Water conservation asks Moody to think globally, act locally

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Parker Gyokeres
  • 23rd Wing Public Affairs
MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. --  A fifth year of drought in Georgia has come and base environmental officials warn conditions are expected to worsen, with temperatures predicted to be above normal this summer. 

With natural resources becoming more valuable, every member of Team Moody can make a big difference in conservation, said Bill Fowler, 23rd Civil Engineer Squadron chief of compliance and pollution prevention. 

"Our water is drawn from the Floridian Aquifer," said Mr. Fowler. "This is the same source the entire South Georgia region gets its water from, and we must share it with many other communities." 

Georgia did not get enough rain during the winter recharge period to replenish water supplies, he said. As a result, dry wells may become a problem later in the summer. 

The ground-water levels in South Georgia wells are of special concern, and most U. S. Geological Survey observation wells are at midsummer levels already. Because of this, the Georgia Environmental Protection Division classifies the state as being in a moderate drought condition. 

"Most conservation efforts should be directed toward outdoor water uses, as it continues to be the major source of water depletion," said Mr. Fowler. "More than 50 percent of water consumed by the average household is used for landscaping, such as watering lawns." 

State-wide, the water restrictions imposed by the Georgia EPD last year are still in effect and may become more restrictive as the summer heat intensifies. 

These restrictions require that outdoor watering occur on an even-odd basis only. Homes and businesses with even-numbered addresses may water on even-numbered calendar days and homes and businesses with odd-numbered addresses may water on odd-numbered calendar days. 

These restrictions are also required to be followed on base, said Robert Montgomery, 23rd CES facility energy manager. 

There are many ways people can conserve water, and by changing just a few habits, you can make a big difference, said Mr. Montgomery. A one-drop-per-second leak wastes 2,700 gallons of water a year. 

Moody's water nanofiltration plant creates an average of 304,000 gallons of fresh water every single day, and the wastewater treatment plant processes about 210,000 gallons of sewage over the same time period, said Mr. Montgomery. This averages out to each person on the base using an average of 70 gallons of water per day. 

"If everyone on the base saves just 10 gallons of water per person, the base would save 45,000 gallons of water every single day," he said. 

Mr. Montgomery suggests a few tips to help use water more wisely at home and in the workcenter. 

· Avoid using the toilet as a wastebasket or an ashtray. The toilet is the biggest water user in the house, taking up to five gallons of water per flush. 

· When using the sink to wash your hands or brush your teeth, turn off the water unless it's needed. 

· Place a one-quart plastic bottle full of pebbles in the corner of the toilet tank. This will displace water so less is used per flush. 

· Base housing residents are urged to contact housing maintenance for repair of leaky pipes, dripping faucets or constantly running toilets. Not only will this save resources, this could lessen water and moisture damage to facilities. 

· Water lawns during cool periods of the day to minimize evaporation and use a water timer to prevent over-watering. Adjust sprinklers to avoid concrete. 

· Use flow restrictors on showerheads that use no more than two and one-half gallons per minute and sink aerators that use no more than two gallons per minute. 

For more information on water conservation, contact the Georgia Environmental Protection Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources at http://www.gaepd.org.