Best Practices
Water and waste water system are important elements to addressing climate change for several reasons. First, since energy is used to deliver water and waste water services, using water and wastewater systems more efficiently indirectly also reduces energy use. Second, the impacts of climate change include increased drought and extreme weather events, such as heavy rain and storms, floods and reduced snow pack, all of which effect water availability. Thus, efforts to conserve and use water more efficiently will help cities and counties adapt to the impacts of climate change.
The best practices included in this section apply to cities and counties that provide water and waste water services directly, as well as to those that receive these services from other public or private agencies.
Water & Wastewater Systems Goals
- Reduce energy use in water, irrigation and waste water systems (either operated by agency or by another agency or private company.
- Reduce water use in agency operations and in the community.
The table below offers specific suggestions on how to achieve these goals. You can download the entire Best Practices Framework under Documents & Resources on the right side of this page.
Water & Wastewater Systems
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| Goal |
Best Practice |
| Reduce energy use in water, irrigation and waste water systems (either operated by agency or by another agency or private company).
See also Green Buildings section for additional options.
|
- Audit agency’s water and waste-water pumps and motors to identify most and least efficient equipment.
- Develop and implement a motor/pump efficiency cycling schedule to use most efficient water or waste-water motors/pumps first and least efficient ones last.
- Replace least efficient water/wastewater motors and pumps with more efficient units.
- Work with agency or company that provides water and waste water service to implement an audit, cycling, and equipment replacement program for water and waste water pumps and motors.
- Implement methane capture for energy production at wastewater treatment plants.
- Use recycled water for agency facilities and operations, including parks and medians, where appropriate.
- Retrofit existing agency buildings and facilities to meet standards for the LEED Standards Rating Systems for Existing Buildings (EB) or Commercial Interiors (CI).
- Require dual plumbing for use of recycled water for new commercial and/or residential developments.
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| Reduce water use in agency operations and in the community.
See also Green Building section for additional options
|
Agency operations
- Assess, maintain, and repair existing plumbing fixtures, pipes, and irrigation systems in all agency buildings and facilities to minimize water use, including building and parking lot landscaping, public rest rooms and parks, golf courses and other recreational facilities.
- Upgrade and retrofit agency plumbing and irrigation systems with state-of-the-art water conserving technology.
- Implement all feasible water efficiency strategies included in the Ahwahnee Water Principles for Resource Efficient Land Use in all agency parks, landscaping and in new developments.
- Use compost and mulch in agency landscaping as a water conservation measure.
Community-at-large
- Adopt water efficiency principles similar to the Ahwahnee Water Principles for Resource Efficient Land Use for new and existing residential and commercial developments.
- Implement water conservation and reclamation programs to reduce energy use associated with water delivery.
- Require water efficiency audits at point of sale for commercial and residential properties.
- Adopt retrofit program to encourage or require installation of water conservation measures in existing businesses and homes.
- Encourage use of compost and mulch in private landscaping as a water conservation measure.
- Partner with water provider to adopt water conservation measures.
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