4-8-15
John’s Soapbox:
ECA NEEDS CONSTRUCTION WATER CONSERVATION IDEAS!
Recently, Governor Brown was on the news channels standing in a parched mountain meadow proclaiming emergency drought conditions are present in California and he is issuing an executive order to reduce water consumption by 25% immediately. Brown’s executive order is linked here for your convenience as it is far more intrusive than just cutting water consumption by 25%. There are 31 paragraphs included in the executive order, and here it is—
The local newspapers have had several articles in response to the Governor’s order, and local governments have had additional discussion, and Petaluma even floated the “moratorium on construction” concept for inclusion in their agenda for 4-6-15 (since moved to 4-27-15).
There are many ongoing discussions relating to water rights that have been taking place for years, and are currently getting some traction from the drought situation we are experiencing. I will just list a few of them to get your attention:
- A recent proposal to grant all of the Russian River water rights to the State for allocation and management, 2. Closing of the Potter Valley diversion through PG & E’s hydroelectric system (we get roughly 3% of the Eel River water through this diversion to the Russian River-not insignificant, but also not the draconian environmental disaster that the environmentalists have claimed for many years-the 3% water diversion is critical to Sonoma and Marin County water supplies). 3. Claims that wineries need to stop using water to frost protect and irrigate their grapes. 4. Halting new construction on all levels (moratoriums) that would increase water service connections.
I WOULD LIKE TO HEAD SOME OF THE WATER RIGHTS ISSUES OFF AT THE PASS BY PROPOSING NEW CONSTRUCTION CONSERVATION MEASURES REGARDING WATER USAGE.
We will continue to oppose (vigorously) any notion of a construction moratorium that might be supported by local municipalities. We also need to be leaders in conservation of water through construction methods being adopted.
Here is my ask: Can you provide me with a list of ideas that can be brought before local public officials that can be included into conservation efforts? For example, perhaps there is a better way to test water pipelines and chlorinate the same without having to use thousands of gallons of water to pressure test, then to do a chlorine injection method. Maybe testing of sewer manholes is required to be done by vacuum testing rather than an option of water testing. I am looking for these ideas to consolidate into a proposal by the ECA to local officials to consider. If all bidders and constructors are using the new methods, it does not create an undue hardship on we local ECA members-quite the opposite-the more local rules and regulations that are adopted that we ECA members understand thoroughly, the less outside contractors will feel comfortable coming in to bid our work!
Let the ECA lead by proposing conservation measures not currently required. Let us lead. I need your input. Please forward this newsletter soapbox to your estimators and project managers and crews and see if they can identify areas where the construction industry can conserve our water!
Thanks for reading my soapbox!
That’s All Folks!
John Bly
