Stewards from various backgrounds – golf course design, environmentalism, academia – convened in Tucson, Ariz., on Aug. 31, to address “The Intelligent Use of Water.” The third annual summit, which took place at the University of Arizona, was sponsored by Rain Bird.
The panelists discussed threats to our finite water supply: global warming, pollution and, especially, a growing U.S. population.
They outlined the dire need for a change in the way Americans think of and consume water. In fact, most Americans take water for granted, said moderator Robert Glennon, a law professor at the University of Arizona who specializes in water law and has authored several books on water conservation. He noted several successfully implemented conservations programs, like installing water meters in homes and upgrading faulty irrigation systems, but urged policymakers to take it a step further and add a value to water.
“My plea is that we look very seriously at what people pay for water,” Glennon said. “We don’t event pay for water. We pay for the water company to treat and provide it, but there is no commodity charge for water in the United States.” Appealing to the public’s pocketbook, he says, is one powerful way to draw attention to conservation.
Joanna Kind, representing the EPA's WaterSense program, speaks to a crowd of about 100 at the "Intelligent Use of Water Summit III" in Tucson, Ariz., on Aug. 31. |
Speaking directly to landscape and irrigation contractors was Environmental Scientist Joanna Kind of Eastern Research Group, the Environmental Protection Agency’s main consultant for its new WaterSense program.
WaterSense, which the EPA introduced this summer, is a voluntary program (similar to the agency’s EnergyStar effort) that seeks to promote water efficiency and enhance the market for water-efficient products and services. Its vision is to create an ethic of water efficiency by helping Americans make decisions about water and the environment.
Not surprisingly, landscape irrigation is one end use the program has in its line of sight. “Nationally, 30 percent of water is used outdoors – that’s 7.8 billion gallons per day,” Kind said. "The Environmental Protection Agency views landscape irrigation as a part of the solutio, rather than part of the problem.
She outlined the landscape-related goals of WaterSense: improve the performance of irrigation systems through good products and efficient installation and reduce landscape irrigation needs with proper plant selection and soil amendments.
To that end, the EPA expects to release a certification program for irrigation professionals this fall. Initially, categories for this certification include irrigation auditor, irrigation installation and maintenance professional and irrigation designer. The agency expects to introduce a product-oriented labeling effort for controllers in 2007 and for drip irrigation in 2008.
Future activities include labeling certification programs for landscape professionals and labeling other products and best practices. To learn more, visit www.epa.gov/watersense.