Drought

Las Vegas, ensconced in the heart of the parched Mojave Desert, is renowned for its opulence and extravagance. Yet, beneath the neon allure, the city grapples with an enduring quandary – water scarcity. Central to the discourse is the question: Does Las Vegas indeed face an acute water supply problem? This article illuminates Dime Water Inc.’s pioneering endeavors, spotlighting our groundbreaking product, the ESF 2.0. This technological marvel not only confronts hard water scaling but does so while rigorously adhering to the principles of water conservation.

The Arid Reality: The Predicament of Water Scarcity in Las Vegas

Las Vegas, characterized by an annual rainfall of a mere 4.2 inches, confronts a dire water scarcity challenge. This environmental constraint is exacerbated by a burgeoning population and a burgeoning tourism industry, which together exert tremendous pressure on water resources. At its core, Las Vegas relies heavily on the Colorado River, an affiliation that renders it susceptible to manifold challenges revolving around water allocation and availability.

Colorado’s Conundrum: Innovation Amidst Water Shortages

The Colorado River, a vital water source for several southwestern states, including Nevada, confronts an existential crisis. A confluence of factors—persistent drought, unwarranted water rights allocation, and the reverberations of climate change—has precipitated a precipitous decline in water levels in the region’s principal reservoirs, notably Lake Mead and Lake Powell. This phenomenon imperils Las Vegas with the specter of severe water shortages. In this perilous juncture, innovative solutions, notably exemplified by Dime Water’s ESF 2.0, assume paramount significance.

Innovative Solutions: The ESF 2.0’s Unveiling

Amidst the impending water crisis, Dime Water Inc. introduces the ESF 2.0, a multifaceted solution that synergistically addresses critical aspects of Las Vegas’ water challenge:

• Hard Water Scaling: The ESF 2.0 employs cutting-edge technology to combat hard water scaling, thereby enhancing the efficiency and lifespan of appliances and piping infrastructure.
• Water Conservation: A paramount facet of the ESF 2.0’s functionality is its capacity to prevent scale buildup without any concurrent water wastage. In stark contrast to conventional water softeners, this technology eliminates the need for water flushing during the regeneration process, ensuring every precious drop is conserved.

Dime Water’s Contribution: Forging Sustainability and Efficiency

The ESF 2.0 dovetails seamlessly with Las Vegas’ sustainability aspirations, synthesizing elements of innovation, resource conservation, and responsible water management:

• Resource Efficiency: The ESF 2.0 represents a paradigmatic shift in water management by mitigating hard water scaling, enhancing appliance longevity, and conserving water resources.
• Environmental Stewardship: By curtailing scale buildup and mitigating water waste, the ESF 2.0 delivers a substantial reduction in the environmental footprint associated with water treatment, echoing Dime Water’s resolute commitment to sustainability.

Charting a New Course Towards Water Security

In confronting the exigent challenge of water scarcity, Dime Water Inc.’s ESF 2.0 emerges as an oasis of hope. By adroitly addressing hard water scaling whilst fervently conserving water, this innovative technology embodies the type of progress required to surmount Las Vegas’ water tribulations. Our partnership with Las Vegas underscores the pivotal role of innovation, sustainability, and conscientious resource management in securing a flourishing desert oasis for generations to come. At Dime Water Inc., we proudly stand at the vanguard of this imperative endeavor, pioneering solutions for a water-secure world.

Water scarcity is a pressing issue faced by many regions around the world, and Las Vegas is no exception. With its arid climate and growing population, conserving water has become a critical priority for the city. In this article, we will explore how the ESF 2.0, an updated version of the ESF water treatment system, plays a significant role in water conservation efforts, particularly in the context of water rationing in Las Vegas.

The ESF 2.0 is a patented update to the ESF system initially introduced by Dime Water, Inc. in 1996. Renowned for its success in preventing hardness scale in various establishments such as hotels, motels, nursing homes, apartment buildings, and homes, the ESF has been a trusted solution for decades. Furthermore, it has effectively replaced costly water softeners and chemical feed systems in numerous commercial and industrial reverse osmosis systems.

Enhanced Performance and Innovative Design

The ESF 2.0 incorporates a unique magnetic chamber, which follows the catalytic chamber, revolutionizing the system’s overall performance. The proprietary magnetic field arrangement and field strength enhancement boost the unit’s efficiency by an impressive 25%. Utilizing Neodymium class 52 magnets, renowned for their strength, the ESF 2.0 ensures optimal results. It’s important to note that the magnets are not in direct contact with the water stream, ensuring water safety. The wetted parts are made of durable materials like 304 Stainless Steel, bronze/lead-free brass, schedule 80 PVC, and EPDM elastomers.

Space-Saving and Cost-Effective

One of the standout advantages of the ESF 2.0 is its ability to provide substantial capital expenditure (CAPEX) and operating expenditure (OPEX) savings while occupying minimal space. This feature is particularly valuable in applications such as motels, restaurants, and retail stores. The ESF 2.0 systems are often utilized to replace outdated salt-based water softeners, especially when removing the old system proves economically unfeasible. They also offer an alternative in situations where existing softeners are taken offline due to municipal salt restrictions.

Efficient Performance and Lasting Effects

Compared to traditional water softener construction, the ESF 2.0 significantly reduces pressure drop characteristics caused by valves, resin columns, and distributors. Its water scale prevention effects remain consistent from minimal to maximum flow rates, lasting for up to 72 hours. This reliability ensures long-term efficiency, contributing to water conservation efforts.

Water Rationing in Las Vegas

Las Vegas faces unique challenges when it comes to water supply due to its arid desert climate and limited natural water resources. As a result, the city has implemented water rationing measures to ensure the sustainable use of this precious resource. Water rationing involves the controlled distribution of water to individuals and businesses, aiming to limit usage and encourage conservation.

The ESF 2.0 and Water Rationing

In the context of water rationing, the ESF 2.0 plays a crucial role in promoting water conservation in Las Vegas. By effectively preventing hardness scale and reducing water consumption, the system helps extend the availability of water resources. Its superior performance and lasting effects provide a reliable solution for businesses and households, even during times of restricted water usage.

The ESF 2.0 stands as a remarkable advancement in water treatment technology, addressing the urgent need for water conservation and the necessity of water rationing in places like Las Vegas. With its enhanced performance, innovative design, and space-saving benefits, the ESF 2.0 offers a sustainable and cost-effective solution for preventing water scale while reducing water consumption. As water scarcity continues to be a global concern, the ESF 2.0 represents a significant step towards a more water-efficient future.

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Phoenix, AZ Drought

To combat the ongoing drought conditions and help with the necessary demand for water conservation in Phoenix, Dime Water offers product lines that revolutionize water treatment by eliminating water waste and the need for salt-based treatments. Building on our expertise since 1995, Dime Water has been established as a leading provider of environmentally friendly water purifiers, a large part is in thanks to our patented catalytic-magnetic process. This technology has been instrumental in conserving precious potable water and reducing environmental harm. We have estimated that our technology has already saved 130 million gallons of water from being lost to drainage and prevented the discharge of 30 million pounds of salt into the ecosystem.

A Great Solution For Phoenix Arizona

Our latest offerings, Aquafer and ESF 2.0, are enhanced versions of our renowned technology. They boast an extended effective treatment life for hardness scale prevention, providing customers with a 20% longer lifespan. Notably, the new units are designed to address a wider range of scaling issues. In addition to combating the common calcium carbonate scale, these units also tackle scaling caused by calcium sulfate, strontium sulfate, barium sulfate, calcium fluoride, and calcium phosphate. This expanded capability is particularly significant for residential and commercial reverse osmosis applications.

The technology operates by creating microscopic seeds of one or more scale-forming minerals. This unique approach triggers the formation of seeds for the remaining minerals, due to fascinating phenomena. Once these seeds are formed, the product’s powerful heterogeneous magnetic field interacts with the microscopic mineral particles, causing them to cluster together and remain suspended instead of dissolving back into the water. In this clustered state, the mineral particles lose their charge and cannot adhere to surfaces, effectively eliminating the formation of scale.

Dime Water Aims to Make a Substantial Impact

Treated water for less than $1 a day. By introducing Aquafer, Dime Water aims to make a substantial impact on water conservation in Phoenix, Arizona. With its ability to prevent scale formation and minimize wastage, Aquafer reduces the need for excessive water usage in homes, commercial establishments, and reverse osmosis systems. By conserving water resources and minimizing the discharge of harmful salts into the environment, Aquafer offers an eco-friendly solution that aligns with Phoenix’s efforts to combat water scarcity and preserve the region’s delicate ecosystem.

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A recent article in the San Diego Union-Tribune was shocking. It stated that homeowners in the San Diego region will soon experience $400.00 monthly water bills for watering their lawns. Shame on us for continually trying to change the Mohave to Maui one homesite at a time, but it highlights how close we are to water costs first equaling and then passing electricity and natural gas costs not only in San Diego but in the arid US Southwest.

No, we are not running out of water. The supply has remained constant since the beginning of time. What we are short of is water with a potability level to satisfy consumers as well as government regulators. This situation has been made even worse by a population shift to more arid areas and simultaneously a climate shift that promises long-term drought conditions in the very same areas.

It appears that the US will continue to have cold areas with excess water and a declining population sharing the continent with hot, water-scarce areas of population growth. Perhaps technology could be developed that could transport water from a cold area to a warm, sunny area and then utilize solar heat on a portion of it ultimately returning it as steam to the source thus treading water for essentially free energy. Recently, a TIME Magazine writer, while expressing that the climate shift is all global warming caused, ventured that the cure in part could be dramatically downsizing our military and by extension, others also. Could be, but a rather circuitous path for an immediate problem.

Until technology or a radical idea persevere, we must rely on an informed, caring population upping their conservation efforts. One area of water conservation that is overlooked by consumers, businesses, and industries is water wasted by treatment processes such as water softeners and filters. Daily, hundreds of millions of gallons of treatment-process polluted water waste are needlessly dumped down drains to be treated by sewer districts or nature for eventual reuse. Needlessly because too few people are aware of multiple, time-proven technologies for treating water with little or no wasted water. Before purchasing new or renovating older drinking water systems, take the time to talk with an engineer in the water treatment industry and ask for no waste alternatives.

According to a report titled Zero Liquid Discharge System Market Research Report, many major multi-national corporations are embracing the policy of severely minimizing liquid (water) discharge from their facilities. The last reporting year was 2020 when $190.2 million was spent on equipment to minimize discharge. It is reported that in 2026 $10.23 billion will be spent on the effort. The full report is available at www.researchmarkets.com. Conservation certainly will be a significant growth market for water treatment equipment providers who position themselves with contemporary products.

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The shade balls are not necessarily a new invention to help solve our global water issues, they have been around for quite a while, but they have known by the name or “Bird Balls”, “Hallow Balls” or “Armor Balls”, and they have been used by the airports to prevent birds from nesting on the runways. The FAA approved them and it was such a good solution to their problem with wildlife that they are still using them today.

However, the novelty about these shade balls is that now, they are being used to prevent water from evaporation. The city of Los Angeles has coated its reservoirs in millions of black plastic balls, being the first city to use this type of innovation for water quality control. In a press release, the city claims shade balls are a “cost-effective way to reduce evaporation each year by nearly 300 million gallons, enough to provide drinking water for 8,100 people for a full year.” LADWP (Los Angeles Department of Water and Power) is the first utility company to use this technology and the deployment of 20,000 shade balls on August 10 marked the final phase of an effort that involved the deployment of 96 million shade balls into the 175-acre reservoir.

The balls cost 36 cents each, for a total of $34.5 million. Located in Sylmar, the reservoir holds up to 3.3 billion gallons, which is enough to supply the city with drinking water for up to 3 weeks. This project brings the LA Reservoir into compliance with new federal water quality mandates and is expected to save $250 million when compared to other tools considered to meet this goal. The shade balls will also prevent the annual loss to evaporation of about 300 million gallons of water. The utility has been testing the concept since 2008, reporting that shade balls reduce evaporation by 85% to 90%.

Shade Balls Used as a Health Prevention Method

Since this water was meant for public consumption, an emergency method was needed to reduce the amount of bromate to levels accepted by the health standards. On the other hand, the construction of another reservoir was approximated to take about four years to complete, but people could not afford living with a water shortage for such a long time. As far as the water storage facilities are concerned, the shade balls have also been used to cover the open reservoirs in LA since 2008. Because at that time the Ivanhoe Reservoir registered high amounts of bromate, they had to protect the water from the sunlight.

The solution proved to be very efficient because these shade balls, being spherical, would reverse osmosistate and keep up with the water level and would also cover over 90% of the water surface, which was exactly what they were looking for.

In the midst of California’s historic drought, it takes bold ingenuity to maximize my goals for water conservation. This effort by LADWP is emblematic of the kind of the creative thinking we need to meet those challenges. Together, we’ve led the charge to cut our city’s water usage by 13%, and today we complete an infrastructure investment that saves our ratepayers millions and protects a vital source of drinking water for years to come.

Mayor Eric Garcetti

Shade Balls: Keeping Our Water Clean

Depending on their intended purpose, the shade balls have a ballast filling, which makes them weigh around 160g to 275g, and have a constant diameter of 4 inches. The amount of ballast keeps them 30% to 50% submerged, keeping them floating even on windy weather. The thick membrane cover is not affected by rain, snow or ice, and the special formula of polyethylene does not accommodate vegetarian growth on top, nor the formation of algae underneath the water.

They also serve as an air-water separation mechanism and keep the airborne dust, dirt and grime out of the water, which is another advantage of using them. If there is a lower amount of water or a lower amount of turbidity that has to be filtered, they ultimately save a lot of money out of pumping cost. Because all that water from a reservoir has to be filtered somewhere along the line and the cleaner the water is the less pressure it takes to drive it through their filters.

Shade Balls Reduce Global Water Evaporation

The 4 inches thick water cover acts as a shield against evaporation. By being used to separate the water from the heat of the sun, the average temperature of the surface water is going to be kept lower, and therefore, there is going to be less evaporation and you will save a lot of water. The manufacturers (XavierC, Artisan Screen Process, and Orange Products) say the balls should last about 25 years.

Many people have wondered why these shade balls are a heat-absorbing black instead of light-reflecting white. The purpose of those balls has nothing to do with keeping the reservoirs cool! They block sunlight, so the ultraviolet light does not catalyze bad chemical reactions. The balls are coated in carbon black, a food-safe pigment with an albedo near zero. Both these characteristics are vital in explaining why the balls are a dull light-absorbing black instead of a shiny light-reflecting white.

The balls are painted black because the color provides more protection than any translucent or opaque color would, as Sydney Chase, a spokeswoman for XavierC said.

After decades of testing, black has been deemed the color that provides the best protection. The other issue is sun protection — sunlight reflects right off the surface instead of penetrating through, like it would with translucent colors. The color concentrate is made of a certain material, and that also has to be tested to make sure it complies with drinking water standards.

Sydney Chase, spokeswoman for XavierC

Why Are Shade Balls Efficient?

It is a pretty good concept, they are inexpensive, and it surely makes a whole lot of sense to use them. The shade balls work best as air-water separation system when they are used to cover open reservoirs that have a nice concrete side to it and are of a clean geometrical shape, like a rectangular or even an oval. To learn more about how you can save water during these difficult times, contact us at 760.734.5787 and get in touch with one of our engineers.

Resources:

• http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/08/150812-shade-balls-los-angeles-California-drought-water-environment/
• https://gizmodo.com/why-are-drought-balls-black-instead-of-white-1724040253
• https://mashable.com/archive/los-angeles-reservoir-shade-balls
• https://www.ladwpnews.com/category/water-conservation/

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Statewide Mandatory Urban Water Restrictions

In April, the 1 million customers of San Jose Water Company cut their use of water by 25%, compared to April 2013, as did residents of Palo Alto. On April 1, Gov. Brown announced an executive order imposing California’s first-ever statewide mandatory urban water restrictions.

Many complained that larger families were being unfairly targeted, so a San Jose water company decided that households of more than 4 people can petition for more water. The San Jose Water Company’s program sets a monthly target based on a family of 4 since that is the average size household in its service area. Starting on June 15, the company is asking customers to cut back water usage by an additional 30%.

California’s relentless drought seems to be far from over but now, water districts and private water companies can receive a $10,000 fine a day if they fail to meet strict conservation targets during these times. Saving urban water is the cheapest and most efficient way to make sure communities have enough water if the drought persists and to avert more drastic cuts later. However, many families do not agree with these targets.

“They should base the allotment on the number of people in the family and everybody should pitch in. It’s as simple as that,” San Jose resident Briana Gaetano said. “I think it only makes sense.”

How Will California Reach 25% Conservation?

Depending on past use, each community has a water reduction mandate of between 8% and 36%. Water-guzzling cities and desert resorts can make huge cuts by neglecting big lawns and letting them go brown. If this is the case for you, then you can find out how to replenish a brown lawn at Lawncare.net. Nevertheless, water-frugal communities with few lawns, such as San Francisco are less able to conserve even more water. Dozens of cities have blasted the water reduction targets as unrealistic and unfair, but communities with pitiful savings face hefty fines.

Large cuts are expected to be seen immediately. Communities will report their water use monthly, and regulators will investigate agencies that lag in conservation.

15 Water Saving Tips for the Outdoors

Summer is the peak time for water use and the best opportunity to save by letting your lawn go thirsty.

Here are some useful water saving tips for the outdoors that you can apply:

1. Adjust your lawn mower to the height of 1.5 to 2 inches (taller grass shades reverse osmosisots and holds soil moisture better than short grass).
2. Apply water only as fast as the soil can absorb it.
3. Avoid planting grass in areas that are hard to water.
4. Call your local conservation office for more information about xeriscaping with water-thrifty trees, plants, and ground covers.
5. Check your sprinkler system frequently to ensure all is working as it should (and, if not, you can contact someone like this sprinkler repair in Castle reverse osmosisck service to get things fixed) and adjust sprinklers so only your lawn is watered.
6. Collect water from your reverse osmosisof by installing gutters and downspouts, and direct the runoff to plants and trees.
7. Group plants with the same watering needs together to avoid overwatering some, while under watering others.
8. If installing a lawn, select a lawn mix or blend that matches your climate and site conditions.
9. If water runs off your lawn easily, split your watering time into shorter periods to allow for better absorption.
10. Leave lawn clippings on your grass, this cools the ground and holds in moisture.
11. Let your lawn go dormant (brown) during the winter. Dormant grass only needs to be watered every 3 to 4 weeks and even less if it rains.
12. Look for WaterSense ® labeled irrigation controllers.
13. Minimize evaporation by watering during the early morning hours when temperatures are cooler and winds are lighter.
14. Spread a layer of organic mulch around plants to help them retain moisture.
15. Use porous material for walkways and patios to prevent wasteful runoff and keep water in your yard.

To learn more about how you can save water during these difficult times, contact us at 760.734.5787 and get in touch with one of our engineers.

Resources:

• https://www.mercurynews.com/2015/06/05/california-drought-gov-jerry-brown-says-10000-a-day-fines-for-water-wasting-cities-are-not-bluster/
• https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/san-jose-water-company-south-bay-restrictions-set-to-take-effect-june-15/68649/
• https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/national-international/california-drought-el-nino-water-conservation/1995791/
• https://wateruseitwisely.com/tips/category/outdoor-tips/?view=list

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How Serious Is The California Water Shortage?

The drought definitely has the attention of all Californians. Although people support the Governor’s urban water reduction plan 3 to 1, many homeowners say it will be difficult for their households to cut back on their own water use. In fact, 89% of Californians think that the California water shortage is serious. The latest multiethnic Field Poll released Tuesday, May 19, 2015, surveyed 1,664 California adults by telephone in 6 languages to assess the public’s views about the state’s ongoing drought.

Nearly all Californians (9 in 10, 89%) believe the current water situation is serious and 67% say the situation is extremely serious. Governor Jerry Brown’s water reduction plan is broadly supported by 2 in 3 Californians (65%), and calls to require urban water districts to reduce their water use by an average of 25% or be subject to a fine. 23% of the state’s adults are opposed, while 12% have no opinion.

Although the public has broad support for the Governor’s plan, more than 44% of the people surveyed said that it would be very difficult for their household to cut back on their water use if asked to do so by their local water district. Among homeowners with annual household incomes of $100,000 or more who, as a group, are the largest per capita residential consumers of the state’s water, this increases to 48%.

70% of homeowners in the state declared that if their local water district were to increase their water bill by 15% or 25%, this could cause them a serious problem. Upper-income homeowners are much less sensitive to rate increases of this magnitude. Regarding water use in the agriculture sector, 6 in 10 Californians believe agricultural users can reduce their water usage without causing real hardships.

California drought has been driving food prices up due to the freeze in January, combined with the unpredictable weather. Farmers said they either have to cut back on crops or just not plant at all and in response, grocers will have to import the produce, which comes at a cost. Limes, for example, used to sell for 33 cents but now they are 70 cents.

So we’re paying over a $150 per box of limes and we’re mainly only able to get those out of Mexico right now because we have nothing really here in California.Carol Benevidez of Windmill Farms, San Ramon

Saving Water Is No reverse osmosiscket Science, You Too Can Do It!

Our aquifers and reservoirs cannot refill alone in a relatively short period of time without our help. Change starts with each one of us and NOW is a good time to start working on it to provide a better future for the next generation. While some storms during the year leave houses flooded and families searching for Water Damage Restoration San Bernardino services, this overflow of water causes unnecessary damage and does not do anything to mitigate the water shortage as the water is removed and finally ends up unusable. 2014 has been the worst year since the drought has re-taken over California, and, according to a recently issued report by The Journal of the American Geophysical Union, the last 3 years of drought have been the worse experienced in 1,200 years!

There are a number of ways to save water, and they all start with you. Here are 18 tips from the Water Use It Wisely website:

1. When you give your pet fresh water, don’t throw the old water down the drain. Use it to water your trees or shrubs.
2. Use drip irrigation for shrubs and trees to apply water directly to the reverse osmosisots, where it’s needed.
3. Collect water from your reverse osmosisof by installing gutters and downspouts. Use gutter covers from places like https://www.mastershieldatl.com/ to keep the water clean so that you can use it in the home, or direct the runoff to plants and trees. While on the topic of gutters, keep a close eye on the quality of your gutter system. If need be, get it checked by professionals similar to Clean Pro Gutter Cleaning, on a regular basis to avoid any future problems.
4. When shopping for a new washing machine, compare resource savings among Energy Star models. Some can save up to 20 gallons of water per load.
5. Plant species native to your region.
6. Run your washer and dishwasher only when they are full. You can save up to 1,000 gallons a month.
7. If you have an evaporative cooler, direct the water drain to plants in your landscape.
8. Put food coloring in your toilet tank. If it seeps into the bowl without flushing, there’s a leak.
9. If your toilet was installed before 1992, purchasing a WaterSense ® labeled toilet can reduce the amount of water used for each flush.
10. When shopping for a new dishwasher, use the Consortium for Energy Efficiency website to compare water use between models.
11. Shorten your shower by a minute or two and you’ll save up to 150 gallons per month.
12. Avoid recreational water toys that require a constant flow of water.
13. Use 2 to 4 inches of organic mulch around plants to reduce evaporation.
14. Use a hose nozzle or turn off the water while you wash your car. You’ll save up to 100 gallons every time.
15. Make suggestions to your employer or school about ways to save water and money.
16. Be a leak detective! Check all hoses, connectors, and faucets regularly for leaks. If you find any leaks, call plumbers in Westwood, or within your vicinity for a repair.
17. Cook food in as little water as possible. This also helps it retain more nutrients.
18. Don’t forget hidden water use costs, like energy for pumping, heating and cooling, chemical treatment, and damage and sewer expenses.

At Dime Water Inc., our engineers are always prepared to help you choose the right water treatment technology to meet your needs. We can help you save precious water! Contact us at 760.734.5787!

Resources:

• https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/89-of-californians-think-that-the-water-shortage-is-serious-field-poll/69142/
• https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/california-drought-driving-up-food-prices/1969815/
• https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/
• https://wateruseitwisely.com/100-ways-to-conserve/?view=list

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Each month, 3.9 million gallons of drinking water is consumed in the US and for many Americans, the idea that the country might someday run out of fresh water is horrifying. Global water consumption has tripled in the last 50 years and the demand for fresh water in the US is estimated to exceed the supply by 40% by the year 2030, according to a report. This is quite alarming, although we have faced severe droughts over the past years. This water scarcity that we might confront results from short- and long-term droughts and of course, human activity.

The amount of water that we use in the United States is so significant that we are running out of fresh water. Aquifers are drying up. Whilst this may mean some businesses need to find out how to switch your water supplier, for others this means that the chance of having no water at all is very high in the future, and so we need to consider changing our water retention system. For example, Germany has long ago been on an austerity program as far as the use of water and interestingly enough, their water consumption is done in such a way that the water table is rising. And it is rising to the point that they are actually having problems with building supports and basements. If we start using our heads and getting more involved in conservation, we might duplicate what is going on with Germany and the aquifers and reservoirs could indeed be refilled in a relatively short period of time.

3/4 Million Gallons per Capita Use of Drinking Water Annually

According to a recently issued report by The Journal of the American Geophysical Union, the last 3 years of California drought have been the worse experienced in 1,200 years, with 2014 being the worst of all. Scientists came to this conclusion after studying the growth rings in over 200 ancient California trees and coordinating results with at least one university. Some of the solutions that are believed to contribute long term to more available water come in the form of:

• diverting rain runoff into more reservoirs
• employing seawater to drinking water processes
• constructing wastewater reuse facilities
• weather manipulation, either individually or in combination

More conservation should be employed in the short term and it appears that diet changes can also have an impact on the draught as well. With all of us being part of the problem, we must all make personal choices to be part of the cure! The 3/4 million gallons per capita use of water annually for all uses in the US is simply unsustainable. At home, people can save water by using:

• drought resistant landscaping
• low flow toilets
• low water clothes and dishwashing appliances
• shower flow controls
• water treatment devices that use less or no waste water

Have you ever wondered what the water footprint of the products we purchase is? High water use can also be less obvious. For example:

• 1 pound of beef – 1,799 gallons
• 1 pound of chicken – 468 gallons
• 1 ounce of a chocolate bar – 200 gallons
• 1 pound of potatoes – 119 gallons
• 1 egg – 53 gallons
• 1 apple – 18 gallons
• 1 slice of bread – 11 gallons

Of course, we are not talking about days or weeks, but rather in a generation we could be back where we belong if we just practice good policies as far as the use of good water. Germany is exceptional in what they are doing – they are using a water quantity per person that is 50% or less of what we are doing here in the United States. They are prospering and I hope that we can take a lesson from them.

Water Conservation Tips

The average home in California uses 192 gallons of water a day, according to a 2008 study by the state Department of Water Resources and the Urban Water Conservation Council. A small lawn of 1,000 square feet takes about 35,000 gallons of water per year!

Water agencies around the Bay Area offer rebates to replace grass with more drought-tolerant plants such as native grasses and wildflowers, succulents and other plants. The East Bay Municipal Utility District pays 50 cents a square foot to people who replace lawns with native, drought-tolerant landscaping, and up to $2,500 a yard. The Santa Clara Valley Water District pays $1 per square foot.

“It’s pretty easy to save 20 percent. You want to remember that your plants – even with it being dry outside – are not needing as much water this time of year because it is cooler than in the summer,” said Chris Brown, former executive director of the California Urban Water Conservation Council, a nonprofit group in Sacramento. “The easiest way to save water is to save it outdoors.”

Among other tips that experts recommend:

• take a 5-minute shower instead of a 10-minute shower: it saves you 12.5 gallons with a low-flow showerhead, and 25 gallons with a standard 5 gallon-per-minute shower head
• turn the faucet off while brushing teeth or shaving: it saves you about 10 gallons a day
• use a broom to clean driveways, sidewalks, and patios instead of a hose: this saves 8-18 gallons a minute
• fix the worn washers in a faucet with a slow steady drip saves you 350 gallons per month, and 2,000 gallons a month if the leak is a small stream. If you could have the necessary skills to repair your faucet, you might consider buying it from reliable online stores such as Home Depot. That said, you could also look at this great site which could help you get some discounts on your purchases from the aforementioned site!
• putting a new flapper in a leaking toilet can save 7,000 gallons a month (to test for leaks, put food coloring in the tank and do not flush; 10 minutes later if you see color in the bowl, you have a leak). If you have a leaky toilet you can get in touch with a plumber (see this page here) who can fix the leak, doing this can also help to prevent the leak in the future and save water.
• installing a water-efficient clothes washer saves up to 16 gallons a load
• a water-efficient dishwasher saves up to 8 gallons a load
• soak pots and pans instead of letting the water run while scraping them clean
• replacing a pre-1990 toilet, which can use 5 gallons per flush, with a newer high-efficiency model can save 38 gallons a day per toilet.

Most Bay Area water agencies offer free water use inspections. An expert will come to your house to check for leaks and offer tips on how to save water and lower your water bill. Call us at 760.734.5787 and get in touch with one of our water experts today!

However, if you are from Maryland (especially from Jessup) and are unable to avail our services, then you can search for T.E. Spall & Son plumbing services in Jessup online to find a reliable plumber who could do the job of plumbing and water inspection for you.

Resources:

• https://www.nationaljournal.com/s/71122/america-is-still-running-out-fresh-water/
• https://www.mercurynews.com/2014/01/20/california-drought-tips-for-conserving-water/
• https://gizmodo.com/berlin-is-threatened-from-below-by-its-rising-water-tab-1562805223

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California Proposition 1, or the Water Bond, is a legislatively-referred bond act and replaces a previous measure known as Proposition 43. Upon voter approval, the measure would enact the Water Quality, Supply, and Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2014 and will allow California to issue bonds to pay for water infrastructure projects. Coming up in the 4th of November 2014 elections, Prop 1 would allow California to issue $7.12 billion in general obligation bonds.

The money raised from the bonds would be used for a litany of water-related infrastructure projects if the majority votes “YES”. Also, it would require that money from the general fund be used to pay off the bonds. Certain water projects will be required to find 3rd party non-state sources to match the money they would receive from Proposition 1.

California Proposition: Yes or No?

I personally believe we should vote “YES” on Prop 1 because water is precious and we desperately need it. But whether you vote for or against it, one of the most important things is to start using water more responsibly. The way we use water is very important and I believe that we need to eliminate the use of the water that has been treated to drinking water, for doing nothing more than watering grass, plants and shrubs. Irrigation water needs to be used more wisely to and another important step would be to produce more water with the help of sea water desalination systems on the coast and capture more water with building reservoirs and dams.

Other PRO arguments include:

• Proposition 1 will help California prepare for droughts by enhancing local water supplies and increasing our ability to store water so it is available when we need it
• Proposition 1 will ensure reliable water for farms
• Proposition 1 will clean up contamination of drinking water by removing pollutants from streams and rivers
• Proposition 1 will protect against the collapse of our water system in an earthquake
• Proposition 1 will repair the Delta, one of the most important ecosystems on the West Coast
• Proposition 1 will fix vital infrastructure and create jobs
• Proposition 1 will NOT increase taxes, as it is funded through existing funds
• Proposition 1 will protect tax payers with strong fiscal safeguards

However, there is a campaign against the measure led by Vote NO on Proposition 1. The California Sportfishing Protection Alliance issued a “statement of opposition” to Prop 1 and provided 14 reasons to vote against the proposition. The following are just a few of those reasons:

• Proposition 1 undermines the public trust doctrine
• Proposition 1 undermines the principle of beneficiary pays
• Proposition 1 crowds out other critical investments
• Proposition 1 ushers in a new era of big dams
• Proposition 1 undermines the principle that projects should mitigate adverse impacts
• Proposition 1 is fiscally irresponsible
• Proposition 1 sabotages efforts to meaningfully resolve California’s continuing water crisis

California’s Water and Prop 1’s Objectives

Most of the state’s water supply comes from northern Californian rivers, snow in the Sierra Nevada mountains and groundwater. The main objective is to provide water throughout the state, while supporting and maintaining the environment. To do so, we often use:

• pipelines
• watersheds
• irrigation systems
• pumping stations
• dams and canals
• waste management plants

The state of California’s primary water-related responsibilities are to conserve, store and transport water around the state, protect water quality, fish and wildlife habitats and to provide flood control. The objectives of Proposition 1 would be to increase water supplies and flood protection, improve water quality, and protect and restore watersheds. Specific spending proposals in the Proposition are shown in the figure below.

The fiscal impact of Prop 1 would be an added $7.1 billion of debt to California, which will be in the form of general obligation bonds that the state would issue. It would take around $360 million each year for about 40 years to pay off!

I think the time has come that, either through legislation or through some changes in infrastructure, we get rid of lawn watering and watering of shrubs with water that has been treated to the point that it is good for drinking water. It just seems to be a very expensive thing to do; we should give people tax credits or whatever to get rid of the lawns for something that does not require watering. We all are part of this and we have to use water a lot more judiciously. Vote “Yes” but keep your eye on how the money is being spent.

Resources:

• https://ballotpedia.org/California_Proposition_1,_Water_Bond_(2014)
• https://www.voterguide.sos.ca.gov/en/propositions/1/
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3mbHP3XMXw

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