daughter Cassandra, 9, a fourth-grader, was nearby picking up an orange weed wrench. Part of the program included students pulling out French broom, an invasive on the watershed that chokes out native plants. "We learned about the food chain and water," Cassandra said, as she lugged a wrench. "I like it." Suzanne Whelan, watershed volunteer coordinator, said the program has been a success and is fully booked. "It's not only about keeping the water clean for us, but about the plants and animals we share the area with," Whelan said. "It's a chance for them to get out and have a little fun while learning. It's been great so far.">

As warmer months near, Santa Barbara city officials are urging local residents to learn more about drought-resistant plants and water-conserving irrigation techniques via a CD and DVD available through the city’s Water Conservation Program.

The CD, titled “Water Wise Gardening in Santa Barbara County,” features a database of searchable information on more than 1,000 drought-resistant plants, more than 300 photos of garden tours, and helpful facts and resources on gardening designs and practices.

The “Laundry to Landscape” DVD offers instructions on how to install an irrigation system using graywater from a washing machine. The 90-minute program is hosted by ecological designer Art Ludwig and includes information on tools, parts and installation tricks.

The state recently approved the installation of graywater systems without building permits, allowing local homeowners to install a laundry-to-landscape water system without a permit.

The CD and DVD can be borrowed from the library, picked up for free from the city’s water program at 630 Garden St., or seen online at www.sbwater.org. More information is available at www.santabarbaraca.gov/water or by calling the water conservation hotline at 564-5460.

Though heavy rains have moistened Southern California's dry soil, it hasn't lessened the state's dehydrated condition or provided any long-term answers to its water woes.

"We're still in a drought," said Debby Figoni, conservation specialist/education coordinator for the Chino Basin Water Conservation District (CBWCD).

"Cutting back on water usage will conserve our resources, be better for the environment and benefit everyone. So many people want to conserve - they just don't know how," she said.

The CBWCD is taking people from just wanting to conserve water to conserving water - by showing them how.

Based in Montclair, the CBWCD is a public agency serving Chino, Montclair and parts of Chino Hills, Upland, Ontario and Rancho Cucamonga.

Its mission is to protect the Chino Groundwater Basin, educate individuals and organizations in water conservation and promote the efficient use of water resources.

In helping to meet its goal, the CBWCD has started free, user-friendly workshops that offer the public useful tips on being water wise. The workshops are open to anyone.

"Water Wise Gardening (The Basics) is like Water Wise Landscaping 101," Figoni said. "It sets a foundation and is a gateway to other workshops."

Those who attend Water Wise Gardening (The Basics) will leave with the knowledge and ability to go home and make changes that will have a positive impact on their water consumption.

The workshops

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are on site in the district's conference room and includes an informative tour of its beautifully maintained garden that's filled with many examples of drought-tolerant plants, ground cover and foliage.

Other workshops include:

• Water Wise Gardening: Irrigation, Soil and Fertilizers

• Water Wise Gardening: Plants and Planting

• Water Wise Gardening: Preparation and Design

• Water Wise Gardening: Maintenance, Pruning and Integrated Pest Management

• Backyard Composting.

Informative handouts will be provided with each workshop and there is always plenty of printed material available at the CBWCD office on water-saving tips, water- wise nurseries and a plant list.

"About 60 percent of the water the typical household uses comes from outside irrigation," Figoni said. "We can teach people how to remove their water-guzzling lawns and replace them with water wise wonderlands."

Attending the workshops will teach participants how to implement drought-tolerant landscaping that can reduce water consumption up to 40 percent.

Water wise gardening is also economical, Figoni said. "If you put in the right plants, the need and cost for pesticides and fertilizer goes way down," she said. "Everything will grow more naturally in the right environment."

Even if people want to keep their turf lawns, workshops can show them how to reduce their water consumption. "Just switching the sprinkler head makes a huge difference," she said.

Many people are hesitant to trade in their lush green because they associate "drought-tolerant" with succulents and cactus, but there are many types of ground cover, flowering plants and fragrant shrubs that make any landscape lively and interesting.

"Landscaping can be overwhelming. I try and make it easy to understand and clear," said Water Wise workshop instructor Juan Zamora. "I want to show how to use water wisely and have a lot of fun."

Zamora's teaching style includes lots of show-and-tell paired with hands-on learning. When the workshop's over, participants can go home and apply the methods.

"Our goal is to get the message out and have those people in the workshops tell other people," he said. "It's not hard to be water wise, it just takes a little bit of education."

It may not seem like much, but the water saved by turning off the faucet when brushing your teeth or by taking a slightly shorter shower can lead to hundreds of gallons and dollars saved in the long run.

The following tips will help identify leaks and changes to make in your home:

• Toilets can be a culprit for silent leaks because they usually go undetected. Carefully remove the toilet tank and put a few drops of food coloring in the tank and wait about 20 to 30 minutes. Make sure no one uses the toilet during this test. If the color seeps into the toilet bowl, there is a leak. Since there are multiple pieces inside the bowl that can be causing the leak you may want to replace all of the inner components of the toilet. Most local hardware stores sell the entire kit for less than $20.

• Grab a wrench and fix leaky faucets. Don’t forget to check outside faucets to ensure there are no leaks.

• Install a low-flow showerhead. There are some models that come with a temperature sensor. When the optimum temperature is reached, the water from the showerhead will slow to a trickle. When you are ready to get into the shower, you pull a cord and the showerhead resumes to normal flow. This will save water and electricity.