Water Conservation
The Water Conservation technical working group produces estimates of the amount of conservation that could be achieved to reduce projected demands during each planning period update.
Importance of Water Conservation
Water conservation (conservation) is a key component of demand management and part of the solution to meet long-term water supply needs throughout the CFWI Planning Area. It includes any activity or action that reduces the demand for water, including those that prevent or reduce wasteful or unnecessary uses and those that improve efficiency for necessary uses. Conservation is typically less expensive than developing new water sources or expanding treatment capacity at existing facilities and should be maximized before more costly development options are implemented. While conservation measures have already been implemented in the CFWI Planning Area, additional conservation by all water use categories continues to be a priority.
Implementation of Water Conservation Programs
Effective water conservation programs rely on the participation of local governments, residents, the agricultural community and other users. Water conservation programming for the CFWI Planning Area should:
- Include participation at the local, regional, and State level.
- Identify and secure funding.
- Continue to implement comprehensive public education and outreach programs.
- Develop consistent year-round irrigation rules.
- Encourage use of smart irrigation controllers and irrigation evaluations.
- Expand cost-share programs for agricultural water conservation.
- Include data analysis.
Conservation Efforts by Water Use Category
Water use estimates and projected water demands for CFWI water supply planning are grouped into the six water use categories listed below.
Public Water Supply (PS)
Water conservation estimates for the PS category fall under two types:
- Passive conservation - occurs without water utility intervention, primarily through efficiency standards and codes.
- Active conservation - a broad variety of activities implemented by PS utilities, local governments and water management districts to generate water savings, such as irrigation evaluations, toilet rebates, irrigation restriction enforcement, etc.
Most water utilities in Florida are required to have and implement a water conservation plan. There are heightened regulatory requirements for water conservation plans and goals within the CFWI. Continual evaluation, quantification, and adaptive management of water conservation measures are necessary to maximize water conservation savings.
Agriculture (AG)
Water conservation efforts in the AG water use category are often focused on improving irrigation efficiency. Lower water use could be realized by replacing outdated or inefficient irrigation systems, or by optimizing existing irrigation systems through the addition of soil moisture sensors, automated pump controls and weather-sensing devices. Irrigation scheduling based on crop needs, soil conditions and weather can also improve irrigation efficiency.
Many of the agricultural areas of the CFWI are located within a Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP) and are required to enroll in Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) Best Management Practices (BMP) program. Implementing BMPs can increase water use efficiency. Program participants are also eligible to upgrade to efficient irrigation technologies through FDACS’s cost-share funding.
Domestic Self-Supply (DSS)
Homes that are not supplied water by a utility fall within this category. Potential conservation strategies for residential users include replacing old plumbing fixtures and water-using appliances with water-efficient models, detecting and repairing household water leaks, and installing smart irrigation devices. These users must follow irrigation restrictions specified in water management district rules or in local ordinances. Local governments are encouraged to conduct educational outreach to promote conservation to all users.
Landscape/Recreational Self-Supply (L/R)
The L/R use category includes irrigation water at parks, athletic fields, golf courses, landscaped areas (e.g., homeowners’ association common areas, greenspace at commercial centers and office buildings), roadway medians and cemeteries. Under this category, conservation is encouraged through implementation of Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Program principles, smart irrigation controllers, efficient irrigation system design and scheduling, and maintenance of automatic irrigation systems.
Commercial/Industrial/Institutional (CII) and Power Generation (PG) Self-Supply
The CII water use category includes a wide variety of property types and water uses, including office buildings, industrial facilities, schools, restaurants, beverage production and hospitals. A thorough, site-specific water use audit is the first step in understanding how a facility uses water and identifying conservation opportunities.
PG facilities use large quantities of water for cooling, but most of the water is returned to the source from which it was obtained; therefore, there are minimal efficiency gains to be had in the process. Indoor water use at PG facilities should be optimized by using high-efficiency water-using fixtures and equipment (including high-efficiency HVAC).
Resources
Find additional information about water conservation on these websites: