promoting efficient irrigation in your community allison hogge, u.s. epa stephanie thornton, u.s....
TRANSCRIPT
Promoting Efficient Irrigation in Your
CommunityAllison Hogge, U.S. EPA
Stephanie Thornton, U.S. EPA
Agenda
Welcome & Introduction Program Update
• WaterSense activity in the landscape irrigation sector• Resources on efficient irrigation
Community Outdoor Water Conservation Efforts• Dan Muelrath, City of Santa Rosa, CA
Conservation Efforts by Irrigation Professionals• Mark Brotton, Living Water Irrigation and Landscape,
Santa Fe, NM• Bill Kabaker, Precise Landscape, Sherman Oaks, CA
Discussion: Opportunities to Work Together
Outdoor Water Use
Outdoor use is estimated to be about 30 percent of residential use, or approximately 7.8 billion gallons per day, with the largest component being used for irrigation.
Up to 50 percent of water applied by irrigation systems is lost to wind, evaporation, improper system design, installation, or maintenance.
Improving Irrigation Water Efficiency
Goal 1 - Increase Awareness of Water-Efficient Products and Services:
Make water efficiency an attribute of choice• Partner with national and local organizations to promote water
efficiency Goal 2 - Improve the Performance of Irrigation
Systems: Promote good design, installation, and O&M of irrigation systems
• Promote the use of water-efficient irrigation equipment Goal 3 - Promote Water-Efficient Landscaping: Work with existing partners and other EPA programs to address
efficient landscape design, plant selection and soil amendments Current Activities:
• Label certification programs• Partner with certified professionals to advance water-efficient irrigation• Set specifications for water-efficient irrigation system components
Irrigation Product Labeling
WaterSense is researching weather- and sensor-based irrigation control technologies.
WaterSense is awaiting a revised test protocol from SWAT, a coalition of utilities and irrigation manufacturers.
WaterSense hopes to label irrigation control technologies in 2009.
Certification Programs for Irrigation Professionals
WaterSense currently labels certification programs for irrigation professionals that emphasize water-efficient techniques and technologies.
Programs must meet WaterSense criteria, which include an experiential requirement, an exam with proper quality assurance/quality control procedures, a set renewal period with required continuing education, and testing knowledge such as:• Plant/soil/water relationships• System design and scheduling for water efficiency• Recent innovations and technology developments
WaterSense Irrigation Partners
Five certification programs have earned the WaterSense label:• IA’s Certified Irrigation Designer (CID)• IA’s Certified Irrigation Contractor (CIC)• IA’s Certified Landscape Irrigation Auditor (CLIA)• IA’s Certified Golf Irrigation Auditor (CGIA)• North Coast Water Conservation Group’s Qualified
Water Efficient Landscaper (QWEL)
Irrigation professionals may become WaterSense partners upon completing or renewing with a WaterSense labeled certification program.
Irrigation Partner Credentials
Only a small percentage of irrigation contractors are certified.
These certified professionals represent the best contractors in the landscape irrigation industry.
WaterSense hopes to increase this by driving the market for certified professionals.
Directory on the WaterSense Web site:
http://www.epa.gov/watersense/pp/lists/irr_partners.htm
WaterSense Irrigation Partners by State (as of April
2008)
Water-Efficient Irrigation in Your Community
Utilities: Promote WaterSense irrigation partners:
• To your customers• Work with the groups who hire/specify irrigation
professionals in your area Educate customers on water-efficient irrigation using
WaterSense materials. Promote Smart Irrigation Month. Host an IA certification exam. Contact Sherrie Schulte, IA
Certifications Manager: [email protected] or (703) 536-7080.
How can you use WaterSense to promote efficient outdoor water use?
Water-Efficient Irrigation in Your Community
Irrigation Professionals: Distribute bill stuffers, brochures, checklist for a water-efficient
system, or other materials to customers or in bid packets. Place WaterSense partner logo on your business card and Web
site in conjunction with your name to distinguish yourself from other contractors.
Tell WaterSense about what you are doing to practice/promote efficiency.
Encourage colleagues to become certified and become WaterSense partners.
Educate customers on the importance of water-efficiency in the landscape.
Work with customers to understand and develop irrigation schedules that meet local watering restrictions.
Water Efficiency Resources
Promotional & Irrigation Tool Kits:• Provide materials to educate
customers, potential customers & the general public on water-efficient irrigation
• Promote WaterSense as a brand
• Include a CD with modifiable electronic files, as well as hard copy samples
Outreach Materials
• Grass Can Be Greener brochure
• Watering Can Be Efficient brochure
• Bill stuffers• Checklist for a Water-
Efficient System• Sticker/Window cling
templates
Outreach materials include:
Promote Smart Irrigation Month in July
Tools: Smart Irrigation Month Web site: www.smartirrigationmonth.org
WaterSense Web site: www.epa.gov/watersense/sim/index.htm
Promotion Ideas: Post the Smart Irrigation Month logo on your Web site; link to the
IA’s or WaterSense’s page. Print bill stuffers educating customers on water-efficient irrigation. Issue a press release or public service announcement. Provide tips on watering efficiently. Hold a forum or workshop promoting smart irrigation in your
community.
Daniel Muelrath
Water Conservation Program Coordinator
City of Santa Rosa, CA
“Reducing Landscape Water Use through Conservation”
Agenda
Landscape water use and peak demandProblems associated with peak demandWater conservation’s role in reducing peak
demandLandscape/peak reduction programsFuture of conservation
What is peak demand?
The annual fluctuation driven by irrigation and some water-based cooling processes.
Why are we concerned with Peak Demand and Landscape Water Use?Wasted waterHigher energy cost during peak pumping
timeMany components of the water distribution
system must be designed to accommodate the highest flow monthsPumps Reservoirs / TanksPipelines
Call for conservation from our Wholesale Water AgencyDynamic requirements due to using natural
rivers/waterways to convey water to collection wells
Water Conservation’s role in reducing peak water demandReduce peak water consumption on the City's
water system by: Informing customers and landscape
contractors of water saving practices and technologies
Providing incentives to reduce site water needsProviding incentives to improve efficiencies
Knowledge/ Behaviors
Improve Efficiencies
Reduce Demand
Current Landscape / Peak Reduction Informational Programs
Conservation Website:
www.srcity.org/wc
Conservation Hotline:
707-543-3985M – F 8am to 5pm
www.srcity.org/turftime
Current Landscape / Peak Reduction Informational Programs (cont.)
Water Use Efficiency Calculator
www.srcity.org/wc
Current Landscape / Peak Reduction Informational Programs (cont.)
Data fills in if account number is entered
Current Landscape / Peak Reduction Informational Programs (cont.)
Distribution Centers – Literature & Hardware
• Four City locations• Twenty nurseries and irrigation vendors
throughout the City (literature only)
Current Landscape / Peak Reduction Informational Programs (cont.)Water Awareness Month Activities
• Proclamation• Water Smart Expo• Water Conservation Awards• School Poster Contest• Downtown Markets
Current Landscape / Peak Reduction Informational Programs (cont.)Water-Wise Gardening Series (residential)
Three part series that focuses on: Low Water Use Plants, Irrigation Efficiency and Drip Irrigation
Qualified Water Efficient Landscaper (contractors) To train landscapers on efficient water
management in the landscape. Topics include: 7. Irrigation scheduling and programming
8. Valve and controller troubleshooting9. New technologies 10.Selling water management to customers
1. Water supply2. Irrigation systems3. Irrigation efficiency4. Soils5. Plants6. Irrigation audits www.qweltraining.com
2nd program to be recognized by the EPA WaterSense program as an Irrigation Auditor
training program
QWEL can be used by your
local Utility too!!!
Current Landscape / Peak Reduction Rebate and Incentive ProgramsWater budget based
rates using local ETGreen Exchange
ProgramCash for grassIrrigation Upgrades
Water Watch PatrolWater Efficient
Landscape PolicyResidential “Check-
up”
200,000sqft of turf removed
in 2007
Current Landscape / Peak Reduction Rebate and Incentive ProgramsLarge Landscape Irrigation AuditsWater wise gardening CDWater use efficiency on billing statementIrrigation efficiency rebatesService split incentive
Future of Water ConservationPeak Reduction and outdoor uses
Irrigation Advances: SMART Controllers Soil moisture sensors Low precipitation rate sprinklers Flow sensors shut-off
Landscape industry water awareness & trainingNew building standardsGraywaterRain Water Harvesting
LegislationCalifornia AB 2717/1881California AB 2175
Conservation Efforts by Irrigation Professionals
Mark Brotton, Living Water Irrigation and Landscape Bill Kabaker, Precise Landscape
Facilitated Discussion: Working Together
Allison Hogge, U.S. EPAStephanie Thornton, U.S. EPA
Discussion Questions
Have you collaborated with irrigation professionals/utilities to promote efficiency irrigation in your community?
How have these partnerships been structured?
What are some of the challenges, barriers, success stories you have encountered?
How can utilities and irrigation professionals better collaborate?
More Information
Web site: www.epa.gov/watersense
E-mail: [email protected]
Helpline: (866) WTR-SENS (987-7367)