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Introduction The Federal Energy Management Program estimates that Federal-sector expenditures for water and sewer run between $0.5 billion and $1 billion annually. The Federal government could save as much as $240 million annually by implementing water conservation measures. Water conservation is an integral part of the Air Force's Energy and Pollution Prevention strategies. Even in areas where water is a plentiful commodity, maximizing the efficient use of water resources can result in both monetary and environmental benefits. This fact sheet discusses the importance of water conservation and presents a general discussion of the regulations and policies that require and guide water conservation efforts at Air Force installations. Much of the information in this fact sheet is derived from the joint-service Military Handbook MIL-HDBK-1165, "Water Conservation," April 1997, which is the primary guidance document in use by the Department of Defense. (Copies of the handbook are available from PRO-ACT. Electronic copies can also be found on the Construction Criteria Base [CCB] CD-ROM.) Important Terms Blackwater - water collected from toilets, dishwashers, and kitchen sinks and contains human or food wastes and requires extensive treatment before being returned to beneficial use. Comprehensive Facility Audit - the process by which all water-consuming equipment at a facility is examined and/or monitored to determine water usage, water losses, and associated costs. Drought Management Plan - a comprehensive plan, developed from input from all the local water users, which outlines water practices to be observed during drought conditions. Demand-Side Management - management strategies to reduce water use at the facility or building level through the use of devices and techniques that reduce water consumption or "demand" by the end users (e.g., low-flow shower heads). Gain Sharing - incentive systems allocating some portion of savings resulting from gains in productivity to the workers who produce those gains. Graywater - water collected from showers, bathroom sinks, and laundries that can be put to certain beneficial uses after minimal treatment. Lifecycle Cost - the cost incurred over the life of a system. Marginal Cost - the change in cost when water demand increases or decreases. Prioritization Survey - a rapid assessment performed at the agency level to assess the overall picture of water use and losses. The survey targets installations for further investigation, identifies any exempt facilities, and establishes highest priority facilities for comprehensive facility audits. Shared Energy Performance Contracting/Energy Savings Performance Contracting (ESPC) - a method of contracting where the contractor incurs the cost of implementing water conservation measures including the audit, project design, as well as equipment acquisition, installation, and operation & maintenance. In return, the contractor gains a share of any resulting water conservation cost savings. Supply-Side Management - strategies that are independent of the water user and can be centrally managed by the public works office or "suppliers," resulting in improved water efficiency and a reduction in distribution system losses. Water Conservation - any beneficial reduction in water use or water losses. Water Conservation Plan - a comprehensive plan to manage water resources and implement water conservation measures as funds become available or the measures become feasible. Water Reclamation - recovering water from the effluent of a waste treatment facility to use for another purpose such as golf course irrigation. Water Recycling - using water within the same process such as converting a once-through water cooling system to a multiple pass system. Water Reuse - using water from one process on another such as taking water from a cooling tower and using it to irrigate a housing area. XeriscapeT - from the Greek word xeros, meaning dry, the term was coined in 1980 by the Denver Water Department to describe water-efficient landscaping. It involves the strategic selection, placement, and maintenance of plants/soil/irrigation techniques and equipment that optimize water use. Applicable Regulations and Guidance The Energy Policy Act of 1992 (EPACT), a wide-ranging effort to change the use of energy and water in the U.S., requires Federal agencies to implement cost-effective water conservation measures with payback periods of less than 10 years. As a follow-up to EPACT, Executive Order (EO) 12902, Energy Efficiency and Water Conservation at Federal Facilities," was issued 8 March 1994. EO 12902 requires all federal agencies to assess and, where cost-effective, implement measures to improve the efficiency of Federal water use. This document continues to be the primary driving force behind water conservation projects at military installations. Subsequent instructions, memoranda, and guidance documents focus on compliance with this order. The EO requires Federal agencies to perform a prioritization survey on each of its facilities to determine the order in which they will receive comprehensive facility audits. Ten percent of the comprehensive facility audits are to take place each year beginning March 1996 and ending March 2005. Within 6 months of completion of the comprehensive facility audit, the facility must begin to implement any recommended water conservation technologies. The EO also requires Federal agencies to submit annual progress reports to the Department of Energy and the Office of Management and Budget. Air Force Instruction (AFI) 32-1067 "Water Systems," 25 March 1994, defines responsibilities and provides guidance to help Base Civil Engineering operate and maintain water and wastewater systems. The overall objective is to efficiently and effectively operate and maintain potable water systems, and domestic and industrial wastewater systems, while protecting the environment. Facilities are to use municipal or regional water supply and wastewater systems where feasible. The AFI requires water conservation to be part of a comprehensive water resource management plan and that conservation procedures, wastewater reuse, and other innovative approaches be followed to preserve water supplies and minimize waste. AFI 32-7041, "Water Quality Compliance," 13 May 1994 applies to the generation, collection, treatment, reuse, and disposal of domestic and industrial wastewater, storm water, non-point source runoff, sewage sludge, and water treatment residuals. Section 2.19.1 of the AFI encourages the reuse of wastewater for aquifer recharge and irrigation purposes. Permits may be required and base environmental management office should be consulted before reusing wastewater. The "Air Force Pollution Prevention Strategy," Secretary of the Air Force Memorandum, 24 July 1995, includes the following conservation objectives: 1) implement a comprehensive program to accomplish cost-effective water conservation in all existing installations and energy systems; 2) develop and apply incentive programs such as gain sharing, shared energy performance contracting, and utility demand-side management programs; 3) design and construct new facilities to minimize the life-cycle cost of the facility by utilizing energy efficiency techniques and renewable energy technologies; and 4) operate, maintain, and upgrade existing facilities to conserve water when cost-effective to do so. Air Force Energy Program Procedural Memorandum (AFEPPM) 96-2, "Air Force Water Management Program," 1 June 1996, "is the implementation plan for the Air Force philosophy, organizational relationships, responsibilities, funding strategies, and procedures for implementing and managing water conservation programs at Air Force installations." It applies to water management and planning activities at all Air Force facilities, with a stated objective of reducing water use without degrading military readiness, safety, mission effectiveness, or quality of life. The water conservation program is integrated within the energy management program at each installation. In addition, the memorandum discusses data collection, prioritization surveys, comprehensive facility audits, and sources of funding for water conservation projects. MIL-HDBK-1165, "Water Conservation," 7 April 1997, is a joint-service publication "designed to provide guidance to the installation Energy or Facilities Manager and Project Designers in the area of water conservation. Its intent is to assist installations in reducing their water consumption and thereby assist in complying with the provisions of EO 12902." MIL-HDBK-1165 will be the focus of a later section of this fact sheet. Section 1455 of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), as amended in 1996, requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to publish, by August 1998, guidelines for water conservation plans for public water supply systems, taking into consideration such factors as system size, water availability and climate. The "Water Conservation Plan Guidelines" were published in the Vol. 63, No. 151, pg. 42193 of the Federal Register on 6 August 1998. States may require water supply systems to submit a water conservation plan consistent with these guidelines as a condition of receiving a loan from a State Drinking Water Revolving Fund. The guidelines are not directly applicable to Federal facilities, however, they may be useful to any organization involved in water conservation planning. The guidelines may be viewed and downloaded from EPA's World Wide Web (WWW) site at http://www.epa.gov/OWM/genwave.htm, or obtained from PRO-ACT. The Federal Energy Management Program. As directed by EO 12902, the Department of Energy (DoE) is the Federal lead agency responsible for providing guidance, information, and technical assistance to Federal facility managers seeking to identify opportunities for successful water conservation projects. Toward this end, DoE, in coordination with the EPA and the General Services Administration (GSA), established the Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP). The FEMP technical assistance program offers a range of services, including project and financing assistance, software tools, and training. More information the program can be obtained by visiting the FEMP World Wide Web (WWW) site at http://www.eren.doe.gov/femp/. MIL-HDBK-1165, "Water Conservation" To be a good neighbor and preserve the environment, engineers throughout DoD are frequently called upon to assess the use of their water resources. MIL-HDBK-1165 provides strategies for increasing water efficiency and details the requirements of EO 12902 as it relates to water conservation within DoD. The handbook also includes procedures for submitting water conservation projects for central funding programs. MIL-HDBK-1165 is available for downloading at the Air Force Civil Engineer Support Agency's (AFCESA's) WWW site at http://www.afcesa.af.mil/Directorate/CES/Civil/Water/Water.htm#Pubs. It is also available on the CCB or can be obtained from PRO-ACT. The handbook is organized into seven sections. After the introduction and overview sections, Section 3 presents procedures for water conservation planning. Sections 4, 5, and 6 present water conservation options as they relate to supply, end use, and disposal, while Section 7 provides supporting technical information. Each section is introduced and briefly discussed below.
Section 1 - Introduction
Section 2 - Water: An Overview
Within this overview, the handbook notes that since production, treatment, and distribution of water requires energy and chemicals, efforts to conserve water also help to support the installation's pollution prevention goals. Although water conservation is initially driven by the need to comply with applicable regulations, proper water management can also lead to substantial energy and financial savings. Proper water management and planning starts with knowing where water is going, how it is getting there, the nature of any losses, and the production cost of water.
Section 3 - Water Conservation Planning
Step 1 - Analyze Water Usage. A comprehensive facility audit, or "water audit," allows for the identification, quantification, and verification of a facility's water usage. A water audit is beneficial for determining and reducing water losses, increasing knowledge of the facility's distribution system, and achieving financial savings. It should be noted that a water audit is a significant undertaking with many data collection tasks. Additionally, upon completion, the water audit data must be analyzed to determine where water conservation strategies and technologies can best be put to use.
Step 2 - Develop Water Use Forecasts. Using the results from the water audit, it is useful to develop a forecast of water usage for planning purposes. It may signal a need to step up conservation efforts if water usage is approaching source capacities.
Step 3 - Explore Options. Water conservation measures should be considered in light of several factors, including reliability, capability, and social acceptability.
Step 4 - Analyze the Benefits and Costs. The quantification of the costs and benefits of each proposed water conservation project is very important and will determine which measures will be successful at a particular installation.
Step 5 - Develop a Long-Term Plan. This is the step where all of the information gathered in steps 1 through 4 is incorporated into a facility-wide Water Management Plan to manage water resources into the future. The plan should include provisions for water management during times of drought or other supply reductions. In addition, public education and involvement are important to the successful implementation of water conservation strategies and should be a part of long-range planning.
Section 4 - Water Conservation Options: Water Supply
Section 5 - Water Conservation Options: End Use
This is by far the most extensive section in the handbook. Water conservation technologies for end users cover a wide range of options. The end use options are presented as an operation & maintenance (O&M) procedure, a retrofit, or a replacement. They range from "low cost-no cost" to more extensive retrofitting or replacement options. Choosing the best option will depend on circumstances unique to each installation and the class of the end user. The "FEMP Focus" newsletter is a good source of technological advances related to water conservation and is available at the FEMP WWW site http://www.eren.doe.gov/femp/.
Section 5.2 specifically discusses end use water conservation options for office and residential facilities. Since January of 1994, newly manufactured toilets, urinals, showerheads, and faucets must meet certain water consumption limits as mandated by EPACT. Section 5.2 provides O&M, retrofit, and replacement options for each of the above plumbing products in addition to water conservation strategies for water fountains, ice machines, washing machines, dishwashers, garbage disposals, and water softeners.
Section 5.3 discusses end use water conservation options for industrial operations including washrack cleaning facilities, plating facilities, and metal cleaning facilities. HVAC equipment, including cooling towers, water heaters, boilers, and steam generators, are discussed in Section 5.4, and Section 5.5 provides water conservation options for medical facilities including x-ray equipment and sterilizers. Section 5.6 discusses end use options applicable to irrigation and landscaping, and Section 5.7 provides conservation strategies applicable to swimming pools and spas.
Section 6 - Water Conservation Options: Disposal
Section 7 - Water Conservation Support
Appendices
Energy Conservation Investment Program (ECIP). Candidates for ECIP funding include any project that will reduce energy consumption, costs, save operation and maintenance (O&M) costs, and help achieve energy/water conservation goals. ECIP is a military construction (MILCON)-funded program primarily intended for energy/water conservation retrofits of existing buildings.
Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP). Funding available through FEMP targets energy conservation retrofits of existing buildings and uses the same program criteria as the ECIP program.
Fast Payback Capital Investment Program (FASCAP). The DoD identifies this program as the "Productivity Enhancing Incentive Fund" or PEIF, however the Air Force uses the acronym FASCAP for this program. Projects (<$150K only) are awarded funding based on their saving-to-investment ratio (SIR) and must amortize within two years from date of operation.
Productivity Investment Fund (PIF). PIF proposals have the same requirements as FASCAP, except the cost must be over $150K and be amortized within four years. Additional information on FASCAP and PIF is contained in AFI 38-301, "Productivity Enhancing Capital Investment Program," 10 June 1994.
Kadena Air Base. Mr. Gary R. Johnson, Kadena, AB, Okinawa, Japan, was recognized by FEMP in October 1997 as an individual who demonstrated outstanding performance in the category of Water Management. Mr. Johnson successfully sought funding for a system-wide leak survey of the water utility infrastructure at Kadena AB. As large leaks were identified, base personnel repaired the leaks, reducing industrial water consumption by more than 400 million gallons in FY 1996 and saving more than $3.5 million dollars from significantly lower water and sewage bills.
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