Time To Get Water Wise?

The average American urban resident consumes about 150 gallons of water per day, an amount that water conservation and water re-use systems could cut by as much as a third, said Dr. Glen Daigger, senior vice president of engineering firm CH2M Hill at a congressional hearing last week.

On whole, the United States consumes 26 billion gallons of water every day, and public demand for water has increased 209 percent since 1950. Technology in water reuse systems, low-flow conservation appliances, and building techniques have revolutionized the abilities of Americans to conserve water, but winning public confidence and gaining federal funding for research and development has been a long, hard battle.

The necessity of water management has never been so clear. Much of the Southeast is living in conditions of extreme drought this fall and over half a million Californians were displaced last month by raging wildfires. Water worries are even beginning to affect regions traditionally free from droughts–36 out of 50 states are anticipating some form of water shortage by 2013.

“We don’t have to look far to realize the devastating effects of water shortage,” said Rep. Bob Inglis (R-SC), the ranking member of the Energy and Environment subcommittee.

Now with the H.R. 3957, introduced by Rep. Jim Matheson (D-UT), Congress seeks to address the fundamental water issues facing the country. The bill would establish a program in the EPA’s Office of Research and Development dedicated to water efficiency and water conservation, a significant complement to the agency’s voluntary WaterSense labeling program.

Urbanization and population growth have put unprecedented pressure on the American water system, necessitating changes in the way our country deals with water, said Daigger. By treating used water through membranes or with ultraviolet disinfection, the country would pull less water out of the environment and depend less on harmful transportation methods, especially in cities.

America is one of few developed countries that flushes its toilets, waters its lawns, and washes its cars with potable water, said Sen. Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD). Even with the technology to replace this water with gray water or reused water, many programs have been crippled by a fear of “toilet to tap,” the worry that sewage might contaminate potable water.

“We demonstrated that really creative things can be done,” said Ed Clerico, president of Alliance Environmental, a water reuse design and construction company. But without federal funding for innovation and education for public support, there is only so far the technology can go, he said.

South Korea now invests $140 million a year into water research and development, and Singapore has committed $330 million over the course of five years, said Daigger. The new bill will increase investment, helping to retain academics and in the field, and maintain the U.S. edge in technological innovation.

Advances must also come with new efforts for public education on water use, as educated consumers are more likely to accept and integrate the changes into their daily lives. Regulations and enforcements without education might lead to consumer backlash against water conservation methods. The government can provide incentives to motivate home builders and potential home buyers to use new technologies, said Val Little, director of the Water Conservation Alliance of Southern Arizona. Education is also needed to train the technicians that run the new water systems. A national public awareness campaign that addresses both consumer and userunderstanding is essential, Little said.

With many new and creative approaches to water use in the public and private sector, and with the current threat of shortage highlighted by recent disasters, Congress is wise to consider research at a federal level. Still, more needs to be done, and faster. “We can’t wait another 20 years to advance this,” Clerico said.

Tags: Innovation

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