Water Efficiency and Conservation Practices

Building Water Efficiency and Conservation

• Center for Resource Conservation - promotes water conservation in Colorado.
• Energy and Water Conservation Design Guide - this document describes conservation and efficiency practices for US Army sustainment, restoration and modernization (SRM) and MILCON projects.
• California Urban Water Conservation Council - promotes water conservation in California cities and regions.
• National Institutes for Water Resources - links to state water institutes.
• Be Water Wise - by the Metro Water District of Southern California and the Family of Southern California Water Agencies.
• Alliance for Water Awareness and Conservation - a coalition of 25 regional organizations in southern California.
• Watersmart Guidebook: a water-use efficiency plan review guide for new businesses - produced by the East Bay Municipal Utility District in 2008, this guide contains practical water efficiency and conservation information for all users. Specific information is aimed at twenty different business types.
• Water Efficiency in the Commercial Sector (EPA) - this is an EPA WaterSense white paper that seeks input for developing a WaterSense CI sector program. It includes potential conservation measures and overviews of existing commercial and institutional efficiency programs.

Power Plants, District Plants, HVAC & Equipment

• Heating and Cooling Generation and Distribution Systems - part of the Army's Energy and Water Conservation Design Guide.

Fixtures

• Water Sense - the EPA's water efficiency certification program.

Appliances

• High Efficiency Clothes Washers (CUWCC) - the California Urban Water Conservation Council's site includes standards and water factors for HEWs.

• Hot Water Circulating Systems - chilipepperapp.com 

• Solar Assisted Recirculating Loop - to heat water

• Water Heater - How it works - Popular Mechanics

• Water Heaters and Energy Efficiency - Home Energy Magazine

Commercial Food and Laundry

• Sustainable Foodservice - provides information, resources and operational assistance for foodservice operators interested in sustainability.
• Commercial Food Service (AWE) - the Alliance for Water Efficiency's site on water efficient food service. It includes an overview of opportunities included the results of implementation studies.
• Best Practices (FSTC) - this website contains a download for the Food Service Technology Center's "Water Conservation in Commercial Foodservice."
• Commercial Kitchens Initiative (CEE) - the Consortium for Energy Efficiency website links to Energy Star which contains specifications, qualifying product lists, and savings calculators for commercial dishwashers, ice machines, pre-rinse sprayers, and steamers.

Medical and Laboratory

• Water Efficiency Guide for Laboratories (DOE/EPA) - this guide suggests methods for cost-effective improvements in water efficiency with changes in conventional systems and those unique to the research environment. It is one in a series of best practices for laboratories, produced by Laboratories for the 21st Century ("Labs 21").
• Medical Facilities and Laboratories (EBMUD) - this excert is from EBMUD's Water Smart Guide.

Landscape Practices and Xeriscape

• Sustainable Practices for Designed Landscapes (CEQ) - released by the COuncil on Environmental Quality, this guidance describes strategies on how to achieve sustainable Federal landscape practices

• Backyard Conservation Tip Sheets – USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
• Stormwater Toolbox – (Green Values) - originally developed primarily for use by planners, engineers and other municipal staff, this site contains information, calculators, and resources related to Green Infrastructure.
• Creating a Water-wise Landscape – Virginia Tech Coop Extension

• Desert Landscaping: Plants for a Water-Scarce Environment (CD-ROM) – University of Arizona’s Water Resources Research Center

• Landscape Water Conservation...Xeriscape – Texas A&M Agricultural Extension

• Outdoor Residential Water Conservation – Arizona Department of Water Resources

• Mid-Atlantic Region Green Landscaping – Environmental Protection Agency

• Trees, Water & People - helping communities develop sustainable forests and watersheds

• Water Conservation Garden – San Diego County, CA

• Water-Efficient Gardening & Landscaping – University of Missouri Extension

• Water Efficient Landscape Planner - free downloadable software program from the EPA

• Watersmart – Cobb County-Marietta Water Authority, Georgia

• Wild Ones – promoting landscaping using native species

• Xeriscape - A New Kind of Landscaping - Ft. Collins, CO

• Xeriscape Colorado! - promoting creative approaches to water conserving landscapes

• Xeriscape Guide - extensive on-line Xeriscape resource from University of Georgia

Irrigation

• Efficient Irrigation - proper selection of irrigation methods.

• Efficient Use of Water in Gardens and Landscapes - Texas A&M Agrilife.

• Best Management Practices for Irrigation - the Irrigation Association.

• Irrigation & Green Industry Network - information on irrigation.

• Irrigation Training and Research Center - Cal Poly - San Luis Obispo, CA.

• Texas A&M School of Irrigation - research and educational programs.

• U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Water Resources Research Laboratory - water conservation research for irrigation systems.

• U.S. Arid-Land Agricultural Research Center - irrigation research.

• Wateright - assistance with irrigation scheduling.

• Virtual Library - Irrigation and Hydrology.

Stormwater Management and Low Impact Development

A list of sources for stormwater management and low impact development.

• SELECT Model (WERF) - SELECT is a simple planning level tool that allows the comparison of alternative scenarios for controlling stormwater pollution.

Conservation Guidelines

• TWDB Report 362 - the Water Conservation Best Management Practices Guide (2004) produced by the Water Conservation Implementation Task Force. It includes BMPs for municipal, industrial, agricultural, and land management systems users.

Planning

Lessons Learned from the Y-12 National Security Complex Water Assessment (DOE) - this case study covers FEMP BMP on Water Management Planning.