&EPA Environmental Protection Agency Region I J.F Kennedy Federal Building Boston, MA 02203 June 1978 Office of Public Awareness Water Conservation in New England It Begins At Home ------- WATER CONSERVATION IN NEW ENGLAND: IT BEGINS AT HOME ------- TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE NEW ENGLAND'S HIDDEN WATER PROBLEM: THE MYTH OF ABUNDANCE 1 WHY THE PROBLEM IS DEVELOPING 2 1. Population Growth 2 2. Water Consumption 2 3. Delivery Systems 4 4. Problems in Rural Areas 5 5. Lack of Planning for New Sources 6 THE RESULT: A CLASSIC SUPPLY AND DEMAND PROBLEM 7 CONSEQUENCES TO NEW ENGLANDERS 9 1. Increased Costs 9 2. Economic Stability 10 3. A Quick Rush to Alternatives 10 THE CONSENSUS IS CONSERVATION 11 CONSERVATION BEGINS AT HOME 12 WATER CONSERVATION SUGGESTIONS FOR THE HOME 14 ------- NEW ENGLAND'S HIDDEN WATER PROBLEM: THE MYTH OF ABUNDANCE When the term "water shortage" is mentioned, many New Englanders form a mental picture of some drought stricken area of the American southwest. Most will agree that there are periodic shortages in rural or recently developed areas of the region and less frequent problems in larger old metropolitan centers during extended summer heat spells. But severe and continuing water shortage problems are generally believed to happen only in other parts of the country. Since New England usually has steady periods of precipi- tation, many people believe that fresh water is an over-abun- dant resource in this area. In recent years, however, studies and projections by government and private researchers have found that many parts of New England face a growing crisis with respect to availabil- ity, cost, and quality of fresh water for homes and businesses. More than 200 cities and towns will suffer severe shortages of clean water by 1990 unless something is done. New England's growing demand for fresh water recreational opportunities and the survival of some critical wildlife populations could also be threatened. ------- 2. WHY THE PROBLEM IS DEVELOPING 1. Population Growth: The projected growth of New England's population is one factor contributing to the emerging water shortage in New England. The region's population may increase by as much as 50 percent in the 55 year time span be- tween 1965 and the year 2020. Only marginal growth in sources of supply is expected during the same period. 2. Water Consumption: A more significant problem is the spiralling rate of water consumption in all parts of New England. In southern New England alone, the projected increase in water consumed by homes and industries could exceed 150 per- cent in the same 55 year time frame if current water consumption practices remain unchanged. ------- GRAPH I COMPARISON BETWEEN POPULATION GROWTH AND DEMAND FOR WATER BY CONSUMERS IN SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND PROJECTED GROWTH IN PERCENTAGES 1965 TO 2020 1965 1980 1990 2000 2020 175% GROWTH 150% GROWTH 125% GROWTH 100% GROWTH 75% GROWTH 50% GROWTH 25% GROWTH .* .*' Water Demand Population Growth Water Supply - 0% ------- 4. 3. Delivery Systems: There are other built-in conditions that complicate New England's future water supply problems. Most of New England's rainwater drains away before it can be captured in reservoirs or ground water for use by consumers. Growth and development patterns in much of the region are another obstacle. Intensive urban and suburban development in most parts of New England has occurred primarily in areas that .have the fewest natural water resources. The large reser- voir systems built during the 1930's in southern New England were imaginative undertakings, but they were conceived before anyone could anticipate the kind of growth that occurred in the postwar period or the severe demands this growth would make on the systems. ------- 5. 4. Problems in Rural Areas: Rural areas and rapidly developing outlying areas that rely on groundwater or small community reservoirs have problems of their own which are equally serious and currently more visible than those in met- ropolitan areas. In fact, most of the communities that currently experience periodic shortages of water are growing towns and suburbs where finite and usually small sources of water are subject to increasing demands from new homes and industries. These communities may experience difficulty tying into regional reservoir systems when their own supplies are exhausted, be- cause those large reservoir systems themselves are already strained by existing users. Competition among cities and towns for water as well as competition among different sources in each community for available resources, could become a critical and perhaps bitter public issue in many parts of New England if current trends toward ever greater consumption continue. ------- 6. 5. Lack of Planning for New Sources: Some plans are under consideration for diverting new sources of fresh water (mainly from rivers) to large and growing areas with critical needs for increased supplies. But it is unlikely that these new sources will stem the problems of water shortage for more than a short period of time. 6. Waste: Some of the existing municipal water supply delivery systems are over a century old, and they leak badly. A very significant amount of water is lost in this way. ------- 7- THE RESULT All of these conditions add up to a classic supply and demand problem. A recent study by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers projected that the excess daily demand on Massachu- setts and Rhode Island water supplies will exceed their capac- ity to generate new water by 136 million gallons a day in 1980 and by over 900 million gallons a day by the year 2020. During an extended drought period in 1966, the water supply systems in these two states had an average daily surplus capacity of almost 225 million gallons over average daily de- mand. Even under these relatively favorable conditions, southern New England experienced serious water shortages. Thus deficits of the magnitude projected by the Corps of Engineers are almost certain to cause very serious water supply problems. ------- GRAPH II THE DEMAND FOR WATER OVER AVAILABLE SUPPLIES WILL INCREASE DRAMATICALLY IN SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND GROWTH OF DEMAND OVER SUPPLY IN MILLIONS OF GALLONS PER DAY 200 SURPLUS 100 SURPLUS SURPLUS EQUALS DEFICIT 100 DEFICIT 200 DEFICIT 300 DEFICIT 400 DEFICIT 500 DEFICIT 600 DEFICIT 700 DEFICIT 800 DEFICIT 900 DEFICIT 1965 1980 1990 2000 2020 +224 ------- 9. THE CONSEQUENCES TO NEW ENGLANDERS These problems do not mean that there is any immediate danger of whole water systems running dry or of consumers waking up some morning and finding that no water flows from the tap. However, the predictions do mean that the unrestrained use of New England's water resources cannot continue indefinitely with- out unpleasant consequences for the region's water users. Among these consequences are: 1. Increased Costs: It is difficult to put an accurate price tag on what water will cost as a result of this trend but it is a fact of economic life that prices generally go up when demand for a product increases and supply remains stable or decreases. New England's recent experiences with energy supply and demand are the latest example of how the marketplace works in this regard. Plans to supplement water supplies, such as diversion plans, also have a price tag attached, which water consumers must ultimately pay. ------- 10. 2. Economic Stability: Periodic dislocations for business and industry could also develop as demand for water increases and existing supplies become more vulnerable to periods of limited or no rainfall. Several New England communities are already ex- periencing shortages that have resulted in periodic restrictions on home lawn watering and some recreational activities. This is frustrating enough for homeowners but it could become devastating economically if jobs and productivity were curtailed because there was not enough water available to keep everything going at full force. 3. A Quick Rush to Alternatives: Several proposals for increasing water supplies or refining their use are being debated and some represent promising innovations. However, they all have technical or financial problems associated with them. One pro- posal is to separate partially treated water for industrial and most household needs from that which is used for drinking. Such a system, however, would require decades to develop and refine before it could serve whole metropolitan areas. Desalination of ocean water has also been tested and proved in some areas, but it is an expensive and energy-intensive proposition. These and other possibilities may help in the future, but they do not represent total solutions to New England's long-term water requirements. ------- 11. THE CONSENSUS IS CONSERVATION Virtually everyone concerned with New England's water supply problems agrees that strong conservation measures must be adopted and enforced if water shortages are to be avoided. Conservation must include basic things like plugging leaks in metropolitan water supply systems and more effective regional cooperation among city and town governments. Some New England communities are experimenting with innovative conservation pro- grams that could serve as models for other municipalities. Business and industry are also being called upon to use water more efficiently, and there is a growing recognition among New England's business leadership that it is in the long-term in- terest of the region's economic stability to do so. But the region needs to develop and carry through a wide range of conservation programs involving communities, business and industry, and individual homeowners as well before a serious problem develops. Sound conservation programs cannot be planned or put into effect overnight. However if a broad range of measures to conserve water are developed now, the planning and hardware will be in place and ready to function when the time of reckoning comes. ------- 12. CONSERVATION BEGINS AT HOME Residential uses account for approximately 40 percent of all water use in most areas of New England. Clearly, then, conser- vation measures adopted by individual households can go a long way to solving the area's overall water shortage problems. One reason residential conservation measures are so promising is that they are inexpensive and require little or no inconvenience to family members. In fact, they can result in savings of up to several hundred dollars a year on water bills and energy costs. And this does not take into account longer range savings in the form of lower costs per gallon of water that are certain to occur if municipal water supplies are adequate to serve all community needs. The first thing to consider is where most water is consumed in an average New England household. Some of the figures are suprising and reflect the fact that we all use more water than we think we do. ------- 13. HOUSEHOLD WATER USES < TOILET -40% KITCHEN ' >0% BATH & BATHROOM SINKS 35% ------- 14. Here is a checklist of things you can do as a consumer of water to save both water and money. They could collectively cut your water bill and associated energy costs in half. 1. The toilet is the number one user of water. It should not be treated as a waste basket but should only be used for its in- tended purposes. Cigarette butts and all other refuse should be disposed of with the trash or garbage. This can save as much as 5 gallons of water, which is the amount the average flush consumes. 2. Improved flow reduction toilets are now available for homes and should be considered when purchasing new bathroom equip- ment. Dry toilets which require no water for disposal of wastes are also being installed in some homes. A reputable plumber or bathroom supply store can guide you in the selection of these items. ------- 15. 3. Your present toilet can also be improved to cut down con- siderably the amount of water needed for each flush. Commercial devices include a simple flexible toilet dam made of molded plastic and rubber and held in place by suction. When wedged into the tank around the drain hole, this device holds back 1 to 2 gallons per flush. 4. Home made devices can also be constructed to do the same thing. Plastic bottles, filled with clean stones and water for ballast can be placed in your tank to displace and save water. You may have to work with this a bit to make certain you do not displace so much water that two flushes are required to get rid of wastes. Please reconsider putting bricks in your toilets since they can disintegrate over time and hurt the toilet tank. ------- 16. 5. A home leak check is another important and easy way to cut down on wasted water. A small leak from a faucet may seem in- consequential but it can result in the loss of up to a hundred gallons a day. Items to be checked include all faucets from the attic to the cellar and toilet flush tanks. Outside water taps, faucets connected to washing machines, and other systems not in constant use should be turned off when not in use. They are a source of hidden leaks and waste which can do damage to walls and other parts of the house, in addition to wasting water. 6. Bathing and showering tax both water resources and energy supplies, because 70 percent of this water is heated. Turning off the shower while soaping up, putting the tub stopper in immediately when taking a bath, and using less water generally for a bath or shower are simple changes which translate into immediate savings. ------- 17. 7. Flow reduction showerheads are now available and should be considered since they are simple and effective and the initial cost can be quickly recouped in the form of lower water bills and reduced energy costs. This product reduces total flow from about 11 gallons per minute to about 3 gallons per minute. The shower head design simply mixes air with water and results in no difference in effective cleaning capacity. 8. When washing dishes by hand, use a basin for soapy water and another container for rinsing the dishes. You do not have to keep hot water running constantly from the tap to get dishes clean and sanitary. 9. Automatic dishwashers are another household item that use large amounts of water and energy. You can save on both items by washing only a full load of dishes. Most modern dishwashers make pre-cleaning unnecessary. ------- 18. 10. Cleaning fruits and vegetables with a brush and rinsing them in a small tub is another water saving practice. The tap does not have to be kept running constantly to get these food items clean. 11. For a cold drink of water, keep a large bottle of tap water in the refrigerator instead of running the faucet to get the water colder. And water which has been out of the tap for an hour or more tastes better since most of the chlorine has evaporated. 12. Remove packaged frozen foods from the refrigerator early in the day so they can defrost before lunch or dinner time. Most large pieces of meat can be defrosted at night and then put back into the bottom of the refrigerator until needed the following day. Defrosting saves having to run the product under the hot water for an extended period of time. ------- 19. 13. When washing clothes, wait for a full load of clothes, since this is the most effective way to save water and energy over an extended period of time. If this is not possible, set the load cycle for the actual size of the wash. Water overkill does not result in a cleaner wash. Most clothes can be cleaned in cold water. This is another important energy saving consideration. 14. Grease and oil should never be poured down the drain. Besides clogging up the drain, you use a great deal of water rinsing them down. 15. Washing the family car out of a bucket is as effective as running the hose constantly. The hose is really only needed for the final rinsing. ------- 20. 16. Lawns and gardens should be watered at dusk to mini- mize water loss through evaporation. Watering your lawn during the day can burn the lawn, because the water drops act as magnifying lenses, increasing the sun's intensity. 17. A lawn that is 2 inches high can have a well maintained look and it holds more dew and shades the root systems better than a low cut lawn. Heavy mulch in the garden accomplishes the same function by preventing soil drying. Both of these practices can save water. 18. Use of plants and shrubbery which are native to New England and thrive on natural rainfall can save water. Check with a reputable florist or garden supply company about these. ŁU.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1977702-880/96 ------- |