waterwise The The official official publication publication of of Colorado Colorado WaterWise WaterWise
The Voice of the Colorado Water Conservation Community
www.coloradowaterwise.org
Spring in Colorado
In this issue...
Pg 3. New Eoard Pembers Pg 12. New Audubon program for Jolf courses Pg 19. New designation for recycled water Pg 22. An interview with Drew Beckwith
Spring 2014
s r o t i d e e h t From This has been a long, cold winter for much of Colorado but the good news is that the snow pack is up in most of the basins. Colorado is facing, and will continue to face, many challenges: drought, flooding, wild fires, pine beetle and tornados. Recognizing that all of the water utilities have individual issues, it is safe to say that they also have many similarities, such as having adequate water supply to meet future demands and water quality. Surveys have shown that the general public doesn’t know where their water comes from. How can they appreciate, value, and use it efficiently if they take it for granted? Educating the customer is key. Colorado WaterWise is creating a toolkit to address some of these issues. The toolkit will be a branded product that utilities can use and personalize. RFPs have been received and a communication consultant will be selected soon to begin the development of the toolkit. Colorado WaterWise needs your support: serving on the stakeholder committee, determining utility needs and financial support. We have raised $29K toward the $40K that is needed for the first phase of the project. Go online to donate www. coloradowaterwise.org or contact Alyssa Quinn ALQuinn@plattecanyon.org for more information. Other highlights include a tour of O’Dell’s Brewery that emphasizes innovative conservation, the Denver Water Festival where the education process begins and shows kids the myriad ways in which we can save water, and From Drought to Flood which highlights the challenges we face in meeting our water demands in Colorado. Reach the editors at: Kim Frick: Kfrick@scwtp.org Ruth Quade: Ruth.Quade@greeleygov.com Leslie Martien: Leslie@aquacraft.com
Kim Frick Ruth Quade Leslie Martien
Colorado WaterWise Ongoing Meetings Colorado WaterWise Board Meetings Second Thursday of each month, 10 a.m.-noon RMSAWWA Water Conservation Committee Meetings Second Monday of each month from 10:30-11:30
WaterWise is the official publication of Colorado WaterWise and is published four times a year (Mar, Jun, Sep, and Dec). Articles are due one month before the newsletter comes out. Officers: Co-chairs: Lyle Whitney-Aurora & Frank Kinder-Colorado Springs Utilities Co-secretaries Alyssa Quinn-Platte Canyon & Russ Sands-Boulder Co-treasurers: Ruth Quade-Greeley & Dan Stellar-Center for ReSource Conservation Board Members: The officers above and Amy Conklin-Barr Lake; Becky Fedak-Brendle Group; Laura Wing-Thornton; Lucas Mouttet-Fort Collins, Lindsay Weber-Denver Water; Lindsey Bashline-Loveland; Amelia Nuding-Western Resource Advocates; Leslie Martien-Aquacraft, Inc.; Nona Shipman-One World One Water; Lyndsey Lucia-Northern Water. Newsletter Committee: Editors, Kim Frick, Leslie Martien, & Ruth Quade Design: Rob Sherman Advertising Sales: Ruth Quade, ruth. quade@greeleygov.com To submit a story topic, email Kim Frick at kim@scwtp.org WaterWise articles may be reproduced in other publications with credit given to the author and ColordoWaterWise. Any advertisement of or reference to a product or service is not intended as an endorsement. This newsletter is intended to spark dialogue about various issues concerning water conservation in Colorado. The viewpoints of the authors are not necessarily those of the Colorado WaterWise.
Hello / Goodbye to Board Members By Ruth Quade, City of Greeley Colorado WaterWise has benefitted by having the best of the best board members serving and giving the organization some direction. We are sad to see some go, but welcome new faces and fresh ideas.
Special dhanks to Kutgoing Board Members Esther Vincent Esther is the Water Quality Manager with the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District in Berthoud, Colorado. She completed her Master’s degree in Civil Engineering in 1999 from the National Superior School of Hydraulics and Mechanics of Grenoble, France and is a registered Professional Engineer in the State of Colorado. She has been with Northern Water since 1999 where she started as an intern working on water resource planning and forecasting. Her responsibilities then expanded to the areas of water quality and water conservation. She now manages the District water quality program and leads its water conservation team. Esther was born and grew up in Paris, France and went to college in the French Alps where she became an avid skier. She lives in Old Town Fort Collins with her son Liam. Esther’s direct and clear vision for Colorado WaterWise helped get the board back on track after some reorganization. Esther served on the board from 2006-2013 and as a co-chair 2009-2011. As a co-chair, she was on just about every committee, but was instrumental in developing Colorado WaterWise’s strategic vision, producing the BP Guidebook and will continue with the Value of Water Toolkit. Sarah Fleury Sarah has a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science from the University of California Berkeley and began her career at Eagle River and Sanitation District in 2003 as a water treatment operator. Her experience as an operator gave her the inspiration to educate her community about the importance of water conservation. She became the District’s Water Conservation Officer in 2007. In this role she oversaw a range of water conservation programs. In her free time Sarah loves playing ice hockey and going on bike rides in the mountains. Sarah served as co-treasurer for the Board and also served on the Event Committee helping to produce the Conservation Summit. Sarah drove to almost every meeting to attend in person, sometimes braving three to five hours in the car, inclement weather and traffic on I-70. Sarah was always ready to pitch in and get projects done for the Board. She was a great asset and represented the mountain region well. WaterWise
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Susan Beckman Susan graduated from Colorado State University, Pueblo, with a BS in Mass Communications. She most recently served her third term as an Arapahoe County Commissioner (2003-2009). She spearheaded an effort to bring 16 local governments and $28 million in funding to connect trails, facilitate environmental cleanup and preserve land throughout the South Platte River Corridor. As a commissioner, Susan has overseen most major county departments including Finance, Human Resources, Human Services, Facilities and Fleet Management, County Attorney, Information Technology and Open Spaces and Intergovernmental Relations. Susan moved to Littleton after graduating from Colorado State University-Pueblo. Susan and her husband Bruce, who serves on the Littleton City Council, have two children attending Colorado State University. Drew Beckwith As Western Resources Advocates’ water policy manager, Drew Beckwith works closely with water utilities, state officials, and partner organizations around the West to find water solutions that both meet human water needs and sustain our incredible natural resources. He is responsible for the Water Program’s research, legislative, and policy initiatives that aim to advance water conservation efforts and non-traditional water supplies across the region. Drew holds a Master of Environmental Science and Management degree from UC Santa Barbara and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Geology from Colorado College. Drew served as a co-secretary and was great at holding the board accountable as the conversation got sidetracked and reined in the discussion to stay on task. Drew has always provided the newsletter Legislative update and hopefully will continue to do so. Read more about Drew in the Spotlight.
Welcome to the Incoming Board Members Becky Fedak Becky supports a wide range of projects at Brendle Group, including greenhouse gas inventories, energy profiles, climate and sustainability planning, and on-site energy, water, and waste assessments. She also has extensive experience as a water resources engineer and is well-versed in water operations modeling and large scale water resources planning and design. Additionally, Becky has a comprehensive set of business skills, including project management, triple bottom line analysis, and business plan development. With an undergraduate degree in civil and environmental engineering, Becky continued her education with a Master of Science degree in Business Administration focusing on global, social, and sustainable enterprise. While completing her graduate work, she founded Running Water International, a social enterprise in Kenya, Africa that addresses the water resource challenges of the developing world. She continues to serve as Technical Director for the organization’s multi-cultural team.
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Amelia Nuding Amelia joined Western Resource Advocates in 2010. As a water-energy analyst, she works with utilities, municipalities, and state agencies to align water and energy efficiency programs, improve the integration of water and land use planning; she conducts technical, spatial, and policy analysis to advance these goals. She has worked in the environmental sector since 2005, and was a science teacher for several years before that. She has a Master’s in Water Resources Management from the Bren School at UCSB, and a Bachelor’s in Physics from Vassar College. Lindsey Bashline Lindsey joined Loveland Water and Power in 2009 and works as a Customer Relations Specialist. Lindsey focuses on the residential sector including managing residential energy efficiency, water conservation, renewable energy and customer relations including utility branding, website development and community engagement. During her tenure with the City she has coordinated and developed an array of residential and commercial programs which included program research, design, implementation, measurement and verification. Lindsey holds a BA in Business Management with a Concentration in Innovational and Organizational Management from Colorado State University. Leslie Martien Leslie joined Aquacraft in 2002 after completing her Bachelor of Science in Water Resources and Environmental Engineering at the University of Colorado. Her work with Aquacraft includes residential and commercial audits, water efficient landscape design and system planning projects evaluating new conservation technologies. Leslie contributed to the Guidebook of Best Practices for Municipal Water Conservation in Colorado with an emphasis on landscape water budgets, landscape design, installation, and maintenance, and irrigation efficiency. She provides training to engineers and utility staff interested in utilizing Aquacraft’s Trace Wizard and Meter Master programs. Leslie continues her association with the University of Colorado as a guest speaker and as an industry representative. She serves on CU’s Joint Evaluation Committee to review the objectives and outcomes of the undergraduate programs in Water Resources and Environmental Engineering. She is an editor for and regular contributor to the Colorado WaterWise newsletter and serves on the Colorado WaterWise Annual Event committee. In her spare time Leslie can be found scuba diving with her husband, working in her garden, or training her horse. Nona Shipman Nona joined the One World One Water Center for Urban Water Education and Stewardship at Metro State University in Denver in April 2013 as the Outreach and Recruitment Manager. Before coming to the OWOW Center she worked on the statewide Colorado Water 2012 campaign with the Colorado Foundation for Water Education. Originally from Northern Virginia, Nona moved to Denver in 2011 as an AmeriCorps VISTA and loved the experience so much she decided to stay in Colorado and pursue further water education opportunities. She has a BA in Communications from Lynchburg College and welcomes the opportunity to incorporate her degree with her passion for raising the awareness of precious resources. Nona likes to spend her free time hiking with her dog Mavett, dancing to bluegrass music, and practicing yoga.
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Lyndsey Lucia
Lyndsey is a Colorado native and received her Bachelor’s degree from Colorado State University in Environmental Horticulture with a concentration in Landscape Design. In 2009, she joined the Irrigation Management Department at Northern Water. She is a landscape technician and has responsibility in the areas of data collection, field instrumentation, and more recently, outreach/communications related to Northern Water’s landscape/water conservation activities. Public Outreach/ Field Instrumentation Technician is another role she fills in the department. Lyndsey is also a Certified Landscape Irrigation Auditor through the Irrigation Association. In her spare time she enjoys gardening, camping, hiking, yoga, photography and spending time with family.
Beautiful, creative, innovative, and sustainable possibilities to imagine and implement! • A complete step-by-step guide to reinvent front yards and improve the planet, one lawn at a time. • Over 800 full color inspirational photos, rich illustrations, and informative charts and graphs. • An excellent resource to create beautiful, waterconserving front yards and gardens.
h Author, Sarah Carolyn Sutton, ASLA, is a Landscape Architect with over 30 years’ experience in eco-friendly landscape design and construction. A LEED accredited and Certified Green Building Professional, she advises locally and nationally on sustainable projects and programs. Ms. Sutton is a Principal with The Planning Center | DC&E, an ecologically-minded planning & design firm with offices throughout California.
Wholesale & Quantity Discounts available. Call Tendril Press at 303.696.9227 for details.
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Denver Metro 1st Water Festival By Nona Shipman, One Water One World - Metro State University On May 21, 2014, something very special is going to happen – the very first Denver Metro Water Festival! Denver Water, along with 69 of their suburban distributors, Metropolitan State University of Denver, and the One World One Water Center have partnered to create an educational water festival for nearly 800 sixth graders in the Denver Metro area at no cost to schools and teachers. Metropolitan State University of Denver is proud to be hosting the water festival on Auraria Campus. Thus far the water festival organizers have wrangled in some great presenters including the History Colorado Center, Urban Drainage and Flood Control, and the Denver Zoo. Presentation topics include reuse, conservation, water quality, and water history to name a few. Presentations will run approximately 25 minutes and are sure to be educational, interactive, and most importantly - FUN! In addition to educating sixth grade students at the festival, MSU Denver students and community members will be given opportunities to get involved. Volunteer positions for the festival will be filled with MSU Denver students and members of the water studies student club, WASSUP. Community members will be invited to play the roles of Water Wizards and members of Water Court throughout the day. In addition, during the Spring 2013 semester, one MSU Denver art class was tasked with the challenge to create an overall “look� for the festival to engage teachers and students; the results were spectacular. Each May dozens of water festivals are held all over Colorado, showcasing the importance of water in a community and bringing water education to the young masses. The Denver Metro Water Festival is important because it will be the first of its kind made available exclusively to Denver Metro sixth grade students. Hoping for lots of participation, the planning committee mailed postcards to Denver Metro sixth grade teachers with festival information and how to apply. On January 15, 2014 at 9am the application floodgates opened and within one day had reached maximum capacity. The enthusiasm for furthering youth water education from schools and teachers gives hope that the first Denver Metro Water Festival will not be the last. May 21, 2014 is fast approaching so hold onto your hats Denver Metro! It is going to be one fun festival. Denver Metro Water Festival Auraria Campus May 21, 2014 9:30am-1pm
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Senate Bill 103 — Phase-In High-Efficiency Water Fixture Options Legislation for Wise Water Use
Conservation is a critical aspect of maintaining a sustainable, reliable water supply for Colorado. Our state’s water providers have a proven track record managing effective conservation programs that use this most precious natural resource efficiently. But we need to do more. WHAT: SB-103 will save water by phasing out the sale of less efficient lavatory faucets, showerheads, toilets and urinals ™ and offering WaterSense-certified fixtures in their place. WaterSense is the water equivalent to the well-known Energy Star label. A WaterSense label certifies that a fixture has been independently tested through a public/private partnership to meet high standards for water savings and performance. WHY: As outlined in the 2010 Statewide Water Supply Initiative (SWSI) reports, Colorado is facing a water supply gap that could exceed 500,000 acre-feet by the year 2050. An all-in approach to meeting these demands is critical and a collaborative conservation approach is one part of meeting our goals. Benefits from the legislation include: • Providing a calculated savings of up to 40,000 acre-feet (13 billion gallons) of water per year by the year 2050, which could be dedicated to a variety of uses. • Reducing pressure to transfer agricultural water rights for municipal and industrial use. • Providing uniform water conservation standards throughout the state. • Providing no-cost water conservation savings for water providers. • Engaging the entire state in a water efficiency effort. HOW: SB-103 will have manufacturers phase out the sale of four indoor water fixtures in the state of Colorado. The legislation will include: • Definitions for WaterSense lavatory faucets, showerheads, tank-type toilets and flushing urinals. • A two year timeframe to gradually phase in sales of the defined fixtures. • A single report by manufacturers verifying percentages of sales after the phase in period. • No preemption of more restrictive local action. • A repeal of the Water Smart Homes Option requirements made obsolete by this legislation. WaterSense certified products reduce water use over the existing federal standard and are competitively priced, compared to their less-efficient counterparts. WHO: A coalition of water providers and stakeholders interested in the efficient use of water – including the state’s largest water utility, Denver Water – have been active and engaged partners in the discussion of water efficiency with the State. A list of current supporters is included on the second page and contact information is provided below. WHEN: Now is the time to act, as this proposal builds upon Governor Hickenlooper’s direction to develop a state water plan, the recommendations in the SWSI reports, and the “no and low regrets” options for water conservation.
CONTACT: Chris Piper Denver Water 303-601-4814 chris.piper@denverwater.org WaterWise
Julie McKenna Northern Water 303-539-1320 Julie@bbmk.com
Chris Treese Colorado River District 970-945-8522 ctreese@crwcd.org
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Senate Bill 103 — Phase-In High-Efficiency Water Fixture O ptions Legislation for Wise Water Use
SUPPORTERS: Alliance for Water Efficiency Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado City of Aurora Colorado Basin Roundtable Colorado Building Owners and Managers Association Colorado Competitive Council (C3) Colorado Interbasin Compact Committee (IBCC) Colorado Pollution Prevention Advisory Board Colorado River District Colorado Springs Utilities Colorado Water Congress Colorado WaterWise Conservation Colorado Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce Denver Water GreenCO - Green Industries of Colorado Lakehurst Water and Sanitation District Metro Basin Roundtable Metro Wastewater Reclamation District Northern Water Pikes Peak Regional Water Authority Plumbing Manufacturers International Pueblo Board of Water Works Southwest Basin Roundtable Sterling Ranch, LLC The Nature Conservancy U.S. Green Building Council Colorado Western Resource Advocates Page 2 of 2 Gov/SB103/2-2014
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Colorado River Cooperative Agreement is Official By Ann Baker, Denver Water Some of the benefits include:
A groundbreaking agreement is ushering in a new era of cooperation between Denver Water and West Slope water providers, local governments, and several ski areas.
• Additional water for towns, districts and ski areas in Grand and Summit counties to serve the needs of their residents and to improve the health of our rivers and streams.
The Colorado River Cooperative Agreement became effective, as of Sept. 26, 2013, with signatures of all 18 partners complete. The overall goal of the agreement is to protect watersheds in the Colorado River Basin while allowing Denver Water to develop future water supplies.
• Protection for river flows and water quality along the entire reach of the main stem of the Colorado River. • Enhanced recreational opportunities by providing additional water to certain ski areas.
The agreement is the result of more than five years of negotiations and creates a spirit of cooperation instead of litigation over water resources.
• Agreement by West Slope parties not to oppose any permits for the Moffat Project, Denver Water’s plan to enlarge Gross Reservoir. Never in the history of Colorado have so many varied interests agreed on a shared vision for a secure and sustainable water future. This approach will provide proper balance among competing interests, a shared vision for better river health, reliable supply for all water users, and a future of cooperation, not conflict. For more information about the agreement, partners and benefits for Colorado, visit www.denverwater.org/SupplyPlanning/Planning/ ColoradoRiverCooperativeAgreement.
The Colorado River Cooperative Agreement will protect watersheds in the Colorado River Basin while allowing Denver Water to develop future water supplies. WaterWise
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Saving Water, Beautifying Landscapes By Dan Stellar, CRC The Center for ReSource Conservation (CRC), a nonprofit organization serving the Front Range, is excited to offer Garden-In-A-Box (GIAB) kits again this spring. For many years, the CRC has partnered with professional landscape designers to create easy to plant, xeric gardens that will flourish in our Colorado climate. The GIAB kits include everything that you will need to plant a water-saving garden that provides beautiful, perennial, plants that flower three seasons each year. GIAB products provide a 70-100 square foot garden with professional “plant-by-number” designs, a selection of 15-29 perennial plants in 4” pots, and planting and care instructions. GIAB is the perfect way to save water and beautify your landscape, all for a very low cost. In 2013, gardens sold out in record time, and CRC is anticipating an equally successful garden season this year. Customers interested in purchasing a garden in 2014 are encouraged to go online to www.GardenInABoxCO.org now to sign up for the priority shopping list in order to get early bird access to the 2014 products. For the 2014 season, the CRC will offer two, full sun gardens, the Painted Prairie and the Sunset Garden, and one part shade garden, Summer Shadows. In addition, a vegetable garden, the Spaghetti Dinner Garden, will be sold. New this year, the CRC is undertaking a partnership with the City of Aspen to offer the Alpine Meadows garden, specifically designed to tolerate high elevations. While this garden, which is recommended for homes at elevations of up to 8,000 feet, will be available to residents of Aspen at a $25 discount, additional Alpine Meadows gardens will be available for customers from across Colorado who live at high elevations. As with previous years, drip systems and control clocks will be sold along with the gardens to ensure customers have the ability to efficiently water their gardens. Customers who receive water from the following water providers will be offered a $25 discount for the perennial gardens: Greeley Lafayette Longmont Loveland Westminster
Arvada Boulder Brighton Denver Water Golden
A limited number of discounts are available, and are offered on a firstcome, first-served basis. For more information visit www. GardenInABoxCO.org or call 303999-3820 ext. 222
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Audubon International Offers Innovative Certifications and Incentive Programs to Improve Water and Land Management By Frank Kinder, Colorado Springs Utilities and Joanna Nadeau, Audubon International As Colorado’s economy continues to grow, there are challenges in balancing resource consumption, uses, and preservation, specifically in areas of water and land management in the built environment. Water efficiency, water quality, and natural landscapes sometimes suffer from the impacts of providing services, recreation, and development, but unique public-private partnerships offer solutions that maximize benefits while minimizing impacts. In Colorado, multiple communities have pursued Audubon International’s (AI) Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses, lessening their water demand, reducing chemical use, and providing valuable habitat. Audubon International (AI) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to delivering high-quality environmental education and using incentive-based approaches to implement sustainable natural resource management in places where people live, work, and play. AI recognizes that the water and other natural resources in and around a community are the foundation for its well-being, long-term vitality and quality of life. Utilizing a set of award-winning environmental education and certification programs, AI is able to positively impact environmental health on multiple geographic scales, including individual properties, communities, and regions. Water management plays an important role in determining community sustainability. Public and private partners have a part to play in helping communities becoming water wise. Through its certification programs, AI helps private landowners take proactive environmental actions to enhance wildlife habitat and natural resources and helps municipalities with sustainability planning, policies, and projects across public and private lands. AI environmental education and certification supports successful and cost-effective community water management initiatives. AI gives members ideas guidance for how to implement projects that are tailored to their goals and resources. ACSP for Golf Sixty-five golf courses in Colorado are members of the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program (ACSP) for Golf. The ACSP for Golf assists each golf course member to take stock of its environmental resources and any potential liabilities, and then develop a plan that fits its unique setting, goals, staff, budget, and time. Certification provides positive recognition for members who demonstrate environmental stewardship on their facilities. Broadmoor Mountain and The Club at Flying Horse are two of the 39 Colorado courses who have been recognized for their environmental stewardship through certification in the ACSP for Golf. WaterWise
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Program Outcomes Some of AI’s certified golf course members have reduced water use by as much as one million gallons a year since joining the ACSP for Golf. Forty-nine percent of surveyed courses reduced irrigated acreage since joining the program. At TPC Summerlin in Nevada, converting 7500 square feet of turf into a xeric garden saved the course $2000 in water costs. Ballyneal Golf Club, a private course in Holyoke, CO, initially saved around 50,000 gallons per watering event by adjusting run times for individual sprinkler heads and using hand watering techniques where water was needed. Ultimately, Ballyneal staff reduced irrigation costs by $3500 per year by converting other areas to low maintenance. Outreach & Education As part of its certification, AI also emphasizes the importance of environmental education and community outreach. Golf courses, parks, resorts, schools, and municipalities use demonstration sites to educate and engage residents and patrons about water issues. For example, establishing a butterfly garden near the clubhouse that features native plant species will provide wildlife habitat and help members identify those plants around the course. The Community Perspective Communities of all types are feeling the pressures of water conservation and water quality issues. New regulations and aging infrastructure cause communities to call for the implementation of new technologies and programs in an era of shrinking budgets. The Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program is another education and certification program that helps organizations and businesses (other than golf courses) protect our environment while enhancing their bottom line. In addition to the golf courses certified in the ACSP Golf Program, a cemetery and six parks in Colorado have also been certified by AI. Certification provides motivation for landowners to improve their natural resource management in order to be recognized as a leader in sustainability. Another AI program, AI’s Sustainable Communities Program (SCP) helps communities plan for a more sustainable future. The program offers two tracks: the Public Sector Track for town, city, county, or regional governments, and the Private Sector Track for private, resort, or campus communities. Joining AI’s Sustainable Communities Program (SCP) can further enhance a community’s ongoing water use and water quality activities by providing an integrated approach to sustainability for the whole town. Through the program, the member community engages residents and local partners, establishes priorities based on a shared vision, develops a plan, and takes action that leads to meaningful results. Along the way, AI provides guidance, oversight, and technical assistance in order to enhance and protect the livelihood of the community. Case Study: Rio Verde, AZ Nestled high in the Sonoran desert, Rio Verde, Arizona is an active community sitting along the western edge of the Verde River, one of Arizona’s few flowing rivers. In Arizona, residents formed the Rio Verde Sustainability Community Alliance (SCP) to conduct the initial baseline assessment in Stage One of the SCP. In Stage Two, they produced a Sustainability Portfolio highlighting priority projects for the future and resources available for each project. WaterWise
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The committee is now soliciting community involvement through public meetings to determine which areas are most important to its 1400 residents before finalizing its sustainability plan. Program Outcomes As a result of their work in the SCP, Rio Verde has now centralized all ongoing and planned projects in the community, and has explicitly noted what aspects of sustainability each project will benefit. For example, the solar panels installed on the community center are not only decreasing energy use, but also saving the community money. The golf course at Rio Verde uses reclaimed water to irrigate turf areas, further extending their limited supplies. To increase community residents’ involvement in water conservation, the Alliance created an annual fair with regional experts on water and desert landscaping, featuring smart irrigation sensors distributed to attendees. AI offers more programs in addition to those discussed; to find out more, contact: Joanna Nadeau, Associate Director of Environmental Programs Audubon International | 120 Defreest Drive, Troy, NY 12180 | 518-767-9051 x124 joanna@auduboninternational.org http://www.auduboninternational.org
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interview
an interview with
John McCallum from Rampart Supply
By Frank Kinder, Colorado Springs Utilities John McCallum is a partner and manager of Rampart Supply, a Colorado-based professional plumbing supply company, and WaterSense Partner. With locations in Denver and Colorado Springs, Rampart also hosts the Pikes Peak Mechanical Contractors Association’s meetings, and partners with Colorado Springs Utilities to share water conservation messaging, programs, and even a showerhead markdown project. Rampart has participated with suppliers such as Toto to donate grand prizes for Fix a Leak Week, Colorado Springs Water Wall in its Xeriscape and Conservation Center, and offers expertise at community events. WW: Tell us a little about yourself. I attended University of California, Davis and studied music composition. I began my work career in the retail music business, which ultimately resulted in ownership of a chain of stores that I sold in 1993. My family relocated to Colorado Springs and in 1996 when I was invited to join Rampart Plumbing & Heating Supply which is owned by my wife’s family. WW: How did you get started in the (water, conservation, or other) business? My initial responsibilities at Rampart Supply involved Human Resource Management however, my interests have always been entrepreneurial in nature. As a child of the 60s & 70s I have retained a spectator’s awareness of conservation and environmental issues. Being a spectator ended when I met my new neighbor, John Brice, the founder of Bricor Energy and Water Technology. John had patented an innovative Venturi-based aerator and showerhead technology that simultaneously piqued my interest in water conservation and excited the entrepreneur in me. I worked with John to market his products to a variety of commercial users including hospitality, military, schools and others. I then broadened my focus to include other products sold through Rampart Supply. WW: Tell us about your company. Do you have a core product, market and niche? Rampart Supply is a Colorado-based plumbing, heating and industrial wholesaler that has been in business since 1968. Our product mix is broad since we serve residential, commercial and industrial accounts. Our customers’ projects include mining, power plants, manufacturing, facility management, water conservation retrofits and new construction in both the residential and commercial markets.
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Interview with John McCallum “I have enjoyed the greatest satisfaction from recruiting bright, positive and industrious people to our company and helping them to develop prosperous and enjoyable careers.“ WW: Regarding water conservation, what do you feel are the biggest challenges facing the industry? It seems to me that the biggest challenge in the western states is to find a balance between economic development and responsible stewardship of water resources. Although my industry is fueled by new construction and we benefit from it, I am concerned that the political pressure for building development tends to drown out the voices of those who are asking for a more conservative approach to water resource management. The resources are limited and we simply have more people moving into arid and semi arid regions than can be accommodated. WW: What regulatory measures do you think will have the biggest impact on water conservation? Although I am not well-versed in regulatory considerations I am sure that continued focus on xeriscaping as a requirement for new development and continuing lawn watering restrictions will reduce water consumption significantly. Maximum flow rate requirements for plumbing products also continue to reduce consumption rates. WW: What technologies do you think will have the biggest impact on water conservation? Achieving significant reduction of water usage will require continued implementation of many technologies. Xeriscape, drip irrigation, low-flow plumbing products, gray water systems, as well as municipal reclamation and reuse plants will all be needed to impact consumption. WW: How has your company benefitted from the push for conservation? Our company has been involved in hundreds of water conservation projects. We have been participants in many projects that have been driven by the need to reduce operating expenses related to water consumption. In many cases the product rebates that are offered by municipalities have been the catalyst for our customers to move forward on retrofit projects. WW: What has given you the most satisfaction during your career? I have enjoyed the greatest satisfaction from recruiting bright, positive and industrious people to our company and helping them to develop prosperous and enjoyable careers. Nothing else comes close to that in providing me with a personal sense of accomplishment on the job. WW: Beyond work, what other interests do you have? Passions, goals, missions? My passion is focused on my family. My primary mission is to assist my children as they venture out into the world and to be a positive example for them. Beyond that I want to lower my darned golf handicap while somehow maintaining a loving relationship with my wife who has yet to see the value in that particular hobby. WW: Any last thoughts you’d like to share with our readers? I greatly appreciate the efforts of the water conservation community. The commitment to helping in the development of new technologies that not only save water but also function well in real world situations (outside of the lab) has had an enormous impact on our industry. In most cases the flow rates of plumbing products are as low as they can reasonably get so now the focus should continue to be on implementation. Keep up the good work! WaterWise
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Spring 2011 Summer 2011 Spring 2014
Legislative Watch By Drew Beckwith, Western Resource Advocates The Colorado legislature convened on January 8th, 2014. As an election year, the legislature is likely to be less confrontational and antagonistic than what occurred with the high-profile fights of last year, but who knows. This greater potential for cooperation may be good for water efficiency bills, as they tend to garner bi-partisan support. Senators Roberts (R-Durango) and Hodge (D-Brighton) have partnered with a number of other house and senate legislators to introduce a bill that puts limits on the amount of turf grass a new home could have, if that home is supplied by water from the dry-up of irrigated agriculture. S14-017 – the “Lawn Bill” – originated from the Southwest Basin Roundtable as a way to preserve irrigated agriculture on both sides of the state and minimize the need for a new, large-scale, transbasin diversion to the Front Range. In practice, the bill would prohibit a local government from approving a development permit unless an enforceable resolution or ordinance limits turf on the residential lots to less than 15% of the total aggregate area of all lots in the development. The 15% limit applies only if any part of the water supply for the development is changed from agricultural irrigation purposes to municipal use after January 1, 2016. This bill was contentious for a number of reasons, but at least the issue of outdoor irrigation is gaining more prominence and spurring discussion at the statewide level. This bill was defeated but the Senate is continuing to review and revise and will reintroduce with amendments. Senator Schwartz (D-Snowmass) reintroduced a piece of legislation from last year that would allow for the voluntary transfer of water efficiency savings to the CWCB for instream flow purposes. S14-023 is aimed at providing more flexibility for irrigators to leave water in the stream without fearing a loss of their water rights, and only applies on the Western Slope. Finally, Denver Water has taken the organizing lead on phasing out the sale of less efficient lavatory faucets, showerheads, toilets, and urinals and offering WaterSense-certified fixtures in their place – see Colorado WaterWise Winter 2013 newsletter for a full-page description of the bill’s intent and purpose. Technical research suggests the bill could save up to 40,000 acre-feet of water per year by 2050. S14-103 is sponsored by Senator Guzman (D-Denver) and Representative Fischer (D-Ft. Collins). To track these and any future bills, head on over to the Colorado General Assembly’s website: http://www.leg.state. co.us.
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Spring 2011 Spring 2014
From drought to flood and Denver Water’s 2013 Water By Austin Krcmarik, Denver Water In Spring 2013, statewide snowpack and reservoir levels suggested the Front Range would endure a severe drought for the summer irrigation season. In order to conserve its available water supply, Denver Water enacted Stage 2 drought restrictions, which limited irrigation to two days per week and aimed to reduce irrigation by approximately 35 percent from normal use. Still, large irrigation customers often need to irrigate four to seven days a week because of the size of their irrigation systems, and the Stage 2 drought restrictions would have caused many large landscapes to suffer. After hearing initial concerns from local parks and recreation departments, and large commercial water users, Denver Water agreed to make exemptions to the two days per week watering restrictions, as long as these large properties cut water use in other ways. Because of that, the Water Budget Program was developed. To receive a water budget, large commercial properties had to have more than one acre of irrigable area and agree to use 35 percent less water outdoors than what they would use in a normal year. To calculate a water budget, the water used for irrigation is determined by subtracting the average consumption of January, February, and March (non-irrigation months) from the consumption during each month of the irrigation season (April 15 to October 15.) In most scenarios, this gives an accurate prediction of the total amount of water used for outdoor irrigation each month. However, water consumption of cooling towers coincides with irrigation season and can be difficult to calculate unless the cooling tower is metered or the square footage of the building is known to determine the cooling load. When cooling towers are not metered and the cooling load of the building is unknown, Denver Water assumes a building uses 8.33 gallons of water per square foot of building space to cool the building for the entire year. This number was derived from empirical data from conducting several cooling tower audits. Denver Water gave additional Water Budget allotments if customers could prove they use additional water during irrigation months only for industrial processes or other non-irrigation uses. Large customers were appreciative of the flexibility of irrigation schedules and the additional information provided in monthly Water Budget reports by Denver Water. It allowed customers with multiple accounts or several meters on one account to see how their property was doing compared to what Denver Water recommends. For many years Denver Water has used a conservation advertising campaign of “Use Only What You Need,� and through this Water Budget Program, Denver Water is helping determine what customers need for efficient use. Even though we are currently out of drought restrictions, many customers have requested that the Water Budget Program continue. For 2014, Denver Water will continue the Water Budget Program by providing informational reports to convey efficient use. Customers in the program will receive a budget based on a full (non-drought) allotment of 18 gallons per square foot of irrigated landscape. This program will continue as a way to help our customers use water efficiently during normal years and reduce consumption as needed during drought. WaterWise
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Spring Spring2011 2014
Recycled water gets OK for car washes and laundry
By Ann Baker, Denver Water Until last year, recycled water was allowed only for irrigation and industrial purposes. That all changed after an effort led by Denver Water’s Damian Higham. Denver Water’s recycled water is treated to a Category 3 level, the highest-quality recycled water in the state. Though it shouldn’t be consumed, it’s safe for incidental contact, such as walking on grass after it has been watered. Denver Water plans to expand its system east to Denver International Airport, where seven car washes are eager to use a more sustainable and cheaper source of water. Also, a major commercial laundry facility that launders linens for hospitals in the metro area — and uses as much water as a golf course — has been a major proponent of using recycled water in its operations. In 2013, Higham, recycled water specialist, worked with the state’s water quality control commission to change the Category 3 rules to allow recycled water for car washes and commercial laundry facilities — a major step in expanding this sustainable water source to places that don’t require high-quality drinking water.
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Spring 2011 Spring 2014
Tour of Odell Brewing Company in Fort Collins By Lucas Mouttet, Fort Collins Utilities After December’s Colorado WaterWise board meeting, the board and guests toured Odell Brewing Company’s facility in Fort Collins. The tour covered the large expansion in 2013 of the Odell facility, which increased their capacity three-fold but still kept all the efficiencies that they had developed over the past decades. They have a multipronged approach to sustainability, including scrutinizing their energy use and footprint, water consumption, solid waste diversion, and stormwater quality. Odell Brewing has employed large amounts of photovoltaic electric generation on their site, and exchanges energy from incoming and outgoing water to reduce their energy use. They knew the water coming into the building was cold, so they used that to their advantage to hold down the temperature of their fermenters, which pre-heat the water heading to the boilers. Thought and planning has gone into each part of their processes, from the height of the grain mill storage, to the shape and size of the building. Odells has also taken steps to minimize waste produced from the site and have worked with local recyclers to divert the majority of “waste” that is produced. They are down to a three-yard dumpster and have a goal to be down to a residential-sized (95 gallon) container that will be emptied weekly for the entire facility! When remodeling their site in 2010, Odells thought about how to merge the need for stormwater quality and their desire to give a welcoming view for customers; They developed a wetlands/stormwater pond at the entrance to the facility, with a gorgeous walkway built over it. They also utilized permeable pavers through most of the parking lot and tasting areas, which allows water to trickle between pavers and improve water quality to the streams. Last, but of course not least, they have embraced water conservation. They are a leader in water efficiency in brewing, using every technique available and bringing the golden ratio of water used to beer produced below 4:1. This ultra-efficiency is possible through innovative techniques in the brewing and bottling processes. Some of these techniques include a centrifuge filtering system, rather than a media filter that needs more washing between cycles. Water is recycled back into the system in a number of ways to clean, rinse and prepare tanks. A pilot graywater system (to coincide with new State regulations) may be able to use the last portion of used water from the bottling process on the landscape outside. Take a trip to Odell Brewing for some great examples of how efficiency can really work, and while you’re there you might want to check out their taproom too.
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Spring 2011 Spring 2014
Conservation Limits Rate Increases for Westminster as Demand Reductions Over 30 Years Have Dramatically Reduced Capital Costs
By Stuart Feinglas, City of Westminster, Christine Gray, City of Westminster, and Peter Mayer, P.E., Water Demand Management “Why do you ask me to conserve and then raise my rates?” asked a concerned citizen at a public meeting in Westminster, Colorado in 2011. “Very good question,” pondered Westminster Utilities’ staff as they struggled, with only limited success, for a compelling answer. They knew water conservation had had a profound impact on the City by reducing demand, the amount of additional water they needed to purchase, and eliminating the need for expansion of facilities, but they didn’t have a good way to quantify the impacts and respond to the citizen’s question.
“Why do you ask me to conserve and then raise my rates?”
Similar tough questions have been posed to water utilities across the country as water and wastewater rates have increased faster than the Consumer Price Index (CPI) over the past 15 years, (Beecher 2013), (Craley and Noyes 2013). Managing the public response to and understanding rate increases has taken on increasing significance in recent years as utilities grapple with the double-edged sword of rising infrastructure costs and decreasing demands (Goetz M. 2013). Rather than leaving the question of customer conservation and rates hanging without a satisfactory response, the Westminster staff decided to do some research to try and come up with some answers using data from their own system. The timing of the question was significant as the City is working toward completing a series of identified projects designed to meet the City’s needs at a projected buildout date of 2050 (using current and projected demands which include conservation). This unique opportunity enabled the City to look at the difference between 1980 demand projections and current demand projections and place a value on water savings using current costs. To examine the impact of conservation on rates, the City looked at marginal costs due to the buildout requirements by removing conservation from the equation. The results of the City’s research were startling: Reduced water use in Westminster since 1980 has resulted in significant savings in both water resource and infrastructure costs, saving residents and businesses 80% in tap fees and 91% in rates compared to what they would have been without conservation. The City’s research on water demands and rates since 1980 provided a useful response to the citizen’s question and revealed previously unexplored and under-appreciated benefits of long-term water conservation in reducing rate increases. Water rates in Westminster are much lower today than they would have been in the absence of demand reductions from conservation. To see how the City was able to reach this important conclusion, download the full analysis from the Alliance for Water Efficiency. http://www.allianceforwaterefficiency.org/westminster.aspx WaterWise
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Spring 2014 Spring 2011
interview
an interview with
Drew Beckwith
Western Resource Advocates By Kim Frick, Tri-Districts WW: Tell us a little about yourself. I am the happy daddy of two young kiddos, living in Louisville, one of the top-ranked small town cities in America. My path to the suburban dream-life began in Eugene, Oregon (go Ducks), moved to Colorado Springs for a B.A. in Geology at Colorado College, and then stalled out in the high country for a few years of ski-bumming and river guiding. I regained focus with a move to Santa Barbara for a Masters in Watershed Management, consulted for a few years, and have been working back here in Colorado in an amazingly fun/ rewarding/impactful job at WRA for the past 5 years. I try to bike or ski or play volleyball with some regularity when not being the parent of a 3 year old and a 2 month old. And I savor date night with my wife when Grammy comes to town for babysitting. WW: How did you get started in the water business? I think I could tell the history of my life as a series of interactions with water in all its various forms. Lots of childhood memories rafting, skiing, and hiking in the rain, it is Oregon after all. And being raised in hippy-town USA, there’s a certain amount of indoctrination toward the conservation movement, plus my mom was on the board of a non-profit called Oregon Wild. As I started growing up, I always knew that I wanted to do something WaterWise
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with, and for, the natural environment. Consulting was a great introduction to the professional world of water, but we’ll just say that my inner psyche is happier working for a non-profit. WW: Regarding water conservation, what do you feel are the biggest challenges facing Colorado? One of the greatest challenges we face here in Colorado is failing to believe that our past successes will continue into the future. We have several great examples of conservation programs that have saved a tremendous amount of water; the metro Denver area, for example, has reduced per capita water use nearly 20% in the past 10 years. Yet when the question is asked about how much more conservation can be achieved, many in the industry claim that we couldn’t do any more than another 20% over the next 40 years! There will be significant stress on our water supplies over the coming decades, and billions of dollars pumped into the industry from capital markets. I think we’re on the brink of a serious technical and managerial revolution in the water resource industry, and that we will continue to decrease water use at a similar rate for the foreseeable future. Spring 2011 Spring 2014
Interview with Drew Beckwith “I’m quite happy about the leadership of Denver Water in moving a WaterSense
fixture bill at the legislature this year. That’s pretty much a no-brainer for increasing efficiency. “ WW: What regulatory measures do you think will have the biggest impact on water conservation in Colorado?
WW: Beyond work, what other interests do you have? Passions, goals, missions? I’ve recently become really interested in local city politics and policy-making. I had the chance to serve on a water rate task force for the city of Louisville and had an incredibly fun time doing what I do professionally for my own town. So that spurred me to apply for a seat on the Open Space board, which I didn’t get, but I’ve got my eye on city council in another 10 years or so.
I’m quite happy about the leadership of Denver Water in moving a WaterSense fixture bill at the legislature this year. That’s pretty much a no-brainer for increasing efficiency. But I’m particularly excited about this idea coming from the Southwestern part of the state about limiting the size of lawns if water providers are using agriculture dry-up for a water supply. Fundamentally, we’ve got to change the way our residents think about and use water on the landscape. It is by far the largest discretionary use of municipal water in the entire West, and frankly it doesn’t make any sense to grow plants here that come from wetter climates when we’ve got real limitations on our water supplies. I’ve got some hang-ups about the legislation in particular, but raising the issue is an important one for the state, and we really do need a new landscape style that represents all that’s great about Colorado.
WW: Any last thoughts you’d like to share with our readers? I’m pretty well convinced that there is going to be a wholesale reconfiguration of the way water is managed over the next 20 years. There are too many demands on a limited resource for us to assume that the old way of doing things is going to work in this century. I think we’re going to see much more focus and problem solving on the social side of water management – how do we most influence customer decisions, how do we communicate the importance and value of water, what partnerships can we build to share water with other users – as opposed to the older engineering approach of building a new dam or pipeline. My hunch is that top-level management will have fewer Professional Engineers in their ranks, but who knows. I’m entirely convinced that water conservation will play a central role in water management over the coming years, and that our industry will be getting pushed to deliver much more than we have in the past. It will be exciting, and I’m happy to be here doing it with you all.
WW: What technologies do you think will have the biggest impact on water conservation in Colorado? Big data, plain and simple. Everyone is going to be on smart meters by the end of the next decade for a whole host of reasons, and the ability for providers to target their conservation programs down to an individual customer will break open a whole new level of savings potential. WW: What has given you the most satisfaction during your career? Well my career isn’t all that long yet, but I keep coming back to my job day after day because I think it’s making a positive difference. I want my kids to have the same opportunities I did growing up, which means we’ve got to have some nice, healthy rivers flowing in this state.
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Spring 2011 Spring 2014
Plant Profile:
Lady’s Mantle (Alchemilla mollis – ‘Thriller’)
“Lady’s Mantle is not fussy about soil and is even tolerant of clay. ” By Leslie Martien, Aquacraft, Inc. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of local horticulturalists Colorado gardeners have an abundance of brightly colored blooms that thrive in the hot, dry, weather so common during much of our growing season. The selection of plants that thrive in dry shade is much more limited. Lady’s Mantle (Alchemilla mollis – ‘Thriller’), is one such plant featured in the Garden-in-a-Box program offered by the Center for ReSource Conservation this spring.
Lady’s Mantle is not fussy about soil and is even tolerant of clay. The late spring and early summer blooms are lovely filler in bouquets of peonies, irises or roses and are long-lasting when dried. Deadheading keeps the plant tidy and prevents it from reseeding. In our dry climate, however, Lady’s Mantle rarely becomes invasive and for most gardeners, having a few seedlings to tuck in here and there or to share with a friend is generally considered a bonus.
Lady’s Mantle has clusters of tiny blossoms that are so light and airy they provide a lovely backdrop to other plants despite their chartreuse color. It provides the perfect foil for the pinks and whites of cranesbill, the blue of peach-leaf bellflower, Veronica, and yellow and blue columbines. The scalloped edges of the leaves, reminiscent of a Spanish mantilla, add to the delicacy of the blossoms; their cupped shape captures the dew that sparkles in the morning sunlight. The cultivar, ‘Thriller’, is more compact than A. mollis and the flowers tend toward green rather than yellow. It’s low, mounded, form and densely packed leaves, make it an ideal plant for the front of the border or situated at the base of plants with upright growth.
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Spring 2011 Spring 2014
H2O Radio By Frani Halperin, Producer, H2O Radio H2O Radio is an audio magazine about water. It started, like many ideas do, while sitting in a restaurant. Our host, Jamie Sudler and I were already interested in water issues and felt a growing concern that the constraints on water, both locally and worldwide, weren’t getting enough attention. We started a habit of asking our server (as they brought water to the table) if they knew where that water had come from. The results from our random sampling were pretty revealing. Some did— but many hadn’t a clue— and that was concerning. We decided that we wanted to change that. Our goal was to expand what people pictured when they thought about water. Images of mountain lakes or swimming pools would surely come to mind, but so should ones of hamburgers or energy or plastics because water plays a role in nearly every aspect of our lives. So how do we do accomplish our goal? Our tagline is “Following Water Wherever It Leads.” And that’s what we do. We track water through many topics and report on what we find. Our topics so far have ranged from beer to bovines, and our stories have included voices from as far away as Tel Aviv. We think if people better understood the myriad ways in which water touches their lives, they might get more involved in protecting and conserving this resource upon which all of our lives depend. We take our role seriously. We interview experts— from engineers and scientists to legislators and politicians in order to get the facts. But we also try to make our stories personal, so we talk to ordinary citizens to ask how water issues affect their lives. Why? Because we’re all in this together. We see H2O Radio as a conversation about water and our collective water future together. For that reason, we welcome input and feedback and encourage listeners to send story ideas they’d like us to cover or investigate. Our stories have been broadcast on KGNU (88.5 Denver/Boulder) and are available on PRX and SoundCloud. Our weekly segment, “This Week in Water”, is posted every Sunday and is a wrap-up of water in the news. “This Week in Water” is sponsored by Colorado WaterWise. H20 Radio is a Colorado nonprofit. Learn more at: H2oradio.org, follow us on Twitter at @H2OTracker or check us out on Tumblr at h2otracker.tumblr.com.
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Spring Spring2011 2014
Fort Collins Utilities Leak Detection and AMI system By Lucas Mouttet, Fort Collins Utilities In 2010, Fort Collins Utilities embarked on a massive project to create an Advanced Meter Infrastructure (AMI) system that would allow the Utility and their customers to understand electric and water use better. Almost all water and electric meters in the service area were replaced in 2013, with processes and databases ready to take on the influx of data in 15-minute reads on electric meters and one-hour reads on water meters. It was obvious from the beginning that this was going to fundamentally change how utilities interact with customers. While training on the system database, as the meters were being installed, the trainer brought up a live alert of a leak at a residential customer. The water meter shop was able to follow up that day to let them know of the high use (instead of waiting for the customer to call us). We now produce a regular report that summarizes all “continuous consumption” customers, separated into several categories, from low usage (1/4 gallon per minute or less) to high usage (3/4 gallon per minute or more). The highest usage customers get the call first from the water meter shop, which has alerted many customers to large problems they weren’t aware of. These have included leaky toilets and faucets, but have also found leaks in piping and water heaters. On one occasion, the landlord was alerted to high continuous consumption and upon arriving at the house, found the door sealed shut with ice from a leak in the wall. WaterWise
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This is one of the first deliverables in the process of creating the AMI system. The next two large deliverables are the web interface for customers to check usage and set up alerts, and for the demand response system which will allow for utilities to control demand in certain circumstances, reducing peak energy use.
The Fort Collins staff says “It was obvious from the beginning that this was going to fundamentally change how utilities interact with customers.”
Spring 2011 Spring 2014
update
Conservation News
Updates By Laurie D’Audney, Fort Collins Utilities
U.S. EPA WaterSense
Blue Economy Initiative
• Fix a Leak Week, Mar. 17-23, is to raise awareness about the importance of eliminating household leaks.
• A new report, Blue City: The Water Sustainable City of the Near Future, looks to the future of urban environments and what a sustainable future looks like.
(www.epa.gov/watersense)
• A new H2Otel challenge will encourage hotels to “ACT” – assess their water use, change their water-wasting operations and track their progress. Partners can find promotional materials on the website.
International Assoc. of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (www.iapmo.org) • A proposal has been submitted to the IAPMO to require insulation of hot water piping in new buildings to curtail the waste of hot water.
American Water Works Association (www.awwa.org)
• Registration is open for the Sustainable Water Management Conference, Mar. 30-Apr. 2, Denver.
Rocky Mountain Green
(www.rockymountaingreen. com) • Registration is open for conference April 17-18, 2014, Denver. WaterWise
(www.blue-economy.ca)
WaterSmart Software (www.usbr.go/WaterSMART) • East Bay Municipal Utility District studied the effectiveness of the WaterSmart Software, that provides information to people comparing their water use to neighborhood averages and found that residential water use could be reduced by 5 percent.
AM Conservation Group (www.amconservation group.com)
• AMCG has acquired the energy and water conservation products division of Niagara Conservation. Niagara will keep their highefficiency toilet division.
San Diego County (sdcounty.ca.gov)
• Check out San Diego County’s new eGuide to a WaterSmart Lifestyle at www.e-digitaleditions. com/i/178218.
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Alliance for Water Efficiency (www.a4we.org) • AWE was awarded the prestigious 2014 U.S. Water Prize in the non-profit category, given to organizations that engage in sustainable water solutions. AWE was described as a “leading force for education and advocacy.”
Water Smart Innovations Conference (watersmartinnovations.com)
• The 2014 Water Smart Innovations Conference will be held Oct. 8-10 in Las Vegas. Download it from their website.
Environmental Law Institute
(www.eli.org/western-water) • A new guidebook, Five Things to Consider When Developing and Adapting Water Policies and Programs, lays out the key factors that determine the success or failure of water initiatives in the Western U.S.
Energy Star (http://www.energystar.gov/ ia/partners/publications/ pubdocs/Guide) • Guide for Cafes, Restarurants, and Institutional Kitchens.
Spring 2011 Spring 2014