NEWS

July 2010

Sterling Ranch to be 1st Colorado rainwater harvesting site - The Colorado Water Conservation Board in Salida unanimously picked Sterling Ranch, which includes 3,400 acres, to have one of 10 such projects. The ranch will collect rainwater, from storm drainage systems and rooftops, and keep it in underground storage tanks or retention ponds. The water will be recycled for lawns, gardens and open space at the community. The rainwater pilot project is part of the 2009 Colorado Legislature’s House Bill 1129, signed into law by Gov. Bill Ritter last June. The legislation permits 10 rainwater collection systems to be developed. >> more

Corte Madera designer creates slim, portable rainwater harvesting system - The sustainable architect and product designer moved to Corte Madera two years ago with her husband, Simon, and daughters Jemima Dot, 9 and Olivia, 11, from their native Australia after debuting one of her latest designs at West Coast Green, an annual green expo in San Francisco. "I was designing urban housing at the time and everyone was talking about saving water," she recalls. "I couldn't understand taking a rural shape (the round barrel) and shoving it into tight, expensive city blocks. It's too big. I wanted a rainwater tank that was very sleek, supertight-fitting and it was key that it be do-it-yourself." That was important to her, because in Australia, "tradesmen were making a fortune of installing tanks." >> more

Rainwater harvesting begins to take root - Most people, particularly commuters, were quite annoyed during the area's recent downpours, including Montgomery County resident Bob Dailey. "We were probably losing millions of gallons of water," Dailey said. "We're one of a few, if not the only, civilized nation in the world that uses our drinking water on our lawns," said Dailey, environmental coordinator for The Woodlands Township. "I wish we had promoted rainwater harvesting years ago." Last December, the Township's parks and recreation facility at 8203 Millennium Forest Drive, began collecting rainwater off the building's roof, funneling it into a 2,500-gallon tank. >> more

NWF, Sierra Club Offer Ways for Texas to Lower Outdoor Water Use - The National Wildlife Federation and the Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club released a joint report on outdoor water use in 18 Texas cities (pdf). The report found that water use in these cities increases an average of 58 percent during July, August and September when compared to winter use. The report calculates that if these 18 cities achieved just a 25 percent reduction in outdoor water use, they could save, collectively, an average of 147 million gallons every day during the summer. The Texas Water Development Board has estimated that about half of the water used on landscapes is wasted due to overwatering or runoff. Reducing summer peak usage also can save millions of dollars in treatment costs. >> more

Lake Co. forest preserve uses rainwater to power toilets - Rainwater collected in a cistern outside the Ryerson Woods Welcome Center is used for landscaping. Water collected in a much larger cistern underground is used for fire protection and soon will be used to flush toilets and urinals. Recycling rainwater is one of several strategies that make the Ryerson Woods Welcome Center in Deerfield a model of green architecture. >> more

Water rate continue upward trend

Ammon, Idaho water rates increasing by 100% >> more

Frankford, Maryland newly adopted 2011 budget includes a 75% water rate increase >> more

Ukiah, California City Council to consider 50% water rate hike >> more

Small Pike, Pennsylvania utility to hike water rates 43%s >> more

Sierra Madre residents face possible water hike of between 33 - 37% >> more

Larchmont, New York to Approve 30% Water Rate Increase >> more

Water rates going up by 24.5% for Rockland, New York customers >> more

International Code Council's recently released International Green Construction Code (IGCC) Public Version 1.0 - (IGCC) Public Version 1.0 supports the use of rainwater collection and distribution systems. The code aims to regulate construction of new and existing commercial buildings. The initial project to draft the IGCC Public Version 1.0 was undertaken with Cooperating Sponsors the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and ASTM International. The AIA and ASTM have played a vital role in the development of the IGCC. The AIA presence will assure a focus on their 2030 Carbon Neutrality Goal. ASTM International, which carries a worldwide reputation as a standards developer, strengthens the scientific basis that will drive the Code. >> more

Rainwater harvesting in the UK: a strategic framework to enable transition from novel to mainstream - The approach to water management worldwide is currently in transition, with a shift evident from purely centralised infrastructure to greater consideration of decentralised technologies, such as rainwater harvesting (RWH). Initiated by recognition of drivers including increasing water demand and increasing risk of flooding, the value of RWH is beginning to filter across the academic-policy boundary. However, in the UK, implementation of RWH systems is not straight forward; social and technical barriers, concerns and knowledge gaps exist, which currently restrict its widespread utilisation. >> more

Plano, Texas residents prove benefits of rain harvesting - When it comes to going Green, the Gates family of Plano has a longstanding tradition of being environmentally friendly and is now continuing the tradition by bringing rainwater harvesting to Collin County. After seeing the necessity of saving water, Ryan Gates and his mother, Kari, decided to take matters into their own hands and begin rainwater harvesting at their home.>> more

June 2010

California American Water and the Monterey Peninsula Water
Management District begin offering rebates - As warmer weather and longer and drier days set in, California American Water and the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District are asking area water users to be particularly mindful of their water consumption - especially outdoors. Rebates are also offered for installation of cistern tanks. California American Water and the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District will pay qualifying water users $25 for every 100 gallons of rainwater storage, up to a maximum of 3,000 gallons per site. >> more >> more about California statues and regulations

New Birmingham - Southern dorm project to save 300,000 gallons of water - A crane lowered a 15,000-gallon fiberglass tank into a 14-foot-deep hole Tuesday between Birmingham-Southern College's two new dormitories. The tank, when tied to the dorm's gutter system and buried under the courtyard, will collect and reuse the rain that falls on the buildings, storing it to feed the campus irrigation system. To engineer the rainwater collection system, the college turned to Nature's Tap, a company founded two and half years ago by Homewood native Scott Kubiszyn. Capturing rainwater not only cuts your water bill, it begins to lessen the impact modern development has had on rivers and streams, Kubiszyn said. The typical approach to handling rainwater is to get it off the buildings, off the site and into the storm sewers as quickly possible. >> more

Rainwater Harvesting - Rainwater harvesting is an ancient and effective water conservation practice. Unfortunately, in modern times “rainwater harvesting” has often become associated with a mosquito-laden barrel in the backyard, lined with last year’s leaves and a resident frog or two.The potential of rainwater harvesting systems is so much more. With proper design, these systems can transform a waste product (stormwater) into a valuable resource. Bringing rainwater harvesting into the commercial and residential mainstream will require increasing awareness of possible uses of rainwater. >> more

Karnataka, India has made mandatory adoption of rainwater harvesting - Urban Development, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister S. Sureshkumar said the government has made mandatory adoption of rainwater harvesting in the State. All those who construct new houses and buildings have to adopt rain water harvesting system, he said. A large number of people utilize Cauvery drinking water supplied from the river Cauvery to wash their cars and other vehicles and even gardening. Creating awareness of rainwater harvesting could help to save a lot of potable water. The recycled water would be used for washing clothes, cars and gardening in the city, he said. >> more

Rainwater harvesting - Take it up urgently to meet Dhaka's need - Against the backdrop of falling of city water table by three metres every year, and ever rising demand for water because of population pressure, rainwater harvesting by the city dwellers has been offered as a viable option by experts. We take note of the fact that rainwater would be able to meet 15 percent of the annual water demand in the capital and we believe that would come as a big relief if implemented properly. These facts and figures were revealed in a recently held seminar on 'Urban Rain Water Harvesting for Domestic Use and Groundwater Recharge' jointly organised by the Institute of Architects Bangladesh and WaterAid Bangladesh. >> more

Harvesting rainwater makes good sense for landscape - When it rains in Nebraska we usually are thankful for the moisture. Why then do we design our properties and landscapes to move rainwater away as quickly as possible? Why not harvest some of the rain to help conserve water resources? >> more

How To Make Unbuildable Land Buildable with Rainwater Collection - The term unbuildable land typically refers to property located in a place with a lot of code restrictions. So for the sake of argument, lets say that most unbuildable land is ‘unbuildable‘ because of some rule, regulation, or requirement that other humans have placed on the community. I’ve been using California Pines, a giant failed subdivision in the remote northeast corner of California, as a basis for this design exploration. In order to build at California Pines, a local realtor told me that you must have a well drilled ($10,000) and an engineered septic system ($20,000) installed before building permits for a cabin would be issued. Might not capturing the rain be a better alternative and make this land buildable >> more

Rainwater harvesting: quality assessment and utilization in The Netherlands - The use of roof-collected rainwater as a freely available and sustainable alternative to drinking water produced by drinking water companies increases worldwide. Initially, rainwater is free of microbial contamination, but it may become contaminated by animals and humans or, alternatively, human pathogens may grow in stored rainwater resulting in a significant human health risk from infectious diseases. This three-year study demonstrated that rainwater stored in different reservoirs in The Netherlands was frequently faecally contaminated and incidentally contained potential human pathogens such as Campylobacter, Cryptosporidium, Giardia, Aeromonas hydrophila and Legionella. Analysis of samples during a period with variable weather conditions showed a correlation between rainfall intensity and faecal indicator counts and increased detection of pathogens after heavy rainfall incidents >> more

Mesa, AZ holds off on creating new water-saving rules - Mesa won't be acting anytime soon to follow Tucson's lead imposing water-conservation rules on new developments. But he said a rainwater ordinance would be premature now. "This area would touch so many folks, both in the development community and our city departments, I think there's a lot of work that has to be done internally to make sure that we have a good program," Bouchie said. >> more

UK Rainwater Harvesting Market Grew 850% in the past 5 years - According to the 120 page report, whilst rates of growth have slowed in recent years as the market matures, double-digit growth is set to be a key feature of the market. By 2014, forecasts are that the market will rise by more than 100% over the next 5 years. The report “Rainwater Harvesting Market: Research & Analysis UK 2010-2014” illustrates the rapid and sustained growth of the rain harvesting market in recent years, with market volume rising by almost 850% in the last 5 years. >> more

Water Rates Rise with the Temperatures

Sun City, Arizona Water Rates Could Increase by 130% >> more

Bloomington, Indianan city council approves water rate increase of 54% >> more

New Haven, Indiana water rate hike: 28%-55% >> more

Golden State Water Company of California applied for a rate increase totaling 44.7% over the next two years >> more

Suwanee, Georgia base water rates increase 42% >> more

New Haven, Indiana settles on 35% water hike >> more

Neenah, Wisconsin seeks 32% water rate hike >> more

Keyser, West Virginia water system customers, both in and outside the city limits, face a 30% rate increase >> more

30% water rate increase proposed in Windsor, Canada >> more

Stanley, North Carolina town council approved a 30% increase on monthly water and sewer bill >> more

Houston, Texas single-family homes should expect a 30% increase in monthly water bills over the next four years >> more

Maumelle, Arkansas 30% water rate increase proposed >> more

Bracken, Kentucky facing 25.39% water rate increase

Madill, Oklahoma raises water and sewer rates by 25% >> more

Gladstone, Michigan to pay 20% more for water and sewer utilities >> more

Wichita, Kansas to raise water rates every year through 2018 >> more

May 2010

Newton residents find that rainwater collection brings more than financial savings - Newton resident Ellen Meyers loves her rain barrel. She doesn’t know for sure how much money it has saved her. That’s not why she purchased it. “I just felt so good about using less water,” she said. Many Massachusetts residents are supplementing their water supply with rainwater collected in barrels. Bypassing the tap means bypassing the need for tanker trucks, processing plants, and treatment chemicals. These processes are vital to filter and deliver water for drinking, cooking, and bathing. But water has many other uses.>> more

Jamaica Evaluating Rainwater Harvesting- The Water Resources Authority (WRA) has implemented a project to assess the potential for rainwater harvesting across the island, Minister of Water and Housing, Hon. Dr. Horace Chang, has said. Speaking in the 2010/11 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives Tuesday (May 18), Dr. Chang said that the objective is to analyse the rainfall data for stations in elevated areas with rainfall above a threshold value, to determine the feasibility, system and design for effective rainwater harvesting to augment the country's water supply.>> more

Rainwater Harvesting Program Plans to Flow Citywide - The LA Stormwater Program has successfully completed the City’s first Rainwater Harvesting Pilot Program at the end of March! The even better news? As a result of the pilot, 600 Los Angeleno homeowners and eight commercial building owners received and installed free rain barrels and planter boxes to collect rainwater and reduce urban runoff that leads to the ocean. >> more

Rainwater Harvesting Systems Could be Cheaper - The rate of uptake of rainwater harvesting (RWH) in the UK has been slow to date, but is expected to gain momentum in the near future. The designs of two different new-build rainwater harvesting systems, based on simple methods, are evaluated using three different design methods, including a continuous simulation modelling approach. The RWH systems are shown to fulfill 36% and 46% of WC demand. Oversizing tanks can lead to excessive system capital costs, which currently hinders the uptake of systems. >> more

Pakistan capital to have rainwater harvesting facility - The federal capital has become the first city of the country to have a rainwater harvesting facility to re-charge the underground water table. The Pilot Rainwater Harvesting Project has been initiated at the compound of Faisal Arrangements: Masjid. However, Capital Development Authority (CDA) has made comprehensive arrangements to replicate this network across the capital to benefit from rain, a primary source of water. >> more

Experts lobby govts to adopt laws that promote rainwater harvesting - Africa is running out of water but its governments are not moving fast enough to replenish sources or enact water-friendly laws. This has prompted experts to lobby for policies that encourage people to harvest rainwater, a neglected yet cheap and simpler water supply technique. It is estimated that a child dies every 15 seconds from a water-related disease in the world, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa. “We need to focus on rainwater harvesting, make our hills and mountains green again, and leave our natural forests alone instead of cutting trees and replacing them with exotic varieties which spoil the soil and destroy leaf ground cover,” Nobel laureate Prof Wangari Maathai noted. >> more

Rainwater Harvesting: Beyond the Rain Barrel - Rainwater harvesting refers to the process of capturing and storing storm runoff – i.e., rainwater that drains off rooftops and pavements - for domestic landscape and other non-potable uses. Up until recently, the common practice was to discharge storm runoff via downspouts and catch basins directly into storm sewers. Rainwater was, and often still is, literally sent “down the drain”, a waste material disposed of as efficiently as possible. >> more

Harvesting Oregon’s bumper crop — rain Rainwater is abundant in the Portland area during the winter and spring, but summer is another story. Just when homeowners and farmers need water the most, Mother Nature gets skimpy. “Why are we using chlorinated, treated water for watering our plants and yards and flushing our toilets, when we could get 70 percent of the water from rain captured from the roof?” wonders Klock, senior resource conservationist for the Clackamas County Soil and Water Conservation District." >> more

Double Digit Water Rates Continue

Trempealeau, Wisconsin water rates up 140% >> more

Lake Tahoe water company proposes 77% hike in annual water rate >> more

Bloomington, Indiana city council approves water rate increase of 54% >> more

Wisconsin's South Milwaukee Water Utility has prepared a letter to residents who have questions and concerns about the 52% rate increase >> more

Clovis, New Mexico water rates jumped 20% in January. A second rate increase of 15% will go into effect in July, followed by a 15% increase in 2011 and a 5% increase in 2012, for a total increase of 55% >> more

Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) initiated a two-week hearing on a proposed 34 percent rate hike >> more

New Creek, WV and McCoole, MD residents could see 30% increase >> more

Atlantic City's New Jersey American Water seeks 13% rate increase >> more

New York City Proposes Water Rate Increase of Nearly 13% >> more

Ames, Iowa could see a double-digit increase in their water rates >> more

Metropolitan Water District supplies water to 26 member agencies in Southern California approved rate increases of 15 percent over two years, 7.5 percent each year >> more

Monona Grove, Wisconsin Water Utility is in the process of seeking a 20% water rate increase >> more

Illinois American Water customers across the Southland will soon be going up more than 26 percent >> more

Homer Glen, Illinois residents get 26 percent hike in water rates >> more

Clive, Iowa 20 percent water rate increase proposed >> more

Houston votes to hike water-sewer rates up to 30 percent >> more

Illinois American water users to see 14.5% rate increase >> more

Harvesting rainwater to ease Atlanta's water woes - A decentralized approach to rainwater harvesting, as described by Australian water authority Peter Coombes in a series of recent academic studies, can produce tremendous benefits for the state both in conservation of potable water and reduction of storm water runoff. The Georgia Plumbing Code has recently been amended to allow rainwater harvesting for watering lawns, flushing toilets and laundering clothes under certain specifications that ensure public health and safety. >> more

Portland's Sewers Right as Rain - The most surprising tourist attraction in Portland, Ore., is its storm sewer system. Eco-friendly tourists flock to the city to understand how Portland's innovative system of curbs, gutters, roofs and rain gardens sharply cuts water pollution. When we started this 10 or 12 years ago, there was a lot of skepticism," says Dean Marriott, director of Portland's Bureau of Environmental Services. "Today, many cities are moving in this direction. People want to see how it's done." >> more

American Industry's Thirst for Water: First Study of Its Kind in 30 Years - How many gallons of water does it take to produce $1 worth of sugar, dog and cat food, or milk? The answers appear in the first comprehensive study in 30 years documenting American industry's thirst for this precious resource. They estimated water use among more than 400 industry sectors -- from finished products to services -- using a special computer model. The new data shows that most water use by industry occurs indirectly as a result of processing, such as packaging and shipping food crops to the supermarket, rather than direct use, such as watering crops. Among the findings for consumer products: It takes almost 270 gallons of water to produce $1 worth of sugar; 200 gallons of water to make $1 worth of dog and cat food; and 140 gallons of water to make $1 worth of milk. >> more

Kansas water policy's drift - Groundbreaking plan for reform ends in compromise. For years, some farmers and ranchers have needlessly diverted water from rivers and streams to comply with a mandate that holders of a Kansas water right actively make use of the privilege. The idea from Svaty was to grant, for the first time in Kansas, legal status to conservation and put an end to the "use it or lose it" philosophy. Svaty, a Democrat from Ellsworth, said he wasn't satisfied with outcome of this session's debate on water. Senate Bill 316 retains disincentives to substantive conservation of water by forcing producers to maintain pumping equipment, he said. It too closely resembles the Water Rights Conservation Program, which was operated by the agriculture department for about 15 years but dropped due to state budget cuts. >> more

April 2010

Harvesting rainwater to ease Atlanta’s water woes - Metro Atlanta’s water challenges have rolled through the region like a giant thunderclap in the night, waking its residents from their dream that Georgia’s water resources are unlimited and well-managed. A decentralized approach to rainwater harvesting, as described by Australian water authority Peter Coombes in a series of recent academic studies, can produce tremendous benefits for the state both in conservation of potable water and reduction of storm water runoff. >> more

$2,000 rebate toward the purchase and installation of a home rainwater harvesting system - Introduced Thursday, the rainwater harvesting system incentive is a recommendation of the municipality’s Water Conservation and Efficiency Strategy Update. The city will give a $2,000 rebate toward the purchase and installation of a home rainwater harvesting system. Such systems are to retain melted snow and rain from roofs and eavestroughs and collect such waters in a basin that can be above or below ground, says Wayne Galliher, the water conservation project manager. He said some systems and will hold about 2,500 litres of water — water which can be used to flush toilets, water lawns, as well as any other activity that doesn’t require drinking quality water. >> more

8 News Austin - Rainwater harvesting saves water for a not so rainy day Walk into the garden of Harker Heights resident Ursula Nanna and you will find tanks among her flowers and plants. Four years ago, Nanna installed her first tank to start the rainwater harvesting process. Aaron said these systems can help with water conservation efforts in Texas, by relying less on city water systems. "Sixty percent of the water we use as citizens in the state of Texas is for landscape purposes, and we can no longer afford that if we double our population between now and 2024," Aaron said. >> more

Rainwater harvesting could be huge factor in safe yield efforts - A Prescott engineering firm called Civiltec has calculated that if the AMA could capture annual rainfall in just a three-by-six-mile area, it could eliminate the AMA's annual groundwater overdraft of about 11,300 acre-feet (not including 4,150 af of basin outflow) so the AMA could reach the state-mandated "safe yield" status and stop depleting its groundwater supply.>> more

Novato, California offering rebates to residents to conserve water - Rebates will be offered soon to residents who install rainwater catchment systems, graywater reuse systems and wells to alleviate demand from North Marin Water District sources - mostly the Russian River in Sonoma County.The district has been crafting a pilot program for several months and is ready to unveil rebates that will average about $150 per rainwater catchment system and graywater system. Rebates could be more than $1,000 for a well. >> more

Water Hikes Continue Upward Flow

Lakeshore Utility Company, Texas 94% rate increase case has been pushed back >> more

In Sun City, Arizona the rate increase would be 27.7 percent for water and 40.8 percent for wastewater >> more

Water rates will increase by 20% for Woodstock, VA customers >> more

New York's United Water plans to boost rates by 21% >> more

Many of the Laurel, Wyoming property owners faced with the 400% >> more

Water rates could rise as much as 25% for Oregon and South Fork, Oregon >> more

Halifax, Canada water rates could rise by 40% >> more

March 2010

DENR urges adoption of rainwater harvesting - Philippines's Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) urged the national government to consider rainwater harvesting technology as a potential solution to the country’s problems on flooding and water shortages. The Philippines has a lot of excess water and does not have to suffer much from El Niño because rainwater harvesting is doable, simple, and relatively low cost. >> more

Water Online - Future Water Supplies Seriously Challenged - For the first time in nearly 60 years, Australia's capacity to secure high-quality water supplies for cities, towns and remote communities is being seriously challenged, a Black & Veatch media forum in Brisbane was told this week. Peter Binney, Vice President and Director of Sustainable Water Planning, said, "In Australia and the United States, we are wrestling with the larger issue of sustainable infrastructure and how it is funded, permitted and delivered. >> more

The New York Times - Saving U.S. Water and Sewer Systems Would Be Costly - State and federal studies indicate that thousands of water and sewer systems may be too old to function properly. For decades, these systems — some built around the time of the Civil War — have been ignored by politicians and residents accustomed to paying almost nothing for water delivery and sewage removal. And so each year, hundreds of thousands of ruptures damage streets and homes and cause dangerous pollutants to seep into drinking water supplies. >> more Check out recent water rate increases >> more

EPA Begins Rating Showerheads for Water Efficiency - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) WaterSense program released its final specification for showerheads. Manufacturers can now submit their showerheads for testing to earn the WaterSense label, and consumers will soon be able to renovate their bathrooms with the full suite of WaterSense labeled products. Showering is one of the leading ways we use water in the home, accounting for nearly 17 percent of residential indoor water use, or about 30 gallons per household per day. >> more Check out more water conserving techniques >> more

New Global Water Prize Announces Winners - A web application that alerts wine grape farmers when their vines are thirsty. Rainwater storage that’s easy to install and fits in tight spaces. Technology that tells water utility customers their usage rate and rewards them for cutting back. These are the winning business ideas for the inaugural Imagine H2O Prize and they’re ready to save the world hundreds of billions of gallons of water. Rainwater HOG’s H2OG tank, which is a food-grade, rectangular module made of low-density polyethylene that can store water horizontally or vertically, was a runner-up. “The HOG makes it easy for people to harvest and use rainwater instead of city water for their irrigation and even inside their homes, and can thus reduce a building’s city water use by more than 50%,” says HOG designer Sally Dominguez, who co-founded the company with husband and CEO, Simon. >> more

Bill turns rainwater into toilet water - A bill passed by the Illinois Senate Environment Committee Feb 24 will make it easier for businesses and homeowners to collect rainwater to be used for non-potable uses, such as flushing toilets. The bill, Rainwater Harvesting for Non-Potable Uses, is co-sponsored by state Sen. Susan Garrett (D-Highwood) and state Rep. Kevin McCarthy (D-Orland Park) and if passed would require the Illinois Department of Public Health to develop standards for rainwater capture, ensuring that rainwater could not enter the public water supply. >> more Information on statues in other states >> more

Sun Coast Daily - Water: Council must fight - If Sunshine Coast Council is, as it appears, on a collision course with the State Government then the battleground should be water.Council has opposed desalination in its submission to the SEQ Water Plan and has made it abundantly clear that developments at Palmview and Caloundra South should have sustainable water management solutions. >> more

Geosyntec Consultants Announces Acquisition of Rainwater Recovery Inc. - Geosyntec Consultants, Inc. (www.geosyntec.com) announced today the acquisition of the assets of Rainwater Recovery Inc. of Waltham, Mass., a specialty consulting firm focused on the design of rainwater harvesting and integrated stormwater management systems. Geosyntec regards the acquisition as an important step in the expansion of the firm's service offerings in the water and natural resources sector. >> more

Wasting water may land you behind bars - The Bangalore, India Water Supply and Sewerage board has also been empowered to insist building owners to adopt rainwater harvesting and recycle waste water. The amendment also proposes that the developers of apartments and high-rise buildings in the limits of city corporation pay pro-rata charges towards cost of improvement of water and sewerage systems. >> more

Rainwater harvesting bill passes first hurdle - SB 2549 (chief co-Sponsors: Ill. Sen. Susan Garrett (D-Highwood) and Rep. Kevin McCarthy (D-Orland Park)) would require the Ill. Dept. of Health to establish minimum standards for capture of rainwater on site and re-use for non-potable purposes. These uniform standards would help plumbers, engineers and builders ensure that no rain water accidentally makes its way into public water supplies. >> more Information on statues in other states >> more

Lone crusader tries to sell his idea to legislators for water savings - The soft-spoken Watkinsville resident signed up for his chance to speak before the House Natural Resources Committee when it held a hearing last month on the legislation championed by Gov. Sonny Perdue. When his turn came, he spoke excitedly on behalf of the Rainwater Harvesting Association of America about how 300 million gallons of water is available for use in Georgia per day by capturing rain. >> more

Local News8 - Utah OKs rainwater harvesting - Senate Bill 32 would permit the collection of no more than 2,500 gallons in a storage container. If it becomes law Utahns wouldn't be able to just put out barrels in the backyard. The proposal requires registering with the state and buying a standardized container. >> more Information on statues in other states >> more

Current Protocols - Tree Provides New Low-Cost Water Purification Method - A low-cost water purification technique could help drastically reduce the incidence of waterborne disease in the developing world. The procedure, which uses seeds from the Moringa oleifera tree, can produce a 90.00% to 99.99% bacterial reduction in previously untreated water. >> more

Water Efficiency - Dual Flush Savings: An Analysis of Field Data - Recent research affirms that dual-flush fixtures offer significant water savings, but also tell a slightly different story about the effects of flush frequency and volume. Empirical data from recent research conducted by Aquacraft confirm that dual-flush fixtures offer significant savings over older, higher-volume fixtures, but offer a slightly different story about the frequency of partial versus full flushes (Aquacraft 2004). >> more

Rate Hikes Springing Up

Hinsdale, Illinois residents will see increased water rates by 31% >> more

Halifax, Canada water rates could rise by 40% >> more

Bloomington, Indiana water rates might rise 54% >> more

William's Lake, Canada water and sewer rates to rise 25% >> more

Virginia American Water Co.'s request increases for Alexandria's by 17%, Prince William County's by 27% and Hopewell's by 33% >> more

Darien, Illinois residents could face a 35% water rate increase >> more

Elburn, Illinois combined water and sewer rate has increased by 30% >> more

Since June, residents in 17 Johnstown-area, PA municipalities have been paying 25 % >> more

Illinois' ICC proposal raises water fees 29% >> more

Vero Beach, Florida study recommended increases of more than 37.5% >> more

American Water customers in the Northern Neck, Virginia could soon face 55% higher water bills >> more

New Jersey's Berkeley residents have the opportunity today to comment on United Water Toms River's request for a 39.7% after 62% increase in 2009 >> more

Wisconsin Public Service Commission this week approved a 200% increase in rates for Lyndon Station municipal water utility customers >> more

Lexington, Kentucky residents get a 37% rate increase, on the heels of last year's 18% increase >> more

Athens, Georgia gets a 30% rate hike for water and wastewater over a two year period >> more

In order to break even Mass town would need to raise water rates by 40% >>more

Aqua Maine seeks 23.6% rate hike >> more

Macomb City Council, Illinois voted and passed the 20% >> more

February 2010

Stormwater Solutions - Making the Most of Rain - Rainy days are days to celebrate at Oscar Smith Middle School in Chesapeake, Virginia. When coastal storms pour on the school's roof, the community knows that nearby Chesapeake Bay tributaries are being protected. Instead of rainwater running
off the roof, landing on the ground and carrying fertilizers, sediment and other
contaminantst to nearby waterways, it is directed to four 65,000-gallon cisterns. >> more

Plumbing System and Design - Escaping the Shackles of Tradition Unlike the vacuum plumbing system, siphonic roof drainage and rainwater harvesting were always at or near the top of the green building features desired by the WVRJA. As the design program continued, subconsultant Rainwater Management Systems of Salem, Virginia, developed the design of these systems. The team determined that nearly the entire roof surface of 261,144 square feet would drain via the siphonic roof drain system. The water would be collected in four 30,000-gallon underground storm water capture tanks, pumped to a filtration system in the mechanical room, and delivered exclusively to the laundry for clothes-washing operations. Potable water also was connected to the system for makeup during low water levels in the tanks. >> more

The Sydney Morning Herald - Population and resources: She won't be right, mate - While most political attention is focused on things such as health and education — despite the fact that we have among the best health care and education systems in the world — the medium and long-term national issues always get second-class treatment. Energy, transport, urban planning, water and environment (indigenous species loss, feral-pests, salination, loss of soil fertility, forests) are some of the major challenges we face. Water is perhaps the issue most worrisome for both the experts and the public. >> more

Sunshine Coast Daily - Huge potential for water savings bill - A review by Queensland Water Commission nominee Ian Law into the findings of two reports by University of the Sunshine Coast and consultants Parsons Brinckerhoff has recommended a scaling back of the engineering specifications for the Coolum Ridges rainwater harvesting and beneficial re-use systems. >> more

LocalNews8 - Utah Senate OKs personal rainwater collection bill - The Utah Senate has passed a bill that would allow the personal collection of rainwater. >> more

Tree Hugger - Los Angeles May Get Mandatory Rainwater Harvesting Law - A new proposed law to go into effect in 2011 could have Los Angeles residents changing their habits when it comes to rainfall. Rather than just complaining that there's some strange wet substance falling from the sky, all new homes, large developments, and some redevelopment projects will start to appreciate those few rainy days by harvesting and redirecting rainfall. >> more

Rate Hikes Continue

Planned water rate increase sparks outcry in Botetourt County, Virginia >> more

West Bountiful, Utah doubles fee for city's water users >> more

Kentucky American asks to raise Lexington water rates 37% >> more

New York's Westchester municipalities fight request for 55% water-rate increase >> more

Rate hike of 69% to 129% proposed for Port Hope, Canada >> more

Wayne County, WV water utility proposing 33% rate hike >> more

Proposed 30% increase to be staggered over two years in Athens, AL >> more

Aquarion, CT to request 17.5% water rate increase>> more

Waterville, Maine, sewerage district rates increase by 38% >> more

Water rates will increase by 22% in Fair Lawn, NJ >> more

Ohio American Water applied for water and sewer rate increases in June, and its current request is a 27%>> more

January 2010

American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association supports Florida Department of Health regarding potable use of rainwater - Following a claim that potable use of rainwater was inherently unsafe in an attempt to force the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority to provide potable water service to the off-grid island of Name Key in the Florida Keys, the Florida Department of Health declared that "It is the position of this department that there are no inherent public health concerns that automatically preclude the use of a rainwater cistern for a source of potable water."

The American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association (www.arcsa.org) -- a 501(c)3 not-for-profit whose mission is to promote the harvesting of rainwater to help solve potable, non-potable, stormwater and energy issues -- concurred with the Florida Department of Health and has reinforced the FDOH position with the attached letter. "A properly designed and maintained rainwater harvesting system will provide safe, potable drinking water that exceeds the requirements of the Environmental Protection Agency. There are many thousands of people in the U.S. who currently use this viable and sustainable source as their only (and often preferred) source of water." >> Dept of Health Letter

Sunshine Coast Daily - No need for new pipeline or plant - NEW research into a Sunshine Coast rainwater harvesting scheme has mounted a serious argument for scrapping the $400 million stage two of the water grid pipeline and for dumping desalination plants from the state’s water strategy. The scheme catches water from roofs, treats it and returns it to homes as drinking water. It also treats waste water to A+ standard and returns it via separate pipes for use in cold water washing machines, toilet flushing and lawn and garden irrigation. >> more

The Jerusalem Post - New immigrant looks to make rainwater harvesting popular - Rainwater harvesting has been done for millennia and modern versions are in use in Germany, Australia and the US. Several [American] states even offer tax rebates for rainwater collection systems. Here in Israel, though, it's totally off people's radar. Rainwater harvesting is relatively simple, and the water can be used for washing machines, toilets and gardens, Aiken said. It is also used for drinking water in some countries, but Israel has very strict regulations that do not allow for that. >> more

LA Times - Australian water crisis offers clues for California - When California water officials look into the future, many of them see Australia: a vast, arid continent that has been suffering through drought for more than a decade. Severe shortages have prompted Australia to implement strict water-saving measures throughout the country. It has required residents to use less water in their homes, caused government to build large-scale desalination plants and led farmers to implement drip irrigation systems. Dave Griggs, director of Australia’s Monash Sustainability Institute cited rainwater harvesting and demand management as the least expensive options for increasing water supplies. Pipelines and dams were among the most expensive options, he said.>> more

The Post - As temperatures fall, taps dry up - Our water services have been at breaking point for the last week, as local authority engineers battle to maintain water supplies in the middle of the most severe freezing weather that most of us can remember. So why has this happened? Why have so many people across the country been left without water, or with very low water pressure? he simple answer is that we have had a lengthy period of extremely cold weather, of the kind which has not been experienced in Ireland for many years. This has frozen the water in the public mains and in private household plumbing. This may also be an opportunity to extend the Home Energy Saving Scheme to include water efficiency measures, such as rainwater harvesting, and plumbing improvements to make private houses more frost-resilient. >> more

UT Senator Scott Jenkins has registered a rainwater harvesting bill - Under this bill, a person could capture and store rainwater in an underground storage tank (with a maximum capacity of 2500 gallons) or in covered storage containers above ground (with a maximum capacity of 55 gallons per container). >> more

Process Engineering - IPS considers challenges of rainwater harvesting - Rainwater harvesting has become the 'next best thing' when it comes to saving our valuable water supplies. However, when you look carefully at the projects where rainwater harvesting has been introduced, it is rarely used beyond that which is necessary for running washing machines, flushing toilets and watering the garden. Rainwater harvesting is not for everybody; it can be like fitting the proverbial square peg in a round hole and be difficult to see any return in investment. >> more

CBS News - America's Dwindling Water Supply - In 15 Years, Nearly 2 Billion People Worldwide Will Live Where Water is Scarce. Americans are the world's biggest water consumers. - by the time we go to bed, we've used up to 150 gallons. By comparison, people in the U.K. use a quarter of that - 40 gallons of water a day. The Chinese average just 22 gallons per day. And in the poorest countries like Kenya, people use less than the minimum 13 gallons to cover basic needs. >> more

Year Starts with More Water Rates Increases

Bloomer, WI water rates increase 30% >> more

Windsor, Canada water customers may face 22% hike >> more

Recent 45 percent water/sewer rate increase has added to frustrations in Denmark, SC >> more

Phoenix AZ water, sewer rates up 40% since 2005 >> more

Brownsville, TX increase of nearly 40% over 5 years >> more

40% increase on water rate in store for Harrisburg, PA >> more

Spring Hill, TN Municipal Technical Advisory Servicerecommended the city raise water rates by 55% >> more

Water increase of 38% over 6 year period for Fremont, OH >> more

Los Osos, CA company is seeking state approval for a 48% hike >> more

Complaints flow after 60% water rates rise in Lunenburg, MA >> more

Tempers flare over proposed El Dorado Irrigation District 85% rate increase >> more

Cherokee metropolitan district CO, have seen their water bills go up a whopping 87%. Customer says with the new rates he'll be paying nearly $200 this July.>> more

Angry Northside, IN customers complain at hearing that 35%>> more

El Dorado County’s, CA major water utility is proposing a five-step rate increase of 65% by 2014,>> more

Jackson County, WI water rates poised for 16% increase >> more

Fenton, MI citizens to feel water woes with 14% increase >> more

Municipal Technical Advisory Service, TN has recommended the city raise water rates by 55% >> more

La Grange City Council, KY approved a 21 percent rate >> more

Clovis, Hanford CA water rates will rise by more than 55% over next two years >> more

Whidbey News Times - It’s legal to collect your own rain - What was once forbidden is now encouraged. A newly adopted policy provides clarity to the Washington state surface water code, said Stacy Smith, a natural resource planner with the Whidbey Island Conservation District. The new policy overturned a 1917 law that banned rainwater collection for personal use. Several counties are now moving toward allowing rain water for flushing, etc. Look for changes in 2010 and 2011 in Whatcom, Skagit, Island and San Juan county. >> more

December 2009

The Sacramento Bee - The Oh Decade: Old water policies limit choices for future - We live in a fragile time and place. Californians started out in 1850 grossly abusing our water resources and we've never stopped. It took a nine-year severe drought in Australia to transform how that country manages water. It took the collapse of the apartheid regime in South Africa in the early 1990s to produce a new way of thinking about water rights, allocations and environmental protection. I hope we'll be smart enough to solve our problems before such extreme events occur, but the signs are not good. >> more

The Pueblo Chieftain - STRIKING A BARGAIN: With supply limited, state targets water demand - Here’s the choice: Colorado can dry up 400,000 acres of farmland, build a couple more pipelines through the Rockies or put 5 million new residents of the state - plus most already living here - on permanent watering restrictions or shower schedules. Why can’t Colorado use every drop of water that falls in the state? Here’s a look at interstate compacts that limit how much Colorado can use from each basin. >> more

Water Efficiency - Survey Finds Virtually All Building Professionals Concerned about Water Conservation - Looking ahead to what 2010 might bring, a new survey conducted the first two weeks of December 2009 asked facility managers and other building professionals about water conservation, water costs, and other related issues in their facilities in the coming year. Virtually all, 89 percent, indicate that, compared to past years, concerns about water conservation will increase in 2010. Over 70% believe water costs will go up 10 percent or more. >> more

LA Times - Turning on to rain, and turning off the tap, 55 gallons at a time - If L.A.'s rainwater harvesting program could put a barrel at each of the city's 800,000 residential parcels, demand for tap water could drop by about 800 million gallons a year. Add my 55 gallons, refilled a few times each winter, to what my neighbors are collecting and it starts to add up. The city estimates that the first 600 barrels could save 600,000 gallons of water annually. Put a barrel at each of the city's 800,000 residential parcels and demand for tap water could drop by about 800 million gallons. >> more

Sun Times - India’s quiet water revolution - The International Water Management Institute pointed to India. More than 66% of the total groundwater drawn in the world was exploited here. Water tables across the country had begun to shrink decades ago. By the mid-90s, when its population was close to hitting the billion mark, many parts were gravely plagued by scarcity The saviour? A simple concept called the check dam – a makeshift rainwater harvesting method >> more

European Water News - Experiences with Rainwater Harvesting & Greywater - Despite all the recent rains and the subsequent, numerous, flooding incidents which have occurred throughout the UK in recent years we have also experienced, often severe, drought conditions in some areas and even now it is suggested that water supplies are under either moderate or serious levels of stress in most of England south of the Humber, a situation that will be exacerbated by demands for additional housing, particularly in the south east of the country. It was clear from the day that there is a great deal of interest in RWH and GWR and these innovations will undoubtedly have a place in any integrated approach to water management with the correct development of valid, well thought out standards and guidelines, these techniques will surely become mainstream. >> more

APMO GTC finalizes green supplement - The International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials’ Green Technical Committee finalized the Green Plumbing & Mechanical Code Supplement at its meeting here in November. The Supplement is ready to be published and will be submitted for addition into the Uniform Plumbing Code and Uniform Mechanical Code in its entirety to the voluntary appendices. Some sections of the Green Supplement will be proposed to be adopted directly into the UPC and UMC. >> more

Water Online - Water And Energy Nexus Critical To Climate Change - Major policy gaps are preventing the full recognition of the link between water, energy and climate change. Decision makers in the international community must recognise and create a policy environment that supports efforts to address the major water issues arising from climate change. There is a need for integration of water and energy policies. Having the right pricing, policy and regulatory frameworks are critical to encourage behavioural changes, motivate innovation and ensure sustainable use of water and energy. It will allow simultaneous adaptation and mitigation to climate change. >> more

Green Fire Times - Santa Fe RWH Checklist - In October the City of Santa Fe implemented a Rainwater Catchment Permit Application Checklist in an effort to encourage rainwater harvesting as well as to improve the speed and ease of the permitting process. !e checklist applies to all residential rooftop rainwater harvesting systems with the exception of rainbarrels. !e checklist was created in response to the increasing interest in rainwater catchment by local businesses and individuals and the need to balance this demand with protection of the public water supply. >> more

Water World - Report focuses on role of water, rainwater harvesting in sustainable design - A new white paper on the role of water in the green building movement notes that the bulk of building projects in the U.S. miss out on one of the most potentially significant water conservation opportunities: rainwater catchment and reuse.The white paper reports that "82 percent of the total water consumed in the U.S. goes to irrigation" and that "the reuse of water may be the next big thing in water conservation, efficiency, and performance." >> more

The Arizona Republic - Paying for water with power - The Salt River Project is the largest water supplier in the region, delivering the state's most precious resource from the Salt and Verde rivers to people in the Valley. Some observers question the need to subsidize water, especially in a time of frequent electricity-rate increases. Also, they say, low prices encourage wasting water, and higher prices would prompt conservation. SRP General Manager Richard Silverman said that charging more for water deliveries would not encourage people to conserve water. >> more

The Daily Times - HGCD committee approves conservation plan- The education committee of the Headwaters Groundwater Conservation District voted to recommended passage of the 2010 Conservation Plan to the district’s board of directors. The district’s main goal with the plan will be education. Through newspaper articles, the organization’s Web site and other media, the district wants to encourage rainwater harvesting, conservation landscaping and other water saving techniques. >> more

More Water Rate Increases on the the Way

Water rate could increase 18% for Digby, Canada resdients >> more

Cullman, AL announced plans to raise water rates by 21.6 percent >> more

Poway, CA water rates have climbed about 40 percent in the past year >> more

San Diego Water District, CA is considering raising water rates by 13% >> more

Water Rate Increase for Edgewood, NM Is Reduced to 44% >> more

A 21.4% rate increase for customers of the Pittsfield Water District, ME became official Monday >> more

Springdale, PA water rates hiked 20% >> more Menasha, WI seeks 18% water rate hike >> more

Ridgewood Council approves 21 percent water rate increase >> more

United Water wants to raise Westchester water rates 50 percent >> more

West Baraboo, WI seeks to raise water rates 21% >> more

United Water New Jersey, filed for its third double-digit rate increase in three years, combined they add up to a 71 percent increase >> more

A 8% in water rates each of the next two years for Santa Rosa, CA customers >> more

A 62% rate increase for United Water Toms River customer approved >> more

Higher water rates coming (58%) for Horicon, WI >> more

Bergen, Passaic NJ customers face 21.3% water rate hike >> more

Spring Hill, TN vote could double cost of water, sewer >> more

November 2009

EPA - EPA Issues Rule to Reduce Water Pollution from Construction Sites - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today issued a final rule to help reduce water pollution from construction sites. The agency believes this rule, which takes effect in February 2010 and will be phased in over four years, will significantly improve the quality of water nationwide. The final rule requires construction site owners and operators that disturb one or more acres to use best management practices to ensure that soil disturbed during construction activity does not pollute nearby water bodies. >> more

CleanTech Open - Cleantech Open announced the winning teams in the California region - Green Building: tru2earth makes the tru2earth Life Cycle Roof Tile — 50+ year-rated roofing materials made from recycled PET (water/soda bottle) plastic that are energy-efficient, and cradle-to-cradle recyclable. They allow for rainwater harvesting and, unlike other sustainable roofing materials, are price-competitive with asphalt shingles. >> more

EPA - EPA Cites 14 Municipalities For Stormwater Violations- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has cited 14 municipalities in Pennsylvania and Maryland for stormwater violations. Urbanized areas contain large portions of impervious surfaces such as roads, rooftops and parking lots that channel stormwater directly into local streams, rivers, and other water bodies. Improperly managed stormwater runoff from urbanized areas often contains high levels of nutrients, sediment, toxic metals, volatile organic compounds, and other pollutants. >> more

Water Efficiency - It's Raining Money - ”Shovel-ready” water projects, numbering in the hundreds, are getting underway all at once, thanks to Congress and a newly arrived Obama administration eager to shovel fiat money their way. As a key criterion for selecting projects, comes the stipulation that 20% (i.e. $1.2 billion) should not simply go to the usual water pipes or treatment plants, but rather, must be invested in what the Act calls high-priority “green infrastructure improvements” for water and/or energy efficiency, “and other environmental innovations and wet weather management. At the head of the list of these examples is the installation of water meters, followed by retrofit or replacement of water using fixtures, fittings, equipment, or appliances; efficient landscape or irrigation equipment; systems to recycle graywater; reclamation, recycling, and reuse of existing rainwater, condensate, degraded water, stormwater, and/or wastewater streams; and collection-system. >> more

The Explorer - Council OKs landscape code, includes Rainwater Harvesting - With a goal of keeping Oro Valley, Arizona green, or shades of desert browns and tans, the town council has approved a revamped landscape code. Another aspect of the revised plan mandates water-saving irrigation methods. The revisions require development projects to use rainwater harvesting, irrigation systems that regulate water by shutting off when it rains, and to establish annual water plans. >> more

Science Daily - Rainwater Is Safe To Drink, Australian Study Suggests - A new study by Monash University researchers into the health of families who drink rainwater has found that it is safe to drink. The study involved three hundred volunteer households in Adelaide that were given a filter to treat their rainwater. Only half of the filters were real while the rest were 'sham' filters that looked real but did not contain filters. The study was funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council and Water Quality Research Australia. >> more

San Diego Union-Tribune - Harvesting precious rainwater - Does that seem like a lot for a region that averages only 10 inches of precipitation a year? Even in semiarid areas, rainwater runoff is substantial. A commonly accepted calculation shows that one inch of rain falling on a 1,000-square-foot roof generates 600 gallons of collectible water. During a San Diego rainy season, that runoff alone is enough to fill a 3-foot-deep 16-by-20-foot pool. >> more

Sacramento Bee - California lawmakers pass historic water package - It took long months of delicate negotiations - and the last-minute deletion of a project dear to the heart of the state's most powerful legislator - for California lawmakers to craft what could turn out to be one of the most pivotal water deals in state history. They also include asking voters to approve - probably next November - an $11.1 billion bond measure that would pay for recycling, drought relief, water storage and wastewater treatment programs. >> more >> California Bill SBX 7 8

US Department of Interior - United States Using Less Water than 35 Years Ago - The United States is using less water than during the peak years of 1975 and 1980, according to water use estimates for 2005. Despite a 30 percent population increase during the past 25 years, overall water use has remained fairly stable according to a new U.S. Geological Survey report. The report shows that in 2005 Americans used 410 billion gallons per day, slightly less than in 2000. The declines are attributed to the increased use of more efficient irrigation systems and alternative technologies at power plants. Water withdrawals for public supply have increased steadily since 1950--when USGS began the series of five-year trend reports--along with the population that depends on these supplies. >> more

The New York Times - Thirsty Plant Dries Out Yemen - For millenniums, Yemen preserved traditions of careful water use. Farmers depended mostly on rainwater collection and shallow wells. At the root of the water crisis — as with so many of the ills affecting the Middle East — is rapid population growth, experts say. The number of Yemenis has quadrupled in the last half century, and is expected to triple again in the next 40 years, to about 60 million. >> more

Arizona Daily Star - Foothills man retrofits home to use rainwater - Sygall, a local real estate agent and photographer, has spent the last three years and about $10,000 retrofitting his home in the foothills to minimize his carbon footprint. His most ambitious project is an intricate system of rainwater harvesting that typically collects about 28,000 gallons per year. >> more

More Water Rate Increases on the the Way

Maricopa Council to weigh in on Global Water 59% rate increase request >> more

Cal Water seeks 60% increase over 3 years >> more

Tofino, Canada, 58 per cent increase in water rates >> more

San Jose Water Company Announces Approval by the California Public Utilities for estimated 18% over 3 years >> more

City of Saskatoon, Canada, is proposing a 22.5 per cent water rate increase over three years >> more

Templeton Water Company, PA recieved approval for a 50% rate increase >> more

Elgin, IL balks at 51% water rate increase >> more

Livingston, CA stands by rate increases for water, sewer of 40% >>more

City of Fond du Lac's, WI proposed 23.2 percent water rate increase. An increase of about 64 percent became effective March 8, 2008. >> more

Terrace Temple, FL increases water rates by over 25% over next 3 years >> more

DuPage Water Commission, IL, customers may see rates soar 42% >> more

Oceanside, CA Water, sewer rate increases of 19.8% approved >> more

Midland Park, NJ water rates to rise 21 percent >> more

Jerome, AZ council intends to raise water, sewer rates by 28% >> more

Seminole, Florida officials approve 11 percent increase and another 11 percent increase in 2010 >> more

Water rate increases will be 15.3 percent and 6.3 percent next year for Zanesville, OH >> more

Increase of 10 percent for Park City, UT in the works >> more

Increase of 29 percent for Farmers Water Company in AZ moving ahead >> more

28 percent increase would add $100 to the annual water cost of the average single-family homeowner in St. Joseph, MO >> more

Metropolitan Water District in CA has raised its rates by more than 65 percent >> more

Woodland, CA residents' water rates will more than double >> more

Jefferson Parish may increase water, sewer rates an average of $2 for three years >> more

Seneca, IL water, sewer rates will rise as 2010 starts >> more

Harbor Springs, MI water rates headed higher >> more

Water, sewer rates to increase in Gadsden, AL >> more

Call for water hikes 4 of 5 years in Andover, MA >> more

City asks for its own rate hike in Diluth, MN >> more

Monitor Online - Conserving soil in the wake of climate change - An NGO in Rakai District, Uganda Rural Community Support Foundation Model Farm (URCSF) located at Kirumba in Kirumba Sub-county, has undertaken to teach climate change friendly farming methods to the local farmers at its model farm. Among tips offered to farmers in this part of the world, rain water harvesting, mulching, organic manure preparation, tree planting and terracing dominate the demonstrations at the 30-acre-plus model farm which provides its lessons free of charge. It is a seed multiplication centre for both food and fodder crops. >> more

October 2009

Press-Banner.com - Soggy spots can prove a valuable resource -Dry river beds can be designed to help with rainwater harvesting. Aboveground water tanks and submerged collection tanks are becoming common tools for saving excess water that flows off the impervious surfaces of your roof, patio, walkways and driveway. Another method of retaining water on your own property is to channel it into a dry-well, a hole filled with drain rock. From there, the water can disperse slowly into the surrounding soil. >> more

Examiner.com - Up on the roof tops- green and growing - Roof top gardens, eco roofs, vegetative roofs, living roofs, green roofs, however they are named they refer to the same phenomena; buildings with plants on the roof. As defined by the nonprofit, Green Roofs for Healthy Cities “A green roof system is an extension of the existing roof which involves a high quality water proofing and root repellant system, a drainage system, filter cloth, a lightweight growing medium and plants.” >> more

PIA - High schools to integrate rainwater harvesting in science curriculum - Five public high schools in the Tigum-Aganan Watershed area in the province of Iloilo have initially accepted to integrate rainwater harvesting technology and climate change in their subjects in high school. The suggested topics that will be included in the teachers’ lesson plans are 1)understanding the value of rainwater; 2)rainwater as alternative source to augment water needs of people;3)how to catch rainwater and its various uses;4) effectiveness of educating students on rainwater harvesting technology starting in schools. >> more

USGS - Chloride in Groundwater and Surface Water - Groundwater-quality data from a sampling of 1,329 wells in 19 states were analyzed. Chloride concentrations were greater than the secondary maximum contaminant level established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency of 250 milligrams per liter in 2.5 percent of samples from 797 shallow monitoring wells and in 1.7 percent of samples from 532 drinking-water supply wells. Water samples from shallow monitoring wells in urban areas had the largest concentration of chloride, followed by water samples from agricultural and forested area. >> more

The Pueblo Chieftain - Enough water? - Colorado may not have enough water to double its population. The underlying message of the meeting was that simply providing water to the new residents of the state native-born or transplants - won’t address all of the negative effects of taking the water from somewhere else. If it’s business as usual, Colorado could reach a point where lawns are uprooted, even more food imported and water use strictly limited. If oil shale plans develop, a significant portion of the state’s undeveloped water will go toward energy production, and simply won’t be available for future population growth. >> more

The New York Times - Alternative Energy Projects Stumble on a Need for Water - In a rural corner of Nevada reeling from the recession, a bit of salvation seemed to arrive last year. A German developer, Solar Millennium, announced plans to build two large solar farms here that would harness the sun to generate electricity, creating hundreds of jobs. But then things got messy. The company revealed that its preferred method of cooling the power plants would consume 1.3 billion gallons of water a year, about 20 percent of this desert valley’s available water. “When push comes to shove, water could become the real throttle on renewable energy,” said Michael E. Webber, an assistant professor at the University of Texas in Austin who studies the relationship between energy and water. >> more

The Philadelphia Inquirer - Breaking ground with a $1.6 billion plan to tame water - This city has proposed tackling its combined-sewer overflow problems with a $1.6 billion, 20-year plan that would use rain gardens, green roofs, thousands of additional trees, rain-harvesting barrels and porous pavement. The green capture plan is being hailed as one of the most ambitious ideas to reduce combined sewer overflows and increase “green” living of a major metropolitan area. According to the plan, runoff is reduced, diverted or filtered by layers of soil and plant root systems. The Inquirer reported, “Some areas would temporarily store runoff until the stress of the storm on the combined sewer system is reduced and the water can then be treated in the sewer treatment plants.” >> more

September 2009

Water Efficiency - New Construction Permit Will Reduce Pollution, Conserve Precious Water - The State Water Board approved its new construction stormwater permit and is designed to protect waterways and conserve water. The Board’s vote is the first time California has limited storm water runoff pollution from construction sites by setting numeric limits. The permit is based on the approach that minimal requirements are needed for low-risk projects and become progressively more stringent for projects with a higher threat to water quality. It also identifies appropriate control requirements based on the risk of sediment pollution running off the site. Such low impact development features could include the planting of trees and vegetation, redirecting gutter-downspouts to planter beds, and the installation of rain barrels, green roofs and porous pavement. >> more

Complete document listed under CA Statues and Regulations >> more

Washington Post - Water Measured From the Sky - Water management is serious business in the American West, where precipitation is scarce, irrigated agriculture is a major industry, new housing subdivisions spread across arid landscapes and water rights are allocated in a complicated seniority system. rWillardson said the system can allow irrigation districts or other entities to conserve water and save the surplus for drier times. For example, if Southern California's Imperial Valley irrigation district can prove that it used less water than it has rights to, it can use more water from the Colorado River the following year. In the past, Imperial Valley farmers would have had little incentive not to use their full water right. >> more

NRDC - A Clear Blue Future: How Greening California Cities Can Address Water Resources and Climate Challenges in the 21st Century - The NRDC and UCSB analysis found that implementing LID practices that emphasize rainwater harvesting, which includes infiltration of water into the ground as well as capture in rain barrels or cisterns for later use onsite, at new and redeveloped residential and commercial properties in the urbanized areas of southern California and limited portions of the San Francisco Bay area has the potential to increase local water supplies by up to 405,000 acre-feet (af) of water per year by 2030. This volume represents roughly two-thirds of the volume of water used by the entire City of Los Angeles each year. The water savings translate into electricity savings of up to 1,225,500 megawatt hours (MWh), avoiding the release of as much as 535,500 metric tons of CO2 per year >> more

Washington Post - America's Water Supply, Down the Drain - In the United States, we constantly fret about running out of oil. But we should be paying more attention to another limited natural resource: water. A water crisis is threatening many parts of the country -- not just the arid West. ”Droughts make matters worse, but the real problem isn't shrinking water levels. It's population growth. Conservation does work. In places such as San Antonio, Albuquerque, Tucson and Long Beach, Calif., aggressive conservation programs have reduced consumption dramatically. But it's not enough. >> more

CSIRO - Water scarcity started 15 years ago - New analysis shows that the water scarcity being experienced in southeast Australia started up to 15 years ago. ”The data shows the first signs of diminishing water availability in Australia appeared somewhere between 1993 and 1996 when the rate of water resource capture and use started to exceed the rate of streamflow supply,” Dr van Dijk said.>> more

Ecological Restoration - Why Climate Change Makes Riparian
Restoration More Important than Ever - Over the next century, climate change will dramatically alter natural resource management. Specifically, historical reference conditions may no longer serve as benchmarks for restoration, which may foster a “why bother?” attitude toward ecological restoration. We review the potential role for riparian restoration to prepare ecological systems for the threats posed by climate change. Riparian ecosystems are naturally resilient, provide linear habitat connectivity, link aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, and create thermal refugia for wildlife: all characteristics that can contribute to ecological adaptation to climate change. Because riparian systems and the projected impacts of climate change are highly variable geographically, there is a pressing need to develop a place-based understanding of climate change threats to riparian
ecosystems.>> more

August 2009

Denver Post - Thirsty cities eye Wyoming water - A project once considered far-fetched — piping water from western Wyoming across the Continental Divide to Colorado's booming Front Range cities — is getting a renewed look. The $3 billion pipeline would carry water not claimed from the Green River Basin, south of Wyoming's Wind River Mountains, along Interstate 80 and Interstate 25 to high-growth cities from Fort Collins to Pueblo. >> more

The New Mexican - Bigger Rebates - Santa Fe joins a growing list of cities offering rebates on rainbarrels, cisterns and other water saving devices. Beginning January 1, 2010, Santa Fean will be able to get a $.25 per gallon for underground cisterns. Additional rebates for "Tier 3" washing machines and rain barrels will also go into effect the beginning of next year. >> more

American Chemical Society - Homes Pollute - In a study released by ACS, homes are linked to 50 percent more water pollution than previously believed. In the study, Lorence Oki, Darren Haver and colleagues explain that runoff results from rainfall and watering of lawns and gardens, which winds up in municipal storm drains. The runoff washes fertilizers, pesticides and other contaminants into storm drains, and they eventually appear in rivers, lakes and other bodies of water. >> more

San Diego Union Tribune - Residential 'gray water' rules eased - California regulators have opened the floodgates for using “gray water” by issuing an emergency decision that allows residents to create simple water-reuse systems without a construction permit. Roughly 1.7 million gray-water systems are installed statewide. Most are illegal because homeowners almost always avoid permits and the associated fees. Do-it-yourselfers can build a gray-water system for $200 or less, but permitting-process costs can more than double the expense. >> more

Alternet - Goodbye Pools, Lawns and a Whole Lot More: Why Life in the Southwest as We Know it Will Be History - There, in the deserts and mountains, we Americans have built huge cities, farms and ranches, and one of the world's leading tourism industries (think Vegas) predicated on the reliability of cheap, plentiful water. This was a mistake. Water in the very near future will be neither cheap nor plentiful, and much of the Southwest is destined for real trouble. >> more

Official Magazine - GREEN SUPPLEMENT BEGINNING TO TAKE ROOT - The Green TC has assembled eight task groups, enlisting the assistance of 85 plumbers, contractors, engineers, inspectors and energy and water conservation authorities, to help develop the code language of the Green Supplement, a comprehensive set of voluntary technically sound provisions that elevate sustainable construction practices while maintaining IAPMO's high standards for protecting health and safety. The new "green" code includes: rainwater harvesting, gray water, recycled/reclaimed water and onsite water treatment systems.>> more

GLI International - What is pH? - Most living things depend on a proper pH
level to sustain life. All human beings and animals rely on internal mechanisms to maintain the pH level of their blood. The blood flowing through our veins must have a pH between 7.35 and 7.45. Exceeding this range by as little as
one-tenth of a pH unit could prove fatal. Proper pH control keeps milk from turning sour, makes strawberry jelly gel, and prevents shampoo from stinging
your eyes. >> more

EPA - Water Use: Drop It When It's Hot! - When the mercury rises on your thermometer, so does your water use. “Peak” water use describes the time of year when residential water use is at its highest, usually in late July or early August, depending on where you live. From lawn watering to car washing to filling backyard pools to even washing beach towels more frequently—it all adds up to about four times as much water or more than you use the rest of the year! >> more

Water Efficiency Magazine - A First for Rainwater Harvesting - Due to increased interest in water conservation and sustainability, rainwater catchment is “poised to become not just an interesting side note, but also a powerful tool for water-strapped cities and states. ” Known as either rainwater catchment or harvesting, the process is quite simple and can be an easy first step for any water-strapped community searching for ways to supplement their current supplies. For example, in Los Angeles, CA, six projects capture 1.25 million gallons of water for every inch of rain, and there’s no reason those results can’t be replicated throughout the country. >> more

July 2009

The New York Times - It’s Now Legal to Catch a Raindrop in Colorado - TFor the first time since territorial days, rain will be free for the catching here, as more and more thirsty states part ways with one of the most entrenched codes of the West. Now two new laws in Colorado will allow many people to collect rainwater legally. The laws are the latest crack in the rainwater edifice, as other states, driven by population growth, drought, or declining groundwater in their aquifers, have already opened the skies or begun actively encouraging people to collect. >> more

Water Efficiency - Los Angeles Invites Residents and Businesses to Participate in City's New On-Site Rainwater Harvesting Program - The City of Los Angeles Department of Public Works rolls out the City’s first free Rainwater Harvesting pilot program that will provide free assistance to residents and commercial businesses willing to collect rainwater for storage and use for their private property irrigation. The program aims to reduce the polluted rainwater that goes into the ocean and help conserve the use of potable water. ing Tam, City of Los Angeles Rainwater Harvesting program manager says, “This program sets an important first step for future citywide roll-out. Our hope is that the pilot areas will begin the momentum needed to generate interest in harvesting rainwater throughout the entire community. Ultimately, the beauty of the program is that it establishes community members and the City as collaborators, both working together for a more sustainable water supply and a clean ocean.” >> more

The University of Colorado at Boulder - Future of Western Water Supply Threatened by Climate Change, Says New CU-Boulder Study - As the West warms, a drier Colorado River system could see as much as a one-in-two chance of fully depleting all of its reservoir storage by mid-century assuming current management practices continue on course, according to a new University of Colorado at Boulder study. "On average, drying caused by climate change would increase the risk of fully depleting reservoir storage by nearly ten times more than the risk we expect from population pressures alone," said Rajagopalan. "By mid-century this risk translates into a 50 percent chance in any given year of empty reservoirs, an enormous risk and huge water management challenge," he said. >> more

The Hook - Rainwater harvesting: Catchment comes with a catch - In a town where rebates are being handed out to folks who buy rain barrels, one might think a local laundromat owner’s plan to harvest rainwater off his roof would be welcomed with open arms. But according to Hydraulic Wash owner Charlie Smith, the County greeted his green plan with their arms folded. According to Smith, his laundromat– or “mat” as he shorthands it— uses a whopping quarter million gallons a month, and with County water rates going up, he figured he could save a little money while lessening the strain on local water supply. The rainwater collection system he chose, designed by Roanoke-based Rainwater Management Solutions, would provide 10,000 gallons a month, the equivalent of two households worth of water, and save him $62 a month. >>more

Ohio.com - Rain barrels turn into art - Rain barrels are good for the Earth, but they're not always easy on the eye. So a group of young artists has set out to change that. The 10 teens have been turning plain plastic barrels into works of functional art as participants in Arts LIFT, a three-week arts apprenticeship at the University of Akron that ends Wednesday. The 50 decorated rain barrels will be auctioned at two events, and any that remain will be sold online by Keep Akron Beautiful.>>more

EPA - EPA Posts State-by-State Water Quality Enforcement Reports Online - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has placed online comprehensive reports and data on water quality enforcement in all 50 states. Administrator Lisa Jackson says the move is part of a larger effort by to enhance transparency, promote the public's right to know about water quality and provide information on EPA's actions to protect water under the Clean Water Act. >>more

NPR - Water Wars Out West: Keep What You Catch! - The West remains one of the fastest growing regions of the country, and that continues to put pressure on scarce water supplies. Water law in the West is different than in the East. In the West, there's essentially a long line for water rights; those who signed up for rights first are in front. And in some cases around the West, Native Americans are near the front of the line because they've lived there for so long.>>more

June 2009

Ski Hi Daily News - New law legalizes rain catchment - Andy Miller of Fraser, Grand Huts project manager, said he was pleased CO Gov. Bill Ritter passed the legislation on April 22 — legislation that will allow the collection of rainwater for household purposes, fire protection, watering of livestock and irrigation of gardens and lawns. Previous Colorado water law made it illegal to capture rooftop precipitation. Those who plan to collect roof rainwater are expected to apply to the state. For applicants who already have a well, the “form will require minimal processing,” according to the SB 80 fiscal notes. For those who do not have a well, the state conducts a full evaluation of the applicant’s property. The Department of Natural Resources expects to process 100 rooftop precipitation collection permits annually at $28 each. >> more

Sustainable Industries - E=H2O - Everyone learns in elementary school that energy and water are essential to sustaining and fueling life. In today’s fossil fuel-dependent economy, what’s becoming more apparent is how, when it comes to industrialized systems, water is an essential component to our energy system—you can’t have one without the other. Electricity is second only to agriculture as the country’s biggest guzzler of water, with power production sucking up almost 40 percent of U.S. freshwater withdrawals. Meanwhile, moving, cleaning and storing water burns of a surprising amount of power: In California, almost 20 percent of the state’s electricity is used to heat, deliver and treat water, according to the California Energy Commission. >> more

Stormwater - Keeping the LID on Runoff - Nature has its ways of dealing with stormwater. Once humans have altered a site, however, all bets are off, especially since most of our construction materials are nonporous. Therefore, a variety of manufactured products and earth-altering tactics are used to compensate for our changing nature’s status quo. “Low-impact development [LID] is an approach to stormwater management and site design that uses natural hydrologic processes to preserve or recreate that hydrology at the site level, or to meet goals,” explains Neil Weinstein, executive director of Beltsville, MD’s Low Impact Development Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of LID technology. >> more

May 2009

New York Times - Water Needs Electricity Needs Water - Each day, the nation’s thermoelectric power plants (90 percent of all power plants in the United States), draw 136 billion gallons of water from lakes, rivers and oceans to cool the steam used to drive turbines, according to the Department of Energy. In recent years, the energy department says, plans for new power plants had to be scrapped because water-use permits could not be obtained. >> more

Down To Earth - Rain Shocked - Rising trend of short but intense spells of rainfall is making usable water scarce in India. If you decide to ignore the news above as freak incidents you make a mistake. They are the order now. They are happening repeatedly all over the country. Farmers do not know why. Nor do they know how to tide over the crop-destroying downpours. Scientists and meteorologists have an answer to the first question. The root cause is global warming, they argue. >> more

TNLA Green - Rainwater Harvesting Taking Texas by Storm - One of the fastest growing water conservations techniques in the country, especially Texas is the age-old practice of rainwater harvesting. Rainwater, not tap water is best for plants, due to it's neutral pH, and lack of salts and other chemicals. >> more

Shelco Filters - White Paper - A Layman’s Guide to Inorganic and Organic Contaminant - To best make filtration decisions, it is helpful to review information and updated insight on basic filtration technologies, along with their advantages and disadvantages. >> more

Water Efficiency - Facing Long-Term Drought - Communities like Raleigh, Las Vegas, Albuquerque, and Denver are all getting into the water conservation game. Approaches vary dramatically as do results. In Las Vegas, penalties for noncompliance are added to water bills, which must be paid for service to continue. Enforcement is swift and efficient—every inspection that results in a negative outcome results in a follow-up. First time offenses are $40, and then double for each reoccurring violation. “You have to enforce any ordinance you pass,” Bennett says; “your credibility is at stake.” >> more

May 18, 2009

Bord na Móna Environmental Products U.S. Inc. - Multinational company goes for rainwater in big way -Bord na Móna group, an international company involved in water treatment and other markets, says it is introducing a full line of residential and commercial rainwater harvesting products through its United States subsidiary, based in Greensboro, NC.>>more

King5 News - Major project under way beneath new Gates Foundation -The Gates Foundation dominates the blocks east of Seattle Center. But what you may never see is the monstrous structure being constructed under it. Workers are building a concrete basin for an underground reservoir capable of holding a million gallons of rainwater. >> more

May 8, 2009

Santa Fe New Mexican - New store will 'harvest water' -Two giant metal tanks have been installed at the not-yet-open Sunflower Farmers Market off Zafarano Road to capture rain runoff from the roof. The water will be used to irrigate the low water-use landscaping and trees around the 26,000-square-foot store, according to Greg Gonzales, construction manager for Branch Development. "With the large volume of water that can be collected, we figured it was a good way to water outdoor landscaping," Gonzales said. Gonzales said the city reduces the required amount of open space for a development if a water-harvesting system is included. >> more

May 7, 2009

King5 News - Major project under way beneath new Gates Foundation -The Gates Foundation dominates the blocks east of Seattle Center. But what you may never see is the monstrous structure being constructed under it. Workers are building a concrete basin for an underground reservoir capable of holding a million gallons of rainwater. >> more

May 1, 2009

Water Efficiency - 20,000 Gallon Rain Harvesting System Installed By Homeowner To Offset Drought -The California drought may appear to have softened because of the last batch of rains, but Monte Sereno resident Jerry Block isn’t having second thoughts at all about having one of the largest rain collection systems in the Santa Clara Valley recently installed in his back yard. “What if there is an earthquake and what if the drought continues?” says Jerry, “At least I will have water for my family and neighbors. Rainwater can also be used for fire suppression, irrigation, washing your car and even for keeping your swimming pool filled." Collecting this much rainwater significantly reduces stormwater runoff and erosion problems. That’s 20,000 gallons less rainwater that could get contaminated by the time it gets to a stream or an underground aquifer. With the craze of the Victory Gardens, as popularized by Michelle Obama, rainwater catchment helps assure that water will be available for growing home gardens during hot summer months." >>more

April 2009

Poisoned Waters - In Poisoned Waters, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Hedrick Smith examines the growing hazards to human health and the ecosystem. "The '70s were a lot about, 'We're the good guys; we're the environmentalists; we're going to go after the polluters,' and it's not really about that anymore," Jay Manning, director of ecology for Washington state, tells FRONTLINE. "It's about the way we all live. And unfortunately, we are all polluters. I am; you are; all of us are." >>more

Canyon Courier - Change in law will allow rainwater collection - Sen. Chris Romer and Rep. Marsha Looper were prompted to change the 120-year-old law by a study which found that 97 percent of rainfall evaporated before it reached streams and rivers. The bill awaits the signature of Gov. Bill Ritter. It would take effect July 1, and anyone who qualifies to be able to collect water will need to apply for a permit with the Colorado Division of Water Resource’s state engineer’s office.>>more

Las Vegas Sun - A murky plan for graywater - A bill that would have allowed the recycling of residential graywater — the waste water from sinks, tubs and washing machines — died in the Legislature last week. The proposal in the Legislature ran into stiff opposition from the Southern Nevada Water Authority. >>more

Water World - $260M in economic recovery investments to help California address water supply, drought - Today, at a press conference with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and California congressional leaders, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced the Department of the Interior will invest $1 billion under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) in America's water infrastructure to create jobs and get the economy moving again.>>more

BuildingGreen - Graywater Collection and Use - Graywater is wastewater that has been used in clothes washers, showers, bathtubs, and lavatory sinks. In some parts of the country graywater may be collected using separate drainage pipes, then filtered and temporarily stored (without treatment) before being distributed in subsurface outdoor irrigation. There are also systems that direct lavatory washwater to an adjacent toilet tank to be used (after limited treatment with disinfectant) for toilet flushing. >> more

Water Efficiency Magazine - Urgent Scenarios for Region's Water Outlook - As South Florida experiences its third driest season on record dating back to 1932, a new, independent study funded by a grant from the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties lays out four water scenarios for the area's future - all of them urgent. "Dry Wells" rank as number one among the four alarming scenarios that depict "very different futures for water resources in Palm Beach and Martin counties. >> more

Environmetal Expert - Clay helps clean up pharmaceutical pollution - A new study explains how modified clay could be used to clean up pharmaceutical pollution in water supplies. It may present a viable, low cost option for treatment of wastewater in constructed wetlands in particular. The study focuses on some frequently detected pharmaceuticals, including ibuprofen. The effects of a multitude of drugs and other chemicals in water supplies are not yet well understood and require further investigation. >> more

April 25, 2009

The Sacramento Bee - Editorial: Water conservation bills worth backing - California is now in the third year of a drought, and the governor declared a statewide water emergency in February. It's time, once again, to push for improvements in conservation in new housing developments. Two bills are working their way through the Legislature – one sponsored by the California Building Industry Association (Assembly Bill 300 by Assemblywoman Anna Caballero) and another sponsored by the East Bay Municipal Utility District and the California Planning & Conservation League (AB 1408 by Assemblyman Paul Krekorian). Both have elements that would encourage innovative approaches to reduce water consumption in new housing developments. They call for builders to use voluntary water-saving measures (irrigation control, efficient appliances, leak detection kits, automated metering, rainwater harvesting, water recycling) or pay into a conservation fund. >> more CA Statues and Regulations

April 20, 2009The New York Times - De-Watering Wyoming - To the list of truly terrible ideas, we would like to add the one that is stirring up residents of southwestern Wyoming. A developer named Aaron Million has proposed to build a private, 560-mile-long, 10-foot-high pipeline from Wyoming’s Green River Basin, along Interstate 80, and then south along Colorado’s Front Range to Denver and Colorado Springs. The pipeline is meant to carry water — more than 80 billion gallons a year. >> more

April 16, 2009

Michigan Live - Lawton water rates could go up 75 percent - Water charges in the village of Lawton could increase as much as 75 percent to help pay for the proposed $4.1 million water project that includes mains, a well and a new water tower. >> more

April 15, 2009

BBSRC- Changing climate will lead to devastating loss of phosphorus from soil - Crop growth, drinking water and recreational water sports could all be adversely affected if predicted changes in rainfall patterns over the coming years prove true, according to research published this month in Biology and Fertility of Soils. Scientists from Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)-funded North Wyke Research have found for the first time that the rate at which a dried soil is rewetted impacts on the amount of phosphorus lost from the soil into surface water and subsequently into the surrounding environment. >> more

Patterson Irrigator - Plan for nonpotable water system advances -City officials believe drinking water is too precious to be pouring over Patterson’s plants, and last week they continued the process of creating a nonpotable water system. The nonpotable system would allow water that doesn’t meet state standards for drinking to be used for landscaping. The system has the potential to save more than 25 percent of the city’s drinking water during peak demands, according to the city’s water consultant, Cort Abney. >> more

April 2, 2009

LA Times - Graywater study results can't be processed fast enough - "It seems we needed to do this study three years ago," said Sybil Sharvelle, principal investigator on a graywater study that's been in the works since 2006 and won't be completed until mid-2011. "There's a huge rush right now for information, and we're just not at the point yet where we're ready to provide results." Graywater is the wastewater generated from laundry machines, showers, baths and sinks (excluding kitchen sinks). About 50% of the wastewater generated inside an average American household is graywater, which makes it an attractive option for water agencies that are looking to not only reduce consumer demand for potable water, especially in areas that are prone to drought, but the amount of wastewater those consumers are sending to the sewers for treatment.>> more

April 1, 2009

Water Online - What's In Your Water?: Disinfectants Create Toxic By-Products - Although perhaps the greatest public health achievement of the 20th century was the disinfection of water, a recent study now shows that the chemicals used to purify the water we drink and use in swimming pools react with organic material in the water yielding toxic consequences. But the process of disinfecting water with chlorine and chloramines and other types of disinfectants generates a class of compounds in the water that are called disinfection by-products. The disinfectant reacts with the organic material in the water and generates hundreds of different compounds. Some of these are toxic, some can cause birth defects, some are genotoxic, which damage DNA, and some we know are also carcinogenic . >> more

Wall Street Journal - Water Worries Shape Local Energy Decisions - Last month, Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, a utility that provides power to mostly rural areas, agreed to conduct a major study to see if it might meet growing energy needs through energy efficiency and not a big, new coal-fired power plant, as it had proposed for southeast Colorado. One reason for the move was a challenge by Environment Colorado, an advocacy organization, about the amount of water a new plant would require. The study concluded that a megawatt hour of electricity produced by a wind turbine can save 200 to 600 gallons of water compared with the amount required by a modern gas-fired power plant to make that same amount. >> more

Reuters - Key facts about water in the U.S. West - The West has been one of the United States' fastest-growing regions, with its warm, dry climate a major draw. But much of its landscape is desert or semi-arid and many of its cities are facing a long-term water supply crisis. Some of the facts: The six-county area of Southern California, including Los Angeles and San Diego, is home to nearly 22 million people, yet 60% of its water is imported; Outdoor water use, such as lawn irrigation, accounts for 40 percent of average household consumption in the city of Los Angeles. >> more

March 2009

eco-structure - Rainwater System Wins Award - Grove Farm Co. Inc., Lihue, HI which enhances its land and water resources for the 40,000 acres it owns, won a Fairfield, CT-based GE ecomagination Leadership Award for its solution that provides a sustainable water resource for as many as 15,000 residents and visitors on the Hawaiian island of Kauai'i. >> more (page 20)

Harvard Business Publishing - Growing Business Risks from Global Water Scarcity - "Water Shortage Threatens China." "California Faces Water Rationing." "Drought in Australia Food Bowl Continues." With global temperatures increasing, scientists have told us to expect water scarcity problems like those California and China are now experiencing to increase and become even more severe. The consequences for an already reeling global economy will be profound. Numerous industry sectors should expect decreased water allotments, shifts towards full-cost water pricing and ever-more stringent water quality regulations. >> more

March 31, 2009

The Altoona Mirror - Nitrate levels high in drinking water due to lack of rain - Officials urge residents not to give infants 6 months and younger drinking water until nitrate levels decrease again. High nitrate levels can come from natural, industrial or agricultural sources, including septic systems and runoff, and vary throughout the year. Drought-like conditions also aggravate the water. >> more

March 27, 2009

USGS - Water Quality of Potential Concern in US Private Wells - More than 20 percent of private domestic wells sampled nationwide contain at least one contaminant at levels of potential health concern, according to a study by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).USGS scientists sampled about 2,100 private wells in 48 states and found that the contaminants most frequently measured at concentrations of potential health concern were inorganic contaminants, including radon and arsenic. These contaminants are mostly derived from the natural geologic materials that make up the aquifers from which well water is drawn. >> more Complete findings are available online.

March 26, 2009

The Wall Street Journal - Catching Raindrops Can Make You an Outlaw -With drought widespread across the West, many cities outside Colorado are encouraging rain harvesting through tax credits, rain-barrel subsidies, even building codes that require rain-catching cisterns in new developments. The membership of the American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association -- a trade group that represents any company or individual interested in the practice -- has jumped from less than 100 to nearly 600 in just two years. But in Colorado and Utah, the only other state with a blanket ban on rain harvest, powerful forces are determined to continue limiting access to precipitation. >> more

March 23, 2009

The Washington Post - As climate changes, is water the new oil? - If water is now the kind of precious commodity that oil became in the 20th century, can delivery of clean water to those who need it be the same sort of powerful force as the environmental movement in an age of climate change? What was clear at this year's World Water Forum in Turkey was the notion that clean, fresh water supplies are waning due to a warming world. >> more

Union-Tribune - New watering source is surfacing - 'Gray' users go with flow from bathtubs, washers -Across the county, people are taking shorter showers, fixing leaky faucets and planting drought-tolerant vegetation. Faced with having lawns wither and shrubs shrivel, more people are tapping their washing machines, bathtubs and other sources of “gray water” to irrigate landscaping. “Pretty soon, it will be the exception not to do this,” said Ponizil, a contractor and building consultant. “We can't keep using water once and dumping it.” >> more

March 19, 2009

Environmental News Service - Forum Moves Water Higher Up Global Priority List -Participants from 192 countries are in Istanbul for the world's largest water event, the World Water Forum, which drew three princes, three presidents, five prime ministers, over 90 ministers, 63 mayors and more than 23,000 attendees. Conflict over scarce shared water resources is increasingly likely as the planet's population grows and freshwater resources shrink, the International Union for Conservation of Nature told Forum delegates today. >> more

LA Times - L.A. water rates revised to penalize heavy users - Warning that the city faces a water shortage this summer, Los Angeles officials approved new water rates Tuesday that will penalize residents if they don't cut their water use by 15%. Many low-income water users should not see a rise in rates, while some homeowners with large lots who don't conserve can expect a jump of $11 a month, according to the Department of Water and Power, which unanimously adopted the pricing structure. The rates would go into effect June 1 unless the City Council blocks the move. >> more LA water rate info >> more

March 13, 2009

DownToEarth - Rain Shocked - If you decide to ignore the news above as freak incidents you make a mistake. They are the order now. They are happening repeatedly all over the country. Farmers do not know why. Nor do they know how to tide over the crop-destroying downpours. Scientists and meteorologists have an answer to the first question. The root cause is global warming, they argue. >>more

Library of Congress - Energy and Water Integration Act of 2009 -The Secretary of Energy, in consultation with the Secretary of the Interior and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, shall enter into an arrangement with the National Academy of Sciences under which the Academy shall conduct an in-depth analysis of the impact of energy development and production on the water resources of the United States. >> more

Pacific Institute - Integrating Water and Energy Policy -Dr. Peter Gleick, president of the Pacific Institute in Oakland, Calif., testified today before a packed hearing of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee in support of a new bill that aims to integrate the relationship between water and energy use into national policy decisions. >> more

UN - UN warns of global water crisis -With demand for water never having been as great as it was today, and energy consumption expected to jump some 60 per cent in the next few years, the extent to which current crises linked to last year’s oil, food and commodity price spikes were linked to water. The production of biofuels had also increased sharply in recent years, with significant impact on water demand. The report noted that, despite their potential to help reduce dependence on fossil energy, and given the technology currently available, biofuels were likely to place a disproportionate amount of pressure on biodiversity and the environment. >> more

Santa Fe - New 8.2% Water Rate Increase -The City of Santa City Council has adopted a new ordinance that will increase water rates by 8.2 percent each year for 5 years. Under this ordinance, the average monthly residential water bill will increase from $31.51 this year to $34.10 in 2009, $36.90 in 2010, $39.90 in 2011, etc. Commercial users with an average monthly water bill of $1,030 would see an increase to $1,114 in 2009, $1,205 in 2010, $1,304 in 2011 and so on. >> more

Colorado State University - Graywater as a Potential Water Conservation Tool - Graywater - nonpotable water from showers, handwash sinks and laundry - is used for residential landscape irrigation in a number of states in the Southwest; however, little is known about long-term effects of this practice, according to Colorado State University civil engineers. >> more

Superintendent - Rainwater Irrigation - With water at a premium for golf courses in areas that are facing severe droughts, superintendents and course management are looking for ways to conserve. One option is to collect and store rainwater. The concept can benefit superintendents and golf courses across the United States, especially those that rely on municipal water when the demand for H2O exceeds the supply. >> more

February, 2009

The Wall Street Journal - Yet Another 'Footprint' to Worry About: Water - It takes roughly 20 gallons of water to make a pint of beer, as much as 132 gallons of water to make a 2-liter bottle of soda, and about 500 gallons, including water used to grow, dye and process the cotton, to make a pair of Levi's stonewashed jeans. Water footprinting has gained currency among corporations seeking to protect their agricultural supply chains and factory operations from future water scarcity. Next week, representatives from about 100 companies, including Nike Inc., PepsiCo Inc., Levi Strauss & Co. and Starbucks Corp., will gather in Miami for a summit on calculating and shrinking corporate water footprints. >> more

February 20, 2009

H.R. 631 Water Use Efficiency and Conservation Research Act - Requires the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Assistant Administrator for Research and Development to establish a research and development program to promote water use efficiency and conservation, including: (1) technologies and processes that enable the collection, storage, treatment, and reuse of rainwater, stormwater, and greywater; (2) water storage and distribution systems; and (3) behavioral, social, and economic barriers to achieving greater water use efficiency.>> more

North County Times - Mobile-home park cuts annual water use by 1M-plus gallons - Residents of La Moree Estates mobile-home park are reaping the financial benefits of a year-long water conservation effort that trimmed the park's annual water use by more than 1 million gallons. The 1.4 million-gallon difference translates to a financial savings of $1,000 to $1,200 a month, he said. >> more

Aiken Standard - Water rates may go up by 700 percent - The water increase would set the base fee at $8 plus $4.50 per 1,000 gallons used, and number of water customers have said the system is ailing and hike is far too high. The rate has been the same since 1980 when the Public Service Commission of South Carolina first approved the rate. >> more

AWWA -Stimulus legislation small step forward in addressing water needs - President Barack Obama today signed into law an economic stimulus bill that provides $2 billion for drinking water projects and $4 billion for wastewater projects. >> more

February 12, 2009

Denver Post - Water bills back saving on rainy days - In Colorado's regimented water-law system, just about all the H2O is owned by a rights holder under a doctrine of "prior appropriation." Even raindrops falling on roofs belong to someone else. Preventing that water from reaching a river — and thus, its rights holder — is akin to stealing >> more

Eye Witness News - Dire Predictions Made on Las Vegas Water Supply - Nevada lawmakers heard grim news Wednesday from the Southern Nevada Water Authority. The water authority says financial problems will make it tough to pay for a third so-called straw to draw drinking water from Lake Mead. Without that straw, Las Vegas could be cut off from its water supply within a few years. If the drought continues another two years, we lose our second intake. At this point, Southern Nevada loses 90-percent of its water supply. >> more

ClimateChangeCorp - "Water footprint" enters corporate vocabulary - “Carbon footprint” is now a term used by consumers and business managers alike, although five years ago nobody talked about it much. Likewise, the term "water footprint" is now gaining broad acceptance. Indirect use which is about 23 times higher than direct use, of which about 31% is embedded in industrial goods and 65% embedded in food, with the other 4% relating to drinking water and water used for domestic purposes. The sum of the direct use and the indirect use of water is the water footprint. >> more

February 9, 2009

The Journal - Water -Harpers Ferry water bill passes 1st hurdle -The Harpers Ferry Town Council unanimously passed the first reading of resolution calling for a 30 percent increase in water rates at its monthly meeting Monday night". Over the next 10 years, we'll probably have to replace every pipe in town," Water Commission Chairman and Town Councilman Bob Johnson said. "We need some place to find the money." >> more

February 9, 2009

BBC News - Water - Another global 'crisis'? - The availability of water is a concern for some countries, but the scarcity at the heart of the global water crisis is rooted in power, poverty and inequality, not in physical availability. Statistics on water consumption appear to back the UN's case. Japan and Cambodia experience about the same average rainfall - about 160cm per year. But whereas the average Japanese person can use nearly 400 litres per day, the average Cambodian must make do with about one-tenth of that. >> more

Sonoma County Water Agency - Reservoir Will Run Dry Given Current Water Use, Dry Weather - Today the agency released water storage projections that indicate both Lake Sonoma and Lake Mendocino will reach unprecedented low storage levels if rationing is not ordered and no significant amount of rain falls over the coming months. >> more

Stormwater - Stormwater Management in Arid and Drought-Prone Regions - Arid and drought-like conditions affecting different regions across the US are forcing many cities and municipalities to change the way they deal with stormwater management and water reuse. As water scarcity becomes serious, more and more water professionals are recognizing the value of rainwater and stormwater and are beginning to adopt and implement progressive strategies for catchment and retention. Tucson, AZ, in the arid Southwest, an eight-year drought has significantly drained Colorado River reservointly, manufacturers need a guideline on the use of wastewater, and a standard hasn't been established for the industry yet, Judd noted. In neighboring New Mexico, similar water-harvesting initiatives are being considered, planned, and implemented on various levels. >> more

January 29, 2009

Columbia Basin Ground Water Management Area - Aquifer in Decline - “It’s mostly old, ancient water, that isn’t being re-charged,” explained Paul Stoker, Executive Director of the four-County GWMA. “And with up to 1.0 million acre feet being withdrawn from the aquifers each year, it will continue to decline. If you live here, you need to understand how this impacts you, and the future of our communities.” >> more

US Water News - Green trend behind many products at builders' show - At this year's International Builders' Show, a record 363 vendors were featuring green products, more than double the number last year, said Calli Barker Schmidt, a spokeswoman for the National Association of Home Builders. One example is teh Cimarron toilet that features a plastic stopper that limits the water per flush to about 1.3 gallons - far less than standard 3.5 gallon toilets.ater needs. The next generation of water-efficient toilets are likely to incorporate the use of wastewater, suggested Shane Judd, Kohler's senior product manager. Channeling wastewater into toilets also means creating more integrated plumbing connections between bathroom fixtures. But most importantly, manufacturers need a guideline on the use of wastewater, and a standard hasn't been established for the industry yet, Judd noted. >> more

Orange County Register - Buena Park water rates will go up 20% next month - City Council voted to approve raising water rates by 20 percent next month. Several council members said they reluctantly supported the raises, and did so only because of the rising cost to import water, and to shore up the city's water system. The first 10 percent increase would make the 35.50 base rate 39.05, and the capital fund 10 percent would bring the average household bill to $42.96. >> more

January 21, 2009

The Boerne Star - Rainwater could save BISD big bucks - So far as Jeff Haberstroh knows, Champion High School's rainwater collection system is one-of-a-kind. In fact, the new school's water management engineering is too progressive for current legislation. According to law, the high school as a public building cannot use its harvested rainwater anywhere inside the buildings - for flushing its hundreds of urinals and toilets, or even to circulate within its sealed cooling system. Instead, the facility may use collected water only for irrigation, a restriction that takes advantage of only about half of what's collected within the current system. In other words, except for storage capacity and legislative restriction, the mere half-inch of rain that fell about three weeks ago could have supplied more than half of the school's annual water needs. >> more

January 13, 2009

EPA - Municipal Handbook Rainwater Harvesting Policies - This is a guide for governmental water officials that are looking to determine how to create rainwater harvesting policies. It outlines the reasons rainwater can be a solution to the water problems facing the country and highlights some of the cities and counties that have programs in place already. >> more

Stormwater Magazine - Stormwater Management in Arid and Drought Prone Regions Arid and drought-like conditions affecting different regions across the US are forcing many cities and municipalities to change the way they deal with stormwater management and water reuse. As water scarcity becomes serious, more and more water professionals are recognizing the value of rainwater and stormwater and are beginning to adopt and implement progressive strategies for catchment and retention. The article highlights actions in Tucson, AZ, Santa Fe City and County, NM and Atlanta, GA. >> more

Tampa Tribune - Officials worry about drinking water supplies - Three years of drought coupled with problems at the C.W. Bill Young Regional Reservoir has officials worried. Rainfall totals over the past three years are 28 inches below normal for the region, Felix said. That equals about half of a year’s rain.This is a guide for governmental water officials that are looking to determine how to create rainwater harvesting policies. >> more

NewScientist - Top 11 compounds in US drinking water - A comprehensive survey of the drinking water for more than 28 million Americans has detected the widespread but low-level presence of pharmaceuticals and hormonally active chemicals. Little was known about people's exposure to such compounds from drinking water, so Shane Snyder and colleagues at the Southern Nevada Water Authority in Las Vegas screened tap water from 19 US water utilities for 51 different compounds. >> more

InsideCostaRica - 40,000 Still Without Running Water - Thursday's earthquake ahs left many communities without water and electricity and the risk of an epidemic. Areas like Los Cartagos, Varablanca, Fraijanes, Colonia Toro, Cinchona, as well as many other around the Poás have yet to receive potable water. Authorities say that the areas may continue without running water for the next three weeks due to the fact that many sources of water have collapsed completely from the force of the quake. >> more

January 7, 2009

The News Tribune - Tacomans will pay higher water bills - Water rates will go up sooner rather than later for Tacoma Water customers. The Tacoma City Council moved forward Tuesday with an overall 5.4 percent increase, despite a last-minute plea for relief from Metro Parks Tacoma officials. Residential customers will see a 2.3 percent hike this year, followed by a 1.7 percent rise in 2010. The parks/irrigation class, which covers the majority of Metro Parks’ water, will go up 10.7 percent this year and 8 percent in 2010. >> more

AWE Signs Historic Memorandum of Understanding Forming a Water Efficiency Research Coalition - The Memorandum of Understanding that was signed by all parties creates a coalition, lead by the Alliance for Water Efficiency, wishing to work on specific plumbing research initiatives. Sample projects that might be undertaken include drainline carry research for high efficiency toilets, non-water-using urinals, sizing of water efficient plumbing systems, and safe applications for re-use of water. >> more

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FAQS

1. How do you harvest rainwater?
2. Where do you get the water?
3. What is the best way of harvesting rain?
4. Why should I harvest rainwater?
5. Do I need pumps to harvest rainwater?
6. Can I use drip irrigation or soaker hoses with a rainwater?
7. How big a yard can I water?
8. How big are rain barrels?
9. I want more pressure, how should I raise it?
10. Can I water my grass with rainwater?

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