Wouldn’t it be beneficial for everyone if the Great Lakes Water Authority could pull the City of Detroit into water efficiency, as that term is used to describe policies being implemented in other cities, Atlanta for example?
Think of “water efficiency” as meaning best water practices or cost effective water or affordable water.
The problem is that Detroit, GLWA’s largest wholesale customer, may be adamant not to be influenced in any respect whatsoever by an Authority dominated by its (Detroit’s) suburban neighbors. (Could it be a matter of cutting off one’s nose to spite one’s face?)
Unfortunately, GLWA doesn’t appear to have the power to compel such a positive outcome as water efficiency in its wholesale customers. (As concerns efficiency, note also that GLWA inherited five operating potable water treatment plants, while it’s been known for years that the system could get by nicely with four.)
Atlanta, on the other hand, has taken significant steps toward water efficiency. The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy reports:
Water Efficiency
The Office of Water Efficiency makes Water Saver Kits available to its water customers. Each kit contains a showerhead, faucet aerator, and toilet-leak-detection tablets. The city also offers rebates for high-efficiency toilets for residential and multifamily units. The City of Atlanta has also adopted a goal of achieving a 20% reduction in per capita citywide water consumption by 2020.
Energy Efficiency and Self-Generation
Under the Power to Change initiative, all city facilities, including the Department of Watershed Management facilities are striving to meet a 20% energy reduction by 2020. The RM Clayton wastewater treatment facility’s combined heat and power system converts waste biogas into energy which is used on-site.
Green Stormwater Infrastructure
Atlanta’s Green Infrastructure Ordinance promotes green infrastructure and runoff reduction practices and complies with the metropolitan north Georgia water planning district’s model Post-Development Stormwater Management Ordinance. The city also has an ordinance to allow and regulate rainwater harvesting to control stormwater runoffs.
Since 2009, the City of Atlanta has required the installation of water sub-meters for new and some existing multifamily and mixed-use, multi-tenant buildings.
Last Updated: December 2014 - See more at: http://database.aceee.org/city/water-services#sthash.JLZmuHxv.dpuf
Now compare ACEEE’s assessment of Detroit:
Water Efficiency
There are currently no water efficiency goals, policies, or programs in place for the City of Detroit.
Energy Efficiency and Self-Generation
There is not currently any programs in place for energy efficiency in water operations. Detroit’s wastewater treatment plants do not have methane self-generation capacity, but the facility’s solar panels have a generating capacity of 20 kW and produce an estimated 21,500 kWh per year.
Green Stormwater Infrastructure
In 2013, the City of Detroit updated their Stormwater Management Program Plan to reduce and control wet weather discharges from its combined sewer system. This includes guidelines for educational outreach, new construction, redevelopment, and municipal operations. There are no programs, funding, or incentive structures in place to further encourage green infrastructure stormwater management in Detroit.
Last Updated: December 2014 - See more at: http://database.aceee.org/city/water-services#sthash.JLZmuHxv.dpuf
This is a challenge only Detroit’s mayor and city council can address. If they fail to meet the challenge, the whole region will pay (as usual).
***** jl *****
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