Rural Water - Quarter 4, 2008 - (Page 15)

The Greenbiz panel estimated that new products could reduce electricity costs by 15 percent, with newer technologies improving the results in coming years. The EPA and ENERGY STAR estimate that a 10 percent reduction in cost would save the water industry $400 million a year. Upgrades to improve efﬁciency qualify for the EPA’s Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds. While technology is changing the way water is delivered, the courts are changing how utilities look for their water. As water resources tighten and water demand increases, battles over water rights are becoming more common. “Water rights used to be thought of as a western issue, because that was where water was scarce,” Sheldon said. “But it’s becoming an issue east of the Mississippi too.” The EPA cited an increase in formally announced drought restrictions, including communities in Florida, Vermont and North Carolina. Lawsuits are growing between Georgia, Florida and Alabama over water sharing rights, while Georgia ofﬁcials seek to redraw their border with Tennessee to gain access to water from the Tennessee River. Robert Hersh and Kris Wernstedt of Resources for the Future conducted a survey of water utilities on subjects such as drought and disaster. Most of the utilities surveyed thought it would more difﬁcult for them acquire new water rights to meet increasing demand. The survey also revealed that many of the systems had concerns about their current water rights, because the rights were junior to older agricultural rights. The utilities reported concern that the rights status would limit the water they could draw in a shortage situation. Uncertainty over water rights has highlighted water conservation as a way for utilities to meet their growing water demand. The EPA reports that utility conservation efforts through their WaterSense program have reduced water uses by roughly 16 percent, with some utilities reducing their demand by as much as 30 percent. Another possibility is the development of “recycling” wastewater. New technologies and twin distribution systems will keep higher-quality drinking water separate from the water used to ﬂush toilets or water lawns. The Greenbiz panel estimated that this kind of water recycling could reduce water demand 50 to 90 percent and reduce energy costs by as much as 80 percent. A potential change in the future of rural water utilities comes in both technology and perspective. Equipment vendors suggest that new technologies will allow water utilities to progress beyond the current focus on meeting regulation into a new focus on providing quality and service. Computer and telecommunication technology can already be seen changing the way water utilities maintain their supply and equipment. “Telemetry is another big change we’ll see in the future,” Sheldon said. “In the past, an operator would have to go out to check the levels of his wells and water towers, but now you can go to a utility ofﬁce and they have a computer screen ﬁ lled with all the information.” Radio telemetry is already saving utilities time and money. Technicians with the Butte Meade Sanitary Water District, in Newell, South Dakota, spent two hours every day driving the 90-mile circuit to check the district’s wells. “If you ﬁgure about $25 an hour and about $30 worth of gas, it costs $80 a day,” explained District Manager Rick Richards. The water district provides water for about 2,000 people, including the communities of Vale and Fruit Dale. The district also supplies water for several rural subdivisions and a ﬁsh and game recreation center. District technicians check the wells daily to measure the levels of water, chlorine and ﬂuorine. They used to check the levels in person, until the utility used money from the NRWA’s revolving loan fund to purchase a radio telemetry system. “We can check the well on the computer here in the ofﬁce,” the manager explained. Richards sees the system as providing substantial savings in time, money and equipment wear. The telemetry monitors should also allow the district to provide better response and service. “We can connect the system to our homes, so if there’s a break or leak, we’ll “Telemetry is another big change we’ll see in the future. In the past, an operator would have to go out to check the levels of his wells and water towers, but now you can go to a utility office and they have a computer screen filled with all the information.” – Fred Sheldon, NRWA president get an alarm or phone call,” he explained. “If there’s a break at night, instead of learning about it in the morning, we can isolate and repair it.” As the technology spreads, the utility will be able to supply water with improved quality and efﬁciency. Vendors in the Greenbiz panel describe new wave water utility equipment that incorporates increased levels of automation and connectivity. This equipment would be able to transmit accurate, real-time information from the distribution system to the utility and make automatic adjustments to overcome common problems. These new systems would be modular, to improve maintenance and the ease of upgrading. The fusion of modular technology and computing power would also allow the new equipment to use a combination of processes to treat water, providing the highest levels of purity most efﬁciently. The issues looming for small utilities have the potential to cause serious headaches, but they also provide an opportunity for advancement. Improving energy efﬁciency and water conservation can hold off potential crises while saving costs. How these issues are addressed will determine how the future looks for small water utilities. Fourth Quarter 2008 • 15

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Rural Water - Quarter 4, 2008

Rural Water - Quarter 4, 2008 Contents From the President Rural Water: Where are We Headed? The Future of Water in America Bank Collateral Controls in Nervous Times Bottle of Water or Billion Dollar Bully? Aqua Chocolate No Mas Why Even Small Water Systems Should Have Personnel Policy Manuals Safe Drinking Water Regulatory Update 2008 NRWA Industry Event Throwing My Loop Advertisers.com Index to Advertisers From the CEO

Rural Water - Quarter 4, 2008

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