Successful water efficiency programs for non-residential water customers

1. Successful water efficiency programs for non-residential water customers • Judy Adler, P.E. • Pollution Prevention Assistance Division (P2AD)

2. Today’s Discussion • Georgia Water Supply Issues • Who is P2AD? • Water Efficiency Benefits • Ways to Encourage Water Efficiency • Steps to Develop a Successful Water Efficiency Program • Water Efficiency Success Stories

3. Dry2k: The drought in Georgia • Georgia experienced four years of drought from 1998 through 2002 • Georgia’s population has grown to over eight million • Predicted growth of 1.3 million people every decade • Chattahoochee/Lake Lanier will not supply growth after 2030 without reduced demand or additional water supplies

4. ICI Definitions • Industrial • manufacturers or processors of materials • e.g. textile, pulp and paper, metal finishing • Commercial • provide or distribute a product or service • e.g. hotels, restaurants, office buildings • Institutions • dedication to public service (regardless of public/private ownership) • e.g. schools, churches, hospitals, government facilities (including water and wastewater utilities)

5. What is P2AD ? • A non-regulatory division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources • P2AD provides confidential, free assistance to clients who want to reduce resource usage, waste, and emissions. • These services are available to all Georgia manufacturers, commercial businesses, institutions, and farmers

6. P2AD Water/Wastewater Services • Water audits • On-site wastewater pollution prevention and water efficiency assessments • Facilitation of water efficiency/waste reduction teams • Information center • Workshops and onsite training • Recognition programs

7. Georgia Environmental Partnership • Pollution Prevention Assistance Division (P2AD) • Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering (BAE), University of Georgia • Economic Development Institute (EDI), Georgia Tech

8. Water Management Hierarchy Don’t put all your efforts on the backend!

9. Water Reuse Wastewater Treatment/Water Supply and Treatment Water Management Hierarchy Water Conservation/ Water Pollution Prevention Increasing Cost

10. Benefits of Water Efficiency Programs to Industrial, Commercial, and Institutional Facilities • Water and sewer cost savings • Wastewater treatment savings • Energy cost savings • Improved product competitiveness • Easement of regulatory burdens • Reduced environmental impact • Enhanced company image $

11. Benefits of Water Efficiency Programs to Water and Wastewater Utilities • Increase the life of existing raw water supplies • Minimize the impact of drought • Postpone water and sewer infrastructure development • Water and wastewater treatment operations savings • energy savings • chemical savings • sludge handling savings $

12. How can water & wastewater utilities encourage their non-residential customers to conserve water? • Educate ICI customers about economic and environmental benefits of conservation • one-on-one conversations • brochures, bill stuffers, fact sheets • Encourage conservation through pretreatment programs • Mass-based vs. concentration-based effluent limits • Refer ICI customers to P2AD for free, confidential assistance • Practice what you preach!

13. Steps for a Successful Water Efficiency Program • Step 1 – Establish commitment and goals • Step 2 – Line up support and resources • Step 3 – Conduct water audit • Step 4 – Identify and prioritize water management options • Step 5 – Prepare a plan and implementation schedule • Step 6 – Track results and publicize success • Step 7 – Periodically review and revise program

14. Assistance Resources • P2AD & Georgia Environmental Partnership • Water and Wastewater Utilities • communicate water conservation efforts • consider water conservation effects on wastewater pollutant concentrations • Internet • Waterwiser www.waterwiser.org • Water Efficiency Manual wrrc.p2pays.org/industry/water.htm • P2AD www.p2ad.org

15. Concentration vs. Mass Based Limits Actual Flow 1000 gals/day Flow Limit BOD Limit mg/l Actual BOD

16. Misc. 1% Unknown Leaks 6% 2% Process Uses 13% Domestic 3% Cooling/ Heating 19% Once-through Washing/ Cooling Sanitation 14% 42% Water Audit • Collect background information • Walk-through survey • Water balance • Determine true cost of water • water and sewer bills • energy for heating water and pumping • wastewater treatment costs • water treatment costs

17. Energy Policy Act • Effective January 1, 1994 • Water efficiency plumbing standards • 5% water savings nationwide by 2010 • 8% water savings nationwide by 2020

18. Brainstorm and Prioritize Water Efficiency Measures Common Efficiency Measures • Recycle process water • Use domestic water efficiency techniques • Change operation practices • Adjust cooling tower blowdown • Repair leaks • Install high pressure, low flow/automatic shut-off spray nozzles • Turn off equipment when not in use • Water efficient landscaping/irrigation

19. Track Results and Publicize Success • Internal • use bulletin boards , e-mails, and newsletters to post progress reports • reward employees • External – apply for P2AD’s recognition programs: • Pollution Prevention Partners • Annual Governor’s Award Periodically Review Program and Revise Plan & Goals

20. Water Efficiency Success Stories • Hyatt Regency • Atlanta, GA • low-flow showerheads • faucet aerators • infrared sensors on faucets • gray water (laundry) filtration and reuse for landscaping • 13,663,000 gallons per year reduction • $50,416 annual savings

21. Water Efficiency Success Stories • Clayton County Water Authority • Jonesboro, GA • Water audit at three water reclamation facilities • Saved 180,000 gallons/month at Shoal Creek WRF by converting chlorinator and washdown water to reclaimed water instead of potable water • Saved 650,000 gallons/month at Northeast WRF by using reclaimed water for polymer mix and sludge press belt wash • Saved 1,300,000 gallons/month at W.B. Casey WRF by converting chlorinators to reuse water and changing water seal pumps to mechanical seals • Reclaimed water for irrigation

22. Water Efficiency Success Stories • Southwire Company • Carrollton, GA • Management commitment: “I want every Southwire facility to develop and implement a long-term action plan for water management with annual targets for improvement” – Roy Richards, CEO • Seven-step water efficiency program • Reduced filter backwash, cooling blowdown • Water usage reduction of 40,000,000 gallons in 2000 compared to 1999 • P3 Partner, 1998 Governor’s Award

23. Water Efficiency Success Stories Unilever Home & Personal Care Cartersville, GA • water conservation task force • reuse non-contact cooling water and collected rainwater in manufacturing processes • 77% reduction in effluent volume • $20,000/year in potable water savings • $85,000/year in savings for testing, maintenance, and labor fees • P3 Partner, 2000 P2AD Governor’s Award Winner, and 2000 & 2001 GW&PCA Award Winner

24. Water Efficiency Success Stories • SI Corporation-Chickamauga, GA • SIERRA Team • Closed loop recovery/reuse of cooling water • RO filtration and reuse of wastewater from loom washing • $1,456,920 in water and sewer savings • Capital cost avoidance for expansion of City of Chickamauga water treatment plant expansion • P3 Partner, 2000 P2AD Governor’s Award Winner, 1998 & 1999 GW&PCA Award Winner

25. Water Efficiency Success Stories • Golden State Foods • Conyers, GA • Set up waste reduction/water conservation team • Employee participation by connecting water conservation to individual employee evaluation process • Reduced flow to wastewater pretreatment plant by 2.7 million gallons in 1998 • Saved $19,000/year in purchased water costs • Saved $25,000/year in wastewater pretreatment costs • P3 Partner and 1999 Governor’s Award Winner

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