Georgia Water/Best Practices/Conservation

Best Practices in Water Conservation

Water Use Efficiency Targets, by sector

Water Audits

System Audits (note: method to be developed for Georgia EPD [1])
End Use Audits (note: method to be developed for Georgia EPD [2])

Reuse Feasibility Studies

(note: method to be developed for Georgia EPD [3])

Education and Outreach Programs

(note: method to be developed for Georgia EPD [4])

Formulating Water Conservation Plans

Ten Key Steps to Planning a Successful Water Conservation Program*

Identify conservation goals
Develop a water-use profile and forecast
Evaluate planned facilities
Identify and evaluate conservation measures
Identify and assess conservation incentives
Analyze benefits and costs
Select conservation measures and incentives
Prepare and implement the conservation plan
Integrate conservation and supply plans, modify forecasts
Monitor, evaluate and revise program as needed

Source: *Handbook of Water Use and Conservation, Amy Vickers, 2001, pages 2 and 3 (as quoted from powerpoint presentation, Georgia DNR Pollution Prevention Assistance Division.

Water Conservation Techniques

(List of water conservation techniques, organized by who can implement, with following information for each technique: description, link to best example, estimating water saved, estimating costs, implementation guidance.)

States and Regions

Cities

Water Utilities

Institutions

Residential Complexes

Homeowners

Commercial

Industry

Agriculture

Identifying Water Conservation Techniques

(need to organized this list according to who implements)

Require 1.6 gal/flush toilet to be installed at the time of sale
Rebates for 6/3 dual flush or 4-liter toilets
Rebates for high efficiency clothes washers
Low income home leak detection and repair
Distribute retrofit kits w/low flow showerheads
Increase school education programs
Require high efficiency clothes washing machines
Insulate hot water piping
Rebates for 6/3 dual flush or 4-liter toilets
Require 6/3 dual flush or 4-liter toilets for new homes
Residential water audits
Guide to a self-water audit on North Georgia Retailer’s web site or as a mail-out
Permanent irrigation restrictions
Regulations for rain sensor/shut-offs on automatic systems
ET controller service (w/weekly updating) by vendor
Increase public education (expand web site, videos, CD’s)
Xeriscape demonstration gardens
Xeriscape education and staff training at retail garden/irrigation supply houses
Homeowner irrigation classes
Trigger shut-off valves and hose end timers
New home efficiency rating
Require model homes be landscaped with low water use landscaping
New home efficiency awards
Pressure regulation design for new areas
Promote water efficient plantings at new homes
Landscape requirements for new homes (turf limitations/regulations)
Regulations for rain sensor/shut-offs on automatic systems
Developer financed off-site conservation projects
Rainwater harvesting (tanks) and irrigation systems
Offer incentives for replacement of clothes washers in coin-operated laundries
Distribute retrofit kits w/low flow showerheads
Incentives for retrofitting sub-metering
Regulations on sub-metering procedures (to protect tenant)
Require 1.6 gal/flush toilet to be installed at the time of sale
Require sub-metering multifamily units
Require efficient (such as horizontal axis) clothes washers
Require 6/3 dual flush or 4-liter toilets for new homes
Public relations campaign to set irrigation timers back in the fall
Residential (HOA) water audits
Rebates for high-tech irrigation controllers
ET controller service (w/weekly updating) by vendor
Rain-sensor retrofits on existing controllers
Regulations for rain sensor/shut-offs on automatic irrigation systems
New home efficiency ratings
New home efficiency award
Pressure regulation design for new areas
Landscape requirements for new landscaping systems (turf limitations/regulations)
Require efficient irrigation system design standards
Developer financed off-site development conservation projects
Commercial water audits and feasibility reports
Rebates for replacing high use commercial toilets with 1.6 gal/flush
Rebates for replacing high use commercial urinals with 0.5 gal/flush
1.6 gal/flush toilet direct installation for high use commercial sites
Require 1.6 gal/flush toilet to be installed at the time of sale
Offer incentives for replacement or lease of clothes washers in coin-operated laundries
Require car washes to recycle water
Require or offer rebates for meters on cooling towers
Cooling tower regulations
Restaurant low flow spray rinse nozzles
Focused water audits for hotels/motels (showers and toilets only)
WAVE Program (US EPA) for hotels
Hotel retrofit (w/financial assistance)
Employee education program
Award program for water savings by businesses
Capacity buy-back for process improvements
1.6 gal/flush toilet replacement incentives
Rebates for X-Ray recycling units
Replace inefficient water using equipment
Require car washes to recycle water
Require efficient (such as horizontal axis) clothes washers
Rebates for waterless urinals
Promotion and/or rebates for laundry recycle systems at commercial laundries
Self-closing faucets
Require efficient process equipment for selected businesses (restaurants, hotels/motels,

office sanitation)

Prohibit once through cooling and non-recycling fountains, other non efficient water features
Require 0.5 gal/flush urinals in new buildings
Irrigation audits of large turf areas
Rebates for high-tech irrigation controllers for irrigation accounts
Surcharge on water bill for irrigation accounts to fund rebate programs
Rain-sensor retrofits on existing controllers
Assignment of irrigation budgets, tracking and water bill feedback to irrigation customers
Financial penalties for water use exceeding budget
Training landscape maintenance persons
ET controller service (w/weekly updating) by vendor
Financial incentives, rebates for irrigation upgrades
Regulations for rain sensor/shut-offs on automatic systems
Require dedicated irrigation meters
ET controller service (w/weekly updating) by vendor
Load shedding rate option for accounts w/ET controller service
Landscape requirements for new landscaping systems (turf limitations/regulations)
Require efficient irrigation system design standards
Assignment of irrigation budgets, tracking and water bill feedback
Financial penalties for water use exceeding budget
Replacement of inefficient toilets, showers, faucets
Installation of waterless urinals, dual flush toilets
City/County Department water reduction goals
City/County building facility water audits
Increase Xersicape landscaping of City/County & Utility facilities where appropriate
Public swimming pool water audits
ET controller service (w/weekly updating) by vendor
Irrigation scheduling with ET data
System water audits
Leak detection
Set water rates based on conservation pricing

Reference

Georgia DNR Water Conservation Program