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Federal Requirements
In This Section
Executive Order 13423
Executive Order (E.O.) 13423, “Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy, and Transportation Management," established a water intensity reduction requirement of 2 percent per year, through fiscal year (FY) 2015, based on an FY 2007 baseline. This E.O. is the first federal directive to require an annual reduction in water usage at federal agencies.
Final water guidance is expected in fall 2007. For more information, read the Instructions for Implementing E.O. 13423 (PDF) (51 pp, 416K, About PDF) which were issued on March 29, 2007.
Executive Order 13123
Executive Order 13123, Greening the Government Through Efficient Energy Management (PDF)
(12 pp, 104K, About PDF), further directs agencies to identify conservation opportunities and install cost-effective water-conserving fixtures and other equipment: "Through life-cycle cost-effective measures, agencies shall reduce water consumption and associated energy use in their facilities to reach the goals set under section 503(f) of this order. Where possible, water cost savings and associated energy cost savings shall be included in energy savings performance contracts and other financing mechanisms."
E.O. 13123 also provides guidance to federal agencies for establishing water efficiency improvement goals: "Agencies shall reduce potable water usage by implementing life cycle cost-effective water efficiency programs that include a Water Management Plan...with not less than four separate Federal Energy Management Program Water Efficiency Improvement Best Management Practices (BMPs). BMPs can be considered implemented at a facility when all the following criteria are met:
- Water Management Plans have been developed/revised and incorporated into existing facility planning processes and operating plans.
- Applicable operations and maintenance options have been put into practice, and retrofit/replacement options have been reviewed within the last two years and those appropriate for implementation have been identified.
- Applicable cost-effective retrofit/replacement options have been implemented."
The schedule for implementing Water Management Plans at federal facilities is as follows:
- Five percent of facilities with Water Management Plans by 2002. EPA met this E.O. 13123 goal.
- Fifteen percent of facilities with Water Management Plans by 2004. EPA met this E.O. 13123 goal.
- Thirty percent of facilities with Water Management Plans by 2006. EPA met this E.O. 13123 goal.
- Fifty percent of facilities with Water Management Plans by 2008.
- Eighty percent of facilities with Water Management Plans by 2010.
View EPA's Water Conservation Accomplishments page to learn more about how the Agency met its E.O. 13123 goals.
Energy Policy Act of 1992
The Energy Policy Act of 1992 (EPAct) requires federal agencies to implement life cycle cost-effective water conservation measures with payback periods of 10 years or less. This means that agencies such as EPA must use water conservation measures or products that take no more than 10 years to recover costs through savings on water bills.