Water

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Water

Few of us realize how much water it takes to go through the day.

With an increasing population, and the changing weather, we need to learn how we can change our lifestyle to avoid running our rivers and lakes dry.

Provokare Presentations can show you the easy steps you can take to conserve water, while saving energy, and help our water ways and lakes, in our country, and around the world.

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Contents Please consider the environment before printing this booklet.

Title

Page Number

Impact on our world

4

Categories of Water use

5

Virtual Water

6

Virtual Water around the World

7

Average Virtual Water usage—Sample Products

8

Reducing Virtual Water Footprint—What you can do

9

Environmental Water Scarcity—Index by Basin

10

Desertification

11

United States—Average Water Consumption Water—How to count your savings

12-13 14

Ways you can save water at home

15-16

Waterwise gardening

17

Rainwater collection with rain barrels

18

Pollutants and toxic chemicals in our water

19-20

Be Active

21

Useful Web Links

22

Books—Recommended reading

23

References

24

3

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Water our precious source of life Water is fundamental to almost all living things on the Earth.

Human health—and survival—depends on a clean and reliable supply of fresh drinking water, as well as water for crop irrigation and sanitation.

Water is a precious resource in our environment. Growing populations and ongoing droughts are squeezing our water resources dry, causing natural habitat degradation and impacting our everyday use of water.

We have no choice but to pay more attention to how we are using water, and how we may be wasting it. We must bridge the gap between our understanding of how important water is to our survival and what we can do to ensure that we have an adequate supply of clean water for years to come.

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Impact on our world Water Shortages

Water shortages are also impacting global grain markets, as arid countries that rely on irrigation for crop production switch from growing grain to importing it (Harrison and Pearce 2001). Irrigation accounts for 70 per cent of direct water consumption worldwide. It has been estimated that practices such as drip irrigation and inexpensive moisture monitors could cut agricultural water use by as much as 40 per cent (Wall 2001).

Population Growth means increase in water demand During the past century, world population has tripled.

Over roughly the same period of time (1900 to 1995) water use worldwide has increased six-fold. Experts predict that by 2025, global water needs will increase even more, with 40 per cent more water needed for cities and 20 per cent more water for growing crops, while needs increase, the amount of available fresh water is dwindling worldwide.

Water withdrawals from rivers and underground reserves have grown by 2.5 to 3 per cent annually since 1940, significantly ahead of population growth.

So much water is withdrawn from several of the world’s major rivers, including the Colorado River in the United States, the Nile River in Egypt, and the Yellow River in China, that there is little to no water left by the time these rivers meet the sea (Postel et al. 1996). Demands on groundwater are equally great; water tables are falling on every continent.

Impact on our environment and living species The exploitation of the world’s water resources has occurred at no small cost to the environment. Worldwide, all major rivers have water works that change flow regimes to some extent and therefore impact riparian ecosystems. Many endemic riparian species are disappearing (Ramsar Convention Bureau 1998), and twenty per cent of all freshwater fish are currently endangered. Few aquatic ecosystems have been as severely impacted as wetlands, however. During the 20th century, half of the Earth’s wetland ecosystems—such as marshes, fens, swamps, and estuaries—disappeared (UNESCO 2003). Approximately 10000 acres of wetlands are destroyed each year as the result of human activities.

Drainage for agricultural production is the principal cause of wetland loss.

At the same time that global water supplies are declining, so is the quality of the water that remains. Water pollution is the presence of harmful and objectionable material—such as sewage, industrial wastes and chemicals, and run-off from land development or agriculture—in sufficient concentrations as to make water unfit for use (EEA 2004). Water pollution is a serious threat to the world’s water supply. It is also a growing threat to the oceans that cover more than 70 per cent of the planet. People have long viewed these immense bodies of water as limitless dumping grounds for wastes.

Over time, however, raw sewage, garbage, industrial wastes, and oil spills have begun to overwhelm the diluting capabilities of the oceans. Most coastal waters are now polluted, often severely.

Source: UNESCO 5

Impact on our world

Over the next two decades, it is estimated that the average supply of water per person will drop by one-third. Annually, lack of clean drinking water can be linked to roughly 250 million cases of waterrelated disease and between 5 and 10 million deaths worldwide. Thus, water shortages indirectly condemn millions of people to an avoidable premature death each year.

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Categories of Water Use

Commercial water use includes fresh water for motels, hotels, restaurants, office buildings, other commercial facilities, and civilian and military institutions. Domestic water use is probably the most important daily use of water for most people.

Domestic use includes water that is used in the home every day, including water for normal household purposes, such as drinking, food preparation, bathing, washing clothes and dishes, flushing toilets, and watering lawns and gardens.

Industrial water use is a valuable resource to the nation's industries for such purposes as processing, cleaning, transportation, dilution, and cooling in manufacturing facilities. Major water-using industries include steel, chemical, paper, and petroleum refining. Industries often reuse the same water over and over for more than one purpose.

Irrigation water use is water artificially applied to farm, orchard, pasture, and horticultural crops, as well as water used to irrigate pastures, for frost and freeze protection, chemical application, crop cooling, harvesting, and for the leaching of salts from the crop root zone. Nonagricultural activities include self-supplied water to irrigate public and private golf courses, parks, nurseries, turf farms, cemeteries, and other landscape irrigation uses. The importance of irrigation to the United States is illustrated by the large amount of fresh water that is used to cultivate crops, which are consumed domestically and throughout the world. In fact, irrigation is the largest category of water use in the United States, as it is worldwide.

Livestock water use includes water for stock animals, feed lots, dairies, fish farms, and other nonfarm needs. Water is needed for the production of red meat, poultry, eggs, milk, and wool, and for horses, rabbits, and pets.

Livestock water use only includes fresh water.

Mining water use includes water for the extraction of naturally occurring minerals; solids, such as coal and ores; liquids, such as crude petroleum; and gases, such as natural gas.

The category includes quarrying, milling (such as crushing, screening, washing, and flotation), and other operations as part of mining activity. A significant portion of the water used for mining, about 32 percent, is saline.

Public Supply water use refers to water withdrawn by public and private water suppliers, such as county and municipal water works, and delivered to users for domestic, commercial, and industrial purposes. In 1995, the majority of the nation's population, about 225 million, or 84 percent, used water delivered from public water suppliers. About 42 million people supplied their own water, with about 99 percent of that water being groundwater, usually from a local well.

Thermoelectric Power water use is the amount of water used in the production of electric power generated with heat. The source of the heat may be from fossil fuels, nuclear fission, or geothermal. Fossil fuel power plants typically reuse water. They generate electricity by turning a turbine using steam power.

After the steam is used to turn the turbines, it is condensed back to water by cooling it.

The condensed water is then routed back to the boiler, where the cycle begins again.

Source: Water Encyclopedia

The acre foot is the common measure for large quantities of water and is approximately 325,851 gallons.

This is the volume of water that will cover one acre of land to the depth of one foot. It is equal to 43,560 cubic feet of water. A good comparison would be the Olympic or semi-Olympic pool size.

An Olympic size contains 660000 gallons of water.. (~ 2 acre feet) A semi-Olympic would be then 330000. So to have an approximate picture of what one acre foot of water looks like, imagine in semi-Olympic size pool full of water.

6

Categories of Water Usage

The U.S. Geological Survey categorizes water use for analyzing current patterns and predicting future trends.

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Virtual Water

Virtual water is the amount of water that is embedded in food or other products needed for its production.

For example, to produce one kilogram of wheat we need about 265 gallons of water, i.e. the virtual water of this kilogram of wheat is 264 gallons. For meat, we need about five to ten times more.

The per capita consumption of virtual water contained in our diets varies according to the type of diets, from 250 gallons/day for a survival diet, to 600 gallons day for a vegetarian diet and over 1250 gallons for a USA style meat based diet. It is clear that moderating our diets especially in the developed world could make much water available for other purposes.

At the global level, virtual water trade has geo-political implications: it induces dependencies between countries. Therefore, it can be regarded either as a stimulant for co-operation and peace or a reason for potential conflict.

Source: World Water Council

Water FootPrint per Capita, per Year in cubic meter.

1 cubic meter = 35.3146667 cubic feet = 264 Gallons source: www.waterfootprint.org 7

Virtual Water

With the trade of food crops or any commodity, there is a virtual flow of water from producing and exporting countries to countries that consume and import those commodities. A water-scarce country can import products that require a lot of water for their production rather than producing them domestically. By doing so, it allows real water savings, relieving the pressure on their water resources or making water available for other purposes.

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Virtual Water around the world The biggest net exporter of virtual water is the United States. It exports around a third of all the water it withdraws from the natural environment. Much of that is in grains, either directly or via meat. The United States is emptying critical underground water reserves. It also exports an amazing 80 million acre feet (40 million Olympic pool sizes) of virtual water in beef. Other major exporters of virtual water include Canada (grain), Australia (cotton and sugar), Argentina (beef), and Thailand (rice).

Virtual Water around the world

Major importers of virtual water include Japan and the European Union. None of these countries is short of water, so there are ethical questions about how much they should be doing this. But for other importers virtual water is a vital lifeline. Iran, Egypt and Algeria could starve otherwise; likewise, water-stressed Jordan, which effectively imports between 80 and 90 per cent of its water in the form of food. 'The Middle East ran out of water some years ago. It is the first major region of the world to do so in the history of the world. Estimates that more water flows into the Middle East each year as a result of imports of 'virtual water' than flows down the River Nile. (source: When the river runs dry)

Top 10 virtual exporting countries (1995-1999)

Top 10 virtual importing countries (1995-1999)

COUNTRY

NET EXPORT VOLUME (109 m3)

COUNTRY

NET IMPORT VOLUME (109 m3)

USA

758.3

Sri Lanka

428.5

Canada

272.5

Japan

297.4

Thailand

233.3

Netherlands

147.7

Argentina

226.3

Korea Rep.

112.6

India

161.1

China

101.9

Australia

145.6

Indonesia

101.7

Viet Nam

90.2

Spain

82.5

France

88.4

Egypt

80.2

Guatemala

71.7

Germany

67.9

Brazil

45.0

Italy

64.3

Green-coloured regions have net virtual water export; red coloured regions have net virtual water import. The arrows show the largest net virtual water flows between regions (>100 Gm3).

Source: A.Y. Hoekstra; P.Q. Hung.

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Average Virtual Water usage—sample products

Gallons/lbs

Coffee Leather Beef Cotton Jeans (>2lbs) Bed Sheet (2lbs) Sheep Cheese Millet Pork Goat Meat Chicken meat Coconut Tea Soybeans Sugar cane Eggs (1lb) 1 lbs Bread Barley Wheat Corn Potato Diaper Apple Beer/large glass

2,773 2,192 2,047 1,453 1,433 1,288 806 660 660 634 528 515 330 317 238 198 198 172 172 172 119 119 107 92 40

One glass of Milk Orange Juice Wine

Gallons 53 48 32

One Sheet of Paper

3

Equivalent in Shower/Day 158 Days 125 Days 117 Days 83 Days 82 Days 74 Days 46 Days 38 Days 38 Days 36 Days 30 Days 29 Days 19 Days 18 Days 14 Days 11 Days 11 Days 10 Days 10 Days 10 Days 7 Days 7 Days 6 Days 5 Days 2 Days

(5.3 (4.2 (3.9 (2.8 (2.7 (2.5 (1.5

months) months) months) months) months) months) month)

240 304 (~1 cow/edible) 325 (~900 T-Shirts) 458 (~230 Jeans) 465 (~250 sheets) 517 827 1,009 1,009 1,051 1,261 1,293 2,017 2,101 2,802 3,362 3,364 3,879 3,879 3,879 5,603 5,603 6,224 7,204 16,810

3 Days 3 Days 2 Days

12,605 14,006 21,009 252,108

A few numbers used in the calculations: • One Olympic size pool contains 660000 gallons of water • One cow average weight 1000 lbs • Average edible meat from one cow 37% (when carcass and inners removed) • Average T-Shirt weight 1/2 lbs • Average water in one shower/day: 17.5 gallons (7 minutes at 2.5 gallon/min) How to read the table: (examples) • One pound of Beef will take 2047 gallons of water. The equivalent of 117 days of shower. One Olympic size pool of water is needed for 325 lbs of meat.

• One pound of potatoes will take 119 gallons of water. The equivalent of 7 days of shower. One Olympic size pool of water is needed for 5603 lbs of potatoes.

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Average Virtual Water Usage - Sample products

One lbs

One Olympic Size Pool will provide (lbs)

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Reducing Virtual Water footprint - What you can do Sustainable water use begins in the home and at work.

We cannot expect to resolve international water scarcity issues unless we first address these same issues at home. We do waste a lot of water every day. Yet if everyone made a few small changes in their behaviors and buying habits then we could save millions of gallons of water every day. Simple changes will lead to huge water savings.

Once you add up all the virtual water you eat and in the products that you buy along with the daily use of water out of the tap, you will have a better idea of what your water footprint is. Water footprints are used to give nations a better consumption-based indicator of water use.

The virtual water content of live animals is calculated, based on the virtual water content of their feed and the volumes of drinking and service water consumed during their lifetime. Although the bulk of food trade is in the form of cereals, the international virtual water flows related to trade in livestock and livestock products are quite significant (nearly half of the volume of virtual water flows related to crop trade).

Animal products almost always have a higher embedded water content than crop products because it takes huge quantities of water to grow feed. There are some plants, however, that are particularly water intensive such as cotton, rice, and coffee.

Cotton consumption is responsible for 2.6 per cent of the global water use. As a global average, 44 per cent of the water use for cotton growth and processing is not for serving the domestic market but for export. This means that – roughly spoken – nearly half of the water problems in the world related to cotton growth and processing can be attributed to foreign demand for cotton products. So that would make you think about the next cotton item you will buy: ask yourself, “Is this something I need or something I just want ?”.

Reducing the amount of food we eat, especially those that are high in virtual water content, and adjusting our diet is also primordial. A diet high in virtual water is not sustainable and with an increasing population will lead to a collapse.

The concept of embedded water helps us to realize the extent of our dependence on water. Appreciating that water is hidden in absolutely everything, and that global trade really is a sharing of water resources globally, enables us to optimize the use of our water resources according to social, environmental, and economic values. If embedded water becomes a trade concern then we may be able to use it as a means to improving global water efficiency, to attaining water security in water scarce nations, and to relieving stress on environments which have suffered from unsustainable water withdrawals.

Changes for this begin at home, with individual, everyday choices.

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Reducing Virtual Water Footprint - What you can do

About 65 percent of the water is hidden in the food we eat. It takes a lot of water to grow food, and then much more water to feed and service the animals that we eat.

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There is a growing awareness that increased water use by humans does not only reduce the amount of water available for industrial and agricultural development but has a profound effect on aquatic ecosystems and their dependent species. Human activities have severely affected the condition of freshwater ecosystems, to a point where many freshwater species are facing rapid population declines or extinction.

Every aquatic ecosystem requires a certain amount of water to sustain their ecological processes and their animal and plant communities. The prevailing pattern of water flow that is typical of a particular river over a given time varies widely from one basin to another.

Some rivers naturally have stable flow regimes, while in others it varies from low discharges during dry months to very high peaks during the short wet season. Ecosystems and the native species inhabiting them are adapted to these flow regimes and rely on them for their survival. In order to maintain the ability of freshwater ecosystems to support fish production and biodiversity, their environmental water requirements must be established and sustained.

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Environment Water Scarcity Index by Basin

Environmental Water Scarcity Index by Basin

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Desertification Desertification is the degradation of land in arid, semi arid and dry sub-humid areas resulting from various climatic variations, but primarily from human activities.

Current desertification is taking place much faster worldwide than historically and usually arises from the demands of increased populations that settle on the land in order to grow crops and graze animals.

Overgrazing and to a lesser extent drought in the 1930s transformed parts of the Great Plains in the United States into the "Dust Bowl". During that time, a considerable fraction of the plains population abandoned their homes to escape the unproductive lands. Improved agricultural and water management have prevented a disaster of the earlier magnitude from recurring, but desertification presently affects tens of millions of people with primary occurrence in the lesser developed countries.

It is a common misconception that droughts by themselves cause desertification. While drought is a contributing factor, the causes are social and economic, having to do with tenure (access to resources), power and economics. Droughts are common in arid and semiarid lands, and wellmanaged lands can recover from drought when the rains return. Continued land abuse during droughts, however, increases land degradation. Increased population and livestock pressure on marginal lands has accelerated desertification.

Keys to countering desertification are its study and detection and, in particular, the introduction of techniques to ensure proper land and water management.

This requires a broad-based, multidisciplinary effort, including meteorology, geology, hydrology, soil science, biology and agricultural technology, along with sociology, anthropology, and economics.

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Desertification

A major impact of desertification is biodiversity loss and loss of productive capacity, for example, by transition from grassland dominated by perennial grasses to one dominated by perennial shrubs. In the southwestern deserts of the United States, semiarid ecosystems dominated by perennial bunchgrasses, including blue grama and black grama, have been replaced by shrublands dominated by creosotebush since the early 1900s. The change in vegetation is thought to have induced desertification in this region. In the Madagascar's central highland plateau, 10% of the entire country has been lost to desertification due to slash and burn agriculture by indigenous peoples.

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United States—Average Water Consumption Estimates of water use in the United States indicate that about 408 billion gallons per day (one thousand million gallons per day, abbreviated Bgal/d) were withdrawn for all uses during 2000. This total has varied less than 3 percent since 1985 as withdrawals have stabilized for the two largest uses—thermoelectric power and irrigation.

About 195 Bgal/d, or 48 percent of all freshwater and saline-water withdrawals for 2000, were used for thermoelectric power. Most of this water was derived from surface water and used for once-through cooling at power plants.

Historically, more surface water than ground water has been used for irrigation. However, the percentage of total irrigation withdrawals from ground water has continued to increase, from 23 percent in 1950 to 42 percent in 2000.

Irrigated acreage more than doubled between 1950 and 1980, then remained constant before increasing nearly 7 percent between 1995 and 2000.

Public-supply withdrawals were more than 43 Bgal/d for 2000. Public-supply withdrawals during 1950 were 14 Bgal/d.

During 2000, about 85 percent of the population in the United States obtained drinking water from public suppliers, compared to 62 percent during 1950. Surface water provided 63 percent of the total during 2000, whereas surface water provided 74 percent during 1950.

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UNITED STATES—Water Consumption

Irrigation remained the largest use of freshwater in the United States and totaled 137 Bgal/d for 2000. Since 1950, irrigation has accounted for about 65 percent of total water withdrawals, excluding those for thermoelectric power.

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United States—Average Water Consumption

Public Supply 11% Domestic less than 1%

Irrigation 34%

Lifestock less than 1% (non including animal feed from grain )

California, Texas, and Florida accounted for one-fourth of all water withdrawals for 2000.

States with the largest surface-water withdrawals were California, which had large withdrawals for irrigation and thermoelectric power, and Texas, which had large withdrawals for thermoelectric power.

States with the largest ground-water withdrawals were California, Texas, and Nebraska, all of which had large withdrawals for irrigation.

Aquaculture less than 1% Industrial 5% Mining less than 1%

Thermoelectric Power 48%

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United-States - Water Consumption by Sectors

TOTAL Water usage United States—2000

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Activity

Normal Use

Conservation Use

Flushing

Depends on Tank Size 5-7 gallons

Displacement bottles in tank 4 gallons

Showering

Water Running 25 gallons

Wet down; soap down 4 gallons

Bathing

Tub Full 40 gallons

Minimal water level 10-12 gallons

Brushing Teeth

Tap Running 5 gallons

Wet brush; turn water off; rinse ½ gallon

Washing Hands or Face

Tap Running 2 gallons

Plug and Fill Basin 1 gallon

Drinking

Run Water to Cool 1 gallon

Keep Water in Refrigerator 8 ounces

Cleaning Vegetables

Tap Running 3 gallons

Fill Pan with Water to Clean Vegetables ½ gallon

Dishwasher

Full Cycle 16 gallons

Short Cycle 7 gallons

Dishes by Hand

Tap Running 30 gallons

Wash and Rinse in Dishpan or Sink 5 gallons

Washing Clothes

Full Cycle, Top Water Level 60 gallons

Short Cycle, Minimal Water Level 27 gallons

Lawns Watering

Water before 8:00 AM to reduce evaporation

25 gallons

Driveway

Sweep instead of hosing down

Up to 150 gallons each time Source: EPA

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Water - How to Count your Savings

Water—How to Count your Savings

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Ways you can save water at home

•

Try to do one thing each day to save water. Don’t worry if the savings are minimal.

Every drop counts, and every person can make a difference.

Be aware of and follow all water conservation and water shortage rules and restrictions that may be in effect in your area.

Make sure your children are aware of the need to conserve water.

•

Don't use running water to thaw food.

•

Drop that tissue in the trash instead of flushing it and save gallons every time.

•

Grab a wrench and fix that leaky faucet. It's simple, inexpensive, and can save gallons a week.

• •

If you accidentally drop ice cubes when filling your glass from the freezer, don't throw them in the sink. Drop them in a house plant instead.

•

•

When you clean your fish tank, use the water you've drained on your plants. The water is rich in nitrogen and phosphorus, providing you with a free and effective fertilizer.

•

When you give your pet fresh water, don't throw the old water down the drain. Use it to water your trees or shrubs.

•

When you shop for a new appliance, consider one offering cycle and load size adjustments. They are more water and energy-efficient than older appliances.

•

While staying in a hotel or even at home, consider reusing your towels.

•

Install a low-flow showerhead. They're inexpensive, easy to install, 2.5 gallons per minutes should be the standard.

•

Choose new water-saving appliances, like washing machines that save up to 20 gallons per load.

•

Take shorter showers. Try a "Navy" shower; get wet, turn off the water, soap and scrub, then turn the water on to rinse.

•

Install low-volume toilets.

16

•

If your toilet was installed prior to 1980, place a toilet dam or bottle filled with water in your toilet tank to cut down on the amount of water used for each flush. Be sure these devices do not interfere with operating parts.

•

Install an instant water heater on your kitchen sink so you don't have to let the water run while it heats up. This will also reduce heating costs for your household.

Ways you can save water at home

You’re In Control

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•

Listen for dripping faucets and toilets that flush themselves.

•

Make sure there are aerators on all of your faucets.

•

Make sure your toilet flapper doesn't stick open after flushing.

•

Wash your produce in the sink or a pan that is partially filled with water instead of running water from the tap.

•

When doing laundry, match the water level to the size of the load.

•

When washing dishes by hand, don't let the water run while rinsing. Fill one sink with wash water and the other with rinse water.

When you are washing your hands, don't let the water run while you lather.

•

•

Run your washing machine and dishwasher only when they are full.

•

Select the proper size pans for cooking. Large pans require more cooking water than may be necessary.

•

Soak your pots and pans instead of letting the water run while you scrape them clean.

•

Teach your children to turn the faucets off tightly after each use.

•

Throw trimmings and peelings from fruits and vegetables into your yard compost to prevent from using the garbage disposal.

•

•

•

Turn off the water while you brush your teeth.

•

Turn off the water while you shave .

Use the garbage disposal sparingly. Compost instead and save gallons every time.

Wash clothes only when you have a full load.

17

•

Plug the bathtub before turning the water on, then adjust the temperature as the tub fills up.

•

Put food coloring in your toilet tank. If it seeps into the toilet bowl, you have a leak.

•

Cook food in as little water as possible. This will also retain more of the nutrients.

•

Cut back on rinsing if your dishwasher is new.

Newer models clean more thoroughly than older ones.

•

Designate one glass for your drinking water each day. This will cut down on the number of times you run your dishwasher.

•

Install water softening systems only when necessary. Save water and salt by running the minimum number of regenerations necessary to maintain water softness.

•

Insulate hot water pipes so you don't have to run as much water to get hot water to the faucet.

•

Keep a bucket in the shower to catch water as it warms up or runs. Use this water to flush toilets or water plants.

•

Keep a pitcher of water in the refrigerator instead of running the tap for cold drinks, so that every drop goes down you not the drain.

•

Time your shower to keep it under 5 minutes.

And keep it down to a flow of 2.5 gallons per minute.

Ways you can save water at home

Ways you can save water at home

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Waterwise Gardening It has been estimated that many gardeners use about twice as much water in their landscapes as is needed.

In most gardens, the amount of water used can be reduced without creating serious plant problems Water-wise gardening involves using various landscaping techniques that help conserve water while maintaining a beautiful and efficient yard.

Start with these five steps to help maintain a lush and efficient garden that requires less water and reduces the need for pruning.

1. Hydrozone: group plants according to their water needs.

2. Selecting Plants: use drought tolerant or native plants to create a low water-use, low maintenance landscape.

3. Irrigation: install sprinklers, drip emitters and timers so you only give plants the amount of water they really need.

4. Improve Your Soil: mix compost into your soil to improve it's moisture retaining capability and fertility.

5. Use Mulch: place mulch around your plants, along walkways and on top of other bare areas to reduce water use and prevent weeds. www.smartgardening.com

Simple Tips for Effective Watering • • • • •

•

• • •

• • • •

Water in the early morning hours, from 4 a.m. to 8 a.m., or overnight to prevent water loss from evaporation. Overnight watering will not damage turf grass.

Water slowly and deeply so the soil absorbs water 6" to 8" deep.

When possible, use more efficient irrigation systems, such as a soaker hose, or drip irrigation.

Use an automatic time controller and attach a rainfall sensor to turn off the irrigation system if significant rainfall has occurred.

Raise the mower blade during dry weather. Cutting the grass higher encourages deep rooting, increases turf survival during drought and reduces water demand.

Always keep the mower blade sharp — dull blades shred leaf tips, causing the turf to use more water.

Only irrigate turf in high-impact, visible areas of the landscape.

Design turf areas in practical shapes that can be mowed and irrigated easily — avoid sharp angles and long, narrow strips.

Fertilize less and use slow-release fertilizers.

Reduce fertilizer application rate after establishment. This is particularly important prior to or during dry periods.

Leave grass clippings on the turf to help supply recycled nutrients and reduce the need for additional fertilizer.

Aerate when required to relieve soil compaction and increase air and water movement into the soil — especially on slopes.

18

Waterwise Gardening

Hydrozone your yard and garden so that low water-use, moderate water-use and high water-use plants are grouped together. Also, use elevated planting beds so that plants are watered more efficiently, reducing overall water use.

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Rainwater Collection with rain barrels Although rainwater collection is not suitable for direct consumption, it provides free, clean water to gardens and lawns and, under special circumstances, can be redirected into the home for personal use.

Why collect rainwater? It’s free and easy. Rainwater collection devices range in complexity but most are very simple and can be incorporated into your existing gutter and drainage systems. Most of these rain barrels are relatively inexpensive and each one usually has a spigot on the bottom for easy access to water and a screen on top to keep out bugs and debris.

Not to mention, city water restrictions don’t apply to rain barrels! Stored rain water means that you can keep your garden and lawn green despite any watering restrictions during droughts. With ever changing climates and rain fluctuations, it’s important to have some control on the watering of your lawn and garden.

Rainwater collection is an easy way to save money while helping the environment. Most rainwater collection systems rely on gravity and take no mechanical systems to operate. This means they take no energy to operate, either. You will save money through decreased use of city water; allow yourself the flexibility of watering based on your own needs and not those of the city, and all the while saving valuable aquifer and reservoir water. You’ll be keeping the ground and water healthy while providing essential growth for your garden and lawn.

More complex rain collection systems incorporate underground water collection systems, filtration systems, and can be used within the home. These types of devices generally cost more money but provide access to collected rainwater to use in everything from bathing to drinking. Some “green homes” have incorporated rainwater collection devices into their water systems to decrease the dependency on city water. These types of systems vary but can also be incorporated into existing homes.

Rain collection systems also range in appearance and most blend into the scenery. Rain barrels have become more popular in recent years and you can find out more information by visiting your local natural landscaping companies or water conservation organizations.

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Rainwater collection with rain barrels

Rainwater is best used directly on lawns and gardens. Hoses can be connected to the spigot for easy direction of water to needed areas. Cities treat water using minerals and chemicals all of which provide protection for consumers but are unnecessary for lawns and gardens. Rainwater, on the other hand is pure and much softer than normal city water, making it easier on plants and vegetables.

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Pollutants and toxic chemicals in our water Clean and abundant water is something we take for granted in America, even as we persist in polluting waterways with yard-care pesticides, agricultural wastes and other contaminants. But new studies showing that young children, whose bodies are still developing, face the greatest risk from these pollutants ought to make us reconsider how we treat our most essential natural resource.

Over 100 million pounds of herbicides and pesticides are applied around American residences each year. Pesticides and herbicides must be handled cautiously, yet homeowners often fail to read directions, neglect to wear protective clothing, track chemicals into the home and allow kids and pets to play on freshly treated grass.

Some wastes contain hormones and antibiotics fed to animals to promote growth. A study in the 2006 journal Chemosphere found detectable levels of two antibiotics, sulfamethazine and sulfadimethoxine, at six private drinking water wells near a CAFO in Idaho. Use of antibiotics in animals may speed the development of disease-causing bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics.

How to Have a Healthy Non-Toxic Lawn Many people are under the false impression that glyphosate (Roundup) and other herbicides are not pesticides. Do not give your lawn “junk food“ by using chemical fertilizers, which greens it up but stresses the lawn and makes it more vulnerable to pests. Use compost and natural organic material instead.

While you transition from a chemical to a natural lawn be patient. It takes time to create a natural, non-chemical dependent system.

One or more pesticides have been detected in 97 percent of U.S. streams in urban and farming areas, half of all shallow groundwater aquifers in similar areas and 33 percent of all major aquifers, according to a USGS survey of 51 "hydrological systems" (mostly river basins with the streams, lakes, wetlands and groundwater they encompass) published in February 2007.

Use least-toxic pest control: Repel bugs and weeds with homemade mixtures such as hot peppers and water .

Don't buy or use synthetic pesticides, including herbicides and insecticides. To safely get rid of them, contact your local sanitation department for instructions on the disposal of hazardous waste.

Five percent of the shallow wells that provide drinking water in urban areas have pesticide concentrations above EPA human-health benchmarks.

Use organic compost instead of fertilizer And long disused organochlorine pesticides (including DDT) still show up in nearly 90 percent of fish from urban and agricultural areas.

Do not over water or water on a schedule. Wait until your lawn is really thirsty and then give it a long slow deep drink of water. This will help control pests by enabling roots to grow deeper and downward.

Those pesticides found in levels that exceeded human health benefits include: frog-mutating atrazine, the possible human carcinogen cyanazine and the probable human carcinogen dieldrin (now banned) in agricultural areas; and dieldrin and diazinon, associated with lower birth weights, in urban streams.

Do not be mislead by lawn care companies who tell you that they only use pesticides registered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). All legal pesticides are registered by the EPA. It is against the law to advertise or market pesticides as “safe”.

Do not be misled by companies who tell you that herbicides and chemical fertilizers are compatible with a natural lawn. They are not. Or by companies that tell you they use IPM ( Integrated Pest Management). IPM can include the use of toxic pesticides.

That doesn't boost confidence in swimming in the old water hole or tubing down the rapids.

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Pollutants and toxic chemicals in our water

Another threat to water supplies comes from high-density poultry and hog farms known as concentrated animal feeding operations, or CAFOs. In the last 30 years, more animals have been concentrated on fewer farms and as a result more waste has been dumped in nearby "lagoons" that may overflow during heavy rains. These wastes are thick with nitrogen and phosphorous, two nutrients that in high quantities can contribute to nitrate pollution as well as bacterial and algal blooms in nearby waterways used for recreation or drinking.

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Pollutants and toxic chemicals in our water Thanks to government trade-secret laws, manufacturers of cleaners aren't required to disclose ingredients on product labels, making it difficult for consumers to choose an environmentally preferable and healthier alternative.

REPLACE TOXIC PRODUCTS Choose nontoxic, biodegradable substitutes

HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE PICKUPS Take toxic products

WHY: Help reduce the toxic burden of manufacturing, your home, and the waste stream.

HOW: Read "Signal Words" on labels. The signal words poison, danger, warning, or caution, found on the label of products such as pesticides and cleaning products, are placed there by order of the federal government and are primarily for your production. In some cases these signal words are on the label because of the potential impact the product can have on the environment.

HIGHLIGHTS: Labels provide information by which you can protect yourself, your family, and the environment.

Don't be fooled either by undefined, non-verified labels such as "nontoxic," "biodegradable" and "organic" (only meaningful on food and some personal care products).

When possible, choose products that disclose all ingredients on labels, as many eco-friendly product manufacturers do, and look for words that indicate what's not in the cleaner, i.e., "chlorine-free" and "no NPEs."

WHY: Hazardous materials shouldn't be poured down the drain or thrown away in the trash as they can cause serious pollution problems in the waste stream.

HOW: Call your local recycling center, town or city hall. Most communities have at least one Household Hazardous Waste Pickup Day a year. (see list of hazardous waste disposal in your area at the end of this booklet) HIGHLIGHTS: There will be fewer toxic materials leaching out of landfills, burning in incinerators, and being washed into the waste water stream.

White vinegar, bicarbonate of soda, lemons, and olive oil, are all you need to keep your wood floors sleek, stainless steel germ-free and shiny, and bathroom tiles squeaky clean. And the added bonus is there’s not a harmful chemical in sight.

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Pollutants and Toxic Chemicals in our Water

Although phosphates, still used in dishwashing detergents and known to promote algae growth that in turn suffocates aquatic life, have been phased out of laundry detergents, health risks remain with other laundry chemicals, most notably nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs). NPEs are surfactants (chemicals that help other ingredients penetrate dirt and grime) that belong to a class of hormone-disrupting compounds called alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEs). Unfortunately, they are added to lots of cleaning agents.

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Be Active At Work and Around Town • • • • • • •

Be Active

•

Encourage your employer to promote water conservation at the workplace. Suggest that water conservation tips be put in the employee orientation manual and training program.

Support projects that will lead to an increased use of reclaimed wastewater for irrigation and other uses.

Promote water conservation in community newsletters, on bulletin boards, and by example.

Patronize businesses that practice and promote water conservation.

Report all significant water losses (broken pipes, open hydrants, misdirected sprinklers, abandoned or free-flowing wells, etc.) to the property owner, local authorities, or your water management district.

Encourage your school system and local government to promote a water conservation ethic among school children and adults.

Support efforts and programs to create a concern for water conservation among tourists and visitors to your state.

Make sure your visitors understand the need for, and benefits of, water conservation.

Conserve water because it is the right thing to do. Don’t waste water just because someone else is footing the bill, such as when you are staying at a hotel.

Saving Water Tips for Business Every business has different water needs from a small office based business to a large manufacturing plant. We have here compiled a list of general water saving tips for businesses to adapt to their own needs.

•

Educate your employees on the importance and practices of water efficiency

•

Know where your supply pipes run and where the shut off valves are

•

Check your meters at night or when no water is being used to monitor leakage

•

Make sure your pipes are supplied against cold weather as leakage can increase after a burst due to frost

•

Use water efficient appliances in canteens or office kitchens

•

Determine where your wasted water is going and if or how you can recycle it in other areas of your business

•

Where possible, use a water butt to harvest rainwater for use in your business

•

Assess water using equipment to make sure there is no over filling

•

Set water usage targets

•

Install water efficient devices in bathrooms and canteens such as controlled or waterless urinals and automatic or spray taps

•

Look at our list of Water Saving Devices to fit into your office where applicable

•

Your water supplier may offer water audits to see how efficient your business’s water usage is. Some may even offer a personalized water management package to get the best water efficiency plan for your business. Contact your water company for more details.

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Recommended Reading Cover

Title

Author

When the rivers run dry: The defining crisis of the twenty-first century.

Water Follies: Ground water pumping and the fate of America’s fresh water

The world’s water: The biennial water report on freshwater.

Water: The fate of our most precious resource.

Fred Pearce

Robert Glennon

Peter H. Gleick

Marq de Villiers

Water Use Conservation: Handbook of water usage and conservation: Homes, landscape, industries, business and farms.

Amy Vickers

The low water, no water garden: Gardening for drought and heat the Mediterranean way.

Pattie Barron

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American Rivers American Water Works Association Be Safe Beyond Pesticides California Urban Water Conservation Council California Water Environment Association Campaign for Safe Cosmetics Center for Environmental Health and Justice E.P.A - Water United States Geology Survey Virtual Water Poster Water Conserver Water Enviornment Federation Water Footprint Water Use It Wisely World Water Council World Water Watch American Water Resources Association Smart Gardening Laundry Wise Gray Water Central Rain Water Harvesting Water Treaty H2ouse - Water Saver Home Water Year 2003 Unesco Water Desertification - Food and Agriculture UN United Nations to Combat Desertification Green Facts: Desertification Desertification - Word Press

www.americanrivers.org www.awwa.org www.besafenet.com www.beyondpesticides.org www.cuwcc.org www.cwea.org www.safecosmetics.org www.chej.org www.epa.gov/water/index.html www.usgs.gov www.traumkrieger.de/virtualwater/ www.waterconserve.org www.wef.org www.waterfootprint.org www.waterusitwisely.com www.worldwatercouncil.org www.worldwaterwatch.org www.awra.org www.smartgardening.com www.laundrywise.com www.graywater.net www.rainwaterharvesting.org www.watertreaty.org www.h2ouse.org www.wateryear2003.org www.unesco.org/water/ http://www.fao.org/desertification/default.asp?lang=en http://www.unccd.int/ http://www.greenfacts.org/en/desertification/ http://desertification.wordpress.com/

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Useful Links

Useful Links

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• • •

Alameda County Recycling Hotline (TOLL-FREE) Home Composting Information Hotline Household Hazardous Waste

(877) STOPWASTE (510) 444-SOIL (800) 606-6606

Contra Costa County • Recycling • Household Hazardous Waste

(925) 335-1225 (800) 750-4096

Marin County • Recycling • Household Hazardous Waste

(415) 499-6647 (415) 485-6806

Napa County • Recycling • Household Hazardous Waste

(707) 257-9292 (800) 984-9661

San Francisco City & County • Recycling • Household Hazardous Waste

(415) 554-6193 (415) 554-4333

San Joaquin County • Recycling & Household Hazardous Waste

(209) 468-3066

San Mateo County • Recycling • Household Hazardous Waste

(888) 442-2666 (650) 363-4718

Santa Clara County • Recycling • Home Composting • Household Hazardous Waste

(800) 533-8414 (408) 918-4640 (408) 299-7300

Solano County • Recycling & Household Hazardous Waste

(707) 421-6765

Sonoma County • Recycling & Household Hazardous Waste

(707) 565-3375

State of California California Integrated Waste Management Board • Recycling Hotline • California Materials Exchange (CALMAX) • Department of Conservation Recycling Hotline

(916) 341-6000 (877) 520-9703 (800) 732-9253

Source: www.stopwaste.org

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Bay Area - Hazardous Waste Disposal

Hazardous Waste Disposal - San Francisco Bay Area

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Produced by Provokare Presentations

For presentations and speeches contact:

Provokare Presentations Roberto Giannicola www.provokare.com

This booklet was developed based on the research from various websites, books and magazines. All information is duly referenced and available in more extended formats.

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