Thursday, March 12th - 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm
Presented by: Neal Shapiro
CEUs: TBA

Course Description:
Municipalities are facing increasing centralized water challenges: higher frequencies of drought, source water contamination and water infrastructure failures, reducing water supply. Costs to improve water quality, repair infrastructure and find "new" water resources far exceed city budgets. Moreover the cost of water is relatively inexpensive, resulting in insufficient funds to solve these challenges. Onsite harvesting of rain is one underutilized and readily available solution to supplement municipal water supplies and reduce some of the financial, supply, quality and structural burdens. Harvesting rain on one's property offers numerous benefits to a property owner, the municipality and the environment. This class will discuss primary and secondary rain and stormwater harvesting benefits, and the basics of a harvesting system and end use applications, non-potable and potable.

Biography:
Mr. Shapiro is the Watershed Section Supervisor and Watershed Management Coordinator for the City of Santa Monica's Office of Sustainability & the Environment, and a Certified Professional in Storm Water Quality (CPSWQ) and a Certified Stormwater Manager (CSM). He is also on the Editorial Board of Watershed Science Bulletin, and a Director and Secretary on the Board of Directors for the American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association. He oversees water conservation & efficiency programs, and watershed management programs, all geared toward reducing water pollution and using our precious, limited water resources in a sustainable manner (with a focus on rain/stormwater harvesting, and onsite passive and active uses in association with post-construction structural Green Infrastructure, Low Impact Development BMPs). He has been with the city since March 1999. He worked previously with The Jacques Cousteau Society, researching global water issues for films, books, policies, and expeditions. Neal attended the University of Delaware, receiving a Master's in Marine Policy, and the University of California at Santa Barbara, receiving a Bachelor's in Aquatic Biology.