Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Based on their long-term planning, even with population growth,
they don't have to do anything else for at least 30 to 40 years, says
Archuleta. “When I came here almost 20 years ago, we relied mostly
on groundwater, which was a declining resource. We devised a 50-year
plan, and we followed it.”
In 1990, El Paso residents used more than 200 gallons of water
per person per day. Today, they use 133 gallons a person, despite
an added 180,000 people in the area, says Archuleta. (Remember,
water use is higher in more arid climates.) To achieve that water
effi ciency, the utility invested in elaborate groundwater mod-
els to provide a snapshot of water fl ows and aquifer levels, and
then developed a multifaceted,
implementable
water-use plan that
met the city's water needs. That plan included the following
components:
Setting rate structures to increase the cost for high water
users
Promoting water conservation through various incentive
programs, including cash rebates to customers for installing
central refrigeration units, low-flow showerheads and toilets,
horizontal washing machines, and outdoor xeriscaping
Increasing the use of water from the Rio Grande, as opposed
to relying primarily on groundwater pumping
Desalination of naturally occurring brackish groundwater
Expanding the use of nonpotable, treated wastewater
“We also have quite a bit of reclaimed water that was part of our
long-term strategy,” says Archuleta. “This is not gray water, such as
showerhead water and noncontaminated home water. This is waste-
water, sewage that has been treated to a high standard for nonpo-
table uses.”
That treated water is distributed to major users like golf courses,
parks, cemeteries, car washes, construction projects, and apart-
ment complexes, mostly for turf irrigation. Some goes to the power
plant for industrial cooling. Using that treated water effi ciently also
reduces the demand on freshwater supplies, especially from large
turf irrigators, Archuleta says.
