1. GRAYWATER CURRICULUM

2. Welcome to QWEL: Graywater 2 Mission Statement The Qualified Water Efficient Landscaper (QWEL) training presents an affordable local approach to reducing landscape water demand. QWEL provides graduates with knowledge in water efficient and sustainable landscape practices including water management and preservation of other valuable resources.

3. Welcome to QWEL: Graywater Welcome to the QWEL Graywater class. This graywater class is offered as a module to the Base QWEL Program, a United States Environmental Protection Agency WaterSense program. If you are a QWEL graduate you will receive the “Graywater Specialty” certification on completion of this course. For more information on QWEL and specialty classes in your area please visit: http://www.qwel.net/ 3

4. Graywater Overview 4

5. 5 Where your water comes from Plant and product considerations How to use graywater safely and to code How to calculate and determine water budgets How to build a laundry to landscape system How to build a gravity-fed shower & sink system How to install a valve actuator When to use a pump Overview of high tech systems In these classes you will learn:

6. Certification Requirements 6 In-class multiple choice test; must receive a passing grade of 75% or higher Two laundry to landscape installations or one simple branched drain system. Site installation forms will be provided and must be completed in accordance to the code. Completed forms must be submitted and reviewed by the WaterNow Alliance.

7. Class 1 Objectives Water in Fresno County Supply Transmission Water efficiency Behavioral Hardware Graywater Definitions Uses Certification Requirements

8. 8 The major source of potable water comes from underground aquifers ▪260 Pump Stations (wells) - 119,864 af pumped in 2011 Surface water supplies supplement groundwater ▪Central Valley Project – 60,000 af ▪Fresno Irrigation District via Kings River - 12,285 af in 2011 WHERE DOES YOUR WATER COME FROM GROUNDWATER & SURFACE WATER

9. Where your water comes from Water Supply & Transmission System 9

10. WHERE DOES YOUR WATER COME FROM SURFACE WATER Fresno receives surface water supplies fed by precipitation and snow melt from the Kings and San Joaquin watersheds United States Bureau of Reclamation via the Central Valley Project San Joaquin River Fresno Irrigation District via Kings River supplies Both sources are supplied via the Enterprise Canal, a 25- mile mile circuitous, open channel that winds its way through ag and urban settings

11. In 2004, treated surface water from the Surface Water Treatment Facility (SWTF) began augmenting groundwater to create a more balanced water supply.

12. WHERE DOES YOUR WATER COME FROM GROUND WATER The Fresno Sole Source Aquifer is the large underground water system that supplies many communities in the San Joaquin Valley, including Reedley and Clovis Water production wells are drilled to extract water from the aquifer. Water is then distributed through pipelines to individual customer services.

13. WHERE DOES YOUR WATER COME FROM GROUND WATER Fresno, Clovis, and Reedley pump more water from the ground than they put back each year. Groundwater levels are dropping by approximately one foot each year. What we know: there is a limited amount of water and at the current rate of depletion, groundwater will be increasingly harder and more expensive to reach

14. WHERE YOUR WATER COMES FROM RECYCLED WATER Recycled water projects reduce demand on potable-water and the watershed Recycled water can be used to irrigate landscapes, school yards, parks, golf courses, vineyards, farms, traffic islands, and for energy production Recycled water is currently used in small amounts in select areas of the city 2025 Goal: Use 11% recycled water targeted specifically for irrigation use

15. CURRENT USES FOR RECYCLED WATER In 2013, the RWRF provided ~9,406 acre feet (3.06 billion gallons) of recycled water to farmers. Remaining recycled water is sent to 1,700 acres of ponds to percolate into the ground. FUTURE USES Will be used in place of potable water for non-potable applications such as the irrigation of freeway landscaping, nurseries, and industrial applications, thus preserving higher quality water for other essential uses. WHERE DOES YOUR WATER COME FROM RECYCLED WATER Fresno-Clovis Regional Wastewater Reclamation Facility (RWRF) treats 68 million gallons of wastewater every day

16. LOCAL PROGRAMS Fresno Restrictions All information is available on the City of Fresno on the Fresno.gov website – Easiest to google “Fresno Conservation”

17. WATER CONSERVATION (559) 621-5300 waterconservation@fresno.gov Google “Fresno water conservation“ for website

18. NATURAL STORMWATER SOLUTION RAINWATER HARVESTING Rain garden Cistern Bio swale

19. WHERE YOUR WATER COMES CENTRAL VALLEY FRIENDLY LANDSCAPING Central Valley Friendly Landscaping: Landscapes that strive to protect and conserve our water and other natural resources can receive the designation Central Valley Friendly. There are seven Landscape Principles and nine Required Practices that are utilized in a Central Valley Friendly landscape. http://ucanr.edu/sites/cvlandscape/

20. Central Valley Friendly Landscaping: 7 Principles #1 Conserve water and ensure water quality #2 Conserve energy and protect air quality #3 Nurture the soil #4 Reduce garden waste or send less to the landfill #5 Practice Integrated Pest Management #6 Select appropriate plants #7 Create and protect wildlife habitat WHERE YOUR WATER COMES CENTRAL VALLEY FRIENDLY LANDSCAPING

21. Average Indoor Water Use in California Average Water Use for Sonoma County = 119 gallons/person/day 21

22. Water Efficient Technologies- Hardware Outdoor Water Efficiency Water-Wise Landscaping Native, water-efficient plant selection Practical “fit for use” turf areas efficient irrigation drip irrigation smart controllers Recycled municipal water Indoor Water Efficiency High-efficiency fixtures showerheads faucets clothes washer machines toilets 22

23. Water Efficient Technologies- Behavioral 23 Turn water off when brushing teeth Take shorter showers Use a bucket and sponge to wash vehicles Regularly adjust the landscape irrigation schedule Use appropriate load size on washing machines Dishwasher - Only run full loads

24. Statewide Water Conservation Programs 24 CUWCC Water Savings from 1994 – 2008

25. How much water can an average home save with conservation? Replacing an older toilet 17,000 gallons per year Replacing an old showerhead 2,300 gallons per year Replacing an older washing machine 8,000 gallons per year Installing a faucet aerator 1,500 gallons per year 25 Source: www.h2ouse.org Turf replacement with low water use plants 40-90% reduction in irrigation use per year Weather-based irrigation controller Approx. 20% reduction in irrigation use per year

26. How much water is used? 10 minute shower 3.5 gpm shower head = 35 gallons 2.5 gpm shower head = 25 gallons 2.0 gpm* shower head = 20 gallons 1.5 gpm shower head = 15 gallons *Current CalGreen Plumbing Code Dishwasher 4-15 gal p/cycle 26 1 load of laundry Old Models: = 30-50+ gallons HEW High Efficiency Washers = 15-25 gallons Toilet CalGreen Plumbing Standards: 2013 – 1.28 gal p/flush 1980 – 1994 – up to 7 gal p/flush

27. How much money can be saved with water conservation? Average US household spends $500 per year on water $170 per year savings with conservation on water If all US households used water efficient appliances: 3 trillion gallons = $18 billion per year on water 27 Statistics from EPA WaterSense program

28. How much energy is used to pump and treat water? American water supply and treatment consume 56 billion kilowatt hours per year Enough to power more than 5 million homes for a year Letting your faucet run for 5 minutes = 14 hours of using a 60 watt light bulb 28 Statistics from EPA WaterSense program

29. Embedded Energy in CA's Water State wide: 19% of electricity, and 30% of natural gas are used for water (pumping, treating, distributing, heating) 29 Image from CPUC Embedded Energy in Water Studies

30. Activity 1: Water Conservation Questions 30 Work with a partner to answer water conservation questions! Marc will save 30 gallons per week; 120 gallons per month; 1,440 gallons per year Joanna would save 5 gallons per day and 155 gallons per month. Marla could install a graywater system!

31. What is Graywater? Graywater is wastewater generated from domestic activities such as laundry and bathing, which can be recycled on-site for uses such as landscape irrigation and constructed wetlands.

32. Sources of Graywater Graywater (allowed for reuse) Showers/baths Clothes Washer Sinks (bathroom sinks) Blackwater (NOT allowed for reuse) Toilets Clothes Washer w/ diaper wash water, greasy rags, other chemicals Kitchen sinks or dishwashers 32

33. How much water could be saved by using graywater? Laundry to Landscape 27 gallons/load 2.64 persons/home 0.37 loads/person/day Estimated daily household water savings = 26.4 gallons Estimated annual household water savings (assuming 8 mo of irrigation)= 6,400 gallons If 10% of homes installed laundry graywater systems we would save over 140 million gallons of water each year. (based on a population of 600,000) 33

34. Benefits of Graywater 34 Saves water Saves energy used to produce and distribute potable water; along with energy saved from the transport and treatment of wastewater Returns nutrients to the soil Reduces demand on septic systems and wastewater treatment plants Allows septic systems to work more efficiently less detergent reduces the amount of salts in the septic systems salts are the active dispersant element in detergents excessive salt concentration may have a detrimental impact on septic tank performance Connects homeowners or customers to how much water they are using

35. Ways to Use Graywater Outdoor irrigation- low tech: Gravity fed Outdoor irrigation- high tech: Filtration, Tanks, Pumps Treated for indoor Toilet flushing Cooling tower makeup water 35

36. What’s in Graywater If it goes down the drain it ends up in the water Nutrients Food Grease Hair 36 Lint Bacteria Chemicals Soap, cleaning products, etc

37. Cleaning Products Affect Graywater Quality Things to avoid for happy plants: Salt (sodium compounds)‏ Boron (borate)‏ Chlorine bleach (hydrogen peroxide bleach okay) 37 Recommended products: salt & boron free Liquid laundry detergent Oasis, ECOS, Biopac, Soap alternatives Soap nuts, “wonder balls”

38. WHERE YOUR WATER COMES FROM Questions and Comments Examples of beautiful, water-efficient sustainable landscapes. Photos: Martin Fletcher, California Gardens.com.