8 ways to conserve water at Home

Long showers feel great, but with every minute you spend pampering yourself, your wallet, and the environmental struggle. Along with saving money on your monthly bills, water conservation is critical for your community. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, it’s likely that at least 40 states will experience water shortages by 2024 Follow these tips for how to save water at home: 1. Be mindful of running water. Don’t keep the faucet running the entire time you’re brushing your teeth or washing your hands. You may have heard this one before, but it’s easy to lazily run the faucet instead of turning it off while scrubbing and then turning the tap back on when you’re ready to rinse. Similarly, avoid luxuriously long showers. Try to limit shower time to 10 to 15 minutes maximum to prevent wasting excess gallons of water. 2. Fix leaks as soon as possible. Look out for leaky faucets, dripping water from shower heads, rusting pipes, and signs of water damage. Locate the source of the leak, and fix it immediately to avoid wasting more water. 3. Don’t let the toilet run. If you notice that your toilet is constantly running, try replacing the flapper. Simply shut off the water to the toilet, and flush to drain the tank. Unhook the old flapper from the base of the tank and chain, and then replace it with the new one. Turn the water back on, and you’re all set. If that doesn’t work, it may be time to buy a new toilet. Look for an energy-efficient model, and follow these steps to remove the old unit and install the new one. 4. Wash full loads only. Make sure the dishwasher and washing machine are full before you run them. If you have a unit with energy-saving settings for light washes and smaller loads, take advantage of them. When it’s time to invest in a new machine, look for water-saving models with the settings that allow you to adjust to load size. 5. Use a compost bin. In-sink garbage disposal needs a lot of water to work efficiently, so opt for a compost bin instead. It’s healthier for the environment while reducing water waste and increasing the energy efficiency of your home. 6. Insulate pipes. Be sure to insulate exposed pipes around the house, especially in the attic and basement. When they’re not insulated, it takes longer for water to heat Read More

10 Ways to Save Water at Home

Our local leaders are facing the pressing question of how to ensure a clean, reliable water supply with strains from population growth, booming development, and global warming. Many communities are already enforcing water restrictions. There are a few simple things you can do at home to ease the burden on your local water supply and save money in the process. Turn off the faucet while brushing your teeth. Only run the washing machine and dishwasher when you have a full load. Use a low flow shower head and faucet aerators. Fix leaks. Install a dual flush or low flow toilet or put a conversion kit on your existing toilet. Don’t overwater your lawn or water during peak periods, and install rain sensors on irrigation systems. Install a rain barrel for outdoor watering. Plant a rain garden for catching stormwater runoff from your roof, driveway, and other hard surfaces. Monitor your water usage on your water bill and ask your local government about a home water audit. Share your knowledge about saving water through conservation and efficiency with your neighbors. These water-saving measures can have a big impact on water demand in local communities. While saving money, you also have the opportunity to get involved in your local community, protect the water in your local waterways so you can continue to enjoy their recreational benefits, and get to know your home and family with a few do-it-yourself projects. Did you know? 30 to 60% of domestic drinking water is used to water yards and gardens, and often large portions are wasted by over-watering, evaporation, and misdirected sprinklers that water sidewalks and driveways. The average U.S. per capita water use is 170 gallons per day (gpd). In Australia, it is 36 GDP. Thanks to water efficiency, Australia uses far less water, but still enjoys the same high quality of life. If Metro Atlanta embraced water efficiency solutions they could save up to $700 million and between 130 and 210 million gallons a day – that’s up to one-third of their current water supply.

20 Free Sand and Water Textures for the Summer

Summer time means a lot of things. Pool parties, barbeques, hot weather, no school, vacations. Everyone’s favorite spot to get away from the heat is almost universally the beach. Sadly, it’s not always possible to make the trip for some much needed rest and relaxation. If you’re stuck at home, I want to help. This roundup contains 20 free sand and water textures so you can at least pretend you’re walking barefoot on the beach. *Some textures may require attribution, so make sure you check out the licensing for each photo carefully. Free Sand Textures 1. Sand and shells by Andre Mouraux 2. Seamless desert sand texture by hhh316 3. Course Sand Texture by versageek 4. Beach sand closeup by Asisbiz.com 5. Tiled Sand Texture by xxdigipxx 6. Sand texture by Bgfons.com (Link removed for potential malware) 7. HDR beach sand texture by Vincent 8. Sand texture by Zephroth 9. Sand texture by Marshall Clark 10. Yellow sand texture by Public-domain-image.com Free Water Textures 1. Swimming Pool Pattern #2 by Lee Coursey 2. Water 041 by chrstphre campbell 3. Water ripples texture by Juan Tello 4. Water Beauty Texture by EvilHateYouAllStock 5. Water texture by GRANNYSATTICSTOCK 6. Perfect Water by bean-stock 7. Sea texture by Dristals 8. Sea texture by Lnk.Si 9. Water surface by Rupert Ganzer 10. Water texture by Geeart.com If that doesn’t make you want to drop everything and get out of the house, then you might have a design addiction like me. This guest post was written by Nick Sailor, a freelance blogger, copywriter, and content manager. He’s also a part of the TemplateMonster team. If you’re not familiar with TemplateMonster, they’ve got a ridiculous assortment of templates and themes for WordPress, Drupal, and a whole lot more.

10 design tips for water conservation

With water becoming a scarce natural resource across our country, water conservation has become a driving design force in the landscape industry. There are many benefits, both for us and our society, that can be seen by adopting water-wise practices in residential and commercial landscapes. Water conservation not only preserves this precious resource but also helps prevent water pollution to our local water supplies. As a landscape architect, these principles are used in my designs to be mindful of our common goal: responsible stewardship of the land. Water conservation can be defined as the practice of using and managing water and water sources efficiently to reduce unnecessary water usage and evaporation. With that in mind, there are many strategies that landscape architects and designers can adopt to further water conservation in their projects. Let’s explore a few of them: 1. Limit turf area: Since turf areas are one of the biggest culprits in the water wars, reducing those areas will improve conservation significantly. Many homeowners still demand large turf areas, so education should be the first goal in communicating with those customers. Designers should also try to incorporate turf only in areas where dogs and kids will need it. Plan to naturalize the rest of your landscape and let these less demanding landscapes dominate your design. If you must use turf, choose wisely. Fescue turf tends to use an enormous amount of water to keep it lush and green as opposed to other turfgrass varieties. If your customer cannot live without turf, then move to a turf variety that requires less water such as Bermuda or zoysia. 2. Improve soils: Amend soils generously with rich organic material when planting. Organic soil amendments can include peat moss, wood chips, grass clippings, straw or manure. There are commercial soil amendment products that encourage water retention. These amendments will allow a broader root system on the plants. Better soils allow more natural aeration, drainage and natural water holding capacity of the soil. Amendments also encourage the water’s ability to be infiltrated into the ground and prevent runoff. For the designer, adding a specification detailing your suggested soil mix to your plans would be helpful for landscapers to follow when implementing your designs. 3. Mulch all planting beds with a water-retaining mulch: Mulch forms a protective layer between the plant’s roots and the air, encouraging water retention. Most forms of mulch such as shredded Read More

BASIC TIPS FOR DESIGNING EFFICIENT IRRIGATION SYSTEMS

INTRODUCTION Freshwater resources are becoming scarce due to population increase and associated increases in water, food, and energy demands. The state of Florida alone is projected to add 6 million people by 2030 (Rayer and Wang 2017). Moreover, extreme weather events (e.g., floods and droughts) are becoming common phenomena. Therefore, as freshwater resources become increasingly scarce and droughts become more frequent, there is a need for efficient use of water resources. There have been significant advancements in irrigation technologies (e.g., electric valves, smart controllers, soil moisture sensors, etc.) that can allow water savings (Dukes 2012). However, the effectiveness of these technologies depends on several factors such as the design of the irrigation system. Designing efficient irrigation systems and equipment will not only save money but also conserve water. FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN DESIGNING IRRIGATION SYSTEMS This document provides a basic overview of the major factors to consider when designing irrigation systems and choosing irrigation equipment. Figure 1 presents a few of the major factors that affect design of irrigation systems. WATER SOURCE Total freshwater withdrawal in Florida across all uses is 6.4 billion gallons per day. Almost two-thirds of this is from groundwater, while the rest is from surface water (Marella 2015). Almost 40 percent of freshwater withdrawal is accounted for by agricultural use, while 36 percent is for public supply. The remaining 24 percent of freshwater withdrawals goes to other uses such as power generation, recreational-landscape irrigation, commercial-industrial mining, and domestic self-supplied uses. Freshwater withdrawal in Florida follows the population density and the intensity of irrigated croplands. Freshwater withdrawal is the highest in Palm Beach county (more than 1 billion gallons per day). Knowing the quality and available quantity of the irrigation water source is critical. Water sources could be from reclaimed water, surface water, or groundwater. Depending on the water source used, the amount of water available and the equipment needed to deliver the water will differ. Water allocations for irrigation could be subject to local ordinance, depending on several factors. FIELD CHARACTERISTICS Field characteristics (i.e., field size, land slope, soil type) could affect the choice of the irrigation system, necessary irrigation equipment (e.g., pump), and plant types. FIELD SIZE Field size (acreage) affects the maximum number of plants that can be planted and, as a result, total irrigation requirement. The maximum area that can be irrigated at any given time should be determined based on the availability Read More

How Do Our Water Systems Work?

Water is a renewable resource that is provided naturally through the earth’s water cycle, in the form of precipitation. While water is provided by nature, many of us rely on a complex network of pipes, pumps, equipment, and people provided by our community’s municipal water systems to safely deliver clean water to our taps, and remove used water from our homes and businesses. There are 6 key stages in our municipal water systems: Source water – the lakes, rivers and underground aquifers that are the source of our water supply, fed by rain and melting snow. Water treatment – the processes to filter and purify water so that it is safe for human use. Water distribution systems – the pipes and pumps that deliver clean water to our taps. In BC there are more than 32,000 km of underground water pipes – that is enough pipe to circle 80% of the way around the earth! Wastewater collection systems – the pipes and pumps that take away used water from our toilets, drains, bathtubs, and laundry. These are also called sewers. In BC, there are over 26,000 km of municipal sewer pipes underground – that is enough pipe to circle two-thirds of the way around the earth! Wastewater treatment – the processes to remove contaminants from our used water so that it can be safely returned to the environment. This is also called sewage treatment. Stormwater systems – the pipes, ditches and natural systems that channel our rain water and snow melt away from our homes and businesses and back to the natural environment. In BC there are over 20,000 km of stormwater pipes underground – that is enough pipe to circle half way around the earth! WATER SYSTEMS Where does our water come from? In British Columbia, 91% of residents get their water from municipal water systems, 8% get their water from private wells, and 1% get their water delivered by tanker trucks into holding tanks. 86% of the water that feeds into municipal water systems comes from rivers and lakes – these are called surface water sources. 14% of the water that feeds into municipal water systems comes from underground aquifers – these are called ground water sources. How does water get from the source to our taps? In municipal water systems, water is withdrawn from the water source and treated before it is pumped to our homes and businesses. The quality of the source water determines the type of Read More

Water Distribution System Challenges And Solutions

Providing sufficient water of appropriate quality and quantity has been one of the most important issues in human history. Most ancient civilizations were initiated near water sources. As populations grew, the challenge to meet user demands also increased. People began to transport water from other locations to their communities. For example, the Romans constructed aqueducts to deliver water from distant sources to their communities. Today, a water supply system consists of infrastructure that collects, treats, stores, and distributes water between water sources and consumers. Limited new natural water sources, especially in the southwest region of the USA, and rapidly increasing population has led to the need for innovative methods to manage a water supply system. For example, reclaimed water has become an essential water resource for potable and nonpotable uses. Structural system additions including new conveyance systems and treatment and recharge facilities and operation decisions, such as allocating flow and implementing conservation practices, are made with the present and future demands in minds. As additional components and linkages between sources and users are developed, the complexity of the water supply system and the difficulty in understanding how the system will react to changes grows. Many efforts on the development of a water supply system have been made through for sustainable water supply. However, the complexity of system limited the site specific application at the first era. As water demands pressures raise increasingly on the existing water supply system, many studies attempted to develop a general water supply system to assist decision makers to design more reliable systems for a long range operation period. These attempts also include the optimization of total system construction and operation cost. Under given situations such as pipeline maintenance, non-revenue water, advanced metering infrastructure, the ultimate goal of this paper is to ensure water distribution system challenges are overcome and   supply water sources to users reliably in a more sustainable and timely manner as a long-term plan. Water Distribution Systems The purpose of distribution system is to deliver water to consumer with appropriate quality, quantity and pressure. Distribution system is used to describe collectively the facilities used to supply water from its source to the point of usage. Requirements of Good Distribution System Water quality should not get deteriorated in the distribution pipes. It should be capable of supplying water at all the intended places with sufficient pressure head. It should be capable of supplying the Read More

Current and future challenges for water resources management

I was recently asked to present on the current and future challenges for a water resources manager to address. We have seen a great deal of change and progress in how we plan for water resources in England over the last decade. This blog post summarises some of the key challenges I highlighted in my presentation. Join the discussion as part of Theme 6 on Water Resources and Large Scale Water Management at the IWA World Water Congress in Copenhagen (October 2020 – see call for papers here). PRESSURES ON WATER RESOURCES We face increasing pressures on water resources from climate change, population growth and the need to protect the environment. The latest summary of these pressures has been provided by the National Infrastructure Commission’s 2018 report Preparing for a drier future: England’s water infrastructure needs. This sets out a 1 in 4 chance of serious drought between now and 2050 and that emergency options to address this could cost £40 billion vs £21 billion by taking a strategic approach. The Water UK Long Term Water Resource Planning Framework also highlights that there is an increasing risk of more frequent and intense droughts across England and Wales, not just in the South East. CURRENT CHALLENGES Regulatory complexity and planning We face a complicated policy and regulatory landscape when it comes to management of water resources. This is summarised by the figure below from Ofwat’s Water 2020 report and since its publications there are further government policies linked to the 25 Year Environment Plan (e.g. biodiversity net gain) and new plans such as Drainage and Wastewater Management Plans that will have implications going forward for water resources management. Water companies face many tensions around meeting the objectives of Defra, Ofwat, the Environment Agency, CCWater and other government bodies. Additionally, the timeframes for planning are still not aligned. In the latest planning period there has been greater consideration of the links between drought planning and long-term water resources management plans (WRMPs). An increasing level of complexity has been introduced into the water resources planning process. This is set out in the 2016 UWKIR report WRMP 2019 Methods – Decision Making Process: Guidance. Taking a risk based approach enables selection of the most appropriate methods for individual water companies. However, many of the more advanced processes may be less transparent and can be hard to communicate to customers and wider stakeholders. We need to keep sight of outputs and visualisations as decision Read More

DRINKING WATER CHLORINATION: A REVIEW OF DISINFECTION PRACTICES AND ISSUES

1 Human Ambitions and Earth’s Limits Throughout the world, demographic, economic, and technological trends have accelerated our ability to knowingly and unknowingly modify the environment we live in and that sustains us. We humans have become the principal driver of environmental change. Our actions are impacting our global environment, including our climate. This in turn impacts the amounts and spatial and temporal distributions of precipitation that falls on watersheds and the timing of its runoff. Coupled with changes in landscapes, due to growth in food and energy production and from the movement of people into urban centers, we are altering the quantity and quality of our freshwater resources on which we depend to survive, both physically and economically. We depend on water not only for life itself, but indeed for our economic wellbeing as well. Water plays a role in the creation of everything we produce. There are no substitutes and while it is renewable there is only a finite amount of it. In the past, we have made decisions regarding the management of our water resources that have not always helped us become more secure or sustainable. We have disrupted and overallocated river flow regimes—sometimes to the point of drying them up, along with their downstream lakes. We have overdrawn groundwater aquifers; polluted many, if not most of our water bodies including estuaries, coastal zones and even oceans; and degraded ecosystems. We have done this mainly to satisfy short-term economic goals, often goals that may not have included the long-term environmental—or even economic—sustainability of region or basin, and indeed our own health. Our planet no longer functions in the way it once did. Earth is currently confronted with a relatively new situation, the ability of humans to transform the atmosphere, degrade the biosphere, and alter the lithosphere and hydrosphere. The challenges of our current decade—resource constraints, financial instability, religious conflict, inequalities within and between countries, environmental degradation—all suggest that business-as-usual cannot continue. These challenges to effective planetary stewardship must be addressed and soon. The various parts of the Earth system – rock, water, and atmosphere – are all involved in interrelated cycles where matter is continually in motion and is used and reused in the various planetary processes. Without interlocked cycles and recycling, the components of our Earth could not function as an integrated system. In the last 50 years or so we have come to recognize the movements Read More

Global water crisis: Facts, FAQs, and how to help

There’s nothing more essential to life on Earth than water and our ability to overcome water scarcity. From Central Australia to sub-Saharan Africa and Asia’s teeming megacities, water is scarce. People are struggling to access the clean water they need for drinking, cooking, bathing, hand-washing, and growing their food. What is water scarcity? Water scarcity is defined as a water deficiency or a lack of safe water supplies. As the population of the world grows and the environment becomes further affected by climate change, access to fresh drinking water dwindles. Globally, 785 million people lack access to clean drinking water. Every day, over 800 children die from dirty water, due to diarrhea caused by poor water, sanitation, and hygiene and scarce or unreliable water and sanitation facilities in many communities around the world. The impacts of water scarcity affect families and their communities. Without clean, easily accessible water, they can become locked in poverty for generations. Children drop out of school and parents struggle to make a living. Women and children are worst affected – children because they are more vulnerable to diseases of dirty water and women and girls because they often bear the burden of carrying water for their families for an estimated 200 million hours each day. Access to clean water changes everything; it’s a stepping stone to development. When people gain access to clean water, they are better able to practice good hygiene and sanitation. Children enjoy good health and are more likely to attend school. Parents put aside their worries about water-related diseases and lack of access to clean water. Instead, they can focus on watering their crops and livestock and diversifying their incomes. Johanna, 23, holds her son David, five, so he can wash his face and drink clean water flowing from one of the taps in the Jamastran Valley of Honduras. The water system was built by the community with support from World Vision. Facts of the Global water crisis The 1700s to 1800s: Industrialisation leads to increased urbanization in England, highlighting the need for clean water supplies and sanitation. The 1800s: Water shortages first appear in historical records. 1854: Dr. John Snow discovers the link between water and the spread of cholera during an outbreak in London. The 1900s: Since 1900, more than 11 billion people have died from drought, and drought has affected more than one billion people. 1993: The U.N. General Assembly designates March 22 as World Water Day. 2000: The U.N. member states set Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) for development progress, including a 2015 Read More