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Alternatives for Coastal Development: One Site, Three Scenarios
Water Consumption Indicator Information
In the ScenariosThis indicator estimates total daily water consumption for residential uses and managed parks in the scenarios. Because the conventional and new urbanist scenarios contain more total units than the conservation scenario, their total water consumption is higher. A few other factors come into play as well. Larger lots in the conventional scenario contribute to higher consumption rates (outdoor) relative to the other two scenarios. And the many managed parks in the new urbanist scenario increase its consumption relative to the conservation scenario. Residential uses are based on averages published in Handbook of Water Use and Conservation (Vickers 2001). Estimated daily indoor use for a typical single-family home (69 gallons per capitas per day) is assumed to be the same for all single-family homes in each of the scenarios. Outdoor daily use is derived based on average lot size relative to the conventional scenario, which is assumed to represent the national average for daily outdoor watering use (27 gallons per capitas per day). Estimates of water requirements for managed parks are taken from water use statistics for local parks collected by the city of Savannah, Georgia. Please refer to the detailed Indicator Methods Table for more information about how water consumption figures were applied to each scenario. Why Is it Important to Consider Water Consumption?Water is a necessity of life and one of our most precious resources. However, as coastal communities expand and increase in population, these finite resources can become strained. Improved water efficiency and reduced consumption can help avoid water shortages, extend the life of water and sewer infrastructure, and enhance water quality (EPA 1995).
Affluent households tend to use higher-than-average amounts of water both indoors and outdoors (Vickers 2001). Outdoor water consumption tends to vary by season and can be driven by activities such as car washing and lawn watering. In fact, a typical suburban lawn is estimated to consume 10,000 gallons of water in addition to rainfall each year (Vickers 2001). Multifamily dwelling units tend to use far less water for outdoor purposes than single family homes due to the lack of individual lawns to maintain.
These potential obstacles can be overcome by increasing public awareness of water conservation, but true progress hinges upon fundamental changes in individual behavior. What Can I Do?
Indoors:
Outdoors:
Municipal water suppliers can encourage water efficiency by changing prices, instituting metering, educating the public, and, as a last resort, instituting water use restrictions. References and ResourcesAmerican Rivers provides this downloadable resource, Paving Our Way to Water Shortages: How Sprawl Aggravates The Effects of Drought, published in August 2002. American Rivers is a nonprofit dedicated to protecting and restoring rivers nationwide. The Environmental Protection Agency provides several resources on water consumption: "Water on Tap" is a quick, easy-to-understand look at water usage rates, peak usage hours, and suggestions on how water utilities can encourage smarter use; several PDF documents on water consumption; and a publication on water-efficient landscaping. Providence Water provides a domestic water consumption calculator as a guide or estimate on usage. The U.S. Geological Survey provides information on estimated water use at the county and watershed level in the United States. This information is also broken out by usage type: domestic, commercial, irrigation, etc. Vickers, Amy. 2001. Handbook of Water Use and Conservation. Amherst, MA: WaterPlow Press. |
Residential water consumption varies depending on the region of the country, temperature and
rainfall, and socioeconomic characteristics (Vickers 2001). Factors contributing to this variability include
Residential water use accounts for 50 percent to 80 percent of the billed urban demand for public water supply systems in the United States (Vickers 2001). Homeowners can take several measures to help increase water efficiency and reduce consumption.