Everyday the U.S. uses 450 Billion gallons of water. Only 6% or about 27 Billion gallons of water is used in the public water supply (a fact that I was very suprised to learn). Of that 27 Billion gallons of water only about 1% of that is actually consummed. The other 99% is used in washing machines, toilet flushing, & down the drain. Even if every customer in the nation cut their water usage by half water usage would be around 14 Billion gallons of water per day. This at face value would be a big victory for domestic water use. But is that really possible to coerce all residents to reduce their consumption by half?? That means over 330 million people changing their habits. To me it doesn’t seem possible.
In steps the EPA & the Clean Water Act (CWA)….On April 19, 2013 the EPA announced a proposal to reduce toxic pollutants discharged into water ways by power plants. Those toxic pollutants include mercury, selenium, arsenic, & lead. The proposed rule would align the CWA with a related rule for the control of coal combustion residuals rule (created by the 2010 Resource Conservation & Recovery Act). The aligned rules are aimed at the ~500 steam electric power plants that generate their power from fossil fuels (coal, oil & natural gas). Power plants that produce less than 50 megawatts of electricity are exempt from the rule.
So what does toxic reductions have to do with conservation? The EPA estimates that by reducing the waste streams of these plants (I.e.fly ash handling systems, air pollution control wastes, & bottom ash) there is a water savings of approximately 50 Billion to 100 Billion gallons per year.
So even through the gains from the public conservation efforts can help the water industry conserve, it seems that a lot of water can be saved by implementing toxic reducing waste by just 500 plants each year.
Amber M. Baylor 