The Current

Edition: January 2024

The Current is the monthly newsletter of Innovative Water Solutions where we highlight the great stuff happening at our company and also bring you up-to-date with some of the current water news that could affect you. We hope you enjoy the newsletter!

• Blog Post of the Month: Rainwater during weather emergencies
• FAQ Post of the Month: What can rainwater harvesting be used for?
• Residential Project of the Month: Small space, big impact
• Commercial Project of the Month: YMCA Camp Moody
• Water News Article #1: The power of rainwater harvesting
• Water News Article #2: Feds will take over if Western States can’t agree on Colorado River plan
• Water News Article #3: Harwell scientists design “Moon sniffing tool”
• Water Conservation Tips
• Current Texas Drought Conditions
• Current Texas Water Calendar
• Video: Not enough water to go around….

In this particular project, the homeowner wanted to capture rainwater for conservation use, but was working with a tight space to place the cistern.

We utilized a 1,150 gallon poly storage tank with a first flush, clock level indicator and overflow.   Despite having limited space, we were able to create a system that amplified their storage capabilities while allowing for the most volume per the space.

The homeowner now happily uses the collected water in their garden and landscape.

YMCA Camp Moody is a Summer day camp located in Buda, Texas.

From their website:

“Campers’ days are filled with hikes amongst elms, Mexican buckeyes and live oaks. Campers learn basic archery, engage in rich curriculum of outdoor education, enjoy character building, team building, rock climbing, active field games, swimming and canoeing along Onion Creek. This one-of-a-kind camp will offer campers the opportunity to connect with nature and make new friends.

While Camp Moody is all about time in nature, campers will also spend time exploring their artistic side in our art barn.

Camp Moody is a Texas Aquatics Science certified field site. Campers enjoy civics education on important topics like conservation, water tables, lifecycles and more.”

Innovative Water Solutions is proud to have installed a water storage tank that aids in the education of water conservation, and is used to irrigate the grounds of Camp Moody.

Rainwater harvesting is a sustainable solution to water scarcity. It’s the ingenious capturing and storing of rainwater for various purposes like irrigation, landscaping and household needs.

This practice collects the rainwater that falls onto surfaces like roofs or gutters, directing it into a storage system for future use.

Curious to learn more? Here are six common questions about this eco-friendly technique — and the answers.

What is the process of rainwater harvesting?
What is the value of collecting rainwater?
What are the disadvantages of collecting rainwater?
Is rainwater harvesting worth it?
Can you save money by collecting rainwater?
Which surface is best for collecting rainwater?

Continue reading by clicking the link in the title.

The rules that have guided Colorado River operations for two decades will expire at the end of 2026. Water negotiators across the West have been devising a new set of guidelines — dubbed “post-2026 operations” — that will address water use imbalances, the effects of climate change and tribal water rights.

Now, Colorado River Basin states — Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming —only have a few months to finalize a plan to present to the U.S. Department of the Interior.

If they don’t, federal officials will move forward with planning post-2026 operations without them.
If the states don’t submit a plan in time, they could litigate the plan that Reclamation draws up or attempt to pass a plan for the river’s management legislatively. Western water managers aren’t keen to pursue either of those options.

Reclamation will consider the states’ timely proposal as one of several options for managing the Colorado River in future decades as they undertake the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) steps for post-2026 operations. Haas said that she is optimistic about the states having a plan ready in time, despite the arduous months of negotiations ahead.

“If we want to control our destiny, if we want to have a stake in this, then we’ve got to put an alternative forth to be considered and evaluated,” Haas added.

When it comes to devising a plan to manage a river that sustains 40 million people, 30 tribes and many delicate ecosystems, there’s a lot to consider.

“Water-sniffing” scientific equipment that could determine future astronaut missions to the Moon has launched in a US spacecraft.

The instrument, part developed by RAL Space in Harwell, Oxfordshire, will analyse the atmosphere near the lunar surface and look for drinking water.

It is onboard the Vulcan rocket which launched from Cape Canaveral in Florida at 07:18 GMT (02:18 EST).

The instrument could prove vital for sustainable human space exploration.
Peregrine Mission One is being carried out by the US space company Astrobotic on behalf of NASA, and is carrying five scientific instruments to help prepare for human missions to the Moon later this decade.

Astrobotic’s robotic lander, Peregrine, aims to become the first American mission in 51 years to complete a soft touch-down, and the first ever by a private company.

Peregrine is part of a stampede of spacecraft that will attempt to put themselves on the lunar surface in 2024 – possibly as many as eight different projects, including from Japan and China.

Peregrine Ion Trap Mass Spectrometer (PITMS) has been developed by RAL Space in partnership with the Open University in Milton Keyes and NASA.
RAL Space also designed the circuit boards to power the equipment.

Production and software group leader Chris Howe said the project had been 22 months in the making and described PITMS as “a nose that is going to sniff the lunar atmosphere”.

NON-LANDSCAPED AREAS OUTDOORS

• Don’t clean sidewalks and driveways with water. A hose can use 25 gallons in just 5 minutes. Remember: A broom is best.
• Check for leaks. Note the number of outdoor faucets on the outsides of buildings. Make a list and check all of them regularly.
• Cover pools when not in use. A pool cover can cut losses to evaporation by 70% or more!

PLUMBING RETROFITS FOR EACH UNIT

• Replace toilets with Ultra Low-Flush Models, or retrofit with low-flow flappers. Retrofit faucets with aerators, or consider alternative faucet types such as self-closing or automatic sensor-controlled faucets. Many county and city water utilities offer rebates.
• Replace showerheads with low-flow models.
• Check for leaks! Do dye tablet or food coloring tests in toilets to check for hidden leaks. Be sure to flush the coloring after 10-15 minutes to prevent staining. Check for dripping faucets indoors and out.

COMMON LAUNDRY AREAS

• Efficient washing machines can save up to 20 gallons per load. These also save on energy. If you are replacing laundry appliances, don’t even consider anything but the new horizontal axis models. These not only save up to 40% of water used, they deliver even more substantial energy savings – up to 65%!

Source: https://www.sfwmd.gov/community-residents/water-conservation-how-to

SOURCE: National Drought Mitigation Center (NDMC), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA).

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