The California Energy Commission estimates that California uses approximately 20% of its total energy on moving, treating, and heating water. Due to drought and the increasing demand for water for agriculture, domestic and commerical use, our aquifers are being emptied far faster than they are being filled. But we can all be part of the solution to our water conservation challenges.
The Environmental Protection Energy (EPA) has been encouraging water and energy savings through the WaterSense program, which educates homeowners on the most water-efficient practices. It also labels the best fixtures such as showerheads, faucets, and toilets with the WaterSense label, much like the Energy Star label certifies that appliances are the most energy efficient in their class. And it labels new homes that sip water and use less energy for hot water. House design elements can include placing water heaters in close proximity to fixtures, insulating hot water pipes, or using on demand hot water systems for showers. We use about half of our indoor water in the bathroom!
In general, we use more water on landscaping in the spring, summer, and fall than we use indoors. Combined, home indoor and outdoor water use averages 82 gallons per person every day. We'll cover outside watering in a future article.
Join Your Neighbors in Creating a Better Contra Costa County
There are resources and encouragement closer to home. The Cleaner Contra Costa Challenge recommends actions to save energy, reduce emissions, and save water inside and outside the home. The Challenge has engaged more than 2,000 households so far, with a of reaching 2,500 by June. It is close to half its goal of reducing CO2 emissions by 500 tons. Some of the measures include replacing your lawn, drought tolerant landscaping, getting a Home Energy Checkup, and installing a greywater system. Several years ago California made greywater systems legal in the state. The most popular greywater systems direct laundry water for gardens. (To learn everything you want to know about greywater systems and more, check out this webinar recording of our monthly show, Sustainability LIVE, "Simple Greywater Systems".)
The Contra Costa Water District (CCWD), which serves the communities in north Central and northeast Contra Costa County, will send an expert to your home to do a “Water Wise House Call” or schedule a “Water Wise Phone Call”; offer you free water conservation devices; and provide you with a “My Water Report Customer Portal," which allows customers to view their water use and set leak and high use notifications. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the CCWD experts won’t come inside your home but will meet with you outside. They will be masked and will ask you to be as well. One very important thing that CCWD will do is help you check for leaks! According to EPA, water leaks nationwide can reach close to 1 trillion gallons of water. CCWD will identify if there is a leak in your home and do their best to locate the culprit. Common leaks are from toilets and irrigation valves. Occasionally, the leak will be in the main water line to the house.
The organization will also pay up to $1,000 to single family customers to replace their lawns with gardens. Schedule a home visit or a phone conversation on the CCWD web site or by calling (925) 688-8320. You can also explore other great resources on the site like “Mulch Coupons” and “Car Wash Coupons.”
Those of us served by East Bay MUD can access similar resources on their web site.
Toilets and Showerheads
Now, a word about performance. Many of the energy and water saving ideas grew out of efforts in the 1970s, in response to the Arab Oil Embargo, and the creation of the EPA by President Nixon. Rooftop solar systems were too expensive for most and not very efficient, solar water heaters would break down and be hard to repair, low flow toilets would need several flushes to “do the job”, and low flow showerheads seemed little better than emptying a teacup over your head to shower!
All of those problems have been solved, but some misconceptions persist. Some were perpetuated by our former President—such as dripping showerheads and multiple flush toilets. In 2002, a group of 22 organizations in Canada and the U.S. came together to develop a program to test and rank toilet models based on their flushing performance. The Maximum Performance (MaP) program was the result.
Early MaP research included using bean curd paste to act as the “medium” to measure toilet performance. To pass, the toilet has to flush once and leave no streaks or lumps of bean curd behind. The organization has now tested hundreds of toilets and urinals. Toilets are rated by how much matter they can clear in a single flush. The only toilets recommend by the MaP program meet low-flow standards set by the federal government of 1.6 gallons per flush, but recent advances in toilet design have brought this down to 1.28 gallons per flush. In the 1980s, toilets used as much as 5 gallons per flush.
You can download a list of toilets and their ratings from the MaP web site. You can also find tips on saving water and information about toilet design that makes it possible for toilets to use less and less water. Newer toilets use pressure and vacuum assists to reach the 1.28 gallons per flush level. (Note: dual flush toilets save water but are also tested by MaP standards.)
Don’t want to end on a low note, but here is a word about the current state of showerheads and water and energy efficiency. Recently the Trump Administration made exceptions to standards for washing machines, HVAC equipment, water using devices and other household energy and water users. In effect, this lowered standards. Here is one glaring example. In the months leading up to the recent election, the administration made a change allowing the 2.5 gallon per minute showerhead standards to apply to multiple showerheads. That means that a shower with five showerheads can use 12.5 gallons per minute. Good for that luxurious shower experience, but not so good for water conservation.
The good news is the Biden Administration will be reversing many, if not most, of the rule changes allowing for less energy and water efficient household devices.
(Photo by: Noah@noahmatteo)
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