Unfashionable
Ideas
Thinking Outside
the Pipe
Tom Swihart
DEP
Water Resource Management
U.S. Bottled Water Fashion Trends
Gallons (Billions)
8
6
4
2
0
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Reuse Flow Fashion Trends
800
MGD
600
400
200
0
1986
1990
1997
2001
2005
Ideas Go In and Out of Fashion
Are pipelines fashionable?
There are currently ongoing investigations
into the feasibility of long-distance transport
of water from the St. Johns, Oklawaha, and
Kissimmee River Basins.
Some view long-distance transport as a
fashionable solution to regional water
shortages.
Or Are They Unfashionable?
The legislature has passed laws that allow,
but regulate, transfers of ground and surface
water.
Some local governments have gone on
record opposing long-distance transfers.
Some citizens and environmental groups
have opposed transfers.
Who Decides Where the
Water Goes?
Is this even the right
question?
Why are we thinking
about long-distance
transfers when we
haven’t fully considered
unfashionable ideas
that could reduce or
eliminate the need for
transfers?
Price Signals?
City of Coral Springs
Water Use Rates
Should every public
water supplier be
required to meet
minimum standards for
effective water
conservation and
drought rates?
$5.00
$4.00
$3.00
$2.00
$1.00
$0.00
0-4
4-8
8 - 12 12 - 20
> 20
Gallons Used (thousands)
Price signals are
fashionable for managing
other resources – such
as electricity – are we
doing enough for water?
User Fees?
Would a water use fee
promote economic
efficiency and water
conservation?
Have we found the
“user pays” concept
unfashionable when
applied to water?
Equitable Taxation?
Should the sale of water continue to
be exempt from state sales tax?
Would a tax result in more efficient
water use?
Permit Fees?
Should water use permit fees cover at least
half the cost of processing the permit?
Would shifting some of the cost burden to
permit applicants result in more attention on
water use efficiency?
Mandatory Efficiency Upgrades?
Should homes be sold
without first ensuring that
they meet contemporary
standards for water use
efficiency?
High Efficiency
Toilet
Dual Flush Toilet
Enforcing Existing Laws?
Section 373.62, F.S. requires
that rain sensors be installed on
all automatic irrigation systems
installed after May 1, 1991. UF
research shows that proper
installation and operation of
sensors can reduce use
dramatically.
Why not enforce the law? Why
exempt systems older than
1991?
Matching Landscape Design to
Water Availability?
Should homeowners
be strongly
encouraged not to
landscape with water
thirsty plants?
Getting a Little Exercise?
Do so many Florida
homes really need inground irrigation
systems?
Most new homes now
have them. It wasn’t
always so.
Fashionable?
Measure It All?
Should all water use,
including agricultural, be
accurately metered or
measured? And
reported?
Get with the Technology?
New technology for automated meter
reading allows real time measurement of
use.
Leaks and abnormally high use can all
be detected by the supplier, in real time,
and reported to the customer.
Why shouldn’t it be our new standard?
Should We Think About
Where the Water Goes?
Is large-scale biofuel production a good use
of water?
Can we do more to improve agricultural
water use efficiency (approximately twofifths of fresh water withdrawals)?
Is it good policy to apply a half-billion gallons
of water a day on golf courses?
We Have Choices
Or should we look at other choices, such as
pricing, incentives, taxation, regulation, user
fees, allocation priorities, landscape choices,
building codes, technology, education?
Is the long-distance transport of water in
fashion today?
Florida Crime Rate
10,000
8,000
6,000
4,000
2,000
0
1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006
Middle School Cigarette Use
Percent
25
20
15
10
5
0
1999
2001
2003
2005
2007
Who Uses the Water?
9
7.5
8
7
Power Generation
8.5
Commercial/Industrial/
Institutional
Recreational Irrigation
6.5
BGD
6
5
Agricultural Irrigation
4
3
Domestic and Small
Public Supply
Public Water Supply
2
1
0
2005
2025?
2025 Water
Cons.?
Water Source Trends
Withdra wa l (m gd)
Statewide - Total Fresh Water - USGS
6000
Groundwater
5000
Surface Water
4000
3000
2000
1000
0
1975
1980
1985
1990
1995
2000
2005
Total Fresh Water by WMD - USGS
W ithdr a w a l (m gd)
5000
SFWMD
4000
SWFWMD
3000
SJRWMD
2000
NWFWMD
SRWMD
1000
0
1975 1980 1985
1990 1995 2000 2005
Fresh Groundwater by WMD - USGS
W ith d ra w a l (m g d )
2500
2000
SFWMD
SWFWMD
1500
SJRWMD
1000
NWFWMD
500
SRWMD
0
1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005
Fresh Surface Water by WMD - USGS
W ithdr a w a l (m gd)
2000
SFWMD
1500
SJRWMD
NWFWMD
1000
SWFWMD
500
SRWMD
0
1975 1980 1985
1990 1995 2000 2005
W ith d ra w a ls (m g d )
Public Supply - USGS
3000
Groundwater
Surface Water
TOTAL
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
1970
1975
1980
1985
1990
1995
2000
2005
Price Signals?
Block Rate
Base
0-3,000
$12.00 minimum
Tier 1
3,000-6,000
$3.40 per 1,000 gallons
Tier 2
6,000-12,000
$4.53 per 1,000 gallons
Tier 3
12,000-24,000
$5.66 per 1,000 gallons
Should every public water
supplier be required to
meet minimum standards
for effective water
conservation and drought
rates?
Residential Water Use Charges
$60.00
$50.00
$40.00
$30.00
$20.00
$10.00
$0.00
1
3
6
9
Gallons Used (thousands)
15
Price signals are
fashionable for managing
other resources – such as
electricity – are we doing
enough for water?
Mandatory Efficiency Upgrades?
Should homes be
sold without first
ensuring that they
meet contemporary
standards for water
use efficiency?
Who Uses the Water?
9
Power Generation
8
Commercial/Industrial/
Institutional
Recreational Irrigation
7
BGD
6
5
Agricultural Irrigation
4
3
Domestic and Small
Public Supply
Public Water Supply
2
1
0
2005
2010
2015
2020
2025
Thank You