Every drop counts.

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Every drop counts.

• Michelle Eis, Energy Coordinator
• EPA Region 7 Drinking Water Program
• July 20, 2007

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Objective

• Energy and Water Connection
• Need for Water Efficiency
• Water Shortages
• Inefficient Water Use
• Funding Gap
• Learn about the WaterSense Program
• How greening Greensburg can impact these issues
  while saving money and saving resources for
  future generations

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Outline

• Energy Efficiency Water Efficiency
• Problem Need for Water Efficiency
• WaterSense Program
• Individual Choices (Home and Business Owners)
• Benefits

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Energy Water

• Energy Efficiency Water Efficiency avings
• 1 kilowatt generated consumes about 0.2 to 0.3
  gallons of water
• Water Efficiency Energy Efficiency avings
• Energy costs to run water systems represent 1/3
  of municipalities electrical use.
• Consumers then use energy to heat and cool the
  water.

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Need for Water Efficiency
High-performing technology available
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Anticipated Water Shortages
Source General Accounting Office, GAO, analysis
of state water managers responses to GAO survey

• Extent of state shortages likely over the next
  decade under average water conditions
• White light gray states expect some shortages

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Inefficient Water Use

• Leaky toilet (200 gal. of water/day wasted)
• Older toilets (3.5 gal/flush) v. High Efficiency
  Toilets (1.28 gal/flush)
• Household lawn and garden care (50 wasted)
• Conventional sprinkler systems turn on at
  scheduled times even when its raining

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Strained Resources

• Between 1950 and 2000, U.S. population nearly
  doubled while the demand on public supply systems
  more than tripled.
• Increased demand depletes aquifers faster than
  they can be recharged.
• Drinking water and wastewater utilities will
  likely need to invest between 485 billion and
  1.2 trillion by 2019 in order to upgrade aging
  infrastructure and keep pace with demand.

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WaterSense Vision Mission

• Vision
• Create an ethic of water efficiency
• Mission
• To promote the value of water and help Americans
  make smart decisions regarding water use and
  water-using products
• To transform the marketplace by encouraging
  consumers and organizations to purchase
  water-efficient products and services

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WaterSense Labeled Products

• Products labeled through WaterSense will
• Be backed by the credibility of the U.S. EPA
• Be promoted through partnerships with utilities,
  manufacturers and retailers
• To be considered for the label, a product
  category must be able to
• Perform as well or better than their less
  efficient counterparts
• Be about 20 more water efficient than average
  products in that category
• Be independently certified

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Partnership Opportunities
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Partnership Opportunities (Cont.)
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Irrigation Professionals in Kansas

• Brent Rothwell
• Manhattan, KS
• [phone]
• brent_at_rothwelllandscape.com
• Dan Ryman
• Shawnee, KS
• [phone]
• dryman_at_arbormasters.com
• Andy Veatch
• Witchita, KS
• [phone]
• aveatch_at_lawnsprinklerservices.com

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WaterSense Market Transformation Strategy

• Deliver water-efficient products, services, and
  practices to market
• Shift residential and commercial demand for
  water-efficient products and services over a
  long-term basis
• Create a dynamic push/pull effect that results
  in a stable, sustainable market condition that
  supports water-use reduction goals

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Schedule for Evaluating WaterSense Products
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Individual Choices

• Irrigation Services and Technologies
• Products (Toilets and Faucets)
• Practices

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What Does WaterSense Mean for Me?

• Americans use an average of 100 gallons of water
  each day.
• You can be part of the solution
• Choose WaterSense irrigation partners
• www.epa.gov/watersense/pp/irrprof.htm
• Use smart controllers on your irrigation system

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Look for the WaterSense Label

• Toilets
• Faucets

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5 Simple Ways to Save Water

• Be smart when irrigating your lawn or landscape
• Use your appliances wisely
• Dont flush your money down the drain/toilets
• Conserve around the house
• Stop those leaks

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WaterSense Benefits

• Environmental
• Economic
• Health

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Program BenefitsEnvironmental

• Sustainable water use
• Maintains the health of aquatic environments
• Minimizes water pollution by decreasing the
  amount of runoff from landscaping and irrigation
  practices
• Helps mitigate the effects of drought

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Program BenefitsEconomic

• Reduces the need for future rebuilding of your
  new or repaired drinking water and wastewater
  systems
• Saves energy used to pump, heat, and treat water
• Provides a competitive edge for businesses as
  water quality regulations become stricter and the
  cost of water increases

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Program BenefitsHealth

• Minimizes health risks associated with water
  pollution
• Reduces the amount of energy needed to treat
  wastewater, resulting in less energy demand and
  therefore, less air pollution from power plants

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Todays Message

• Protecting and preserving the nations water
  supply is critical to human health and our
  economic future.
• Simple everyday decisions can have a positive
  impact on the environment and help you save money.

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More Information

• WaterSense Information
• Web site www.epa.gov/watersense
• E-mail watersense_at_epa.gov
• Toll-free Helpline (866) WTR-SENS
• Environmental Protection Agency, Region 7
• Michelle Eis, Energy Coordinator
• Eis.michelle_at_epa.gov
• [phone]
• [phone]

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Every drop counts.