Everything You Wanted to Know about Aridification

What is aridification?

In the simplest of terms, aridification is the progression of an area experiencing normal rainfall, occasional droughts, gradually more frequent droughts, and then becoming increasingly dry. In most instances, temperatures are rising at the same time.

How is it measured?

Typically, it is measured by examining rainfall trends. Two or three years of drought, for instance, does not indicate an area is experiencing aridification. But several years of drought, which is happening today in California and other western states, is an indicator that aridification has set in.

Another way it is measured is based on the reduction of soil moisture. Drier and hotter weather increases evaporation, removing moisture from the soil. The more prolonged those conditions, the more likely aridification has set in.

Can there be wet seasons when aridification sets in?

Yes, but they become fewer and are farther between.

What is the connection between year 1924 and aridification?

The last time California and much of the western half of the United States was as dry as today was in 1924. Today, things could be even worse because of climate change caused by greenhouse gasses. However, other experts say the “aridification” of California goes back even further, about 1,200 years.

How can scientists determine that 1924 and years past were do dry?

Scientists study the rings of trees from the state of Montana all the way south to Mexico. Tree rings are wider in wet years and narrower in dry years. When there is extreme drought, the tree may hardly grow, which means new tree rings are virtually negligible.

How is aridification impacting the Colorado River?

The Colorado River depends on mountain snowfall and rain to feed it and deposit water into Lake Mead and Lake Powell. However, there has been less snow and rainfall in the past few years, leaving these two “collection tanks” of water with less water than ever before. At the same time, there is more demand for the water collected in these lakes than in the past.

Will conditions get worse?

Some suggest that the wetter water conditions we had before 2010 in the western part of the country may never return. So, the answer is yes. In the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, we had dry seasons that lasted one to three years. Since then, they have lasted longer, three to five years. Now with aridification, the wet seasons are occasional while the dry seasons have become the norm.

Is aridification going to impact the entire country?

No. Some areas of the country, such as the Midwest, may get more rain in years to come. This can be due to natural climate change as well as human-induced climate change. When climate change sets in, it can impact one area differently from the way it impacts another area.

What can we do about this? Millions of people live in the western portion of the U.S.

It’s going to be a process made up of several components. First and foremost, we must use water more efficiently. Billions of gallons of water are still lost every year due to leaks, poor water infrastructure, and water use where it is not needed. We can also expect to see more restroom fixtures that work much more efficiently and satisfactorily with little or no water. A prime example is waterless urinals, which use no water at all.

Another step that must be implemented is the use of drip irrigating systems for irrigating farmland and commercial and residential vegetation. These systems virtually eliminate water evaporation, the elimination of which is vital.

Additionally, the Arab countries and Israel have long and successfully used desalination techniques to turn saltwater, which is not potable, into drinking water, which can be used for all traditional water purposes. Today, Israel has 20 percent more water than it needs, primarily due to drip technologies and desalination plants.

Finally, we must get started. Aridification is moving faster than we are. It’s here now. We must realize this and start dealing with it.

Klaus Reichardt is CEO and founder of Waterless Co, Inc, Vista, Calif., Waterless Co., Inc, pioneers in advancing water efficiency.  Reichardt founded the company in 1991 with the goal of establishing a new market segment in the plumbing fixture industry with water efficiency in mind. Reichardt is a frequent writer and presenter, discussing water conservation issues.  He can be reached at klaus@waterless.com

When It Comes to Saving Water, It’s Getting Tough Out There

Southern California is ground zero when it comes to aridification. Drought conditions have been a way of life for so long now that most people accept that droughts are no more. What has replaced them is a more permanent state of far less water with drier and hotter conditions - known as aridification.

But that doesn’t mean everyone is cutting back on water as they have been asked — or required — to do. Case in Point:

The Las Virgenes Water District in West Los Angeles County is dangerously low on water. Yet this district, home to some of the county’s wealthiest residents, is famous for using as much water as 205 gallons of water per person. That’s almost three times the daily average in other areas of the country.

Residents have been asked to scale back. Some have, but far too many have not. Because of this, the district is getting tough.

Every residence now has a water budget based on the number of people living in that home. Flow restrictor installation warning letters are being issued to customers who use more than 150 percent of their water budget. Actual flow restrictors are installed if the customer exceeds their monthly water budget at least four times.

When installed, these flow restrictors reduce consumption from thirty gallons per minute to just one gallon of water per minute - a significant water reduction. It’s enough water for kitchen faucets to work and toilets to flush — but just barely. Forget about using water to wash cars or for lawn sprinklers. At one gallon of water per minute, that’s out of the question.

Further, to ensure that residents know the district is serious about water use reduction, if a flow restrictor is installed — and about 1,600 of them have been installed — and then (illegally) removed, residents can be fined $100 to $200 per day. Just tampering with the flow restrictor can result in a $2,500 fine.

While the district is strict about this, they are not monsters, at least initially. For instance, they usually meet with the customer to discuss the situation and advise them on ways to reduce water consumption. According to the district, most residents have no idea how much water they are using. Once they understand, residents must sign an agreement that they will voluntarily mend their ways and use less water.

“What we’re trying to do is have a path for them [the residents] to take, to get their water use under control,” explains David Pedersen, the water district’s general manager. “We’re trying to help our customers do the right thing; we’re not trying to be punitive.”

However, if the district must get punitive and a flow restrictor is installed, the first installation is for two weeks. By then the resident, it is hoped, has learned their lesson and lives within their water budget. But if they do not, the second installation is for 30 days. It goes up from there.

There are ways these residents can “mend their ways” regarding reducing water consumption: installing aerators in sinks and faucets can save vast amounts of water, and watering lawns only once per week, as is now required.

Some residents are also looking into new, high-efficiency toilets that use even less water than the federally mandated 1.6 gallons of water per flush. They are even waterless urinals. As the name implies, these urinals use no water at all.

While they will not save 35,000 gallons of water annually as they do in a school or office, the reduction in water consumption could be significant – 2,000 to 4,000 gallons per year per urinal - enough that this may be all that is necessary for some of these residents to live within their water budget.

Klaus Reichardt is CEO and founder of Waterless Co, Inc, Vista, Calif., Waterless Co., Inc, pioneers in advancing water efficiency.  Reichardt founded the company in 1991 with the goal of establishing a new market segment in the plumbing fixture industry with water efficiency in mind. Reichardt is a frequent writer and presenter, discussing water conservation issues.  He can be reached at klaus@waterless.com

Waterless Co. – Pioneers in Advancing Water Efficiency

What a Cleaning Expert Learned about Cleaning Waterless Urinals

Ben Walker is a well-known cleaning consultant. He and his company, ManageMen, Inc., work with large facilities and contract cleaning companies, helping them streamline cleaning operations, improve efficiencies, and reduce cleaning-related costs.

In 2006, his company was hired to help simplify cleaning operations for a new, large, state-of-the-art building in San Diego, CA.  As he was touring the facility for the first time, he noticed something in the restrooms he had never seen before: waterless urinals.

He was told they were installed because they can help reduce water consumption dramatically, as much as 35,000 gallons (about 132,489 L) of water per year, per urinal. In thirsty California, as well as many other western states, waterless urinals are now commonplace. In 2006, not so much.

Walker says that as far as cleaning and maintenance in the new building, everything was going perfectly – at least initially. The client was happy as were the building’s tenants. But by the third month, problems developed. The waterless urinals that the building proudly installed were releasing pungent odors that could sometimes be sniffed in the facility area.

“This was a problem I had never faced before,” says Walker. And it was not just Walker. “I found…the custodial crew members [were also] struggling to keep up with the new waterless urinals, but a very pungent odor was beginning to overtake the facility.” 

What Walker later found out was that while waterless urinals offer “huge benefits,” as he called them, allowing organizations to meet their sustainably needs, they have their own cleaning requirements, which differ somewhat from the ways traditional, water using urinals are cared for.

Would you like to learn more about the huge benefits of installing Waterless urinals? Contact us here.

"While the cleaning procedure for waterless urinals is pretty much the same as for flushed ones, they have additional process that managers need to be aware of.” 

Among the suggestions Walker shares with managers and cleaning professionals are the following:

Read the cleaning instructions. Manufacturers provide cleaning instructions with their waterless urinals. All too often, no one reads those instructions until a problem arises. Those troubles usually can be eliminated if the instructions are read before any cleaning is performed.

Make sure the staff is using the proper cleaning solutions recommended by the manufacturer. Some brands may require specific cleaning solutions. However, fortunately, most waterless urinals can be cleaned using traditional cleaning solutions such as all-purpose cleaners, sanitizers, and disinfectants.

Use manufacturer specific cleaners. The cartridge and sealing liquid serves an especially important function. It helps prevent sewer odors – such as those this building in San Diego was having – from escaping into the building. Some manufacturers require specific cleaning solutions so as not to reduce the sealing liquid effectiveness. To prevent this from happening, remove the cartridge when cleaning. (NOTE: This is Walker’s advice. This may not be necessary with all waterless urinals). Other manufacturers have cleaning solutions that work with their sealing liquids.

Wipe the urinal cleaning from the top down. Also, use a cotton cloth or microfiber towel. Some cleaning professionals use paper towels. Paper towels are good for drying hands but not effective in cleaning, including cleaning waterless urinals.

Take note as to when the cartridge was installed. Some cartridges have a noticeably short lifespan, two or three months. Interestingly, these are often the more expensive cartridges. The cartridges installed in urinals manufactured by Waterless Co. Inc, are inexpensive and can last as long as six months. Further, waterless urinals from Waterless Co., come with a unique key that can be used to quickly remove the press fit cartridge when it needs to be changed.

Don’t forget cleaning around the urinal. Splatter is an issue around urinals.  The situation is worse when water-using urinals are installed.  To help promote safety, health, and eliminate odors, custodial workers should wipe down walls around the urinal as well as floor areas on a regular basis.

Finally, and very importantly, we would like to add one more tip. Make sure that the sealing liquid, such as our BlueSeal sealing liquid, used in the cylinder is always on hand and that the cylinder is refilled when needed. In 90 percent of the cases where one notices urine odors, it is the sealing liquid that is missing. It simply needs to be replenished-added into the cartridge.

Klaus Reichardt is CEO and founder of Waterless Co, Inc, Vista, Calif., Waterless Co., Inc, pioneers in advancing water efficiency.  Reichardt founded the company in 1991 with the goal of establishing a new market segment in the plumbing fixture industry with water efficiency in mind. Reichardt is a frequent writer and presenter, discussing water conservation issues.  He can be reached at klaus@waterless.com

Waterless Co. – Pioneers in Advancing Water Efficiency

Seventh Annual Value of Water Index Released

Eighty-four percent of respondents believe ensuring a reliable water supply is necessary for a strong U.S. economy.

Vista, CA – June 28, 2022 - The Value of Water Campaign has recently released its seventh annual index, a poll tracking voters’ opinions about water-related issues. The bipartisan group examines what U.S. voters think about climate change, water infrastructure, and the environment, as it relates to water.

The survey was conducted from March 27, 2022, through April 7, 2022, with a margin of error of 3.1 percent. Among the findings of this year’s survey are the following:  

• Eighty-four percent of respondents believe ensuring a reliable water supply is necessary for a strong U.S. economy.

• In 2021, 42 percent of those surveyed said addressing drought was important. By 2022, that increased to 54 percent.

• In 2021, 52 percent said they trust that the drinking water delivered to them is safe. By 2022, that decreased to 41 percent.

• People of color are less likely (69 percent) to believe their water is safe, while 87 percent of whites believe their drinking water is safe.

• When asked about the nation’s water infrastructure, only 7 percent said they thought it was “very good.” More than 40 percent said it was very or somewhat bad.

• While only 11 percent of the respondents know the new infrastructure bill will bolster funding for water infrastructure, 75 percent of those aware of this were strongly or somewhat strongly approving of this use of federal money.

“There are many ways these findings can be interpreted,” says Klaus Reichardt, founder and CEO of Waterless Co., Inc., a marketer of no-water urinals. “For one thing, there is a surprising unity among voters that we need to invest in water infrastructure.”

Reichardt also says the findings indicate more people are getting increasingly concerned about water: “Each year, we see a drop in confidence. Hopefully, as more electors realize this, they will get serious about ensuring we have reliable water systems throughout the country.”

Waterless Co. – Pioneers in Advancing Water Efficiency

  About Waterless

Waterless Co. Inc. has established a well-respected reputation as being an innovative manufacturer of no-water urinal systems.  Based in Vista, Ca, the 31-year-old company is the oldest manufacturer of waterless urinals in North America.  The company offers a full line of Waterless No-Flush urinals, cleaning liquids, and cost saving accessories. Visit: www.waterless.com 

Waterless Co. Inc.

1050 Joshua Way
Vista, CA 92081 USA
800.244.6364

sales@waterless.com

Four Articles On Water Just For You

Klaus Reichardt

Hello,

 Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to have authored and published many articles about water conservation, water efficiency, and today on aridification, the gradual process in which a region becomes drier and hotter.

Below are four that I believe are of special importance.   Please select one (or more) that interest you.  If you have any thoughts or questions, please feel free to contact me.   Klaus Reichardt

How A Water Audit Pays Off  

Managers of industrial facilities want to conserve water and find ways to use it more efficiently if for no other reason than it is the right thing to do, right? Well, yes, it is the right thing to do, but there is another reason managers of industrial locations should consider ways to reduce water consumption, and that is to save money. This article is being written in Chicago where water and sewer rates have doubled since 2007 and have yet to plateau.

Commentary: Using water responsibly  

As most people know, California is now in its fourth year of drought and 2016, which could be the fifth year, is sending us mixed signals. January was very wet, but February was bone dry. However, what many people do not realize is that the state is managing this drought much better than those in the past, specifically the 1976 drought that had the state on its knees. What the state learned can and has benefited the entire country. (Date sensitive but still critical)

The Economic Implications of Water Shortages

Better water management is a key factor in reducing U.S. water consumption that can be replicated in other parts of the world. Typically, when we consider water shortage issues around the world, the focus is on water scarcity. We often look at certain regions of the world—and at times, in our own country—when there is not enough water to meet the needs, or customary needs, of the community. However, there is another element to water shortages that is becoming as important and critical.

Facing Growing Water Demand Without Aquifers 

With the demand for water in this country and around the world growing significantly every year, we won't have the luxury of waiting thousands of years for these aquifers to carry water again. In July 2014, a family that had just purchased a new home in an area of Arizona called Sulphur Springs had an unusual experience. One of the family members began filling a glass of water, and instead of clean, clear water coming out of the tap, it was cloudy and brown.

Getting to Know Klaus Reichardt

The following was originally publilshed in Water Technology Magazine

It doesn’t take long to understand the harsh reality of water shortages all across the U.S. and abroad. And, it’s not just that we’re running out of water, the wealth of clean, fresh drinking water is not as abundant as it once was.

This has become a key issue for many in the water efficiency industry like Klaus Reichardt, founder and CEO of Waterless Co. Inc. in Vista, Calif. Reichardt moved from Germany to California in 1978 and attended Pepperdine University where he earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business administration.

Living in California, he quickly learned the importance of water and supplies. “Either we (California) have too much when there are floods or, more often, we have too little due to droughts,” notes Reichardt.

Starting Waterless

Like many other business owners, it was Reichardt’s passion to make a difference that led to him starting Waterless Co. in 1991.

He says while looking for a product, business or industry that he was interested in he began to solely focus on the water industry because he noticed all the problems California was having during that time.

“During the late 1980s, California suffered significant water shortages. I became aware of an old non-water urinal system used in Europe and, after extensive research into the product and how it might be used in America, I started Waterless Co. Inc. during the early 1990s,” he explains.

Reichardt’s road to success wasn’t immediate and there were many steps to take before finally moving into the position he’s in today. “At first I wore every hat in the company. I was R&D, accounts payable, accounts receivable, sales representative, account representative — you name it, I did it.”

After a while, the company began to expand and Reichardt was able to hire people to take over many of those responsibilities. As a result, he began to focus on helping the business grow even more.

“As CEO, the hat I now wear most often is the ‘vision’ hat. My most important task is to envision where the company will be a year from now, five years from now and beyond,” adds Reichardt.

Community involvement

Reichardt feels it is important to stay active in the community and to stress the importance of water conservation.

“I have been involved with the U.S. Green Building Council for years,” says Reichardt. “In fact, during the late 1990s, I urged them to make water efficiency a priority in the LEED rating system. I am also involved with the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials, the California Urban Water Council and am a supporter of the Alliance for Water Efficiency, along with other environmental and water related organizations.”

Other than being involved with well-known organizations, Waterless Co. also donates products and materials to organizations and projects that are doing important work to conserve water and directly help people.

Reichardt understands the need for clean, fresh water and is always looking for ways to help where he and his company can.

Facing challenges today

Waterless Co. has been a successful business for over 21 years now. During that time span much has changed in our culture, especially with the advancements in technology, but Reichardt says they’ve been able to adjust and maintain quality equipment throughout the years.

“I love the challenges each new day brings, from customer service to new product development to furthering the idea of water efficiency,” he says. “Additionally, finding new industries to call on and convincing people that new, simpler technologies can help them use water more efficiently both make my job worthwhile.”

Reichardt notes that having a “super crew” and representatives have helped make his job easier and made the business work.

“I am proud to say that the technology behind our urinal system has proven itself year after year,” adds Reichardt. “While new and different systems and technologies have been introduced over the past two decades, I have seen some disappear and others introduced that do not offer the features, benefits, price points or convenience of our system.”

While Waterless Co. has been able to keep up with advancements in equipment and technologies to better improve performance, it has also began to join the movement on the Internet and with social media websites.

In 2011, they hired a service to help them put their Facebook page together and start a blog. Reichardt says they still aren’t sure how effective these new tools have been, but “without question our company, its products and scores of articles on our products are all over the Internet. Being involved with social media and other marketing venues has certainly helped us in that area.”

Looking to the future

For a company looking to sustain success for years it’s important to constantly be looking towards the future to know where the market is going and how your company must adjust to the economy and technological advances.

Reichardt understands this philosophy and realizes there is still much work to be done. Here is a list of important items he and Waterless Co. hope to accomplish in the future:

• Educating people that urinals can and should be run without the use of potable water.

• Spreading the word that as maintenance and water/sewer costs keep rising, there is a significant financial incentive to go waterless.

• Teaching more industries that going green (when it comes to water) makes sense for their future and is an important issue to support.

• Reminding everyone that water is the most precious resource we as humans have.

Striving to make a change, always looking towards the future and updating products to meet the needs of customers is what has helped make Waterless Co. a successful business for many years, and Reichardt hopes that path continues.

“While our product lines meet the needs of the building industry today, we know we must always keep moving forward, developing products and services that ensure our products continue to meet those needs tomorrow,” concludes Reichardt.

This is What Aridification Looks Like on a map

reducing water consumption in Industrial facilities

They are doing this not only because they may be in areas suffering from chronic droughts or climate change, but because it is simply good business.

The less water used, the less these industries must pay for water, and in some cases, the cost of water may be one of their most significant expenses.

 Key Points:

 

·       Exactly how are industrial facilities reducing water consumption?

·       By changing employee behaviors. 

·       By benchmarking consumption. 

·       By analyzing their water bill.

·       By giving staffers prices and incentives for using less water.

·       By putting the staff in charge.

·       By minimizing the use of water for cleaning.

·       By checking restroom fixtures and installing water fixtures that use less or no water at all.

Learn More Here

 #waterconservation #waterconservation #waterefficiency #aridification #industrialrealestate

What Aridification Looks Like

Aridification is the progression of an area that once experienced regular rainfall events with occasional droughts to one where rainfall events are fewer and further between, and the number of droughts increases and become longer. Eventually, the entire region becomes excessively and irreversibly drier and warmer than in the past. 

Aridification is now impacting large areas of California and the western half of the United States.

View it as a call to action. We must use water responsibly and efficiently.

Here are more images of aridification, waterways which have now dried up.  This is usually a permanent situation.

St. Thomas, NV: The Doomed Town Underneath Lake Mead

The School Built in the 1930s in St. Thomas Before Being Covered by Lake Mead

As Lake Mead becomes increasingly dry due to years of drought and now aridification*, the doomed town that was covered by Lake Mead in 1938 is resurfacing.

This seven-minute video by the National Parks Service shows us the history of St. Thomas, Nevada, the town underneath Lake Mead.

 Watch the Entire seven-minute Video Here.

 Key Points:

The town was once populated by an Indian tribe. They called it the “Lost City.”

Mormons moved there in 1865, thinking it was part of Utah.  They named it St. Thomas.

At one point, the town had 500 citizens.

When they realized it was not in Utah, most moved. But about 100 people remained in the town.

In 1928, President Calvin Coolidge signed a bill authorizing the construction of Hoover Dam.

The residents of St. Thomas were told they had to leave by 1935.  One man, Hugh Lord, remained in the town until 1938.  As the water rose around his house, he had to paddle a boat to get out of town.

 *Aridification is the progression of an area that once experienced regular rainfall events with occasional droughts to one where rainfall events are fewer and further between, and the number of droughts increases and become longer. Eventually, the entire region becomes excessively and irreversibly drier and warmer than in the past.