NFBWA waterlines newsletter march 2013

North Fort Bend Water Authority

1. 1 1
NFBWA BOARD OF
DIRECTORS
David Spell,
Precinct 1
Robert Darden,
Precinct 2
Bruce Fay,
Precinct 3
Melony F. Gay, P.E.,
Precinct 4
Robert L. Patton,
Precinct 5
Peter Houghton,
Precinct 6
Pat Hebert,
Precinct 7
Find and fix leaks
to save water
and money!
NORTH FORT BEND WATER AUTHORITY  www.nfbwa.com
c/o Allen Boone Humphries Robinson LLP  3200 Southwest Freeway,  Suite 2600  Houston, Texas 77027
Authority on Track to Meet Conversion Deadlines
Good news for the North Fort Bend Water Authority (the “Authority”):
The Fort Bend Subsidence District has given it (and all other Groundwater
Reduction Plans in Regulatory Area A) another year – to 2014 – to reach its
initial goal of converting 30 percent of its usage from groundwater to alternate
water, primarily surface water.
Even better news: The Authority is already on track to reach that 30 percent
goal in mid-2013, which means it will have another year to accumulate valuable
over-conversion credits.
As of last count, the Authority had converted 13 separate municipal utility
districts to surface water – which together account for up to 23 percent surface
water conversion for the current month. Another 10 MUDs are set for conversion
by this summer, says Authority engineer Melinda Silva, of Brown & Gay
Engineers Inc.
“We have been working diligently, so you can see we will be even further
ahead,” Silva said. “We’ll be able to accumulate that many more over-conversion
credits, and that will be of great benefit to the Authority and its rate payers.”
The Authority -- which encompasses 69 utility districts and two cities,
Fulshear and Arcola -- is under mandate from the Fort Bend Subsidence District
to reduce its dependence on groundwater. Over-pumping of groundwater is
responsible for subsidence across the region, which can cause flooding and
foundation problems, and can permanently harm the aquifer as well.
As of January 2013, 18 separate construction projects have been completed,
15 are under construction and 4 are starting design. These projects, which will
wrap up what the Authority requires for the 2014 conversion, started on its east
side – near the “take point” or connection with the Houston water system –
and have been working west, headed for the Grand Parkway, and then north
toward the Cinco Southwest area.
Construction also is progressing
quickly on what will be another major
accomplishment for the Authority: A new
pump station that should be coming on
line this summer. The new pump station
will replace an older facility the Authority
has been leasing from the City of Houston,
and will provide the Authority with more
surface water delivery capacity.
“The end user at their homes are not
going to notice anything different when
Continued on page 2
Spring 2013

2. 2 3
Conversion...Continued from page 1
that new pump station goes into operation,” Silva
explains. “But from an operational standpoint, the
permanent pump station will be much larger and
give the Authority much more capability. Plus, it is
their own station and designed for their needs. On
the to-do list for the Authority, as far as reaching the
conversion deadlines, it will be a huge milestone.”
“That is quite a lot of work,” Silva said. “The
original water construction estimate was $48.1 million
and the final construction cost was $34.4 million for
these 18 completed projects. We were able to take
advantage of the downturn in the economy and the
lower construction costs, to the benefit of our rate
payers.
“Phenomenal” Growth...
While the savings and over-conversion credits
are good financial news for the Authority, the work
occurs against the backdrop of revised census data
and “phenomenal” growth in the north Fort Bend
County area. This growth means greater demand
for water, and increased pressure for conversion to
alternate sources.
Peter Houghton, president of the Authority’s
Board of Directors, says “The Authority has delivered
water earlier than required. We’re ahead of schedule.
We’re building up credits. We have plans lined up
to meet our long-term needs” Houghton explaines,
“but the exceptionally rapid growth in North Fort
Bend could create some interim challenges…prior to
some of these major long-term surface water projects
being completed.” That rapid growth has fueled the
Authority’s exploration of various alternate water
sources other than surface water to ensure that the
Authority meets short-term alternate water goals, as
facilities that are part of the long-term surface water
supplies are completed.
In a related development elsewhere in the region,
a decision affecting an Authority partner will have
important repercussions for Authority rate payers as
well, Silva said. The Harris-Galveston Subsidence
District has given the West Harris County Regional
Water Authority (the West Authority) five more years
– until 2025 – to reach its second phase of conversion
to alternate water. The Subsidence District also
changed the percentage conversion goal for 2025
from 70 percent to 60 percent.
The Authority is partnering with the West
Authority on that second phase, which includes
construction of a massive cross-town “second source”
water line bringing surface water from Lake Houston
to west Harris County and north Fort Bend County.
The decision to extend the deadline will help spread
out the cost of that huge project – and the necessary
rate increases to pay for it – over a longer period,
Silva explained.
“Things take time to design and build. It was a
balancing act,” Silva said. “The regulatory agency
was trying to balance their objectives for alternate
water conversion with the reality of what it takes
to achieve that conversion. We’re not slowing
down. We’re just trying to bring all this together in a
reasonable and cost-effective way.”
Such decisions affect the “Rubik’s Cube” that is
the alternate water conversion challenge, Houghton
said. “For North Fort Bend, we need to be even more
innovative. How much can we conserve? How much
can we reuse?”
Houghton is confident the Authority will meet its
challenges. In the meantime, conservation of precious

3. 2 3
and expensive water resources remains a key part of
the Authority’s mission.
“We have to change the perception that water
is free,” the Authority president said. “We have to
change people’s usage and habits, and that can be
even more challenging than all this construction.”
Under the Authority’s mandate, alternate water
must initially replace 30 percent of the groundwater
now pumped by approximately 140 permitted wells
within Authority boundaries, which will increase
to a 60 percent conversion in 2025. For example,
reducing groundwater usage by 30 percent means
replacing it with roughly 14.5 million gallons per
day (MGD) of alternate water in 2013 but that
number grows with the population growth.
Conversion to alternate water is a massive and
expensive undertaking. To date, the Authority has
installed approximately 36 miles of new water lines,
in addition to construction of a new pump station and
storage facilities. To fund all projects and right-of-way
needed for the initial conversion deadline, as well as
a portion needed for the next conversion phase, the
Authority has sold over $280 million in bonds. The
bonds are being repaid through groundwater and
surface water fees charged to the well owners subject
to the Authority’s Groundwater Reduction Plan. 

4. 4 5
For a lot of families, the kitchen just seems to be the favorite place to gather.. especially when tempt-
ing aromas beckon and there are lots of tasty tidbits to sample. When the scrumptious meals are over,
however, everything from breakfast scraps to the more bulky “feast” leftovers get scraped into the disposal
in the kitchen sink. It is not quite so appetizing to think of all those shredded greasy food scraps
sliding down the drain where, once they begin to accumulate in the pipes, they can cause some
serious blockage.
Some foods and cooking ingredients are potentially more troublesome than others. Dis-
carded substances like cooking oil, bacon grease, mayonnaise, poultry skin, and pasta can
stagnate in underground plumbing lines and get even messier when joined by dinner roll
scraps, gravy and mashed potatoes. Then sometime later, when the meal is long forgotten,
the sewer system becomes blocked sufficiently to cause a backup inside the house and the
plumber is the only one who benefits from costly remedies and repairs.
While most homeowners may not be aware that commercial establishments and restau-
rants are required to install “grease traps” or interceptors and have them cleaned regularly,
there are no such requirements for private homes. It is up to the homeowner to make sure that
their pipes aren’t clogged up with discarded food.
According to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), most sewer backups occur
between the house and the main sewer lines. This means that it is the resident’s responsibility to cor-
rect the problem. In even more complicated situations, grease blockages in the main lines can cause an
unpleasant chain of events --sanitary sewer overflows lead to pollution of nearby lakes and streams which
create potential health threats for people and wildlife.
Disposal of cooking grease into storm drains has the potential to cause more havoc. The storm drains
lead directly to streams and creeks, so discarded grease can also pollute the nearest water source. Re-
member, any substance poured onto the ground can end up in groundwater. Take the time to dispose
of greasy substances properly...recycle as much as possible and pour cooking oils, lards, and grease into
closeable containers for disposal. Or consider mixing with dry kitty litter until the oil is absorbed and then
place in a zipped-top bag for disposal.
Additional tips for the disposal of grease and leftovers from TCEQ...
 Place grease and used cooking oils in covered collection containers. Let them solidify on the
counter or in the refrigerator before placing them in the garbage.
 Scrape food scraps into trash cans or garbage bags; minimize the use of the disposal.
Non-meat and dairy food items may be placed in a compost pile.
 Remove oil or grease from dishes, pans and griddles by using a rubber spatula or paper towel
to absorb it instead of rinsing it down the sink.
 Do NOT pour cooking oil and grease down the drain...ever.
 Overall, be careful what you scrape into the disposal. Once the
walls of the pipes begin to clog up, all kinds of discarded scraps
can make a bad problem a whole lot worse.
 Don’t run hot water over dishes, pans, fryers or griddles to wash
oil and grease down the drain. 
Be careful what you throw away...
Greasy food scraps can come back to haunt you!

5. 4 54 5
Long Range Regional Planning
Aims to Secure Water for Texas
TEXAS WATER FACTOIDS...
• The population of Texas is expected to increase
a whopping 82 percent between now and 2060;
growing from 25.4 million to 46.3 million people.
Those numbers, staggering though they are, tell
only part of the story. And, as with a flowing
stream, the narrative goes downhill from there.
• Existing supplies – the amount of deliverable
water that can be produced with current permits,
current contracts, and existing infrastructure
during drought are projected to decrease by
about 10 percent – from roughly 17.0 million
acre-feet today to about 15.3 million acre-feet
in 2060 (an acre-foot equals 325,851.4 gallons,
enough to supply about two families for a year).
• In light of this anticipated decrease, if Texas
does nothing to implement new water supply
projects or management strategies, then homes,
businesses, and agricultural enterprises across the
state are projected to fall 8.3 million acre-
feet short of needed supply by 2060!
• Texas has 15 major river basins, 8 coastal
basins, and 9 major and 21 minor groundwater
aquifers, but water supplies vary significantly
from year to year and from place to place.
Because rainfall and stream flows in the state are
unpredictable, communities have traditionally relied
on reservoirs as part of water resource planning.
• Reservoir storage per person in the state
has declined from a peak of 2.4 acre-feet of
conservation storage per person in 1980 to 1.7
acre-feet today. Our population has mushroomed
and reservoir construction has declined since the
1980’s. Without new reservoirs, other water
management strategies will fall short of meeting
the state’s growing water needs. If no additional
reservoirs are constructed during the next 50
years, the amount of reservoir storage will further
decline…to less than 1 acre-foot per person
in 2060…the lowest amount since immediately
following the 1950’s drought of record!
• The TWDB’s mission is to provide leadership,
planning, financial assistance, information and
education for the steadfast development and
conservation of water for Texas.
Continued on page 8
“The availability of water has always
influenced patterns of settlement, and communities
in Texas originally grew where water was plentiful.
But as many of our communities have grown, they
have outstripped their water supplies, making
it necessary to more efficiently use local water
resources, to work cooperatively with one another
on regional solutions to water problems, and to
move water around the state when necessary to
meet the needs of all our communities” (From the
Introduction, WATER FOR TEXAS 2012).
Every five years, the Texas Water Development
Board (“TWDB”) publishes a state water plan. The
Water for Texas 2012 plan, adopted in December
2011, is designed to address the state’s demand for
-- and the available supplies of – water over the next
50 years. The TWDB prepares its water plan by
gathering data on population and water demands
from sixteen regional water planning areas.
After each region adopts its plan, it is sent
to TWDB for approval. The TWDB then develops a
statewide water plan based on information submitted
by the sixteen regions, as well as other sources. Both
the regional and state plans are just that – water
projects must be developed and implemented by a
local sponsor.
Region H
Region H is the designated planning group
for our portion of the Gulf Coast and related inland
areas. It consists of all or part of 15 counties, and
spans three river and four coastal basins in southeast
Texas. Taking a “water is local” planning approach
helps balance our area’s requirements with the
Region’s available water supply. The information
gathered by Region H planners – including local
population projections, water requirement trends
in agriculture and industry, the availability of both
surface and underground water supplies, and water
supply strategies -- is critical to both our area’s future,
and to the state’s, as well.
In our immediate area – Harris, Fort Bend
and Montgomery Counties – there are some tough
realities to be faced. The 2011-12 economically
destructive and record-setting drought provided a

6. 6 76 7
How often does your irrigation system come
on when your grass doesn’t need any water? You
keep reminding yourself to check the system con-
troller, but it just never seems to get done. “It’s not
hurting the grass,” you think, “so what’s the harm?”
Besides the obvious answer that it’s wasting water
and money, too much water actually does harm your
lawn. Overwatering encourages turf to grow shallow
roots which cause the grass to stress if water isn’t
available. And, if your irrigation system is still on dur-
ing winter months, add the fact that native grasses
like St. Augustine are DORMANT during that time
of year, and need no more water than Mother Nature
provides.
It might be true that everything is bigger in
Texas…but that doesn’t have to include your water
bill! Recent reports based on actual irrigation system
evaluations in Montgomery, Harris and Ft. Bend
counties has demonstrated that at least 90 percent
of residents who have irrigation systems water too
often...and 43 percent of that water runs off into the
gutter and ultimately into the storm drain.
There are a number of things that you can
do to maximize the use of your irrigation system and
avoid wasting water and your money. One thing you
might consider is to adopt a “conservative” watering
cycle...using your house number, water no more than
twice a week on an odd/even schedule. You might
choose Saturday and Wednesday for odd numbers
and Sunday and Thursday for even numbers. But,
skip a day if your grass doesn’t need watering – even
if it is a “watering” day.
Here are some of the most important things
you can to do make the best, most water-efficient use
of your irrigation system:
1. Irrigation System Leaks
You might have heard folks saying that the
black gold of tomorrow may very well be blue…water.
As the price of this precious commodity continues to
go up, it is important that your irrigation system is not
needlessly “bubbling” water up from the ground, as
oil did in the TV comedy, “Beverly Hillbillies”. Unlike
Jed Clampett’s windfall of oil money, you’ll be the
one paying for all that wasted water!
What are some signs of an irrigation system
leak? How about water running off your yard and into
the street if a pipe is completely broken? Or maybe
an area of your yard is staying wetter than any other
spot, even if your controller is turned off? Perhaps
your faucets have low pressure when your irrigation
system is running? A typical residential 5/8” or
3/4” water meter will flow about 13 gallons of water
per minute. Imagine a broken pipe leaking all day
while you are away from home. After 8 hours, there
could be 6,240 gallons of water wasted down the
drain. Since your system may be running while you
are asleep or away from home, the problems may
have gone unobserved. And, unfortunately, when
your system is underground it is difficult to find leaks
until they appear. So, if you see these potential
problem areas don’t delay in scheduling a professional
audit/evaluation of your system, and then repair any
pipe leaks or broken, leaky heads that are confirmed.
2. Timing is EVERYTHING!
In addition to adopting a water-efficient
watering schedule, set the system controller to
complete the watering cycle before 4:00 am to avoid
the peak demand of water for other household uses
– like family showers, kitchen chores, and the use of
laundry appliances. This early morning program also
prevents excessive evaporation that occurs in strong
sunlight, and is a great time for a technique called
“Cycle and Soak”. This method applies water
slowly so the soil actually can absorb it. Each lawn has
different components – soil quality and content -- but
the key here is to water only as long as it takes to get
moisture down into the soil, and that could be as little
as 10 minutes or as many as 20 depending on the
soil. It will take at least 30 minutes for the water to
percolate into the soil, so wait an hour to schedule the
IRRIGATION 101...
Top 5 things to do if you
have an irrigation system

7. 6 76 7
next cycle. Do a test run; turn on a zone to discover
at what length of time water is no longer soaking
into the soil, and begins to run off. Use that amount
of time to set the first programmed “cycle”. Set the
timer to come on again after an hour, to deliver a
similar amount of water. Technically, while you may
be watering more often, the system is delivering the
same amount of water...only it is being utilized more
efficiently!
3. Hydrozone your Yard...
When it comes to water, shrub areas need a
different amount than the turf areas. Shrubs or turf
exposed to afternoon sun need more water than
those protected by the shade. Yet when it comes to
watering their yard, most people water everything the
same. We tend to put the same amount of water on
the turf as we do on the flower beds.
Separating different plant materials with
different exposures so they may be watered
independent of one another is called hydrozoning.
Since January of 2009, the rules of the Texas
Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ)
require all new irrigation systems to be hydrozoned.
Applying only the amount of water required by the
plant material versus watering everything the same
can save up to 21,300 gallons of water annually on
a typical residential lot.
4. Overspray – WHAT A WASTE!
The TCEQ rules
governing irrigation in Texas
do not allow spraying water
over impervious surfaces such
as walls, fences, sidewalks, and
streets. The reason for this rule
is simple – it just wastes water.
It may cost more to design and
install a system that does not
spray onto these surfaces, but in the long run, having
an efficient irrigation system that conserves our most
precious natural resource is worth it.
Here’s an example: if your sprinkler system
(set to apply one inch of water) throws water over
the sidewalks during that cycle, it will waste around
220 gallons of water on your sidewalks. This water
will run down the concrete and into the gutter, or it
will run off into the soil where it will over-water the
area and deep-percolate below the plant root zone
where it is no longer useful. Either way, it is a waste
of valuable water resources.
Another important point to consider is that
watering your lawn is like running a marathon. You
need to train the roots to grow or “run” deeper into
the soil. If you water every day, the roots will stay near
the surface where the water is. There is no reason
for them to grow deeper or run longer. By skipping
days between watering periods, the roots will begin
to grow deeper to reach more water. Nutrients are
important for the plants as well. Aerate the soil to
provide oxygen, and add compost for nutrition.
The deeper the roots grow, the longer your
grass can go between waterings. Even during the
dog days of the summer, your grass should be able
to easily go three to four days without needing water.
If the roots are deep enough, you can water as little
as once a week.
5. The Effects of Pressure on Irrigation
Systems
Most of us experience the effects of pressure
from time to time -- at home, on the job, even on the
playing field. And just like people, irrigation systems
do not perform well when the pressure is too high.
Most spray systems operate best with 30 pounds of
pressure per square inch (psi) at the nozzle.
According to the Rain Bird Corporation, for
every five pounds of pressure over the recommended
operating pressure at the nozzle, your system will
waste 6 percent to 8 percent of the irrigation water.
It is very common for a spray system to operate
between 40 psi and 50 psi at the nozzle. This
excessive pressure results in a waste of 16 percent to
29 percent of the water delivered through the system.
For a typical residential irrigation system, this waste
will be equivalent to 28,990 gallons to 52,500 gallons
of water annually. This can usually be remedied by
adding some type of pressure regulation to your
system. Consider having your irrigation system
evaluated by a Licensed Irrigator to determine how
you can conserve water wasted due to high pressure
at the nozzle.
Remember, when all is said and done…
irrigation systems don’t waste water – people do.
Pass Irrigation 101 with flying colors! Get acquainted
with – and take control of – your irrigation system
controller. Check the system regularly for leaks,
broken heads, and tell-tale signs of overspray on
sidewalks, fences, or the street. Here’s a case where
ignorance is most definitely NOT bliss…what you
don’t know about your irrigation system (how and
when it works) can cost you money and waste valuable
water resources. 

8. 8 98 9
WATER PLANNING, Continued from page 5
8
stark wake-up call, revealing our vulnerability to
extended dry periods and delivering a sobering
message: simply stated, looking ahead, we may not
have adequate water resources to meet the needs of
our residents.
In compliance with regulatory agencies’
mandates to convert hundreds of water districts from
reliance on groundwater to surface water, water
authorities in our region are collaborating with the City
of Houston to construct the Luce Bayou Project.
The project will eventually bring some 400 million
gallons per day from the Trinity River into the City of
Houston’s Northeast Water Purification Plant at Lake
Houston, where it will be treated and delivered across
the region. Driving this project is the exceptional
population growth experienced in our area.
Even with aggressive water conservation
measures, a number of the groundwater wells in
the area have reached the end of their useful lives,
aquifers are being depleted, and the area is already
experiencing both water quality and water quantity
issues. This makes the Luce Bayou Project a critical
element of the State Water Plan for the multi-county
region.
The local water authorities do not have Ad
Valorem taxing power; so construction projects are
paid for by pumpage fees applied to wells within
their boundaries, surface water sales and the revenue
bonds supported by those sources. This makes the
financing programs available through the Texas Water
Development Board (TWDB) so essential to help with
engineering and environmental studies, right of way
acquisition, and other preparation for construction.
The TWDB has funded a substantial amount of
the Luce Bayou Project costs, and the Luce Bayou
“partners” intend to seek additional state funds to help
pay for the project. If Luce Bayou is NOT completed
on time, there will be ripple effects across the multi-
county area, impacting economic growth and the
future conversion to surface water.
Recommendations...
The sixteen regional planning groups recom-
mended 562 unique water supply projects to meet
the State’s projected needs for additional water sup-
plies. If implemented, these projects would result in
an additional 9 million acre-feet per year by 2060 to
meet the anticipated 8.3 million acre-feet
shortfall. The capital cost to design, construct new
projects, or implement the recommended water man-
agement strategies is estimated to be $53 billion. This
includes conservation, drought management, new
reservoirs, water reuse, and the introduction of new
water treatment options like desalination plants. To ac-
complish this, municipal water suppliers are expected
to need nearly $27 billion in state financial assistance.
It is anticipated that water supply issues will
be assigned high priority during the 83rd Texas
Legislative Session. Representative Allan Ritter (R-
Nederland), Chair of the House Natural Resources
Committee, has filed two important bills. House Bills
4 and 11 call for a one-time transfer of $2 billion from
the state’s “rainy day fund” (Economic Stabilization
Fund) to capitalize a new, dedicated revolving fund
to help pay for water-related infrastructure. On the
Senate side, Sen. Troy Fraser, chairman of the Senate
Committee on Natural Resources, has introduced Sen-
ate Bill 22 that, among other provisions, also calls for
the much needed $2 billion funding. This is significant
in that passage of such legislation would enable the
state to fund its long-range state water plan, and it
also lays the groundwork for the fund’s management
and operation.
The launching pad for this program is a Texas
Water Development Bond Amendment (Prop 2),
which gained voter approval during the November 8,
2011 general election. This amendment allows the
TWDB to authorize bonds on an ongoing basis so long
as the dollar amount of bonds outstanding at any one
time does not exceed $6 billion. These Prop 2 bonds
are self-supporting (i.e., paid for through usage and
impact fees). They do not depend on or utilize
general revenues.
Making the tough decisions...
Invariably, time and adequate rainfall have a
way of dulling our senses to the obvious. However,
Mother Nature, like all moms, is relentless in reminding
us of the consequences of indolence. And she’s
reminding us now. With just a handful of reservoirs
in some stage of planning or development – with
plenty of opposition lined up to delay or defeat their
construction -- the state only has 188 major water
supply reservoirs to rely on. More are needed.
The state’s 1961 planning effort to meet
water requirements in 1980 included some insightful
advice: “If Texans cannot change the weather,
they can at least, through sound, farsighted
planning, conserve and develop water
resources to supply their needs.” Sound advice
indeed. 

9. 8 9

Collecting rainwater for your garden is a smart idea; plants
like rainwater, because it’s naturally soft, and free of chemicals.
If the area is hit with another drought, collecting rainwater is a
good way to deal with watering restrictions. You may also find that
having a rain barrel is a handy alternative to the garden hose when
it comes to watering container plants -- in hanging baskets or pots.
It’s surprising how much water can be collected every time
it rains. Just a half inch of rain falling on a 1,000-square-foot roof
will yield 300 gallons of water! To get a quick idea how much
water the roof of your own house might yield, here’s an example.
For a modest-sized house, say 30 x 36 ft., with a typical 2 ft. roof
overhang, a half inch of rain would yield about 408 gallons of
water. That’s enough to fill six standard-size rain barrels.
Try it yourself!
It used to be a lot more difficult to find good quality rain
barrels, and that meant relying on internet ‘shops’ with pricey
shipping costs. Today, however, just about every garden and home improvement store has a selection of
the handy containers at reasonable prices.
Here’s what you need to set up your own rain harvesting system:
1. Gutters and a Downspout. If you don’t already have rain gutters on your house, this one-time
investment will likely be the biggest related cost. High quality gutters can be rather expensive, but even
the least-expensive gutter system will suffice.
2. Rain Barrel. Select a rainwater container. They are usually made of heavy duty plastic and they come
in several colors (e.g., dark green, gray or terra cotta) and can hold various amounts of water. If you want
to start small and keep it simple, consider a rain barrel with a water capacity of 40 to 80 gallons of water.
If you have the space, several barrels can be set up in tandem. Prices vary, but most quality barrels are
about $100-$150 each.
3. Debris Screen and Lid. A “downspout diverter” makes it easy to direct rainwater right into the storage
tank. (Check local home improvement stores or the internet for these.) But before the water goes into the
rain barrel, it is important to use some kind of debris screen to filter out leaves, pine needles and other
debris. If the debris isn’t filtered out, it will accumulate at the bottom of the
tank and may clog up the outflow. A removable wire mesh screen is all that is
really needed, either mounted on top of the rain barrel or attached to the end
of the downspout. A well-fitting lid is also important for safety (to keep pets
and children out), and to prevent mosquitoes from breeding in the water.
4. Distribution Device. For a rain barrel, all that’s needed is a standard
spigot or short length of hose installed near the bottom of the barrel, with an
on/off valve. Then let gravity do the work. A longer hose can be attached
to reach your garden, or just use the rain barrel’s spigot to fill watering cans.
A downspout diverter, (see example, right), a popular British
device that has been adapted to fit American drainspouts, comes in handy
when it is difficult to place the rain barrel directly in front of one.
If your primary motivation is to collect rainwater for your garden, you
don’t need to worry about capturing every inch of rain that falls on your roof. But consider this: If you get
about 10-inches of rain over the course of the spring and summer, an average, 1,360-square-foot roof
would yield 8,160 gallons of rain water. You have to admit that whether you’re in a drought situation or
not, it’s hard to pass up that much of a free thing! 
Harvesting the Rain
Right from Your Roof

10. 10 11
One of the key lessons we learned during this past year
of drought is that clean water is important to all of us; for our
health and well-being, and to sustain a healthy economy, too.
Not only does it supply a habitat for marine life, but clean
water provides recreational opportunities, drinking water for
our homes, businesses and manufacturing, and even provides
the means to generate electricity. We also learned that old Ben
Franklin was right when he warned that we wouldn’t “know
the worth of water until the well ran dry.” During this past year
when it didn’t rain, we stopped taking an adequate supply of
clean water for granted, and we paid more attention to things
that impact our water resources.
Trouble in the streets...
What do motor oil, lawn fertilizers, cigarette butts,
grass clippings and pet waste all have in common? They all
contribute to what the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) warns is the number one threat to our drinking water
supplies... Nonpoint Source Pollution (NPSP). Today, the
primary source of oil pollution in North America’s coastal
waters isn’t leaking oil tankers or oil rigs, but can be tracked
back to countless oil leaks from the more than 235 million cars
currently on the road. Drip, drop...cars make daily oil deposits
on roadways, parking lots and driveways and neighborhood
streets. When it rains, stormwater falls on hard surfaces like
roads, roofs, driveways and parking lots. Since it cannot seep
into the ground, it runs off to lower areas, carrying with it globs
and sheens of oil from paved surfaces into the storm drains...
on to creeks and streams...then into bays and estuaries...and
finally into the Gulf of Mexico.
Addressing a serious problem...
Here are some more statistics about this sneaky kind
of water pollution that might surprise you. Illegal dumping of
chemicals and toxic waste accounts for less than ten percent of
it. Forty percent of water pollution originates with automotive
fluids washing off paved surfaces from normal rainfall and
cleaning activities.
Twenty five years ago, most of the “point-source”
pollution -- the kind where the source was easily identified
-- was virtually eliminated when industries and wastewater
treatment facilities cleaned up their discharge to public waters
to comply with the Clean Water Act or face crippling fines.
Making informed choices...
So, what can be done to help arrest this growing threat
TOO MUCH...OR TOO LITTLE...
RAINFALL CAN BE A PROBLEM
!

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to our water supplies? Actually, quite a bit...and
some of the measures help solve more than one
problem and are aesthetically pleasing, as well!
Perhaps the most important thing we can do is to
learn about NPSP and do whatever we can to stop
it. This is not as difficult as one might assume and
one simple ‘message’ sums it up: ONLY RAIN IN
THE DRAIN! What goes into the storm drains ends
up -- untreated -- in our lakes, rivers and streams.
So, good common sense dictates that we recycle or
properly dispose of household products that contain
chemicals, as well as insecticides, pesticides, paint,
solvents, and -- most especially -- used motor oil.
Another persistent problem is the improper
disposal of pet waste. Americans own 75 million
dogs and sadly, an estimated 40 percent of pet
owners don’t clean up their dogs’ “deposits” at
home or when they are out for a walk. Thanks
to major public information campaigns about
the impact of ‘pet poop’ on local steams and
waterways, people are getting the message from
homeowner associations and parks that if their dog
makes a deposit in a public place, the owner has a
responsibility to scoop the poop and deposit it in
the trash or in receptacles provided.
There is growing interest in residential
“sustainable infrastructure techniques”. These
techniques involve substituting alternatives to
areas traditionally covered by nonporous surfaces.
Grasses and natural ground cover, for example,
can be attractive and practical substitutes for paved
driveways, walkways, and patios.
Consider constructing wooden decks, gravel
or brick paths, and rock gardens to keep the natural
ground cover intact and allow rainwater to slowly
seep into the ground. This acts as a natural filtering
process and reduces harmful water quality impact
from rainfall that carries chemicals and pollutants
with it into storm sewers and retention ponds, and
eventually into nearby streams and lakes.
The bigger picture...
Two thirds of the impervious surfaces in
developed communities are in the form of pavement
related to automobile usage, so any design or
redevelopment options that reduce impervious
pavement is a positive step toward improving
water quality. Pervious options allow percolation or
infiltration of stormwater through the surface into
the soil below where the water is naturally filtered
and pollutants are removed.
Substituting pervious pavements for
driveways, low-traffic roads, parking areas, sidewalks,
and residential pool decks and patios can make a
significant difference in reducing stormwater runoff;
replenishing groundwater; reducing flooding; and
reducing thermal pollution — the heat given off by
pavement baking in the sun. Because of their open
structure, the pervious alternatives offer a “cooler”
pavement choice. By replenishing water tables
and aquifers rather than forcing rainfall into storm
sewers, the pervious choice can also help reduce
demands on storm sewer systems.
When it rains...it’s porous!
The technology is really quite simple. The
secret to the success of pervious pavements is to
provide the water with a place to go, often in the
form of an underlying open-graded stone bed. As
the water drains through the porous surface and into
the stone bed, it slowly seeps into the soil. While
these special features are generally more expensive
than conventional impervious surface construction,
the costs are more than offset by the ability to
eliminate many elements of a standard stormwater
management system.
They say that “necessity is the mother of
invention”. As water becomes more expensive,
options like installing porous pavements will prove
to be more affordable and an important component
in sustainable water management strategies. 

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www.nfbwa.com
c/o Allen Boone Humphries Robinson LLP
3200 Southwest Freeway, Suite 2600
Houston, Texas 77027
Take the 10 Gallon Water Conservation Challenge!
Make a commitment to use water more efficiently!
Water plays an important role in our lives...in fact, no living thing
can survive without it! We can all learn to use water wisely.
If each of us used just 10 gallons less each day, think of how much
water we could save by the end of a week! or a month! or a year!
It is amazing how fast the savings will add up!
 Take shorter showers = 4-5 gallons per minute
 Tell an adult about a leaky faucet or “running”
toilet = repair will save 5 to 200 gallons a day
 Use a broom instead of a water hose to
clean the driveway and sidewalks = 9 gallons per minute
 Ask an adult to adjust the irrigation system
controller to water a maximum of twice a week – can save
up to 40 percent of the water used for this purpose. Turn
system OFF during winter months – October – February
 Only run the dishwasher with a full load =
12 gallons per load
 Wait for a full load before running the washing
machine = up to 43 gallons per load
 Turn off the faucet while brushing teeth =
4 gallons per minute.
See how easy it will be to save 10 gallons a day!
Things to do...
1. Encourage your school to Proclaim a Water Conservation month.
2. Have a slogan contest and make posters to put up around the school.
3. Calculate how much water your class/school can save in a week, month, year.
4. Create a calendar from students’ water conservation drawings.
Source: www.SaveWaterTexas.com