1. WATER USE MANAGEMENT TOOLS
David Vago, P.E.
NP-00E01561
Small Manufacturers Source Reduction Project

2. David C. Vago, P.E.
BSCE – Michigan Technological University— Concentration
JD – Michigan State University College of Law
11 years with MDOT
3 years with Wayne County DPW (2 as Deputy Director)
25 years in Contract Ops of Water and Wastewater Facilities
PE – Michigan, Ohio, Florida and Delaware
RETAP Analyst since 2013

3. WHY SAVE WATER AND ENERGY?
Operational cost savings
Water, sewer, and energy rates have risen well above inflation.
Saving water saves energy costs for heating and treating water.
Improving fixtures and systems can reduce maintenance calls.
Competitive edge in the green marketplace
More companies are making water conservation a priority.
Reduced risk
Be less vulnerable to fluctuations in water supply or price increases.
Sustainability leadership in the community
Receive recognition for participating in the ENERGY STAR® National Building Competition and the H2Otel Challenge
Source: Final WS_H2Otel_C for Change_ pdf

4. WATER SENSE

5. WATER SENSE – EPA’s best management standard
Source: Final WS_H2Otel_C for Change_ pdf

6. ELEMENTS OF THE WATER SENSE PROGRAM
Making the Business Case - There is a strong business case for water efficiency in commercial and institutional buildings:
Reducing water use lowers cost
Operating and maintaining equipment,
Energy to heat, treat, store, and deliver water.

7. ELEMENTS OF THE WATER SENSE PROGRAM
Making the Business Case
Over the past ten years, the costs of water and wastewater services have risen at a rate well above the consumer price index.
Facility managers can expect these and other utility costs to continue to increase in order to offset the costs of replacing aging water supply systems.

8. ELEMENTS OF THE WATER SENSE PROGRAM
Making the Business Case
Carrying out and communicating water efficiency efforts can position companies and facility managers as leaders in their community who are helping to improve sustainability.
It can also help them pursue recognition in the green marketplace

9. ELEMENTS OF THE WATER SENSE PROGRAM
Planning
Effective water management planning is easily coupled with energy and waste management and follows the same framework used in the ENERGY STAR Guidelines for Energy Management, which consists of these basic steps:
Step 1. Making a commitment
Step 2. Assessing facility water use
Step 3. Setting and communicating goals
Step 4. Creating an action plan
Step 5. Implementing the action plan
Step 6. Evaluating progress
Step 7. Recognizing achievement

10. ELEMENTS OF THE WATER SENSE PROGRAM
Metering
You can't manage what you don't measure.
Tracking a facility's total water use, as well as specific end uses, is a key component of the facility's water-efficiency efforts.
Accurately measuring water use can help facility managers identify areas for targeted reductions and to track progress from water-efficiency upgrades.
Submeters can also help identify leaks and indicate when equipment is malfunctioning.

11. ELEMENTS OF THE WATER SENSE PROGRAM
Leaks
Unfortunately, leaks often go undetected, particularly if a facility is not routinely monitoring its water use.
On average, leaks can account for more than 6 percent of a facility’s total water use.
Identifying and repairing leaks and other water use anomalies within a facility’s water distribution system or from particular processes or equipment can keep a facility from wasting significant quantities of water. As described in the table below, water leaks can add up over time.

12. ASSESMENT TOOLS

13. RESTROOM FIXTURES

14. WATER USE IN COMMERCIAL FACILITIES
Source: Final WS_H2Otel_C for Change_ pdf

15. Restroom fixture data is a priority
Age of Fixtures
Hours of Facility Operation
Number of employees
Male/Female mix
Source: Final WS_H2Otel_C for Change_ pdf

16. What does the tool do?

17. ASSUMPTIONS
The calculations are based on assumptions given in section 3.0 of the EPA publication “Water Sense at Work: Best Management Practices for Commercial and Industrial Facilities”, Publication EPA 832-f , U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Water, October, 2012, which are as follows: • Toilets installed starting in the mid-1970s typically have standard flush volumes of 3.5 gallons per flush (gpf) or 5.0 gpf. • Toilets installed in 1994 or later have standard flush volumes of 1.6 gpf; however, newer dual flush toilets have volumes as low as 1.0 gpf.

18. ASSUMPTIONS
• Average number of times the toilet is flushed per day, is dependent on the facility’s male-to-female ratio. Female building occupants use the toilet three times per day on average, while male building occupants use the toilet once per day on average.
• Average number of times the urinal is flushed per day, is dependent on the number of male building occupants. Male building occupants use the urinal two times per day on average.
The RETAP team assumed 3.5 gpf for old toilets and 1.5 gpf for old urinals
The RETAP team assumed 1.3 gpf for new toilets and 1.0 gpf for new urinals

19. COOLING TOWERS

20. Source: Final WS_H2Otel_C for Change_10-22-15.pdf

21. Evaporation - Not a target for water efficiency Blowdown/bleed-off
Water losses
Evaporation - Not a target for water efficiency
Blowdown/bleed-off
Controls the concentration of total dissolved solids (TDS)
Largest opportunity for water use reduction
Drift
Leaks and Overflow
Source: Final WS_H2Otel_C for Change_ pdf

22. Cycles of concentration
Make-up = Evaporation + Blowdown + Drift (negligible) • Minimize make-up quantity by minimizing blowdown. • Cycles of Concentration is the ratio of the concentration of TDS (i.e., conductivity) in the blowdown water to the conductivity of the make-up water.
Source: Final WS_H2Otel_C for Change_ pdf

23. Cycles of concentration
Cycles of Concentration approximately equal to the ratio of volume of make-up water to blowdown water.
Source: Final WS_H2Otel_C for Change_ pdf

24. Savings potential from increased cycles
Source: Final WS_H2Otel_C for Change_ pdf

25. Monitor water chemistry and flow
Cooling tower bmps
Monitor water chemistry and flow
Install water meters on the make-up and blowdown lines
Use conductivity data to regularly calculate and monitor cycles of concentration
Ensure cooling tower fill valves cut off cleanly
Read water chemistry reports
Source: Final WS_H2Otel_C for Change_ pdf

26. Maximize cycles of concentration
Cooling tower bmps
Maximize cycles of concentration
Choose a water treatment vendor that specializes in water efficiency and will maximize your cycles of concentration
Control your tower’s water chemistry to control scaling and mineral build-up
Check that the ratios of make-up to blowdown water quantities and blowdown to make-up water conductivities are equal
Source: Final WS_H2Otel_C for Change_ pdf

28. Air handler condensate recovery
Water vapor in the air condenses as it comes into contact with an air conditioner’s cooling coils.
Condensate is typically collected in drip pans and sent to the sewer.
Condensate generation ranges from 3 to 10 gallons per day per 1,000 square feet of air-conditioned space.
Perfect for cooling tower make-up water, as it is free of minerals and TDS and cooler than ambient air.
Generated in highest volumes during periods of high cooling loads.
Source: Final WS_H2Otel_C for Change_ pdf

29. Resources for cooling tower guidance
Best Management Practices for Industrial Water Users
Cooling Tower Efficiency Guide for Property Managers

30. Landscaping & irrigation

31. Landscaping A well-designed, healthy, water-efficient landscape
includes:
Healthy soils to promote water infiltration and root growth
Appropriate grading with gentle slopes
Mulching of landscaped beds to keep soils cool and moist
Drought-tolerant, native, or climate/regionally-appropriate plant species
Minimal turf area
Hydrozoning
Source: Final WS_H2Otel_C for Change_ pdf

32. Landscaping – retrofit & replacement
Site preparation
Keep native vegetation and soils.
Minimize soil compaction.
Grade steep slopes, or install plants with deep root zones to minimize erosion.
Plant selection
Select drought-tolerant or climate appropriate plantings.
Incorporate shade trees.
Avoid “strip grass.”
Consider installing rain gardens.
Source: Final WS_H2Otel_C for Change_ pdf

33. Landscaping – potential savings
A water-efficient landscape can reduce irrigation water use by up to 50 percent.
A water-efficient landscape can also provide ancillary benefits, such as reduced fertilizer use, maintenance, and fuel use.
Source: Final WS_H2Otel_C for Change_ pdf

34. irrigation
Experts estimate that up to 50 percent of water used for irrigation is lost due to wind, evaporation, and overwatering caused by:
Poor irrigation system design
Improper system installation and management
Lack of maintenance
Improper scheduling
Source: Final WS_H2Otel_C for Change_ pdf

35. Irrigation o & m bmpS Irrigation system operation
Update irrigation schedules regularly.
Schedule each individual zone separately.
Install and monitor water meters to indicate inefficiencies or leaks
Irrigation system maintenance
Audit your irrigation system using an irrigation professional certified by a WaterSense labeled program.
Periodically monitor the effectiveness of the system throughout the irrigation season.
Move or adjust sprinkler components to avoid watering of pavement or other hardscapes.
Source: Final WS_H2Otel_C for Change_ pdf

36. Irrigation system retrofits
Irrigation system controllers and sensors
Replace existing, timer-based controllers with a WaterSense
labeled weather-based irrigation controller (WBIC).
Ensure WBIC is installed and programmed properly by professional.
Consider installing a soil moisture sensor or rain sensor programmed to bypass irrigation when it
is not needed.
Consider installing other
sensors, such as wind or
freeze sensors.
Source: Final WS_H2Otel_C for Change_ pdf

37. Additional resources http://www.epa.gov/watersense/ WaterSense at Work
Water Conservation - Resource Listing
Water Conservation Summary Checklists
NP-00E01561

38. QUESTIONS/COMMENTS