Water and climate are inextricably linked—climate impacts often manifest as water problems. Warmer temperatures and changing weather patterns affect water sources, placing tremendous stress on water reliability, accessibility, and quality.
Increased precipitation in areas like the Midwest, Northeast, and Southeast has led to excessive flooding, erosion, pollution runoff, and damage to surface water and drinking sources.
Extensive drought in the American West has depleted regional water sources and threatened waterways and reservoirs. Rising sea levels and superstorms along the seaboards have compromised coastal aquifers and wetlands.
And that’s just a short list of early climate change impacts.
According to the World Resources Institute, two-thirds of the global population will live in water-stressed areas by 2025 as a result of climate change, population growth, rising consumption rates, unsustainable withdrawals, poor infrastructure, and weak local governance.
As the stress on our water supply continues to increase, comprehensive net-zero strategies are becoming essential—and cost-effective.
The formula for developing a successful management strategy isn’t complicated, but it does take forethought. Here are three steps to take:
Humans consume about 9,087 billion cubic meters of water per year, a number that is increasing by nearly 2 percent annually. The leading offenders are China, India, and the United States, consuming 1,207 billion, 1,182 billion, and 1,053 billion cubic meters respectively, followed by Brazil at 482 billion.
In the United States, skyrocketing population growth is intensifying water demand beyond current capacity limits. This is especially true in the West, where experts predict 100 percent growth in Nevada and Arizona by 2030, 60 percent in Texas, and upwards of 30 percent in California and Colorado.
Already experiencing dramatic shortages, some of these high-growth areas are implementing stringent policies, regulations, pricing structures, reporting, and drought contingency plans to manage water availability.
As the need to solve for water availability becomes increasingly dire, so too is the urgency to address quality: Our dilapidated infrastructure and high levels of water pollution places the United States at a shocking 64th position in the World Health Organization’s drinking water quality assessment.
While power production and agriculture account for the majority of water use in the United States, managing water in homes and buildings is paramount.
Everyone in the building industry, or in business for that matter, should be paying attention to water, as it is the number one prohibiting factor to growth: If there is no water, there will be no permits.
Unfortunately, archaic laws sometimes stand in the way of common-sense solutions. Nonetheless, net-zero water is now an attainable goal through the deployment of technologies and strategies that address conservation, monitoring, recycling, and environmentally appropriate discharging practices.
States and cities from coast to coast are tackling scarcity through the implementation of stringent policies and pricing mechanisms:
Offset programs proliferate as well, requiring that builders and developers submit net-zero water plans to get project approvals.
Exploding water tap fees have contributed to surging home prices and development delays in markets like Fort Collins, Colo., where hookup costs have increased by up to 400 percent.
Bainbridge Island, Wash., and Osceola, Fla., are examples of cities that have placed temporary moratoriums on building due to depleted water sources.
Fortunately, the water sector is experiencing substantial innovation and technological advances that provide solutions for any water management plan.
Low flow faucets, showerheads, toilets, and appliances are a must-have in the net-zero equation. According to the EPA, modern low-flow faucets reduce flow by 30 percent, saving approximately 700 gallons a year (the equivalent of 40 showers). Low-flow toilets now use 1.28 gallons or less per flush, reducing water use by 54 percent and saving homeowners as much as $110 per year.
When it comes to homes, more than 50 percent of water is used in bathrooms—showers and baths account for approximately 25-30 percent, and toilets make up about 20-25 percent. Graywater systems, like Greyter , capture and reuse shower and bath water so that it can be used again for flushing, reducing interior household use by as much as 25 percent.
Leak detection and water monitoring systems, like Phyn , also play a pivotal role, automatically shutting off when leaks are detected and also offering homeowners insights into how they’re using water and where savings can be achieved.
Outdoors, smart irrigation systems, like Rachio , can create tailored schedules that meet a yard or garden’s specific watering needs (based on climate, seasonality, weather, and other factors,) dramatically reducing use and saving up to 50 percent on bills. Organic lawn care strategies and xeriscaping (planting native and drought-resistant vegetation) can also save water, time, and money.
Other important innovations include:
In combination with innovations, programs are starting to gain traction, such as the Water Efficiency Rating Score , or WERS, a performance-based rating for residential water efficiency.
Certainly, there is no one-size-fits-all approach for reaching net-zero water, but codes and regulations will play an important big role. And, of course, increased consumer awareness will be paramount, requiring a combination of education and incentives to facilitate a behavioral paradigm shift.
How do we do that? Look for answers in the next installment of this Net Zero Everything blog series.
To learn more about getting to net zero energy, water, and carbon, watch our recent webinar about the topic.