Best Practices

 

Water

Best Practices

The Water Accord of the UN Environmental Accords includes Water Access & Efficiency, Source Water Conservation, and Waste Water Reduction.

Waterways are the lifeblood for a community’s social, economic and natural life. Oceans, lakes, rivers, streams and creeks provide drinking water, support the economy, and provide wildlife habitat and outdoor recreation opportunities.

Water supply and quality are increasingly critical issues. Water supply is directly impacted by Climate Change.  By 2050, scientists project a loss of at least 25 percent of the Sierra snowpack, an important source of urban, agricultural and environmental water in California. Sea level has risen about seven inches at the Golden Gate Bridge in the last century, and continued sea level rise could threaten the sustainability of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta which supplies 25 million Californians with drinking water. Water quality is increasingly impacted by toxic contamination.

Local governments can make progress in this area by championing water efficiency efforts and by strengthening municipal wastewater management guidelines to reduce the volume of untreated wastewater discharges. Innovative water conservation techniques can be piloted included rainwater catchment and gray water systems.

Last updated September 1, 2009

WATER BEST PRACTICES