Water Conservation. Water Conservation Water Conservation

Water ConservationWater Conservation

Water Water ConservationConservation

• Average American uses 100 gallons Average American uses 100 gallons of water per dayof water per day• Install low flow shower headsInstall low flow shower heads• Install low flush toiletsInstall low flush toilets• Front loading washing Front loading washing

machines use less watermachines use less water• Use a dishwasher rather than by Use a dishwasher rather than by

handhand

Conserving Water at HomeConserving Water at Home

• Take shorter Take shorter showers only once showers only once a daya day

• Reduce water needs Reduce water needs in gardenin garden

• Turn off water when Turn off water when not needednot needed

PersonalPersonal

• Fix leaksFix leaks

• Don’t use water to Don’t use water to clean sidewalksclean sidewalks

• Use drought-Use drought-resistant plantsresistant plants

• Reduce amount of Reduce amount of grassgrass

PersonalPersonal

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Xeriscaping is the process Xeriscaping is the process of landscaping with native of landscaping with native plants or with plants that plants or with plants that

use little wateruse little water

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• Reclamation of Waste WaterReclamation of Waste Water–Wastewater can be treated to irrigate Wastewater can be treated to irrigate

crops and water parks - crops and water parks - Long Beach!Long Beach!

• City Conservation EffortsCity Conservation Efforts–Consumer educationConsumer education (If it’s yellow, be (If it’s yellow, be

mellow; if it’s brown, flush it down)mellow; if it’s brown, flush it down)– Installation of home water meters Installation of home water meters

Increasing water cost to reflect Increasing water cost to reflect external costsexternal costs

Reducing Municipal WaterReducing Municipal Water

• Harvesting IcebergsHarvesting Icebergs–Carry fresh water to places that need Carry fresh water to places that need

itit

–Can it be done? Would it be Can it be done? Would it be economically sound?economically sound?

Increasing Water SuppliesIncreasing Water Supplies

Increasing Water SuppliesIncreasing Water Supplies• Seeding CloudsSeeding Clouds–Use dry ice or Use dry ice or KIKI2 2 crystalscrystals to cause rain to cause rain

to precipitate out of cloudsto precipitate out of clouds–Takes the water out of clouds that would Takes the water out of clouds that would

fall elsewherefall elsewhere

–Possible Possible contamination?contamination?

• DistillationDistillation– Removing salt from water by boiling Removing salt from water by boiling

& recondensing& recondensing

– Used to supply Used to supply allall water in Oman water in Oman and and BahrainBahrain

DesalinizationDesalinization

DistillationDistillation

• Capacity has increased greatly in Capacity has increased greatly in last 10 yearslast 10 years

–Current capacity =13.3 million mCurrent capacity =13.3 million m33

–If it can be made cost-If it can be made cost-effective, our water problem effective, our water problem would be solvedwould be solved

DesalinizationDesalinization

• Reverse OsmosisReverse Osmosis

–Forces salt water through a Forces salt water through a membrane impermeable to saltmembrane impermeable to salt– Currently 3-4x more expensiveCurrently 3-4x more expensive

• BOTH require large input energyBOTH require large input energy–not an option for developing not an option for developing

countriescountries

• Where do you dispose excess Where do you dispose excess salts?salts?

DesalinizationDesalinization

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• Lowers salt conc. of Colorado Lowers salt conc. of Colorado River before entering MexicoRiver before entering Mexico

Yuma, AZYuma, AZ

• FiveFive major industries consume major industries consume 90% of industrial water in the U.S.90% of industrial water in the U.S.

• Chemical Products, Paper and Chemical Products, Paper and Pulp, Petroleum and Coal, and Pulp, Petroleum and Coal, and Food ProcessingFood Processing

• Industries can usually cut Industries can usually cut production and pollution costs by production and pollution costs by recycling waterrecycling water

Major Water Consuming Major Water Consuming IndustriesIndustries

• More efficient irrigationMore efficient irrigation• Reduces the amount of salt left Reduces the amount of salt left

behind by traditional irrigationbehind by traditional irrigation

Reducing Agricultural WaterReducing Agricultural Water

Fig. 14-18, p. 325

• Central Pivot watering systemCentral Pivot watering system

Reducing Agricultural WaterReducing Agricultural Water

• Sprinkler systemSprinkler system• Use of Lasers to level fields to Use of Lasers to level fields to

prevent runoff prevent runoff

Reducing Agricultural WaterReducing Agricultural Water

• Much of water is used in Much of water is used in electrical-generating plantselectrical-generating plants

• Water could be saved Water could be saved by using dry coolant by using dry coolant processes and processes and reclaiming waste heat reclaiming waste heat waterwater

Waste Water in IndustryWaste Water in Industry