NFBWA Spring 2013 Newsletter

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NFBWA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

David Spell,Precinct 1

Robert Darden,Precinct 2

Bruce Fay, Precinct 3

Melony F. Gay, P.E.,Precinct 4

Robert L. Patton,Precinct 5

Peter Houghton, Precinct 6

Pat Hebert, Precinct 7

Find and fix leaks to save water and money!

NORTH FORT BEND WATER AUTHORITY www.nfbwa.comc/o Allen Boone Humphries Robinson LLP 3200 Southwest Freeway, Suite 2600 Houston, Texas 77027

Authority on Track to Meet Conversion Deadlines Good news for the North Fort Bend Water Authority (the “Authority”): The Fort Bend Subsidence District has given it (and all other Groundwater Reduction Plans in Regulatory Area A) another year – to 2014 – to reach its initial goal of converting 30 percent of its usage from groundwater to alternate water, primarily surface water. Even better news: The Authority is already on track to reach that 30 percent goal in mid-2013, which means it will have another year to accumulate valuable over-conversion credits. As of last count, the Authority had converted 13 separate municipal utility districts to surface water – which together account for up to 23 percent surface water conversion for the current month. Another 10 MUDs are set for conversion by this summer, says Authority engineer Melinda Silva, of Brown & Gay Engineers Inc. “We have been working diligently, so you can see we will be even further ahead,” Silva said. “We’ll be able to accumulate that many more over-conversion credits, and that will be of great benefit to the Authority and its rate payers.” The Authority -- which encompasses 69 utility districts and two cities, Fulshear and Arcola -- is under mandate from the Fort Bend Subsidence District to reduce its dependence on groundwater. Over-pumping of groundwater is responsible for subsidence across the region, which can cause flooding and foundation problems, and can permanently harm the aquifer as well. As of January 2013, 18 separate construction projects have been completed, 15 are under construction and 4 are starting design. These projects, which will wrap up what the Authority requires for the 2014 conversion, started on its east side – near the “take point” or connection with the Houston water system – and have been working west, headed for the Grand Parkway, and then north toward the Cinco Southwest area. Construction also is progressing quickly on what will be another major accomplishment for the Authority: A new pump station that should be coming on line this summer. The new pump station will replace an older facility the Authority has been leasing from the City of Houston, and will provide the Authority with more surface water delivery capacity. “The end user at their homes are not going to notice anything different when

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Spring 2013

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Conversion...Continued from page 1that new pump station goes into operation,” Silva explains. “But from an operational standpoint, the permanent pump station will be much larger and give the Authority much more capability. Plus, it is their own station and designed for their needs. On the to-do list for the Authority, as far as reaching the conversion deadlines, it will be a huge milestone.” “That is quite a lot of work,” Silva said. “The original water construction estimate was $48.1 million and the final construction cost was $34.4 million for these 18 completed projects. We were able to take advantage of the downturn in the economy and the lower construction costs, to the benefit of our rate payers.

“Phenomenal” Growth... While the savings and over-conversion credits are good financial news for the Authority, the work occurs against the backdrop of revised census data and “phenomenal” growth in the north Fort Bend County area. This growth means greater demand for water, and increased pressure for conversion to alternate sources. Peter Houghton, president of the Authority’s Board of Directors, says “The Authority has delivered water earlier than required. We’re ahead of schedule. We’re building up credits. We have plans lined up to meet our long-term needs” Houghton explaines, “but the exceptionally rapid growth in North Fort Bend could create some interim challenges…prior to some of these major long-term surface water projects being completed.” That rapid growth has fueled the Authority’s exploration of various alternate water sources other than surface water to ensure that the

Authority meets short-term alternate water goals, as facilities that are part of the long-term surface water supplies are completed. In a related development elsewhere in the region, a decision affecting an Authority partner will have important repercussions for Authority rate payers as well, Silva said. The Harris-Galveston Subsidence District has given the West Harris County Regional Water Authority (the West Authority) five more years – until 2025 – to reach its second phase of conversion to alternate water. The Subsidence District also changed the percentage conversion goal for 2025 from 70 percent to 60 percent. The Authority is partnering with the West Authority on that second phase, which includes construction of a massive cross-town “second source” water line bringing surface water from Lake Houston to west Harris County and north Fort Bend County. The decision to extend the deadline will help spread out the cost of that huge project – and the necessary rate increases to pay for it – over a longer period, Silva explained. “Things take time to design and build. It was a balancing act,” Silva said. “The regulatory agency was trying to balance their objectives for alternate water conversion with the reality of what it takes to achieve that conversion. We’re not slowing down. We’re just trying to bring all this together in a reasonable and cost-effective way.” Such decisions affect the “Rubik’s Cube” that is the alternate water conversion challenge, Houghton said. “For North Fort Bend, we need to be even more innovative. How much can we conserve? How much can we reuse?” Houghton is confident the Authority will meet its challenges. In the meantime, conservation of precious

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and expensive water resources remains a key part of the Authority’s mission. “We have to change the perception that water is free,” the Authority president said. “We have to change people’s usage and habits, and that can be even more challenging than all this construction.” Under the Authority’s mandate, alternate water must initially replace 30 percent of the groundwater now pumped by approximately 140 permitted wells within Authority boundaries, which will increase to a 60 percent conversion in 2025. For example, reducing groundwater usage by 30 percent means replacing it with roughly 14.5 million gallons per day (MGD) of alternate water in 2013 but that number grows with the population growth. Conversion to alternate water is a massive and expensive undertaking. To date, the Authority has installed approximately 36 miles of new water lines, in addition to construction of a new pump station and storage facilities. To fund all projects and right-of-way needed for the initial conversion deadline, as well as a portion needed for the next conversion phase, the Authority has sold over $280 million in bonds. The bonds are being repaid through groundwater and surface water fees charged to the well owners subject to the Authority’s Groundwater Reduction Plan.

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For a lot of families, the kitchen just seems to be the favorite place to gather.. especially when tempt-ing aromas beckon and there are lots of tasty tidbits to sample. When the scrumptious meals are over, however, everything from breakfast scraps to the more bulky “feast” leftovers get scraped into the disposal in the kitchen sink. It is not quite so appetizing to think of all those shredded greasy food scraps sliding down the drain where, once they begin to accumulate in the pipes, they can cause some serious blockage. Some foods and cooking ingredients are potentially more troublesome than others. Dis-carded substances like cooking oil, bacon grease, mayonnaise, poultry skin, and pasta can stagnate in underground plumbing lines and get even messier when joined by dinner roll scraps, gravy and mashed potatoes. Then sometime later, when the meal is long forgotten, the sewer system becomes blocked sufficiently to cause a backup inside the house and the plumber is the only one who benefits from costly remedies and repairs. While most homeowners may not be aware that commercial establishments and restau-rants are required to install “grease traps” or interceptors and have them cleaned regularly, there are no such requirements for private homes. It is up to the homeowner to make sure that their pipes aren’t clogged up with discarded food. According to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), most sewer backups occur between the house and the main sewer lines. This means that it is the resident’s responsibility to cor-rect the problem. In even more complicated situations, grease blockages in the main lines can cause an unpleasant chain of events --sanitary sewer overflows lead to pollution of nearby lakes and streams which create potential health threats for people and wildlife. Disposal of cooking grease into storm drains has the potential to cause more havoc. The storm drains lead directly to streams and creeks, so discarded grease can also pollute the nearest water source. Re-member, any substance poured onto the ground can end up in groundwater. Take the time to dispose of greasy substances properly...recycle as much as possible and pour cooking oils, lards, and grease into closeable containers for disposal. Or consider mixing with dry kitty litter until the oil is absorbed and then place in a zipped-top bag for disposal.

Additional tips for the disposal of grease and leftovers from TCEQ... Place grease and used cooking oils in covered collection containers. Let them solidify on the counter or in the refrigerator before placing them in the garbage. Scrape food scraps into trash cans or garbage bags; minimize the use of the disposal. Non-meat and dairy food items may be placed in a compost pile. Remove oil or grease from dishes, pans and griddles by using a rubber spatula or paper towel to absorb it instead of rinsing it down the sink. Do NOT pour cooking oil and grease down the drain...ever. Overall, be careful what you scrape into the disposal. Once the walls of the pipes begin to clog up, all kinds of discarded scraps can make a bad problem a whole lot worse. Don’t run hot water over dishes, pans, fryers or griddles to wash oil and grease down the drain.

Be careful what you throw away...Greasy food scraps can come back to haunt you!

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Long Range Regional PlanningAims to Secure Water for Texas

TEXAS WATER FACTOIDS...• The population of Texas is expected to increase a whopping 82 percent between now and 2060; growing from 25.4 million to 46.3 million people. Those numbers, staggering though they are, tell only part of the story. And, as with a flowing stream, the narrative goes downhill from there. • Existing supplies – the amount of deliverable water that can be produced with current permits, current contracts, and existing infrastructure during drought are projected to decrease by about 10 percent – from roughly 17.0 million acre-feet today to about 15.3 million acre-feet in 2060 (an acre-foot equals 325,851.4 gallons, enough to supply about two families for a year). • In light of this anticipated decrease, if Texas does nothing to implement new water supply projects or management strategies, then homes, businesses, and agricultural enterprises across the state are projected to fall 8.3 million acre-feet short of needed supply by 2060! • Texas has 15 major river basins, 8 coastal basins, and 9 major and 21 minor groundwater aquifers, but water supplies vary significantly from year to year and from place to place. Because rainfall and stream flows in the state are unpredictable, communities have traditionally relied on reservoirs as part of water resource planning. • Reservoir storage per person in the state has declined from a peak of 2.4 acre-feet of conservation storage per person in 1980 to 1.7 acre-feet today. Our population has mushroomed and reservoir construction has declined since the 1980’s. Without new reservoirs, other water management strategies will fall short of meeting the state’s growing water needs. If no additional reservoirs are constructed during the next 50 years, the amount of reservoir storage will further decline…to less than 1 acre-foot per person in 2060…the lowest amount since immediately following the 1950’s drought of record!• The TWDB’s mission is to provide leadership, planning, financial assistance, information and education for the steadfast development and conservation of water for Texas.

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“The availability of water has always influenced patterns of settlement, and communities in Texas originally grew where water was plentiful. But as many of our communities have grown, they have outstripped their water supplies, making it necessary to more efficiently use local water resources, to work cooperatively with one another on regional solutions to water problems, and to move water around the state when necessary to meet the needs of all our communities” (From the Introduction, WATER FOR TEXAS 2012). Every five years, the Texas Water Development Board (“TWDB”) publishes a state water plan. The Water for Texas 2012 plan, adopted in December 2011, is designed to address the state’s demand for -- and the available supplies of – water over the next 50 years. The TWDB prepares its water plan by gathering data on population and water demands from sixteen regional water planning areas. After each region adopts its plan, it is sent to TWDB for approval. The TWDB then develops a statewide water plan based on information submitted by the sixteen regions, as well as other sources. Both the regional and state plans are just that – water projects must be developed and implemented by a local sponsor.

Region H Region H is the designated planning group for our portion of the Gulf Coast and related inland areas. It consists of all or part of 15 counties, and spans three river and four coastal basins in southeast Texas. Taking a “water is local” planning approach helps balance our area’s requirements with the Region’s available water supply. The information gathered by Region H planners – including local population projections, water requirement trends in agriculture and industry, the availability of both surface and underground water supplies, and water supply strategies -- is critical to both our area’s future, and to the state’s, as well. In our immediate area – Harris, Fort Bend and Montgomery Counties – there are some tough realities to be faced. The 2011-12 economically destructive and record-setting drought provided a

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How often does your irrigation system come on when your grass doesn’t need any water? You keep reminding yourself to check the system con-troller, but it just never seems to get done. “It’s not hurting the grass,” you think, “so what’s the harm?”Besides the obvious answer that it’s wasting water and money, too much water actually does harm your lawn. Overwatering encourages turf to grow shallow roots which cause the grass to stress if water isn’t available. And, if your irrigation system is still on dur-ing winter months, add the fact that native grasses like St. Augustine are DORMANT during that time of year, and need no more water than Mother Nature provides. It might be true that everything is bigger in Texas…but that doesn’t have to include your water bill! Recent reports based on actual irrigation system evaluations in Montgomery, Harris and Ft. Bend counties has demonstrated that at least 90 percent of residents who have irrigation systems water too often...and 43 percent of that water runs off into the gutter and ultimately into the storm drain. There are a number of things that you can do to maximize the use of your irrigation system and avoid wasting water and your money. One thing you might consider is to adopt a “conservative” watering cycle...using your house number, water no more than twice a week on an odd/even schedule. You might choose Saturday and Wednesday for odd numbers and Sunday and Thursday for even numbers. But, skip a day if your grass doesn’t need watering – even if it is a “watering” day. Here are some of the most important things you can to do make the best, most water-efficient use of your irrigation system:1. Irrigation System Leaks You might have heard folks saying that the black gold of tomorrow may very well be blue…water. As the price of this precious commodity continues to go up, it is important that your irrigation system is not

needlessly “bubbling” water up from the ground, as oil did in the TV comedy, “Beverly Hillbillies”. Unlike Jed Clampett’s windfall of oil money, you’ll be the one paying for all that wasted water! What are some signs of an irrigation system leak? How about water running off your yard and into the street if a pipe is completely broken? Or maybe an area of your yard is staying wetter than any other spot, even if your controller is turned off? Perhaps your faucets have low pressure when your irrigation system is running? A typical residential 5/8” or 3/4” water meter will flow about 13 gallons of water per minute. Imagine a broken pipe leaking all day while you are away from home. After 8 hours, there could be 6,240 gallons of water wasted down the drain. Since your system may be running while you are asleep or away from home, the problems may have gone unobserved. And, unfortunately, when your system is underground it is difficult to find leaks until they appear. So, if you see these potential problem areas don’t delay in scheduling a professional audit/evaluation of your system, and then repair any pipe leaks or broken, leaky heads that are confirmed. 2. Timing is EVERYTHING! In addition to adopting a water-efficient watering schedule, set the system controller to complete the watering cycle before 4:00 am to avoid the peak demand of water for other household uses – like family showers, kitchen chores, and the use of laundry appliances. This early morning program also prevents excessive evaporation that occurs in strong sunlight, and is a great time for a technique called “Cycle and Soak”. This method applies water slowly so the soil actually can absorb it. Each lawn has different components – soil quality and content -- but the key here is to water only as long as it takes to get moisture down into the soil, and that could be as little as 10 minutes or as many as 20 depending on the soil. It will take at least 30 minutes for the water to percolate into the soil, so wait an hour to schedule the

IRRIGATION 101...Top 5 things to do if you have an irrigation system

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next cycle. Do a test run; turn on a zone to discover at what length of time water is no longer soaking into the soil, and begins to run off. Use that amount of time to set the first programmed “cycle”. Set the timer to come on again after an hour, to deliver a similar amount of water. Technically, while you may be watering more often, the system is delivering the same amount of water...only it is being utilized more efficiently!3. Hydrozone your Yard... When it comes to water, shrub areas need a different amount than the turf areas. Shrubs or turf exposed to afternoon sun need more water than those protected by the shade. Yet when it comes to watering their yard, most people water everything the same. We tend to put the same amount of water on the turf as we do on the flower beds. Separating different plant materials with different exposures so they may be watered independent of one another is called hydrozoning. Since January of 2009, the rules of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ)require all new irrigation systems to be hydrozoned. Applying only the amount of water required by the plant material versus watering everything the same can save up to 21,300 gallons of water annually on a typical residential lot. 4. Overspray – WHAT A WASTE! T h e T C E Q r u l e s governing irrigation in Texas do not allow spraying water over impervious surfaces such as walls, fences, sidewalks, and streets. The reason for this rule is simple – it just wastes water. It may cost more to design and install a system that does not spray onto these surfaces, but in the long run, having an efficient irrigation system that conserves our most precious natural resource is worth it. Here’s an example: if your sprinkler system (set to apply one inch of water) throws water over the sidewalks during that cycle, it will waste around 220 gallons of water on your sidewalks. This water will run down the concrete and into the gutter, or it will run off into the soil where it will over-water the area and deep-percolate below the plant root zone where it is no longer useful. Either way, it is a waste of valuable water resources. Another important point to consider is that

watering your lawn is like running a marathon. You need to train the roots to grow or “run” deeper into the soil. If you water every day, the roots will stay near the surface where the water is. There is no reason for them to grow deeper or run longer. By skipping days between watering periods, the roots will begin to grow deeper to reach more water. Nutrients are important for the plants as well. Aerate the soil to provide oxygen, and add compost for nutrition. The deeper the roots grow, the longer your grass can go between waterings. Even during the dog days of the summer, your grass should be able to easily go three to four days without needing water. If the roots are deep enough, you can water as little as once a week. 5. The Effects of Pressure on Irrigation Systems Most of us experience the effects of pressure from time to time -- at home, on the job, even on the playing field. And just like people, irrigation systems do not perform well when the pressure is too high. Most spray systems operate best with 30 pounds of pressure per square inch (psi) at the nozzle. According to the Rain Bird Corporation, for every five pounds of pressure over the recommended operating pressure at the nozzle, your system will waste 6 percent to 8 percent of the irrigation water. It is very common for a spray system to operate between 40 psi and 50 psi at the nozzle. This excessive pressure results in a waste of 16 percent to 29 percent of the water delivered through the system. For a typical residential irrigation system, this waste will be equivalent to 28,990 gallons to 52,500 gallons of water annually. This can usually be remedied by adding some type of pressure regulation to your system. Consider having your irrigation system evaluated by a Licensed Irrigator to determine how you can conserve water wasted due to high pressure at the nozzle. Remember, when all is said and done… irrigation systems don’t waste water – people do. Pass Irrigation 101 with flying colors! Get acquainted with – and take control of – your irrigation system controller. Check the system regularly for leaks, broken heads, and tell-tale signs of overspray on sidewalks, fences, or the street. Here’s a case where ignorance is most definitely NOT bliss…what you don’t know about your irrigation system (how and when it works) can cost you money and waste valuable water resources.

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WATER PLANNING, Continued from page 5

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stark wake-up call, revealing our vulnerability to extended dry periods and delivering a sobering message: simply stated, looking ahead, we may not have adequate water resources to meet the needs of our residents. In compliance with regulatory agencies’ mandates to convert hundreds of water districts from reliance on groundwater to surface water, water authorities in our region are collaborating with the City of Houston to construct the Luce Bayou Project. The project will eventually bring some 400 million gallons per day from the Trinity River into the City of Houston’s Northeast Water Purification Plant at Lake Houston, where it will be treated and delivered across the region. Driving this project is the exceptional population growth experienced in our area. Even with aggressive water conservation measures, a number of the groundwater wells in the area have reached the end of their useful lives, aquifers are being depleted, and the area is already experiencing both water quality and water quantity issues. This makes the Luce Bayou Project a critical element of the State Water Plan for the multi-county region. The local water authorities do not have Ad Valorem taxing power; so construction projects are paid for by pumpage fees applied to wells within their boundaries, surface water sales and the revenue bonds supported by those sources. This makes the financing programs available through the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) so essential to help with engineering and environmental studies, right of way acquisition, and other preparation for construction. The TWDB has funded a substantial amount of the Luce Bayou Project costs, and the Luce Bayou “partners” intend to seek additional state funds to help pay for the project. If Luce Bayou is NOT completed on time, there will be ripple effects across the multi-county area, impacting economic growth and the future conversion to surface water.

Recommendations... The sixteen regional planning groups recom-mended 562 unique water supply projects to meet the State’s projected needs for additional water sup-plies. If implemented, these projects would result in an additional 9 million acre-feet per year by 2060 to meet the anticipated 8.3 million acre-feet shortfall. The capital cost to design, construct new projects, or implement the recommended water man-

agement strategies is estimated to be $53 billion. This includes conservation, drought management, new reservoirs, water reuse, and the introduction of new water treatment options like desalination plants. To ac-complish this, municipal water suppliers are expected to need nearly $27 billion in state financial assistance. It is anticipated that water supply issues will be assigned high priority during the 83rd Texas Legislative Session. Representative Allan Ritter (R-Nederland), Chair of the House Natural Resources Committee, has filed two important bills. House Bills 4 and 11 call for a one-time transfer of $2 billion from the state’s “rainy day fund” (Economic Stabilization Fund) to capitalize a new, dedicated revolving fund to help pay for water-related infrastructure. On the Senate side, Sen. Troy Fraser, chairman of the Senate Committee on Natural Resources, has introduced Sen-ate Bill 22 that, among other provisions, also calls for the much needed $2 billion funding. This is significant in that passage of such legislation would enable the state to fund its long-range state water plan, and it also lays the groundwork for the fund’s management and operation. The launching pad for this program is a Texas Water Development Bond Amendment (Prop 2), which gained voter approval during the November 8, 2011 general election. This amendment allows the TWDB to authorize bonds on an ongoing basis so long as the dollar amount of bonds outstanding at any one time does not exceed $6 billion. These Prop 2 bonds are self-supporting (i.e., paid for through usage and impact fees). They do not depend on or utilize general revenues.

Making the tough decisions... Invariably, time and adequate rainfall have a way of dulling our senses to the obvious. However, Mother Nature, like all moms, is relentless in reminding us of the consequences of indolence. And she’s reminding us now. With just a handful of reservoirs in some stage of planning or development – with plenty of opposition lined up to delay or defeat their construction -- the state only has 188 major water supply reservoirs to rely on. More are needed. The state’s 1961 planning effort to meet water requirements in 1980 included some insightful advice: “If Texans cannot change the weather, they can at least, through sound, farsighted planning, conserve and develop water resources to supply their needs.” Sound advice indeed.

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Collecting rainwater for your garden is a smart idea; plants like rainwater, because it’s naturally soft, and free of chemicals. If the area is hit with another drought, collecting rainwater is a good way to deal with watering restrictions. You may also find that having a rain barrel is a handy alternative to the garden hose when it comes to watering container plants -- in hanging baskets or pots. It’s surprising how much water can be collected every time it rains. Just a half inch of rain falling on a 1,000-square-foot roof will yield 300 gallons of water! To get a quick idea how much water the roof of your own house might yield, here’s an example. For a modest-sized house, say 30 x 36 ft., with a typical 2 ft. roof overhang, a half inch of rain would yield about 408 gallons of water. That’s enough to fill six standard-size rain barrels.

Try it yourself! It used to be a lot more difficult to find good quality rain barrels, and that meant relying on internet ‘shops’ with pricey shipping costs. Today, however, just about every garden and home improvement store has a selection of the handy containers at reasonable prices. Here’s what you need to set up your own rain harvesting system: 1. Gutters and a Downspout. If you don’t already have rain gutters on your house, this one-time investment will likely be the biggest related cost. High quality gutters can be rather expensive, but even the least-expensive gutter system will suffice.2. Rain Barrel. Select a rainwater container. They are usually made of heavy duty plastic and they come in several colors (e.g., dark green, gray or terra cotta) and can hold various amounts of water. If you want to start small and keep it simple, consider a rain barrel with a water capacity of 40 to 80 gallons of water. If you have the space, several barrels can be set up in tandem. Prices vary, but most quality barrels are about $100-$150 each. 3. Debris Screen and Lid. A “downspout diverter” makes it easy to direct rainwater right into the storage tank. (Check local home improvement stores or the internet for these.) But before the water goes into the rain barrel, it is important to use some kind of debris screen to filter out leaves, pine needles and other debris. If the debris isn’t filtered out, it will accumulate at the bottom of the tank and may clog up the outflow. A removable wire mesh screen is all that is really needed, either mounted on top of the rain barrel or attached to the end of the downspout. A well-fitting lid is also important for safety (to keep pets and children out), and to prevent mosquitoes from breeding in the water. 4. Distribution Device. For a rain barrel, all that’s needed is a standard spigot or short length of hose installed near the bottom of the barrel, with an on/off valve. Then let gravity do the work. A longer hose can be attached to reach your garden, or just use the rain barrel’s spigot to fill watering cans. A downspout diverter, (see example, right), a popular British device that has been adapted to fit American drainspouts, comes in handy when it is difficult to place the rain barrel directly in front of one. If your primary motivation is to collect rainwater for your garden, you don’t need to worry about capturing every inch of rain that falls on your roof. But consider this: If you get about 10-inches of rain over the course of the spring and summer, an average, 1,360-square-foot roof would yield 8,160 gallons of rain water. You have to admit that whether you’re in a drought situation or not, it’s hard to pass up that much of a free thing!

Harvesting the RainRight from Your Roof

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One of the key lessons we learned during this past year of drought is that clean water is important to all of us; for our health and well-being, and to sustain a healthy economy, too. Not only does it supply a habitat for marine life, but clean water provides recreational opportunities, drinking water for our homes, businesses and manufacturing, and even provides the means to generate electricity. We also learned that old Ben Franklin was right when he warned that we wouldn’t “know the worth of water until the well ran dry.” During this past year when it didn’t rain, we stopped taking an adequate supply of clean water for granted, and we paid more attention to things that impact our water resources.

Trouble in the streets... What do motor oil, lawn fertilizers, cigarette butts, grass clippings and pet waste all have in common? They all contribute to what the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) warns is the number one threat to our drinking water supplies... Nonpoint Source Pollution (NPSP). Today, the primary source of oil pollution in North America’s coastal waters isn’t leaking oil tankers or oil rigs, but can be tracked back to countless oil leaks from the more than 235 million cars currently on the road. Drip, drop...cars make daily oil deposits on roadways, parking lots and driveways and neighborhood streets. When it rains, stormwater falls on hard surfaces like roads, roofs, driveways and parking lots. Since it cannot seep into the ground, it runs off to lower areas, carrying with it globs and sheens of oil from paved surfaces into the storm drains...on to creeks and streams...then into bays and estuaries...and finally into the Gulf of Mexico.

Addressing a serious problem... Here are some more statistics about this sneaky kind of water pollution that might surprise you. Illegal dumping of chemicals and toxic waste accounts for less than ten percent of it. Forty percent of water pollution originates with automotive fluids washing off paved surfaces from normal rainfall and cleaning activities. Twenty five years ago, most of the “point-source” pollution -- the kind where the source was easily identified -- was virtually eliminated when industries and wastewater treatment facilities cleaned up their discharge to public waters to comply with the Clean Water Act or face crippling fines.

Making informed choices... So, what can be done to help arrest this growing threat

TOO MUCH...OR TOO LITTLE...RAINFALL CAN BE A PROBLEM!

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to our water supplies? Actually, quite a bit...and some of the measures help solve more than one problem and are aesthetically pleasing, as well! Perhaps the most important thing we can do is to learn about NPSP and do whatever we can to stop it. This is not as difficult as one might assume and one simple ‘message’ sums it up: ONLY RAIN IN THE DRAIN! What goes into the storm drains ends up -- untreated -- in our lakes, rivers and streams. So, good common sense dictates that we recycle or properly dispose of household products that contain chemicals, as well as insecticides, pesticides, paint, solvents, and -- most especially -- used motor oil. Another persistent problem is the improper disposal of pet waste. Americans own 75 million dogs and sadly, an estimated 40 percent of pet owners don’t clean up their dogs’ “deposits” at home or when they are out for a walk. Thanks to major public information campaigns about the impact of ‘pet poop’ on local steams and waterways, people are getting the message from homeowner associations and parks that if their dog makes a deposit in a public place, the owner has a responsibility to scoop the poop and deposit it in the trash or in receptacles provided.

There is growing interest in residential “sustainable infrastructure techniques”. These techniques involve substituting alternatives to areas traditionally covered by nonporous surfaces. Grasses and natural ground cover, for example, can be attractive and practical substitutes for paved driveways, walkways, and patios. Consider constructing wooden decks, gravel or brick paths, and rock gardens to keep the natural ground cover intact and allow rainwater to slowly seep into the ground. This acts as a natural filtering process and reduces harmful water quality impact from rainfall that carries chemicals and pollutants with it into storm sewers and retention ponds, and

eventually into nearby streams and lakes. The bigger picture...

Two thirds of the impervious surfaces in developed communities are in the form of pavement related to automobile usage, so any design or redevelopment options that reduce impervious pavement is a positive step toward improving water quality. Pervious options allow percolation or infiltration of stormwater through the surface into the soil below where the water is naturally filtered and pollutants are removed. Substituting pervious pavements for driveways, low-traffic roads, parking areas, sidewalks, and residential pool decks and patios can make a significant difference in reducing stormwater runoff; replenishing groundwater; reducing flooding; and reducing thermal pollution — the heat given off by pavement baking in the sun. Because of their open structure, the pervious alternatives offer a “cooler” pavement choice. By replenishing water tables and aquifers rather than forcing rainfall into storm sewers, the pervious choice can also help reduce demands on storm sewer systems. When it rains...it’s porous! The technology is really quite simple. The secret to the success of pervious pavements is to provide the water with a place to go, often in the form of an underlying open-graded stone bed. As the water drains through the porous surface and into the stone bed, it slowly seeps into the soil. While these special features are generally more expensive than conventional impervious surface construction, the costs are more than offset by the ability to eliminate many elements of a standard stormwater management system. They say that “necessity is the mother of invention”. As water becomes more expensive, options like installing porous pavements will prove to be more affordable and an important component in sustainable water management strategies.

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www.nfbwa.comc/o Allen Boone Humphries Robinson LLP

3200 Southwest Freeway, Suite 2600Houston, Texas 77027

Take the 10 Gallon Water Conservation Challenge!Make a commitment to use water more efficiently!

Water plays an important role in our lives...in fact, no living thing can survive without it! We can all learn to use water wisely.

If each of us used just 10 gallons less each day, think of how much water we could save by the end of a week! or a month! or a year!

It is amazing how fast the savings will add up!

Take shorter showers = 4-5 gallons per minute

Tell an adult about a leaky faucet or “running” toilet = repair will save 5 to 200 gallons a day

Use a broom instead of a water hose to clean the driveway and sidewalks = 9 gallons per minute

Ask an adult to adjust the irrigation system controller to water a maximum of twice a week – can save up to 40 percent of the water used for this purpose. Turn system OFF during winter months – October – February

Only run the dishwasher with a full load = 12 gallons per load

Wait for a full load before running the washing machine = up to 43 gallons per load

Turn off the faucet while brushing teeth = 4 gallons per minute.

See how easy it will be to save 10 gallons a day!

Things to do...1. Encourage your school

to Proclaim a Water Conservation month.

2. Have a slogan contest and make posters to put up around the school.

3. Calculate how much water your class/school can save in a week, month, year.

4. Create a calendar from students’ water conservation drawings.

Source: www.SaveWaterTexas.com