Israel’s Success in Navigating Water Scarcity
In the United States, we often talk about increased concerns about water shortages, but we are not alone in this predicament. According to the World Health Organization, in 2017, “Over two billion people worldwide lack[ed] access to safe drinking water.”[1] Many countries live with circumstances much more dire than the United States. Israel, a country whose landscape is 70 percent desert, has found a way to successfully navigate the challenges of living in such conditions by treating and reusing 90 percent of its wastewater. Of course, Israel’s situation is very different from that of the U.S. politically, geographically and socially. […]
Michigan Study Finds Tennessee “High Risk”
A recent study conducted by Michigan State University found that as many as one-third of Americans may be at risk of not being able to afford water by the year 2020. The objective of the study was to highlight the likely impact of increasing water prices on communities with higher concentrations of low-income households. Of the ten states at “high risk,” a majority are located in the south east. Tennessee is ranked sixth. The study took into account the average monthly usage by household (12,000 gallons in 2014), the average cost of that amount of water and the salary necessary […]
Stockpiling Water in Arizona
Drought conditions and the soon-to-be-completed Drought Contingency Plan have driven leaders in communities in Arizona to amass as much water as possible in preparation for the day when current water sources are unable to meet existing water demands. Counties in central Arizona are affiliated with CAP, the Central Arizona Project, which is a canal system that takes water from the Colorado River and moves it across 336 miles to supply their communities. Many of the entities who use CAP have been increasing their water orders. For the past three years, Phoenix has ordered the maximum allowed by the CAP although […]
Encouraging Sustainable Landscaping in Florida
Across the country, homeowners struggle with the conflicting desires for a beautiful lawn and water conservation, but as water availability becomes less guaranteed, communities are using creative incentives to encourage a different mindset. In Gainesville, Florida (Alachua County), a program was launched to decrease the amount of outdoor water use by removing irrigation systems and replacing the grass with landscaping that is indigenous to the area and more sustainable. The Alachua County Turf SWAP Rebate Program is made possible by a grant from the St. John’s River Water Management District which, according to its website, is “an environmental regulatory agency […]
New Staff Member at SW
Jacob Hammack recently joined SW’s project planning team as an Engineering Technician. He graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and has a strong background in modeling, drafting and coding. In addition to playing an integral role in SW’s preliminary project assessments and feasibility studies, Jacob will support our company IT and plant operational oversight needs. Jacob has a love for the outdoors and spent his childhood exploring the many opportunities in nature that Virginia has to offer. He has been interested in sustainable ways of living since high school, wind and solar energy being […]