Coca-Cola is now being sued by a non-profit public interest group, the Center for Science in the Public Interest, on the grounds that the company’s hugely popular VitaminWater makes unwarranted health claims.

These claims include statements that VitaminWater reduces the risk of chronic disease, reduces the risk of eye disease, promotes healthy joints, and supports optimal immune function; all the while relying on healthy buzz words such as “defense,” “rescue,” “energy,” and “endurance” on the labels.

Coka-Cola sought to have the case dismissed stating “no consumer could reasonably be misled into thinking vitaminwater was a healthy beverage.” Federal Judge John Gleeson (U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York) won’t buy it.

Read the whole story here and here.

Since water is a finite resource, basic logic tells us that as the world’s population continues to grow (estimated 9.2 billion by 2050), there will be more demand placed upon an already stressed resource.  Just how, exactly, will that work?

Thanks to WaterWired,  I ran across an exerpt from a paper written by Professor Shlomo Maital, the academic director of Israel’s Technion Institute of Management (TIM). In it, Prof Maital et al delve into the dilema of global water and population growth (see below).

Solid reading to awaken the senses…

FYI – 1 cubic meter = 1000 liters. 3.8 liters = 1 gallon. Therefore, 1 cubic meter = 263 gallons (approx).

(from Global Water Shortage: A Simple Matter of Supply and Demand)

1.  Global annual demand for water, based on estimates from 154 water basins or regions,  for the year 2005   is 4,208 billion cubic meters.  Of that, 512 b. m³ is for home use, 693  b. m³ for industry, and by far the largest proportion, 3,003 b. m³ , is for agriculture.  In other words,  71 per cent of water use goes for producing food.

2.  Assuming 2 per cent compound annual growth (a conservative assumption),  water demand will grow to 6,906 b. m³ by 2030 assuming no improvement in technology or water efficiency, or a rise of 65 per cent between 2005 and 2030.   The fastest growth will be in water demand by industry, but  agriculture (where demand will rise by 50 %, to support hungry growing populations) will still capture two-thirds of water demand.

3.  Without a technological breakthrough, the world’s water supply will remain essentially constant in 2005-2030, at 4,222 b. m³ . This will be the world’s existing reliable water supply in 2030. The shortfall in the year 2030 will be huge:  almost 2,700 b. m³.

4.   If we project improvements in technology and infrastructure, up to 2030, world water supply will be 4,866 b. m³ . This still leaves an enormous shortfall, or excess demand, in the year 2030 of some 40 per cent of 2030  water supply, or 2,040  b. m³.

5.  Conclusion: Either the price of water will rise dramatically, all over the world, to ‘ration’ the short supply,  or major technological advances arising out of massive R&D projects will reduce demand and increase supply.  Of course, both will occur. Higher water prices will make large R&D investments in water technology profitable.

The world water shortage, like the world supply of oil and gas, will be inherently and massively unfair. Some countries like Canada will greatly benefit, if they have large supplies of fresh water relative to their population.  Some countries which lack water (India) and where agriculture is important, will greatly suffer.

Every country should calculate its own water balance in 2030 and build a strategic plan now.  And innovators should begin to work on the key question:  How can the world save water?

Humans are ingenious and industrious but we need to be on the same page on this matter. It would be wrong to divide the world into “haves” and “have-nots”. I guess only time will tell.

In the meantime, you can change the world by being the best person you can be. Don’t forget that.

I’ve snipped some of the key components of the article and pasted them below.

You can read the full article here.

Now imagine that you work for a California water agency. You derive most of your revenue from the sale of water. But the state also mandates that you encourage conservation with rebate programs and consumer education. What will happen if you are able to cut demand by 30 percent or 40 percent? You may lose your job..

I recently spoke to a water management expert at a large West Coast water agency. He admitted to me that conservation programs can’t be “too” successful. “If we succeed in cutting demand, then we’ll have to raise rates,” he said. “And then demand will decrease further. It’s a death spiral for us.”

The article proposes some solutions to the dilemma…

End all efforts to keep water rates artificially low. Many consumers do not pay the full cost of the water they use. The American Water Works Association reports that base rates in Southern California can vary by a factor of three to four from one city to the next. In addition, government subsidies ensure that farms pay as little as $2 per acre foot of water, a fraction of what consumers pay. With prices so low, it rarely makes sense for end users to invest in water-saving technologies.

This article brings to light some of the key contradictions in the efforts of water conservation. Currently, most water conservation programs are administered by the local water supplier. That alone seems an inherent conflict of interest. While most providers do believe in conservation and seek to avoid unnecessary waste; there is still, at the end of the day,  a bottom line that must be met through the sale of water.

This obstacle needs to be overcome if we are to be come a more sustainable society. The question is: how much pain are we willing to endure before the necessary changes are made?

Winston Churchill is credited as saying “America will always do the right thing, but only after exhausting all other options.” And I believe it.

We could always abandon the desert metropolis’. Or we could restrict agriculture in the dry desert to include only those crops appropriate for the climate (after all, Ag does consume roughly 70% of the water in the CO river…for better or worse). Or we can teach ourselves to use what only we need and work with the changing planet instead of against it.

Only time will tell.

Most people have no idea how much water they use to irrigate their lawn and garden until they receive that first, and often shocking, water bill of the summer. By doing some simple math you can avoid that annual shocker and obtain an understanding of your water use.

Let’s start with the basics -

In the world of irrigation, there are generally 4 types of  water delivery mechanisms; Rotor head sprinklers, Spray head sprinklers, Drip systems, and the good old fashioned garden hose.

Rotor (or oscillating) Heads

As the name implies, these sprinklers deliver water while rotating (think of the dance that inevitably shows itself at late night wedding receptions and shabby disco parties). These sprinkler heads can cover some distance while delivering a larger water droplet preventing excessive water loss due to evaporative misting and wind.

USE – Residential rotor heads generally use about 2.5 gpm. The further the spray, the higher the gpm.

Spray Heads

Spray head type sprinklers provide uniform distribution across your landscape. These are generally used in small or confined areas where a rotor head won’t work (think medians, raised planters etc). Their water delivery is generally a mist of small water droplets. As a rule of thumb, the smaller the water droplet (or finer the spray) the more water that is lost to evaporation and wind. That’s why rotor sprinklers are preferred in large, open areas.

USE – The individual nozzles can be changed out to achieve an ideal coverage of the area. These nozzles can deliver anywhere from 0.29 gpm for really small or tight spaces to 3.5 gpm for wider, open spaces.

Drip Systems

Drip systems are by far the most efficient form of irrigation for spot specific watering…like in your garden. A mainline hose (or pipe) is laid down and smaller emitters are punched into the mainline where desired. A small hose then delivers the water to the base of the plant. The emitters  then regulate the amount of water traveling to the plant. This allows for different water flows to plants with varied water needs. The slower, spot-specific water delivery ensures that very little is lost to evaporation, wind, or other factors while achieving good root saturation.

USE – Emitters are measured in gallons per HOUR (gph). The smallest emitters deliver about 1/2 gph while larger emitters will deliver 2 gph. The most common size is 1 gph.

The Hose

The garden hose is a versatile and foundational tool in any irrigation system. Its sleek and slender design design lends itself to kinking and twisting while the materials of constructions always make a long cool drink of water from the hose taste like…well…a hose. Not to mention its ability to cross over into other realms of workmanship like towing a car, becoming a drying line for clothes, or serving as a babysitter for your rambunctious kids. But seriously, hand watering plants and lawns with the hose allows for spot specific application of water at a high rate. A hose can go where an irrigation cannot (certainly some would argue differently. To those people, I would encourage them to start their own blog). This  makes the hose a very useful and necessary tool that no home should be without.

So…now that you know a little bit about the systems of delivery, let’s get into the math.

Take a walk in your yard and identify what type of sprinklers are present (rotor / spray / both / drip) and how may you have.

Next you need to figure out the gpm’s. Depending upon the make and model, some sprinkler heads will display the gpm right on top. You can also go online and get the info pretty easily (Try this one, or this one). The most common size issued in residential systems are 2 – 2.5 gpm.

Once you know the gpm’s and the number of heads the hard part is over! Let’s say you have 10 identical heads that all spray 2.5 gpm.  You now know that for each minute your irrigation system is on, you will use approximatively 25 gallons of water (10 heads x 2.5 gpm = 25 gallons per minute). Since you like your lawn lush and green and you’re not the type to waste water unnecessarily, you have the irrigation system timer set to turn on for a 2 hour cycle every-other morning before the sun comes up; that’s 120 minutes every-other day. 120 minutes  x 25 gallons per minute = 3000 gallons cycle.

Most water utilities bill in 30 day cycles, PAWSD is no exception.  When you get your monthly water bill, you now know that approximatively 45,000 gallons of your overall use is due to the irrigation system (120 min x 25 gpm x 15 days = 45,000 gallons).

Confused? Try this.

Nobody said a beautiful yard was cheap.

You can even take it a step further with your knowledge that the average American uses about 100 gallons of water per day. If you have, say, 3 people in your home, you can bet on about 300 gallons of use per day (remember, this is a national average, the same average that says US men weigh 191 pounds and stand 5′91/2″).

100 gallons per person per day x 3 people x 30 days = 9000 gallons.

Using the examples above, if your monthly water bill is in the 50,000 to 60,000 gallon range, there is no need for alarm. Should your bill be nowhere near the the ballpark figures you established…you probably have a leak somewhere and should address that as soon as possible. Call your local utility or plumber, they are there to help.

Naked people standing in water holding lettered signs over their heads…now that catches one’s attention.

The Colorado River is dying. Population growth, diversions, dams, climate change, and pollution are taking their toll on this once mighty river.

In his 1876 groundbreaking treatise on western development entitled “Report on the Arid Regions of the United States“ John Wesley Powell discusses the problematic nature of population growth in the western US as the Colorado River is the main life blood of the entire SW region. At the time, his report went largely unheard of and unread as it did not fit nicely into the “sea to shining sea” ideology so fixedly adhered to in the idea of manifest destiny. Now, 134 years later, is seems the piper has come to collect his due.

Save the Colorado is a partnership of various entities (Patagonia,  New Belgium Brewing Co., and the National Geographic Society to name a few) who see that the river is threatened and know that sitting on their hands won’t do anything to save it.  So…they all got together and decided that the best course of action is to raise public awareness. They helped to fund the first ever continuous journey from the upper headwaters in Rocky Mountain Nat’l Park all the way down to where the river disappears in Mexico. The man with the vision and motivation was Jonathon Waterman. He documented the entire thing and wrote a book about the adventures and the revelations entitled Running Dry: A Journey from Source to Sea Down the Dying Colorado.

See the PHOTOS of Jon Waterman’s epic journey down the CO River from source (RMNP) to sea (of Cortez that is).

What does this all mean? Well, the facts are simple…

1. 30 Million people rely on the CO river for their water (some may say their LIFE)…and that number will only get larger.

2. Nobody knows for sure what climate change will do to the river but chances of more water flowing down it to meet increasing demand are slim.

3. Dams, trans-basin diversions, and pollution don’t help matters any.

4. The hydrologic cycle is a closed loop. There is no more freshwater.  Desalination is an energy intensive pipe dream that has yet to prove worthwhile.

5. You can make a difference – be conscious of the water you use, install water efficient fixtures, spread the word, be proactive, do it.

The SmartWater program is an effort by the Pagosa Area Water and Sanitation to reduce unnecessary water waste in the community by outfitting high use establishments with water efficient shower heads, aerators, and toilets.

To date, there have been 284 1.5 gpm shower heads installed, 329 .5 gpm faucet aerators, 33 high efficiency dual flush toilets, and 13 water less urinals; and this is just the beginning. All of this was made possible by a sizable grant from the Colorado Water Conservancy Board (CWCB).

If you’ve recently visited any of Pagosa’s favorite restaurants or watering holes – Kip’s, Boss Hogg’s, Squirrel’s, Higher Grounds, Tequila’s, Ramon’s – you’ve probably been wowed (or befuddled) by the fancy new dual flush toilets in the restrooms (just remember, the half full circle is for #1, the full circle is for #2). The shower heads and aerators found homes in some of Pagosa’s largest and most frequented hotels. It is anticipated that participating establishments will see an annual water savings of 15-30%.

The District has been tracking the water use at these locations (14 in all) both pre and post retrofit. The data gathered will assist the District in obtaining a second round of grant funding to continue the project and extend it’s influence to more and more local businesses.

This is just another example of the many ways PAWSD is working to create a water conscious community.

For questions or comments feel free to call the Conservation Coordinator Mat deGraaf at 970-731-2691.

Together, we are making a difference.

The warm temperatures aside, one can also tell summer is here by the near doubling of the monthly water bill. Our lawns and gardens are thirsty and we happily pay more money to keep them beautiful. But how much is really necessary? Can we still have healthy, beautiful, lush landscapes without all the water?

Let’s start with the lawn. Generally speaking, turf grass in the desert southwest is a bad idea. Turf grass in phoenix, which also is home to the most golf courses per capita than other US city,  is just plain stupid. Even drought tolerant fescue grasses are a waste of a precious resource. For better or worse, grass has become an integral part of our American Dream mentality. Since it is here, what is the best way to water it?

1. This is the most important rule, water long, deep, and less frequently. This will promote healthy root systems that extend further down into the ground thereby allowing the grass to pull moisture from a greater source. Short, regulated, daily watering enables the grass to have short, surface level root systems. Since water travels down and the surface is the first place to dry, grass with shallow roots systems will brown in a hurry thereby requiring more water to keep it green.

2. Don’t over water. Often times we water based upon schedule instead of need. If your grass is already established with shallow roots, no matter how much water you dump on it every day, it will only use a small amount of it and the rest will seep into the ground where the lawn’s shallow roots can no longer reach it. You must force your lawn to dig deep for the water it needs. This can only be done by creating “droughts”. This will be a difficult growing pain, for both you and your lawn, but in the long run, you both will be happier.

3. Check for Leaks. Leaks in irrigation lines lose millions of gallons of water every year and cost you money. In our dry environment, animals will find water wherever they can; even if it means gnawing the ends off your efficient drip system or chewing a small home in the main irrigation line. The freeze/thaw cycle often reeks havoc on cheap plastic irrigation lines. Know what your system uses. For example – 5 one gallon per minute sprinkler heads = 5 gallons per minute = 300 gallons per hour (5 x 60 minutes). Even small, pinhole leaks can waste a ton of water.

4. Go xeric. This is bay far the best way to go.  A xeriscape is simply a landscape that strives for water efficiency. This is mostly achieved through the use of low water plants, shrubs, and landscapes (think flagstone or rock instead of turf grass). Once established, the general maintenance on a xeriscape is sigificantly less than a standard garden or landscape…which is a big plus. Colorful native plant varieties also attract beautiful birds, butterflies, and bees.

Tricks of the Trade

Use a Tuna can. This relates to #2 but is a good trick to know. Before you turn your sprinklers on, place an empty standard sized tuna can out on the lawn where the sprinklers will hit it. Turn on the water and when the sprinkler can if full, so is your lawn. See how much time has elapsed and adjust your water time accordingly.

Buy a Moisture Meter. These little (and cheap) tools will pay for themselves in a few weeks. The moisture meter tells you the approximate moisture level of the soil at various depths. Just because the top inch of soil is dry doesn’t mean the whole garden is dry. Before you turn on the hose, stick the moisture meter in the ground and see what’s going on just beneath the surface. This will allow you to forgo watering without questioning whether you’ve made the right decision or not.

Now that you’re armed with these facts and ideas, go forth, plant, prosper, and use less water.

Listen to the Fresh Air segment on NPR.

The following write-up was taken shamelessly from IslandPress.org

Peter Gleick knows water. A world-renowned scientist and freshwater expert, Gleick is a MacArthur Foundation “genius,” and according to the BBC, an environmental visionary. And he drinks from the tap. Why don’t the rest of us?

Bottled and Sold shows how water went from being a free natural resource to one of the most successful commercial products of the last one hundred years—and why we are poorer for it. It’s a big story and water is big business. Every second of every day in the United States, a thousand people buy a plastic bottle of water, and every second of every day a thousand more throw one of those bottles away. That adds up to more than thirty billion bottles a year and tens of billions of dollars of sales.

Are there legitimate reasons to buy all those bottles? With a scientist’s eye and a natural storyteller’s wit, Gleick investigates whether industry claims about the relative safety, convenience, and taste of bottled versus tap hold water. And he exposes the true reasons we’ve turned to the bottle, from fearmongering by business interests and our own vanity to the breakdown of public systems and global inequities.

“Designer” H2O may be laughable, but the debate over commodifying water is deadly serious. It comes down to society’s choices about human rights, the role of government and free markets, the importance of being “green,” and fundamental values. Gleick gets to the heart of the bottled water craze, exploring what it means for us to bottle and sell our most basic necessity.

Visit the Bottled and Sold Facebook Page.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=13

1. When the public embraces a conservation mentality (i.e. “don’t waste water”) the water provider gets a better handle on how much water is really needed to operate. This is known as an individual ”water budget”. Armed with this data, utilities can make better informed decisions that  may postpone costly projects such as new treatment plants or expanded storage that are dictated by consumption.

2. PR. As resources continue to be stretched thin and push comes to shove, nobody wants the public to see them as negligent or reckless. Climate change is happening (see a letter of concern sent to Science Magazine signed by 225 of the world’s leading scientists). We can only hypothesize as the the effects increased global temperatures will bring, but we do know that things are going to change.  Since” Green” is the new “Red, White, and Blue” everybody wants/needs to be seen as doing what is right for the people and the planet.

What a conundrum!

What needs to be done to have a truly sustainable system? In this case, sustainability comes at a cost.

David Zetland, over at Aguanomics.com (which is a phenomenal blog) has the whole thing figured out and distilled into it’s fundamental components. In three simple steps he says…

1. Water bills should charge fixed costs (e.g., connection charge) on a PER METER basis.
2. They should charge variable costs (e.g., water use) on a PER CAPITA basis. That means that the width of the lifeline water service block will depend on the number of people, e.g., 75 gallons/capita/day for two people leads to a lifeline block that is 150gal/day “wide.” Subsequent blocks can also reflect the number of people, but the price of each block will be the same for ALL households.
3. “Excess” revenue that would result if prices in top tiers were high enough should be rebated PER CAPITA.

Unfortunately, this approach would mean that the standard monthly fee would have go up to cover the fixed cost associated with the infrastructure needed to provide water service. Which, though hard to swallow, is a good thing.

For too long, water has been significantly undervalued. This has led to aged infrastruture that is in desperate need of repair and not enough money in coffers to do so…all in the name of cheap water.

Just look at what happened over in Boston when a water main line broke. Expect more of this in the future.

The Water Infrastructure Network claims that “over the next 20 years, America’s water and wastewater systems will have to invest $23 billion a year more than current investments to meet the national environmental and public health priorities in the Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act”.

It should be obvious where that money needs to come from…and it isn’t the government.

Many people in water starved regions most must walk an average of 6 km (3.7 mi) to the nearest water site (river, lake, etc). Each year, there is a nationwide event called Live Earth in which participants run/walk a 6km in recognition the distance traveled for water. PAWSD hopes to host this event here in Pagosa Springs, CO in 2011. We’ll keep you posted.

In the United States we take for granted that we can turn on virtually any tap in this country and drink the water without hesitation or fear. But we need to remember that this commodity is a blessing. Yes, we have to pay for it…but our monthly water bills are not a true reflection of the real value of water.

Much of the water infrastructure in the country is desperate. The million plus miles of water pipes below our streets and yards represent an enormous public trust largely built and paid for by earlier generations (the average age of a water pipe in New York City is 80) with heavy government subsidies. According to a study done by the American Water Works Association, in the United States alone, the cost of replacing water infrastructure in the next 30 years will top $250 billion.

Water Weeks seeks to remind us that water is essential to life and that we shouldn’t take for granted what others are literally dying for.