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May your neighbors respect you,
Trouble neglect you,
The angels protect you,
And heaven accept you.

Old Irish Blessing

It's Not Easy Being Green

Chicago dyes its river green, New York and Boston pubs go wild, but now, with even Ronald McDonald preparing to reintroduce the beloved Shamrock Shake in time for St. Patrick's Day, isn't it time your water system got into the spirit of being 'Green?'

Droughts, population growth, and the sadly mistaken notion that our nation’s water supply is an "infinite" resource, are all compelling reasons why water and wastewater systems large and small should be working to find environmentally friendly, or "green," approaches to conserving water and protecting our environment. While educating customers is extremely important, often times the best place to initiate change is right at home.

While the leprechauns are still a' dancin' and Irish Eyes are still a' smilin', system managers, operators, and board members are encouraged to take this opportunity to educate their customers and review their internal practices and decide... "Is there more that we could be doing to protect the very resource that is responsible for making the sky blue, the grass green, and creating the rainbow—although not the pot of gold found at it ends?"

Whether through improved distribution system leak detection programs, alternative treatment methods, or by simply starting an office-wide recycling program, March is a great time to think green...before you find yourself in the "red" come April 15!

In this issue of the Safe Drinking Water Trust eBulletin, we will show you a few tips on how to "Green" up your office, your system, and your community, that doesn’t include copper plumbing or single-celled plants commonly referred to as "algae."

Additional Resources
St. Patrick's Day From A to Z and Everything In the Middle
www.st-patricks-day.com
EPA WaterSense: Efficiency Made Easy
www.epa.gov/watersense

Green Water...More Than Just a St. Patrick's Day Tradition

Back around 1961, a local pipefitter who had been testing for leaks along the banks of the Chicago River in the windy city noticed that the dye he was using was turning the water a beautiful shade of emerald green.

With St. Patrick's Day just around the corner, this creative fellow got to wondering what would happen if he was to take some of the dye he was using and turn the entire river green in honor of St. Patrick's Day. After discussing his idea with a few of his buddies over corned beef the next day, the group decided to bring St. Paddy's Day cheer to the entire city.

The very next year the group of innovative and festive pipefitters dumped roughly 100 pounds of the dye into the river and a new tradition was born. These days, only about 40 pounds of dye is added to the water each year to produce the truly memorable effect.

It is this very same "innovative spirit" that led the good folks over at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to develop the Guidelines for Water Reuse back in 1992.

This comprehensive guide lays out the regulations for what could possibly be the ultimate example of recycling…wastewater reuse.

The term wastewater reuse can be easily interchanged with wastewater recycling and wastewater reclamation. Since most people generally don't understand the subtle quality differences between treated and untreated wastewater, many communities have simply shortened the term to water reuse, which imparts a more positive image.

According to the EPA guidelines, wastewater reuse is defined as "using wastewater or reclaimed water from one application of another application. The deliberate use of reclaimed water or wastewater must be in compliance with applicable rules for a beneficial purpose (landscape, irrigation, agricultural irrigation, aesthetic uses, ground water recharge, industrial uses, and fire protection). A common type of recycled water is water that has been reclaimed from municipal wastewater (sewage)."

Wastewater reuse is generally grouped into these basic categories:

Agricultural Irrigation: Reclaimed water used for the irrigation of nonfood crops, commercial nurseries, and pasture lands. High-quality reclaimed water can, in some cases, be used to irrigate food crops.
Urban Reuse: Reclaimed water is used for the irrigation of public parks, school yards, highway medians, and residential landscapes. Water is also used for fire protection and toilet flushing in commercial and industrial buildings.
Recreational Uses: Reclaimed water is used to supplement water in lakes and ponds as well as for, stream augmentation, marsh enhancement and in fisheries.
Industrial Reuse: Reclaimed water is used in manufacturing processes, cooling towers, and in boilers.

The uses for reclaimed wastewater are virtually endless. Why, our drought-stricken Aussie friends are even debating the use of reclaimed sewage for drinking water (www.watertrust.org/article.asp?nID=59).

Additional Resources
EPA's Guidelines for Water Reuse
www.epa.gov/nrmrl/pubs/625r04108/625r04108.pdf
On Tap's Winter 2005 Article: Wastewater Reuse Conserves and Protects Waterways
www.nesc.wvu.edu/ndwc/articles/OT/WI05/reuse.pdf

A Little EcoMagination Goes a Long Way

If you aren't in a position to reuse it, then the next logical step in protecting our precious water resources is to conserve it.

Water conservation is not a new idea in the United States. In fact, more than 40 states now have some type of water conservation program. Nationwide surveys show that more than 80 percent of water utility customers support some form of water conservation measure.

Water conservation practices generally fall into two categories, Engineering Practices and Behavioral Practices. Engineering practices are conservation methods based on modifications in plumbing, fixtures, or water supply operating procedures. Behavioral practices are usually tougher to enact and enforce since they require users to change their water use habits.

Water systems and consumers alike can choose from a wide variety of potential water conservation practices, programs, and strategies that have a proven track record of significantly reducing water consumption. These include:

Metering
Reducing water pressure
Imposing water use restrictions
Enacting zoning ordinances
Changing price structures
Educating the public

The first step in conserving water is for systems to install water meters. It's a fact that for most water distribution systems, a large percentage of water is lost somewhere between the treatment plant and the customer's faucet. While industry estimates place the amount of water that is lost, or unaccounted for, as high as 20-30 percent of what is produced, there is no question that some systems, especially older ones, may be losing even more.

Remember that water service meters not only serve as "cash registers" for your system, but are also great water management tools. In terms of water conservation, one recent study found that metered households use an average of 20 percent less water than un-metered households.

Referring to water efficiency and conservation as one of the "four pillars" of sustainable infrastructure, Benjamin H. Grumbles, the EPA's Assistant Administrator for Water, said that water quality and water quantity are directly related.

"Water efficiency is one area where technology can play a large role. Within EPA’s Office of Water, we are looking into ways we can complement and build on the EnergyStar program to address water efficiency," he said recently.

Additional Resources
EPA Guide: How to Conserve Water and Use it Effectively
www.epa.gov/watrhome/you/intro.html
Efficient Water Use for Texas: Policies, Tools, and Management Strategies
http://twri.tamu.edu/reports/2002/tr200/tr200.pdf

How Green is Your Office?

When you are talking about protecting our nation's water resources, it is a good idea to remember that water isn’t just for drinking...it is also a common ingredient in the production of electricity and many manufacturing processes.

Most folks simply haven't taken the time to do the math and realize that operating office equipment can cost as much...or even more than the equipment costs them in the first place. For example, a photocopier that costs you $4,000 to buy—then is left on continuously for seven years over its two-million copies life, may consume $1,500 of electricity, $24,000 of paper and $15,000 of toner.

While running a totally energy efficient or "Green" office probably isn't possible for most of us (Believe me, there is no way most employees are ever going to willfully give up their "under-the-desk" heater or their electric coffee-mug warmer) there are steps that each of us can take to operate in a more efficient manner.

One good starting point is to start conserving the amount of office materials you use.

Print and copy documents on both sides of the paper. If you need to share an important document with your co-workers, send it over e-mail instead of printing out copies for each person. It is also a good idea to try buying recycled products when possible and recycle your waste paper. You can also recycle toner cartridges when they are empty.

Finally, become familiar with the power management features on your office equipment.

Start by turning off your computer every night and make sure it is in a power save mode when it is on.

It is also a good idea to make sure your office recycles soft drink cans. If not, you can get together with your co-workers, put a recycle box in the break room, and take turns dropping off the cans at a local recycling center.

The bottom line is that reducing waste in the workplace not only helps the environment, but it simply makes sense. Remember, if a handful of folks can take the initiative to "green-up" the City of Chicago once a year for just a few hours...you can surely take a few steps toward improving the environment around your office.