A WATER MANAGEMENT MODEL FOR BOTANIC GARDENS AND ARBORETA by Harry P. Lynch A thesis submitted to the Faculty of the University of Delaware in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Public Horticulture Administration May 1992 Copyright 1992 Harry P. Lynch TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES vi ABSTRACT vii Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION 1 2. Water Management .•.•.•••...•.•• 7 A. Water Resources Planning and Pricing 7 A.1. sustainable Development Based Planning •..•••••.•••.• 9 A.2. Water Pricing Comparison •••••• 11 B. Overview of Water Pricing History in the united states ••.•.•.•••••••• 12 C. Water Resources Management 15 C.1. Traditional Water Conservation Measures ..••••••.• 16 C.2. Innovative Conservation Measures 16 D. The Need for Institutional Water Conservation Measures .•••• 17 D.1. New York City's Water Management Approach • • • . • • • 19 3. WATER MANAGEMENT MODEL ..• ••• 25 A. Level I - Water Management Planning Process 26 A.1. Water Conservation Management Task Force •••... 28 A.2. Water Management Policy 30 A. 3. Water System Audit 32 A.4. Garden site Maps .•• 36 A.5. Water System Audit Assessment 37 A.5.1. Disaggregated Water Demand Forecast ••••• ••• 39 A.5.2. Questions Answered by the Water Audit Assessment •••••• 40 A.6. Research ••••.••••••••• 42 A.7. Technical Water Information Synthesis 45 iii iv A.8. Water Conservation Management Plan Development . • . • 45 A.8.1. Water Monitoring Committee 47 A.8.2. Problem Assessment Committee 48 A.8.3. Water Conservation Response Committee •.••..•••. 48 A.9. Development of Water Conservation Management Plan Evaluation criteria 49 A.10 Water Management Plan Implementation 51 B. Level II - Interim Water Conservation Management Action Programs • • • • • • • 52 B.1. Administration Water Conservation Education •..••.••••• 53 B.2. Prioritize Water Conservation ••. 53 B.3. staff Water Conservation Education 54 B.4. Retrofitting ...•.••.. 54 B.5. Pressure Reduction ••.•••. 55 B.6. Additional Interim Conservation Measures •••.•.•••••• 56 B.7. Weather Monitoring •••.••• 58 C. Level III - System Specific Water Conservation Management Action Programs 58 C.1. Domestic System .••. 59 C.1.1. Short Term Conservation Measures ..• • 59 C.1.1.1. Monitoring The Water System •••••• 60 C.1.1.2. Training and Education 61 C.1.1.3. Preventive Maintenance 63 C.1.1.4. Reducing Water Use 66 C.1.2. Long Term Conservation Measures •••••••• 67 C.1.2.1. System Improvements 68 C.1.2.2. Water Reuse and Recycling 70 C.1.2.3. Monitoring Wells ••• 71 C.2. Irrigation System •.••••• 72 C.2.1. Short Term Management Changes 73 C.2.1.1. Staff Training •••• 76 C.2.2. Long Term Management Changes 78 C.2.2.1. Water Sources Development ••••• 78 C.2.2.2. Distribution and Delivery System •••• 81 C.2.2.3. Water Reuse and Recycling 83 C.2.2.4. Xeriscape 83 C.3. Wastewater System 84 C.3.1. Short Term Management Changes 85 v C.3.2. Long Term Management Changes 85 C.3.2.1. Conventional On-site Septic System Alternatives and Improvements •••.. 87 C.3.2.2. Innovative and Alternative Measures For Wastewater Treatment Plants •.• 90 C.4. Conclusion 93 4. CONCLUSION 98 BIBLIOGRAPHY 102 APPENDIX A: Glossary 109 APPENDIX B: Recommended Uses of Meters by Classification •••••. 121 APPENDIX C: List of Materials Which Can be Used for staff Education and Training • •. 124 APPENDIX D: Leak Losses for Boles, Joints, , Cracks Under Different Pressures . • • 126 APPENDIX E: Leak Detection Equipment 128 APPENDIX F: Vendors and Manufactures of Water saving Devices •.• ••• 130 APPENDIX G: Wilbur D. May Arboretum and Botanical Garden Fundamentals of Xeriscape •.• 135 APPENDIX H: Innovative and Alternative Onsite Sewage Disposal ••••••••••••••• 143 APPENDIX I: Solar Aquatic septage Treatment System 146 APPENDIX J: List of Gardens, Institutions, and Water Agencies Contacted and/or Visited During Research Period •••.•••.• 153 APPENDIX K: The How, What, and Where of Water 156 LIST OF TABLES Table 2.1 Selected Country Average Municipal Water Cost, 1986 ....•.•. 12 Table 2.2 Selected Country Municipal Domestic Water Use . .• ••..•. 13 Table 2.3 Effects of Metering on Canadian Municipal Water Pumpage ... 21 Table 3.1 Ten-step Water Conservation Management Planning Process • • . 27 Table 3.2 Tasks in a Water Audit 33 Table 3.3 Water Supply Work Sheet 35 Table 3.4 Sources for Historic Water Data 44 Table 3.5 Interim Conservation Actions for Botanic Gardens and Arboreta .... 57 vi ABSTRACT Many botanic gardens and arboreta across the united states currently face significant operational obstacles due to water related problems. However, all public horticultural facilities in this country potentially face water operational and water supply related problems in the near future. These problems are caused by combined effects of diminishing sources of water supply, increased demands for water from all segments of society, increased development costs, capital shortages, government fiscal restraint, pollution, periodic weather induced shortages, growing public concern for the environment, stress on system equipment, and water quality degradation. Due to these problems, the cost of providing and using water in public gardens will increase, whether directly, through user fee increases, or indirectly, due to increasing costs of complying with changing government regulations. Because of increasing costs the National Arboretum in Washington, D.C. is investigating new sources for their irrigation water supply. Currently, their supply comes from vii viii District of Columbia's municipal water system, which significantly, increased service rates to them. Filoli Gardens, near San Francisco, California has recently completed an extensive domestic and irrigation water system expansion and upgrade. This undertaking was initiated to deal with rising costs, operational inefficiency, and to offset the effects of continuing regional water shortages. Many gardens across the country are becoming aware of their own water problems and are looking for ways to address them. The development of this water management model is in response to the obvious need to conserve and efficiently utilize water. The model is organized into three levels: water management planning process, interim water management action programs, and system specific water management action programs. The first level identifies steps and processes an institution must take to develop, implement, and evaluate a water conservation management program. Levels two and three identify interim management measures, as well as short and long term water system specific conservation measures. When followed, the model will result in an achievable conservation management plan. Additionally, the model provides examples of proven efficient management techniques and methods, as well as innovative new approaches to solving many current water problems. CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION We are reminded daily that most of our valued natural resources are not limitless and increasingly expensive to develop.' Fresh water is one of those resources. In the united states, population growth, increasing use of water in agriculture and industry, and rising requirements for energy are contributing to greater demands on both the quantity and quality of fresh water supplies. The united states, in fact, is facing critical water shortages particularly in the west and in older cities. This is attributable to rapid population growth, environmental damage, the public trust doctrine, groundwater pollution and drought.2 Many botanic gardens and arboreta across the united states currently face significant operational obstacles due to water related problems. However, all public horticultural facilities in this country potentially could face significant operational and supply related problems in the near future. These problems are caused by the combined effects of diminishing sources of water supply, increased 1 2 demands for water from all segments of society, increased development costs, capital shortages, government fiscal restraint, polluted water, periodic weather induced shortages, growing public concern for the environment, stress on system equipment, and water quality degradation. All of these pressures are the result of one fundamental fact: namely, water resource scarcities are growing in frequency and severity as economic development continues.3 All of us, including public horticultural facilities, must begin to manage water resources more efficiently. This resource will become more expensive to obtain and utilize for many reasons, among which is the increasing cost of power to pump, move and treat the water. Another reason is the cost for testing and complying with the Safe Drinking Water Act. Amendments to this Act are changing annually as the Environmental Protection Agency establishes new standards.4 To address these problems, water managers in all levels of government are currently developing and implementing new conservation based management techniques designed to reduce the demand for water, improve its efficient use, and reduce losses and waste. 3 Every area of the country has special circumstances affecting its water supply and demands. Consequently, water authority-induced management plans will vary from one area to another. All, however, are considering one common new technique, that of water demand management. The demand management approach will serve to complement more traditional supply management techniques that are still required to manage water effectively. Accurate pricing is the fundamental new option