Landscape Architect Articles

Calif. School District Reducing Water Usage10-02-08 | News

Calif. School District Reducing Water Usage

The East Bay Municipal Utility District?EUR??,,????'???s Board of Directors issued emergency restrictions on water use in the spring and adopted a drought management plan to reduce water use by 15 percent to combat the Sierra Nevada?EUR??,,????'???s languishing reservoirs. Photo Credits: Photo Courtesy Haas School of Business

The Berkeley, Calif. Unified School District has not yet met the 9 percent water reduction goal set by the East Bay Municipal Utilities District in May but is working with the agency to install water-saving devices in the city?EUR??,,????'???s 16 public schools, district officials said.

?EUR??,,????'??Our employees have always been instructed to use water efficiently, and will continue to avoid waste, understanding that the fields and other athletic spaces are a part of our students?EUR??,,????'??? overall educational experience and need to be maintained,?EUR??,,????'?? district spokesperson Mark Coplan said. ?EUR??,,????'??We use drought-tolerant plants in our landscaping wherever possible, and our garden programs have always promoted environmental values through drip irrigation and other efficient methods.?EUR??,,????'??

Berkeley Unified has 10 permanent groundskeepers and four temporary ones during summer, said the district?EUR??,,????'???s Director of Facilities Lew Jones.

?EUR??,,????'??The irrigation technician is making adjustments per East Bay MUD suggestions,?EUR??,,????'?? Jones said. ?EUR??,,????'??We have also tested a Water Smart irrigation controller at the Berkeley Adult School and that works well. We will begin phasing in Smart Irrigation Controllers at other sites.?EUR??,,????'??

Smart Irrigation Controllers, EBMUD officials said, are tied to weather stations to make adjustments to irrigation without user intervention.

Berkeley Unified is also installing the newest level of low-flow aerators on any faucet or fixture that is currently without it.

?EUR??,,????'??Construction projects routinely install water-saving devices, and sidewalks get addressed in the irrigation part of the audit,?EUR??,,????'?? Jones said. ?EUR??,,????'??Water usage is often required at construction sites to reduce dust. We cannot require reductions in water use without increasing dust.?EUR??,,????'??