A Dry Season

Located in Raleigh, the 4,000-square-foot home will use 50 percent to 65 percent less water than a typical house. It will have automatic sensor faucets, dual-flush toilets, instant hot water tanks, and water volume adjusters. Other water-saving features in the home stand out, such as a recirculating water system. As the company explains it, a large portion of water is wasted while users wait for hot water, so the house uses a system that recirculates ambient-temperature water that typically is lost down the drain.

The GreenHome marks the first time the city of Raleigh has approved the use of recycled and treated rainwater inside a home. A rainwater harvesting system will help retain 95 percent of storm-water on site for landscaping, toilets, and laundry needs (the rainwater will be filtered). In all, the home will have the capacity to store 8,000 gallons of rainwater. Still, drought-tolerant plants will require much less water, thanks to a high-efficiency irrigation system that relies on soil moisture sensors.

“[Many] of these [features] can be done during the construction phase, and they can be done for an individual home or for a development,” Philips says, adding that builders could make an even greater difference by attaching a downspout to a collection container for irrigation and other uses.

It doesn't take a genius to grasp that the country has a problem that is likely to grow larger. The EPA says that between 1950 and 2000, the U.S. population essentially doubled but public water demand more than tripled. In a September 2002 report, “Managing America's Water–Toward a More Modern Approach,” the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers painted an even scarier picture. “This country is facing a looming water crisis,” the Corps wrote. “We are seeing frequent regional droughts, disputes over allocation brought on by growing population demands, and widespread disagreement over competing purposes for water resource use. It is quite likely that water will generate as much controversy in the 21st century as oil did in the last century. If America doesn't act, there will be more serious water conflicts in the next 20 years.”

The danger, of course, is that a period of heavy rainfall could render the water shortage debate moot. “People's memories are short,” Philips says. “When something is abundant, they don't treat it as a precious resource. They respond to the here and now and can't seem to focus on the future.” But the surging interest in sustainability and green building has created a sense of urgency among state and local governments, which means the debate about water conservation has assumed a different tenor.

Chris Miles, principal of eco-minded GreenCraft Builders in Lewisville, Texas, says water regulations could be tougher because more is at stake. “I think municipalities and states will start implementing restrictions all year round,” instead of only during periods of drought, he comments. “You're going to see a major shift in water attitudes.”

Tougher water restrictions will force builders to rethink product selections and landscaping. “Outdoor watering and landscaping are big culprits of water use,” Miles says. In fact, it is estimated that more than 50 percent of water goes toward landscaping in some parts of the country. “The big deal now is the outdoor space,” Miles continues. “People are into their yards, and for someone to come along and say stop watering the lawn is a huge issue.”

Postel says it will take a concerted effort by government officials and the general public to deal with the future water problem the country will likely face. “Managing development and the water we have are going to be important, especially with the likelihood of more droughts,” she says. Governments will have to develop standards for water use, especially for outdoors. “What's more important is for urban and suburban development to be more in sync with natural water systems.”

If you're serious about water conservation, use these products.

Even though water is everywhere, only about 1 percent of the world's supply is usable for human consumption. It's no longer good enough to use Energy Star appliances and 1.6-gallons-per-flush toilets. You need to step it up. Fortunately, products exist to help you do just that.

Rainwater collection can help. For the Mainstream GreenHome, Cherokee Investment Partners used a system from Oakboro, N.C.– based Blue Ridge Atlantic Enterprises to collect, filter, and harvest water on site for a variety of tasks, greatly reducing the demand on the municipal system.

A standard toilet is a huge improvement over old units, but a new crop of high-efficiency toilets that flush with 1.28 gallons is better. Kohler, Wis.–based Kohler—among others, such as TOTO and Caroma—offers dual-flush units (in its Sterling brand) that use either 0.8 gallons or 1.6. The company now offers the gravity-fed San Raphael Pressure Lite, which uses 1 gallon—which could save a household of four 7,000 to 10,000 gallons of water annually versus a standard unit, the company says.

In a typical house, good water goes down the drain while you're waiting for the hot water. A Metlund Hot Water D'MAND System from Costa Mesa, Calif.–based Advanced Conservation Technologies recirculates ambient-temperature water so hot H2O is near instantaneous and nothing is wasted.

Credit: SOURCE: U.S. DROUGHT MITIGATION CENTER