We need to conserve water!
Transcription
We need to conserve water!
Fall 2009 Edition We need to conserve water! How can the City of Indio meet the community’s growing demand for water? How can the aquifer be made more sustainable for our community into the future? How can people be motivated to use water efficiently? These are questions that the City of Indio/Indio Water Authority asks each day. The DA SF E ECAP TUR E IRS T PR IO RI TY ER AT W PR EC OJ underground aquifer. Drought has reduced the winter water that recharges (refills) the aquifer, and yet the community continues to grow and require more and more water. As a result, the aquifer is being overdrawn and the water supply is dwindling. An example of what happens in an overdrafted basin is shown here (see graphic). The City of Indio/Indio Water Authority will be developing a priority list of conservation measures. Conservation For more information about the tiered water rates, read on. For information on conservation and rebate programs, turn to the back page. T SU RF AC IMPORTED WATER R answers are that Indio will have to develop new sources of water and increase water conservation efforts for the local aquifer to continue to provide enough water to meet the growing demands of the community out into the future. The source of Indio’s water is the local measures will be prioritized by effectiveness and cost benefits for implementation. Approximately 75% of wasted water is from outdoor activities, so the conservation measures will focus on this usage first. The conservation program will provide incentives for water conservation by two means: • Conservation programs and rebate programs offered by the City of Indio/ Indio Water Authority • Tiered water rate system El acuífero cerrado (depósito subterráneo de agua) local subterráneo es la fuente del agua de Indio. La sequía ha reducido el agua del invierno que suple al acuífero, y la comunidad continua creciendo y necesitando más agua. Como resultado, el acuífero está siendo explotado y las provisiones de agua se están menguando. Indio tendrá que desarrollar nuevos recursos de agua e incrementar los esfuerzos para ahorrar agua y así permitir que el acuífero local continúe supliendo suficiente agua para satisfacer la creciente demanda de la comunidad en el futuro. La Autoridad de Agua de la Ciudad de Indio estará desarrollando una lista de medidas primordiales para ahorrar agua. Aproximadamente el 75% del agua que se desperdicia es por actividades de la calle, así que las medidas a implementar se concentraran en ese uso. El programa para el ahorro del agua de la Autoridad de Agua de la Ciudad de Indio proporcionara incentivos de dos maneras: programas de ahorro y programas de reembolsos, así como un sistema de tarifas escalonado. Water budget rates are coming for Indio In these hard economic times, water conservation can go a long way toward saving hard-earned cash by helping reduce your water bill. In the future, water wasters will pay a higher rate for water than those who make an effort to conserve. To ensure that Indio reduces water waste and extends the life of the aquifer, the Indio Water Authority is planning to implement what is called a “water budget tiered rate structure” in early 2010. Water budget rate structures are being used by dozens of agencies around the state. A water budget rate structure is intended to address the need to use water more efficiently and to provide homes and businesses with the water they “need” at the lowest price. When you see sprinklers “watering” sidewalks or filling storm gutters, you are seeing water being wasted! What makes a water budget different than the current water rate structure? Today, a flat rate is charged for any and all units of water used. A flat-rate structure does not encourage people to use water efficiently, since the price of water does not change as water use increases. A water budget rate structure actually sets a “target” or “water budget” for every customer/account in the City. The water budgets are tailored individually for each site’s water needs. However, if a customer uses more water than calculated in the site water budget, the price of the wasted water increases in steep tiers. Refer to the chart here to see a sample water budget tiered rate structure. It is important to know: • Only wasted water is subject to high rates. • Every home and business will have the opportunity to help establish their accurate water budget through a “variance” program. • Water budget allocations will change each billing period as the weather changes. Water budgets are directly linked to local weather, providing more water for landscapes when the weather is hot and less water when the weather is cool. • All customer groups (residential, commercial, HOAs, and City landscapes) will have the same water budget rate structure, and all users are expected to use water efficiently. The Indio Water Authority, as a “not for profit” public agency, is implementing water budget rates to motivate customers to use water efficiently. The IWA is NOT implementing water budget rates to gain more revenue. In fact, State legislation (Proposition 218) prohibits public agencies from collecting rates above and beyond the actual cost of water delivery. Any “penalty” charges that customers incur for wasting water will go directly into conservation and water recycling projects. Conservation programs will help any customer to lower their water bills. Most of the water used in Indio, about 75%, is used for landscaping. A water budget rate structure will particularly target landscape water waste, such as the water that is seen running down the street every day. Continued on Page 4 Page 2 Fall 2009 Helpful Hints for the Holiday Season A s the holiday season approaches, you are probably already planning trips and parties. Beginning in November and continuing through Super Bowl Sunday, many people travel, visit relatives, eat big meals, prepare special foods, and give more than a few gifts. Because of this, the holiday season is often also waste season. It doesn’t have to be. Here are some tips to help you have a less wasteful—and more relaxing—winter season. nParty Planning – Know how many people are coming to each event you’re hosting and plan the food accordingly. If you have more leftovers than your family can finish, send food home with your guests. Avoid disposable decorations, dishes, cups, and napkins. Instead, reuse old family decorations, your own dishes, glasses, and cups, and reusable cloth napkins. If you don’t have cloth napkins, maybe this would be a good time to invest in some. They are inexpensive and can be reused year after year. If you take a gift to your hosts, make sure it is consumable, such as food and drinks, or reusable, like a serving tray. nTravel – Road trips often include disposable food packaging and recyclable drink containers that end up in roadside trash cans. If you’re traveling by car, pack snacks (and even lunch) in your own washable, reusable containers. You can put them into a cooler with drinks from home. When you get to your destination, wash your containers. They’ll be ready to repack for the trip home. Look for roadside recycling containers, which are available at some rest stops. If you don’t find them, put your aluminum, glass, and plastic beverage cans and bottles into a bag or box and recycle them when you get home. If you are flying, look for recycling bins for paper and drink containers in the airport. nGift Giving – Make a list of everyone to whom you’ll give a gift this holiday season. After making the list, decide how much you want to spend on gifts. Now, decide what you would like to give. One budget-conscious and waste-reducing way to give gifts is to shop for gentlyused books and other items at secondhand and antique stores. Give reusable gifts, such as washable placemats and cloth napkins, or consumable gifts, such as gift cards to a restaurant or movie. Gift cards for downloadable music are also a great, waste-free idea. Another option is to give of yourself, such as offering to run errands, babysit, take a walk in the woods, or meet for a picnic in the park. You also might consider giving to a good cause in honor of someone on the list; you can make a card describing the group that has received money or goods in their name. Framed photos make a wonderful gift—you might even be able to make a frame or find a unique used frame. If you choose to buy new gifts, look for items such as jewelry or handmade stationery made from recyclables. nGift Wrapping – Reuse wrapping paper, gift bags, ribbon, and tags from past years. If you don’t have any on hand, make your own wrapping paper by decorating the blank side of brown paper grocery bags; reusing colored sections of newspaper, old maps, or children’s artwork; or using fabric, shelf paper, or wallpaper scraps. In other words, begin with items that you already have on hand! Or, “wrap” the gift in a basket or canvas bag that will be reusable later. If you buy wrapping paper, look for paper with recycled-content. nHoliday Greetings – Think about the holiday greetings that your family most enjoys—they are probably the cards or letters that include a personal touch, whether that is newsy notes or fun photos. Consider creating your own letter with family updates and holiday greetings. Of course, print it on recycled-content paper and mail it in recycled-content envelopes. Or, email paperless greetings instead. This is a great time of year to discuss what really matters most to you, your family members, and friends. During this season of giving, learn what your family and friends really need. You might find that they could use more of your time and attention. Time and attention don’t cost money and create significantly less waste than giving them a lot of stuff. Read more about it! 42 Ways to Trim Your Holiday Wasteline www.use-less-stuff.com/ULSDAY/42ways.html Reducing Holiday Waste www.epa.gov/osw/wycd/funfacts/winter.htm Simplify the Holidays www.newdream.org/holiday/ Tips for a Cleaner, “Greener” Holiday www.informinc.org/greener_holiday.php © iStockphoto.com / Pattie Calfy Buenos Consejos para las Fiestas Con la cercanía de las fiestas es probable que ya esté planeando viajes y fiestas. Durante los meses de noviembre a febrero, mucha gente viaja, visita parientes, comen en grande, preparan platillos especiales y dan muchos regalos. Por todas estas cosas, la temporada de las fiestas es también temporada de desperdicio, lo cual es innecesario. Siga estos consejos que le ayudarán a tener menos basura y disfrutar más la temporada del invierno. nPlanee sus fiestas – Planee el número de invitados que asistirán a cada una de sus fiestas y prepare la comida necesaria. Si termina con más comida de la que su familia pueda consumir, ofrezca comida a sus invitados para que se lleven a casa. Evite usar productos y decoraciones desechables, tales como platos, vasos y servilletas. En su lugar, use las decoraciones que ya tiene, así como sus platos, vasos, copas y servilletas de telas. Si lleva un regalo a su anfitrión, procure que sea algo que pueda consumir como comida o bebidas, o algo que tenga múltiples usos como una charola para servir. nViajes – Si viaja en carro, lleve consigo su comida o almuerzo en envases que pueda lavar y usar de nuevo. Póngalos junto con sus bebidas en una hielera. Cuando llegue a su destino, lave los envases para que los tenga listos para el viaje de regreso. Si tiene desechables que tirar, busque los botes para los reciclables que se encuentran en los centros de descanso. Si no los hubiera, llévelos consigo y recíclelos en su casa. Si viaja por avión, busque los botes para los papeles y envases de bebidas reciclables en el aeropuerto. nDar regalos – Una manera de cuidar el bolsillo y reducir basura es comprar regalos como libros usados o artículos de segunda mano y antigüedades. Obsequie regalos que se puedan volver a usar, tales como mantelitos y servilletas de tela, o regalos para su consumo, tales como tarjetas para restaurantes o el cine. Las tarjetas para bajar música del Internet también son un gran regalo. Otra opción es el regalo de usted mismo, o sea de su tiempo, ofreciendo hacer mandados, cuidar a niños, tomar un paseo por el bosque, o ir de picnic al parque. Considere hacer una donación en nombre de alguien. Los retratos enmarcados hacen un excelente regalo. Si decide comprar regalos nuevos, compre artículos como joyería y papelería hechos a mano con productos reciclables. nEnvoltura de regalos – Use el papel envoltura, las bolsas de regalos, los listones y las tarjetas de las fiestas pasadas. Utilice las bolsas de papel estaño, la sección a color del periódico, mapas viejos, los dibujos de los niños, retazos de telas y de papel tapiz para crear sus propias envolturas. Coloque su regalo en una canasta o en una bolsa de tela que pueda volverse a usar. Si necesita comprar papel envoltura busque el que haya sido fabricado con productos reciclables. nTarjetas de felicitación – Considere escribir una carta de felicitación por la temporada, incluyendo las últimas noticias de la familia. Imprímala y envíela en papel y sobres de contenido reciclable, o considere enviar una tarjeta de felicitación vía e-mail. Investigue lo que su familia y amigos realmente necesitan durante esta temporada de fiestas. Pueda que descubra que necesitan más de su tiempo y su atención. Estos no cuestan nada y reducen significantemente la basura que se crea cuando se dan un montón de regalos. Page 3 Fall 2009 Quotes Requoted fast facts Going Waste-Free According to WasteFreeLunches.org, packing a waste-free lunch for your child costs about $2.65 per day, while packing a lunch full of single-serve and disposable items costs $4.02. Waste-free lunches can save your family $1.37 per child per day. That’s a savings of over $240 for the school year. The same applies for lunches that adults take to work, but the savings is even greater—as much as $340 per year. Pack waste-free to save! Overshooting According to The Global Footprint Network, we reached “Earth Overshoot Day” in mid to late September. This marks “the day when humanity begins using more ecological resources and services in a given year than Earth can regenerate in that year.” From that day on, we are consuming resources that we are, in essence, borrowing from the future. “Put another way, in less than 10 months, humanity will have used ecological services it takes 12 months for the Earth to regenerate.” Creating Community According to Bill McKibben in Deep Economy: The Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future, “consumers have ten times as many conversations at farmers’ markets as they do at supermarkets.... When you go to the farmers’ market, in other words, you’re not just acquiring tomatoes; you’re making friends.” When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe Citas Citables Cuando uno trata de recoger algo por si mismo, encuentra que está ligado a todo lo demás en el Universo. John Muir, 1838-1914 Naturista y escritor americano Hechos Interesantes John Muir, 1838-1914 American naturalist and writer Formando Comunidad: De acuerdo a Bill McKibben en Deep Economy: The Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future, “los consumidores tienen diez veces más conversaciones en los mercados de verduras y frutas al aire libre que cuando hacen las compras en el supermercado.... Cuando va de compras al mercado libre, no sólo va a comprar jitomates sino también va a conocer amigos.” Rebasando los Recursos: De acuerdo a la red Global Footprint estaremos alcanzando el temible día de “Earth Overshoot Day” a mediados de septiembre. Esto quiere decir que llegaremos “al día en que la humanidad empezará a utilizar más recursos y servicios ecológicos de los que el planeta Tierra puede regenerar Ecological Intelligence D aniel Goleman explores the relatively new field of Industrial Ecology in his newest book, Ecological Intelligence (Broadway Business, 2009). The study of Industrial Ecology focuses on Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs), which guide businesses and consumers in judging the relative impacts of their actions. LCAs explore the environmental impact of each stage of extraction, transportation, and manufacture. LCAs are increasingly used by businesses to make supply-chain, manufacturing, and distribution decisions. Goleman advocates for what he terms “radical transparency,” which would involve making a large quantity of LCA information available to the average consumer. Much as food products are labeled with nutritional information, a radically transparent consumer product might be labeled with environmental impact information, such as pollution created, energy consumed, human and animal health effects, and non-renewable resource consumption. Goleman writes, “If we get better, more complete information about the true effects of an item at the moment we are deciding whether to buy it, we could make wiser decisions. Such full disclosure can make each of us an agent for small, gradual changes that, when multiplied by millions, will ripple through the industrial enterprise, from manufacturing and design, through supply chains and transport, to the distant ends of consumption.” A single glass bottle, from cradle to grave, involves as many as 1,959 separate steps, each with its own environmental impacts. No consumer, no matter how well informed, can be expected to know and evaluate all of this information. Fortunately, there are many organizations devoted to helping consumers make wiser and greener decisions. To learn more about the ecological impacts of various consumer products, visit these websites: Center for a New American Dream, www.newdream.org/ marketplace/; Consumer Reports’ Greener Choices, www.greenerchoices.org; and Good Guide, www.goodguide.com. At your local library, look for books such as Stuff: The Secret Lives of Everyday Things by John C. Ryan and Alan Thein Durning. Several organizations certify certain products as being sustainable or environmentally friendly, including: Forest Stewardship Council (paper and wood products), www.fscus. org; Green Seal (cleaning and construction products and services), www.greenseal.org; and USDA Organic (certified organic food products), www.ams.usda.gov/nop. Another certification coming soon will be Good Housekeeping’s Green Seal of Approval. en un año.” A partir de ese día, estaremos consumiendo recursos que en esencia estamos tomando prestados del futuro. Libre de Basura: De acuerdo a la organización WasteFreeLunches.org, empacar el almuerzo de los niños libre de basura cuesta aproximadamente $2.65 al día, en comparación con $4.02 por un almuerzo empacado con productos desechables. Usted puede ahorrar hasta $1.37 por niño por día empacando almuerzos libres de basura. Eso representa unos $240 por año escolar. La misma teoría aplica a los almuerzos que los adultos llevan al trabajo, pero el ahorro es aún mayor, aproximadamente $340 por año. ¡Empaque libre de basura y ahorre! Inteligencia Ecológica Daniel Goleman, en su último libro, Ecological Intelligence (Broadway Business, 2009), explora este campo que es relativamente nuevo. El estudio de la ecología industrial se enfoca en evaluar el ciclo de vida de los productos (Life Cycle Assessments - LCA), de manera de que sirva como guía para que las empresas y los consumidores puedan juzgar como sus acciones impactan al medio ambiente. LCAs se usan cada vez más en los negocios que toman decisiones sobre la cadena de oferta, manufacturación y distribución de productos. El Sr. Goleman desea que las empresas ofrezcan a los consumidores toda la información posible sobre LCAs. Así como los productos alimenticios tienen información sobre su contenido nutricional, Goleman sugiere que los otros tipos de productos ofrezcan información sobre el impacto que tienen en el ambiente, tal como la contaminación creada, la energía consumida, los efectos en la salud de humanos y animales y el consumo de recursos que no son renovables. Para aprender más sobre el impacto ecológico de una variedad de productos del consumidor lo invitamos a que visite los siguientes sitios de Internet: Center for a New American Dream, www. newdream.org/marketplace/; Consumer Reports’ Greener Choices, www.greenerchoices.org; y Good Guide, www.goodguide.com. Visite la biblioteca pública y busque libros como Stuff: The Secret Lives of Everyday Things, por John C. Ryan y Alan Thein Durning. Algunas organizaciones como Forest Stewardship Council (productos de papel y de madera), www. fscus.org; Green Seal (productos y servicios de limpieza y construcción), www.greenseal. org; y USDA Organic (productos certificados de comida orgánica), www.ams.usda.gov/ nop, certifican algunos productos por ser eficientes o beneficiosos para el ambiente. La certificación de Good Housekeeping’s Green Seal of Approval está a punto de recibirse. Page 4 Fall 2009 INDIO HAS A HIGH RATE OF NUISANCE WATER! NUISANCE WATER IS A VIOLATION OF CITY ORDINANCES. WATER SMART LANDSCAPE AUDITS SMART CONTROLLER PROGRAM Residents can call to schedule a free landscape audit for their home or business. An agency representative will perform a site visit and assess the landscaping, sprinklers and timers. Residents can learn about basic adjustments that could save water with the systems they currently have. Tips on water conservation are also provided. The Smart Controller Program offers assistance to customers for replacing standard landscape controllers with new smart controllers. The new controllers are able to calculate change in weather, soil conditions, and the type of landscaping. Taking all these factors into consideration, the timer automatically adjusts sprinkler times accordingly. COOPERATIVE EFFORTS The City of Indio/Indio Water Authority recognizes that no water utility and no city can achieve long-term viability of our water source alone. At the September 9, 2008 Indio Water Authority meeting, the Commission signed a Memorandum of Understanding, along with other Coachella Valley Water Agencies, pledging to devote resources to develop an integrated regional water management plan with respect to water supply and water quality. As a leader in a regional water conservation effort and with a history of responsible urban planning, the Indio Water Authority is actively involved in water resource management to protect our most vital resource – water. The Indio Water Authority is also an active member of WADR, Water Agencies of the Desert Region. This is a group of water agencies in the Coachella Valley working together to send a unified message about water conservation. CITY-SPONSORED UPGRADE PROGRAM The Indio Water Authority will assist customers in upgrading their irrigation systems, up to $750. This includes replacing sprinkler heads and piping and repairing leaks. Al agua que se desperdicia cayendo en las banquetas o que escurre por exceso debido al uso de un regador mecánico, se le da el nombre de “nuisance water”. Los reglamentos de la ciudad prohíben que el agua se desperdicie de esta manera. La Autoridad de Agua de Indio está activamente observando el desperdicio del agua por estas causas, identificando su origen. Los dueños de las propiedades que son identificadas serán notificados y se distribuirán avisos de la persona que está desperdiciando el agua. De persistir el problema será necesario We want your suggestions, questions and comments! City of Indio/Indio Water Authority 83-101 Avenue 45 Indio, CA 92201 (760) 391-4195 [email protected] www.indio.org Funded by the City of Indio and Indio Water Authority. Copyright© 2009 City of Indio, Indio Water Authority, and Eco Partners, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed on recycled paper. 70% post-consumer news content, using soy inks imponer el código de la ley. Los residentes pueden solicitar gratis una auditoria en su casa o negocio para determinar las necesidades de su jardín. Un representante de la agencia lo visitará para evaluar el jardín, el sistema de riego y los relojes. Los residentes recibirán información sobre el sistema que están usando y cómo hacer ajustes básicos para ahorrar agua. El programa de reembolso Smart Controller ofrece promociones a clientes para reemplazar los controles estándares Water Budget Rates … del jardín por los nuevos del programa, que toman en consideración el clima, las condiciones del terreno y el tipo de jardín, para ajustar automáticamente los tiempos de riego. La Autoridad de Agua de Indio proporcionara una ayuda de hasta $750 a clientes que mejoren su sistema de irrigación, incluyendo el reemplazo de las cabezas de los regadores y la tubería y la reparación de fugas de agua. Para obtener más información sobre cualquiera de estos programas por favor llame al 760-391-4129. The mission of the Indio Water Authority is to manage the limited local water resources for the benefit of all residents and businesses in the City. Water budget rates have been successful for agencies in Riverside, San Diego, Los Angeles, and Orange Counties in reducing water waste and keeping water rates down, while providing plenty of water to meet customers’ needs. This fall and winter, the Indio Water Authority will conduct public workshops to provide details about the water budget rate structure. All customers will also receive letters from the IWA requesting specific information about your water needs, including how many people reside in your home, the size of your landscape, and any medical needs for water. You will be asked to return the information cards so that accurate water allocations can be calculated for your situation. Para promover la reducción del desperdicio de agua en Indio y extender la vida del acuífero cerrado (depósito subterráneo de agua), la Autoridad de Agua de Indio está planeando implementar a principios del 2010 lo que llama “el presupuesto para el agua con una estructura de tarifas escalonadas”. Esta estructura de tarifas establece una “meta” o un “presupuesto para el agua” para cada cliente/cuenta. Los presupuestos están asignados de acuerdo a las necesidades de agua de cada lugar. Sin embargo, si un cliente llega a usar más agua de la que se ha presupuestado, el precio del agua desperdiciada sube considerablemente. En la estructura propuesta sólo el agua que se desperdicia estará sujeta a las tarifas altas. A través de un programa de “variaciones”, cada hogar y negocio tendrán la oportunidad de ayudar a establecer su presupuesto del agua. Los presupuestos del agua están directamente ligados al clima local, supliendo más agua para riego cuando el clima es caliente y menos agua cuando el clima es fresco. Todos los grupos de clientes tendrán la misma tarifa en la estructura del presupuesto de agua, y se espera que todos los usuarios usen el agua eficientemente. Este verano e invierno, la Autoridad de Agua de Indio ofrecerá al público talleres para dar detalles sobre la estructura de las tarifas del presupuesto del agua. Todos los clientes también recibirán cartas de la Autoridad de Agua solicitando información específica sobre sus necesidades de agua, incluyendo el número de personas que vive en el hogar, el tamaño de su jardín, y cualquier necesidad de agua para cuidados médicos. Se le solicitará que regresen las tarjetas con la información de manera de poder calcular y asignar acertadamente la cantidad de agua que su situación requiere. (Continued from Page 1)