Blog Post

Green Plumbers

"Water shortages are expected to become more and more common in the coming decades. A 2003 report by the U.S. General Accounting Office reported that 36 states are likely to experience water shortages by 2013."
"Water use in and around buildings, from both public water supplies and well water, accounts for about 47 billion gallons (180 billion l) per day, or 12% of U.S. water use... Residential indoor water use is dominated by toilets, clothes washers, showers, faucets, and (significantly) leaks, according to a 1999 report from the American Water Works Association Research Foundation."
"There are strong indications that water will become a more limited resource over the coming decades, and it is important for building professionals to pay close attention to these trends and build up the expertise needed to reduce water consumption in and around buildings should supply become further constrained."
— Water: Doing More With Less(Environmental Building News, February 2008)

The Master Plumbers' and Mechanical Services Association of Australia (MPMSAA) created a training and accreditation program called "GreenPlumbers" in 2001, and has since accredited over 5,000 plumbers in that country — where water consumption is down by nearly half from 1990 levels. Now the educational and environmental training program has been introduced in the U.S. as GreenPlumbers USA by the non-profit California PHCC (Plumbing, Heating, Cooling Contractors) Education Foundation through an agreement with MPMSAA. The program is available — for free — to journey-level plumbers; registration fees are subsidized through government, agency, utility, and manufacturer partnerships. The training workshops are arranged with local and state jurisdictions, utilities, and water agencies. The training is a five-part, 32-hour accreditation including: Climate Care (8 hours)

  • Emissions in Home and Business
  • Hot Water Heating
  • Energy Consumption
  • Heating Appliances
  • Cooling Appliances
Caring For Our Water (8 hrs)
  • The Water Cycle
  • Water Efficient Products
  • New Technology
  • Reducing Household Water Consumption
  • Storm Water Runoff Pollution and Prevention
  • Introduction to Household Water Audits
Solar Hot Water (4 hrs)
  • Solar Hot Water Technology
  • Rebate Information
  • Retrofit Sizing and Installation
  • New Technology
Water Efficient Technology (8 hrs)
  • Recycled Water
  • Rain Water
  • Graywater
  • Septic Tanks/Wastewater Treatment Systems
  • Environmental/Public Health/Safety Regulations
Inspection Report Service (4 hrs)
  • Commercial / Industrial and Residential Buildings
  • Water and Energy Audits
  • Inspections and Reporting
  • Assessment and Strategies
  • Creating a Master Plan for Future Improvements
Courses are currently scheduled in Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, and Washington. There is a form on the website to request workshops for your area. Online training is expected to be available this Fall.

Published August 28, 2008

(2008, August 28). Green Plumbers. Retrieved from https://www.buildinggreen.com/blog/green-plumbers

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Comments

BuildingGreen Basic Member

August 28, 2008 - 2:37 pm

Many homeowners are beginning to recognize the need for energy efficiency and green energy as a result of rapidly rising energy costs. The need for green plumbing is likewise about to be more widely recognized.

For two centuries we have built up our water distribution, sewer collection, and treatment systems. These modern sanitation marvels have increased our longevity, improved our productivity, strengthened our local economies, reduced our infant mortality rates, and generally improved our quality of life. We have always budgeted to expand and improve these long life assets. But now, we have entered the dawn of the replacement era. For the first time in the history of the USA, a large percentage of these very long life assets (pipes can last over 100 years) are in need of rehabilitation or replacement, and previously we haven't had such "additional" expenditures.

How much will it cost us to keep this critical infrastructure sustainable? Estimates are that water and sewer agencies nationwide are going to need to double or triple their water and sewer rates. Additionally, many cities are in need of establishing storm water utilities with additional rate charges based upon the area of impervious surface on your property, so that they can properly fund for stormwater management.

On top of the shock of rising energy prices, Americans are in for a rude awakening regarding the "true cost" of their water and wastewater. Hopefully, such a shift in economics will likewise get more Americans thinking about stormwater controls, xeriscaping, rainwater and gray water collection, green irrigation practices, and especially water efficiency in their plumbing.

If you are interested in learning more about our essential water infrastructure and its critical role in protecting our environment, there is an upcoming PBS documentary that I helped start entitled, "Liquid Assets: The Story of Our Water Infrastructure" that will soon be airing nationwide on PBS. At the Liquid Assets website http://liquidassets.psu.edu they have extensive community outreach toolkit resources for helping educate the public. Over 10,000 of these toolkits are being distributed to city agencies across the nation by the American Society of Civil Engineers.

regards,
Grant Whittle