Last year, I began a project to replace the four toilets in my home that were original “builder’s grade” from 1991. They consumed at least 4-5 gallons of water with each flush and were prone to leaking water in the bowl even after updating the hardware.
Is it time to upgrade your toilet?
In my local newspaper last week, there was an article on water utility rates. In Georgia, specifically the Atlanta suburbs, we have enjoyed low water utility rates for a very long time. I live in a 4 bedroom, 3.5 bath 3200 square foot home. I don’t have a lawn sprinkling system but I do water my vegetable garden and some of my shrubs during the dry season. My monthly water bill is anywhere from $20 to $40 depending on the season. The article explained that water rates are going to be raised to help offset shortfalls in revenue and system upgrades. My rates may triple soon. Continue reading
Bloom Energy Server and Water Conservation
Bloom Energy’s announcement last month of their new solid oxide fuel cell technology has the potential for being a disruptive technology for the national grid and for changing the way we think about energy consumption. In addition to providing a secure, local and more efficient source of electricity, the Bloom Energy Server will provide us with a solution to the enormous amount of fresh water our current electricity generation system uses.
According to the Virginia Water Resources Research Center, a coal-fired power plant consumes 500 billion liters of water per day or approximately 95 liters for every kilowatt of electricity generated. The Bloom Energy Server recycles the water it uses for the reaction that generates electricity. A single Energy Server is charged with 120 gallons of water and continues to reuse the water. When evaluating the efficiency of these new fuel cells, we need to make sure attention is paid to its efficient use of water resources.
How a coal plant created electricity using fresh water
In my home, I use an average of 30kWh of electricity per day. According to the information above, my energy use consumes 2,850 liters or 750 gallons of water per day. Therefore, in one day’s energy usage, I consume more than six times the water used just to start up a Bloom Energy Server!
I’m looking forward to Bloom’s future residential Energy Servers that will allow consumers to produce their own power at the point of consumption and reduce their water resource footprint.
Have you ever wondered what happens with your water once it makes its brief passage through your house? Not the water that resides in your toilet, but the water that you shower or wash dishes with. Continue reading
Water is an essential ingredient in most manufacturing operations. Especially for those 1 billion of us in the high-consumption class, cutting down on our purchases of material things–from clothes and shoes to paper and appliances–conserves and protects water supplies as effectively as installing a low-flush toilet does. Continue reading
Outside usage of water is seasonally one of the largest sources of water usage. Therefore, there a many opportunities for homeowners to change their habits and save water. Here are just a few: Continue reading
Here are a few tips on how to save water in the kitchen:
After reviewing our Top Ten Ways to Save Water, here are some tips on saving more water specifically in the bathroom of your home:
Trying to find the first step to saving water in your home is usually the hardest. However, with minor changes to your habits, you will be amazed at the amount of water you can save. Here are the top ten water savers in the home:
Welcome to the Dry Well Journal. I’m an alternative energy entrepreneur in Atlanta, Georgia that has experimented with biofuels, solar, renewables, energy efficiency and water efficiency. The drought in the Southeast has inspired me to find ways to conserve water and use it more efficiently in my home and at work.
This journal is where I’m storing the research and information that I am discovering as I research the field of water conservation and efficiency. I hope you enjoy this site. Come back often to get the latest information available or subscribe to our RSS feed.
- Veggie Ranger
