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Acre-foot
- a volume of water that would cover one acre to a depth of one
foot, or 325,850 gallons of water.
Adaptive plants - non-indigenous plants that
easily adapt to the climate and thus require little or no
supplemental irrigation once established.
Aeration - the mechanical cultivation of turf
grass using hollow tines to remove cores of turf for the purpose of
improving soil texture and increasing air and water circulation.
Also called coring.
Agricultural irrigation - water distribution
systems and practices in agriculture.
American National Standards Institute (ANSI)
- an association involved in developing standards for a wide range
of products including plumbing fixtures.
American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
- a professional organization whose Codes and Standards Committee
helps to write and publish ANSI standards.
American Water Works Association (AWWA) - a
professional organization serving the drinking water supply
profession.
American Water Works Association Research Foundation (AWWARF)
- a non-profit organization that sponsors research for the drinking
water supply profession.
Anti-Siphon Valve - a control valve with a
built-in atmospheric vacuum breaker (backflow preventer). Most
commonly used in residential irrigation systems.
Application efficiency - The ratio of
the average depth of irrigation water infiltrated and stored in the
root zone to the average depth of irrigation water applied,
expressed as a percent.
Application rate - the amount of water delivered to a
given area, typically expressed in inches or inches per hour for
irrigation.
Applied water - water applied by irrigation,
usually expressed as a depth of water in inches or feet.
Aquifer - Underground water-bearing geologic
formation or structure.
Arid - a climate characterized by less than
10 inches of annual rainfall.
Artificial recharge - the intentional
addition of water to an aquifer.
Automatic irrigation - delivery of water to
a landscape using a timer, a system of valves, and sprinklers.
Automatic irrigation controller - an
irrigation timer capable of operating valve stations to set the days
and length of time of water applications.
Automatic Valve - an irrigation valve which
can be remotely operated. The remote operation method may be either
electrical (the most common) or hydraulic. Automatic valves are
commonly used as "control valves" for irrigation systems.
Backflow prevention device - a safety device
used to prevent reverse flow of water back into a potable water
supply line; typically used in conjunction with automatic irrigation
systems.
Ball valve - a type of valve that controls
the water by means of a rotating ball with a hole through the center
of it. When the hole is aligned with the water flow the water flows
freely through the valve with almost no friction loss. When the ball
is rotated so that the hole is not aligned the flow is completely
shut off.
Black water - domestic and industrial wastewater composed of
toilet and/or other waste disposal systems that cannot be used for
any purpose without prior treatment.
Bluegrass - a variety of cool-season turf
grass; also a style of folk music.
Booster pump - a device to increase
the water pressure in a system where some pressure already exists.
For example, if water comes from a water company at 40 PSI of
pressure but you need 80 PSI of pressure for an irrigation system,
you would use a booster pump to increase the pressure.
Bubbler - a type of sprinkler head that
delivers water to a level area where the water slowly infiltrates to
the soil. Typically used to irrigate shrubs and trees.
Bushing - a small piece used to connect two
pipes of different sizes together. A standard reducer bushing has
one male end (for the larger pipe) and one female connection (for
the smaller pipe).
Butterfly valves - a type of valve that uses
a rotating disk to control the water flow. A true butterfly valve
has two half-disks, hinged together in the center. When the disks or
"wings" are folded together the water flows freely past
them. When folded out into the water stream the wings block the
flow. Most "butterfly valves" are really "rotating
disk" valves. They are mostly used on larger pipe sizes, seldom
less than 3" in size. Ball valves are used on smaller size
pipes.
Catch-can test - a measurement of
precipitation from a sprinkler system in which water is collected in
graduated containers (catch-cans) placed at evenly spaced intervals
for a specific period of time.
CCF - 100 cubic feet of water an amount
equivalent to 748 gallons.
Central irrigation control - a
computerized system that programs sprinkler clocks from a
centralized location using a computer.
Check valve - a device that prevents
drainage of water from the low points of an irrigation circuit after
irrigation stops.
Cistern - a tank (often underground) used to
store water (often rainwater or graywater).
Conservation - increasing the efficiency of
energy use, water use, production, or distribution; the act of
conserving or preserving from injury or loss; the protection of
rivers, forests and other natural resources.
Conservation pricing - water rate structures
that increase the price of water as more water is used with the goal
of encouraging more efficient use.
Consumptive use (evapotranspiration) -
combined amounts of water needed for transpiration by vegetation and
for evaporation from adjacent soil, snow, or intercepted
precipitation. Also called crop requirement, crop irrigation
requirement, consumptive use requirement.
Continuous-flow irrigation - system of
irrigation water delivery where each irrigator receives his allotted
quantity of water at a continuous rate.
Continuous flow system - the continuous use,
by an industry, of deionized water to remove contaminants from
products and equipment.
Cool-season grass - turf grass
varieties that are typically not damaged by sub-freezing
temperatures. Includes bluegrass, Kentucky bluegrass, perennial rye
grass, red fescue, and tall fescue.
Coring - the mechanical cultivation of turf
grass using hollow tines to remove cores of turf for the purpose of
improving soil texture and increasing air and water circulation.
Also called aeration.
Cross-connection
- A cross-connection is the point in a potable water distribution
system where the potable water may come in contact with chemical,
biological or radiological contaminants that may be hazardous to
humans. Follow this link for more
information on cross-connections and backflow prevention.
Cubic feet per second (cfs)
- A rate of flow; the volume, in cubic feet, of water passing
a reference point in 1 second.
Cubic foot - a measurement of water
equal to 7.48 gallons.
Deep percolation - the movement of water by gravity
downward through the soil profile beyond the root zone; plants do
not use this water.
Demand forecast - a projection of future water use.
Demand management - the practice of
systematically reducing water use for a broad spectrum of utility
customers through efficiency measures and conservation, often as an
alternative to purchasing new water or expanding water treatment
facilities.
Demand scheduling - method of irrigation scheduling
whereby water is delivered to users as needed and which may vary in
flow rate, frequency and duration. Considered a flexible form of
scheduling.
Desalination - a process that converts
seawater to freshwater through the removal of mineral salts and
other dissolved solids.
Design Pressure - the total pressure available to operate
an irrigation system.
Distribution efficiency - measure of the
uniformity of irrigation water distribution over a field.
Distribution system - a system of pipes and valves that
conveys water from a treatment plant to end users.
Ditch - a constructed open channel for
conducting water.
Diversion (water) - removal of water from its natural
channels for human use.
Diversion (structure)
- channel constructed across the slope for the purpose of
intercepting surface runoff; changing the accustomed course of all
or part of a stream.
Draw Down - the depth (from the top of the well) to
the water in a well when the pump is operating. The water level
typically drops when the pump is running.
Drainage - the process of removing surface
or subsurface water from a soil or area.
Drip irrigation - a type of micro-irrigation systems that
delivers water is slow drips to plants through a network of plastic
pipes and emitters.
Drought - climatic condition in which there
is insufficient soil moisture available for normal vegetative growth
for an extended period of time.
Drought condition - the hydrologic conditions during a
defined drought period in which rainfall and runoff are much less
than average.
Dual-flush toilet - a toilet designed to use a lower
volume of water to flush liquid wastes and a higher volume of water
to flush solid wastes.
Early closure flapper - a toilet flapper
valve that closes sooner than normal to reduce the volume of water
flushed.
Effective precipitation
- the total depth of rainfall minus the volume lost to
evaporation and leaching during a specific time period.
Efficiency - the use of a resource that
maximizes the benefit and minimizes consumption of the resource.
Effluent - treated water that flows out of a
treatment plant.
Elevation head - a measurement of
pressure.
Emitter - a drip irrigation system fitting
that delivers water to plants at a slow and predictable rate.
End use - fixtures, appliances, plumbing devices,
equipment, and activities that use water.
End user - a consumer of water; a utility water
customer.
Energy Policy Act (1992)
- a federal law enacted by President George Bush that
established maximum allowable water-use requirements for toilets,
urinals, showerheads, and faucets manufactured and sold in the
United States.
Environment - the sum of all external
influences and conditions affecting the life and development of an
organism or ecological community.
Erosion - a gradual wearing away of soil or
rock by running water, waves, or wind.
ERU - equivalent residential unit ... a
conversion process that allows a comparison between average water
use and commercial or above-average water use. For example, a
commercial establishment may use 8-times the average water usage,
and therefore, even though they are a single water user, they would
account for 8 ERU's when line upgrades are planned. An
individual user who is utilizing their domestic water to irrigate
will also use in excess of the average water usage, and therefore,
could account for more than just a single ERU.
Established landscape
- a landscape that has been in place for an extended period
of time where the roots of the plants are well developed.
Estuary
- A body of water in which salt water from the ocean and fresh
water from rivers and land drainage meet and mix, producing
intermediate salinities.
Evaporation - the process by which water
changes from liquid to vapor.
Evapotranspiration (ET)
- water lost from the surface of soils and plants through the
processes of evaporation and transpiration combined.
Evapotranspiration (ET) rate
- a measure of the amount of water required to maximize plant
growth. This measure is calculated from climatic conditions and
factors such as temperature, solar radiation, humidity, wind, time
of year, precipitation, etc.
Fallow - land plowed and tilled and left
unplanted.
Faucet aerator - a device that can be installed in a sink
to reduce water flow rate by adding air to the water.
Faucet restrictor - a device inserted into a faucet
that forces water through a smaller orifice for the purpose of
reducing the flow rate.
Field capacity - the depth of water retained in the soil
after ample irrigation or heavy rain when the rate of downward
movement has substantially decreased, usually one to three days
after irrigation or rain, expressed as a depth of water in inches or
feet. Also called field moisture capacity.
Fixed charge - the portion of a water bill that does not
vary with water use.
Fixed costs - costs for a utility that do not vary with
the amount of water produced, delivered, and sold to customers.
Flat rate - a fee structure in which the price of
water is constant regardless of the amount consumed.
Flood irrigation - a method of irrigating where water
is applied from field ditches onto land that has no guide
preparation such as furrows, borders or corrugations.
Floodplain - the land adjacent to a river or
stream that is subject to flooding.
Flow rate - the amount of water moving through a
pipe, fixture, stream, etc. Often measured in gallons per minute.
Flow restrictor - a washer-like disk that fits inside a
faucet or showerhead and reduces the water flow rate.
Flushometer toilet - a tankless toilet with the flush
valve attached to a pressurized water supply pipe. These toilets are
typically found in large institutional and commercial buildings such
as schools, airports, office buildings, etc.
Freshwater - water that contains relative
low mineral content as opposed to seawater or salt water.
Gate (irrigation) - structure or device for
controlling the rate of flow into or from a canal or ditch.
Gated pipe - portable pipe with small gates installed
along one side for distributing irrigation water to corrugations or
furrows.
Gage - device for registering water level,
discharge, velocity, pressure, etc.
Gage height - elevation of water surface measured by a
gage.
Gauging station - specific location on a stream where
systematic observations of hydrologic data are obtained through
mechanical or electrical means.
gpc - gallons per cycles
gpcd - gallons per capita per day
gpd - gallons per day
gpf - gallons per flush
gph - gallons per hour
gphd - gallons per household per day
gpl - gallons per load (of laundry or
dishes)
gpm - gallons per minute
gpy - gallons per year
Gravity flow - a water system that relies on
gravity to provide the pressure required to deliver the water.
Consists of a water source located at a higher elevation than the
water delivery points.
Gravity-flush toilet - the standard tank style of toilet
that uses water (at standard gravitational pressure) to perform
flushing functions.
Graywater - domestic and industrial wastewater composed of
wash water from kitchen sinks, bathroom sinks and tubs, clothes
washers, and laundry tubs that can be used for non-potable purposes
such as irrigation.
Groundwater - water beneath the earth's
surface.
Groundwater mining (overdraft)
- pumping of groundwater for irrigation or other uses, at
rates faster than the rate at which the groundwater is being
recharged.
Groundwater recharge - the flow to
groundwater storage from precipitation, infiltration from streams,
and other sources of water; the use of reclaimed wastewater, by
surface spreading or direct injection, to prevent saltwater
intrusion into freshwater aquifers, to store the reclaimed water for
future use, to control or prevent ground subsidence, and to augment
non-potable or potable ground water aquifers.
Groundwater table - the upper boundary of groundwater
where water pressure is equal to atmospheric pressure, i.e., water
level in a bore hole after equilibrium when groundwater can freely
enter the hole from the sides and bottom.
Growing season - the period, often the frost-free period,
during which the climate is such that crops can be produced.
Hardscape - landscaped areas covered by
non-living materials such as concrete, bricks, rocks, wood,
pavement, etc.
Herbicide chemicals used for control of
weeds and non-desired plants. These
come from a variety of sources, such as agricultural, urban, storm
water runoff, and residential uses.
High-water-use landscape - a
landscape made up of plants, turf and features that requires 50 to
80% of the reference evapotranspiration to maintain optimal
appearance.
Horticultural practices
- activities to maintain plants and landscapes such a s
fertilization, mowing, and thatch control.
Hydrology - science dealing with the
properties, distribution, and flow of water on or in the earth.
Hydrozone - a portion of a landscaped area
comprising plants with similar water requirements.
Increasing block rate
- pricing that reduces water use by structuring water rates
to increase per-unit charges as the amount used increases.
Incremental cost - the additional cost associated
with adding a specific amount (increment) of capacity to a water
supply.
Inffluent - source water that is brought
into a treatment plant or process in order to produce the effluent
demand
will be more than the effluent based upon cleaning and
wastewater requirements.
Infiltration rate - the rate of water entry into the
soil expressed as a depth of water per unit of time in inches per
hour or feet per day. The infiltration rate changes with time during
irrigation.
Inorganic contaminant minerals, salts
and metals, which can be naturally-occurring or result from urban
storm runoff, industrial or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and
gas production, mining or farming.
Instream flow - water flows for use within a
defined stream channel e.g., flows intended for fish and wildlife.
Invasive plant - a non-indigenous plant that invades and
takes over substantial areas of an ecosystem.
Investor-owned utility
- a privately owned utility usually regulated by a state
public utility commission.
Irrigated acreage - irrigable area actually irrigated
in any one year.
Irrigation - application of water to lands
for the purpose of growing plants.
Irrigation audit - an on-site evaluation of an
irrigation system to assess its water-use efficiency as measured by
distribution uniformity, irrigation schedule, and other factors.
Irrigation controller
- a sprinkler clock or timer.
Irrigation cycle - a scheduled application of water
by an irrigation system with a defined start time and duration. A
cycle may include multiple watering zones.
Irrigation districts - special units of local government
that control the bulk of surface water supplies in the western
United States.
Irrigation efficiency - the ratio of the
average depth of irrigation water that is beneficially used to the
average depth of irrigation water applied, expressed as a percent.
Beneficial uses include satisfying the soil water deficit and any
leaching requirement to remove salts from the root zone.
Irrigation plan - a 2-D drawing/plan that illustrates the
layout of an irrigation system.
Irrigation requirement
- quantity of water, exclusive of effective precipitation,
that is required for maintaining a landscape.
Irrigation scheduling
- careful choice of irrigation application rates and timing
to help irrigators maintain yields with less water.
Irrigation timer - a device that can be programmed to
regulate the time and duration of irrigation; a sprinkler clock.
Irrigation water requirement
- a measure of the water required in addition to
precipitation to obtain desired crop yield.
Isolation valve - a valve used for isolating all or part of
an irrigation system for repairs, maintenance, or winter shut-down
(winterization). Common types of isolation valves are the ball
valve, butterfly valve, and gate valve.
Kilowatt-hour (kWh) - a unit of electric
power equivalent to the energy provided by one thousand watts acting
for one hour.
Lake
(Freshwater) - A constructed impoundment or natural
body of freshwater of considerable size, whose open-water and
deep-bottom zones (no light penetration to bottom) are large
compared to the shallow-water (shoreline) zone, which has light
penetration to its bottom.
Landscape area - the total area on a
property that contains landscaping elements. Usually equivalent to
the total area minus the building footprint and paved driveways and
paths.
Landscape water requirement - a measure of
the supplemental water required to maintain the optimum health and
appearance of landscape plants and features.
Leaching - removal of soluble material from
soil or other permeable material by the passage of water through it.
Leaching requirement - quantity of irrigation water
required for transporting salts through the soil profile to maintain
a favorable salt balance in the root zone for plant development.
Leak detection - Systematic methods for
identifying water leakage from pipes, plumbing fixtures, and
fittings.
Low-flow faucet - a faucet that uses no more than 2.5
gallons per minute at 80 pounds of pressure per square inch.
Low-flow plumbing - plumbing equipment that uses less
water than was considered standard prior to January 1, 1994.
Low-flow showerhead - A showerhead that requires 2.5
gallons of water per minute or less.
Low-flush toilet - a toilet that requires
1.6 gallons of water per flush or less.
Low-volume urinal - a urinal that uses no more than
1.0 gallons per flush.
Low-water-use landscape
- use of plants that are appropriate to an area's climate and
growing conditions.
Low-water-use plants - plants that require less than 30%
of reference ET to maintain optimum health and appearance.
Lysimeter - an isolated block of soil,
usually undisturbed and in situ, for measuring the quantity,
quality, or rate of water movement through or from the soil.
Main - the pressurized water delivery
pipeline that delivers water from the supply system to the
customer's service line.
Marginal-cost pricing
- a rate design method where prices reflect the costs
associated with producing the next increment of supply.
Market penetration - the extent to which a water
efficiency measure is actually implemented.
Matched precipitation rate - an equal rate
of water delivery from sprinkler heads with varying arc patterns
within an irrigation circuit. Matched precipitation rates are
central to achieving uniform distribution or irrigation water.
MCL maximum contaminant level is the
highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water.
MCLs are set as close to the MCLGs as are feasible using the
best available treatment technology.
MCLG maximum contaminant level goal is
the level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no
known or expected risk to health.
MCLGs allow for a margin of safety.
Medium-water-use plants
- plants that require 30 to 50 percent of reference ET to
maintain optimum health and appearance.
Megawatt - one million watts; a measure of
power plant output.
Meter - an instrument that measures the
volume of water use.
Metering - use of metering equipment that
can provide essential data for charging fees based on actual
customer use.
mgd - million gallons per day.
mg/L milligrams per liter, or one part
per million. It would
be the equivalent of one minute in two years, or a single penny in
$10,000.
mgy - million gallons per year.
Microbial contaminants viruses and
bacteria that may come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems,
agricultural live stock operations, and wildlife.
Microclimate - the climate conditions of a
specific habitat or place in a small, limited area.
Micro-irrigation - an irrigation system with small,
closely spaced outlets used to apply small amounts of water at low
pressure.
MRDL maximum residual disinfectant level
is the highest level of disinfectant allowed in drinking water.
There is convincing evidence that addition of a disinfectant
is necessary for control of microbial contaminants.
MRDLG maximum residual disinfectant
level goal is the level of a drinking water disinfectant, below
which there is no known or expected risk to health.
MRDLGs do not reflect the benefits of the use of
disinfectants to control microbial contaminants.
mrem/year millirems per year are a
measure of radiation absorbed by the body.
Mulch - a covering placed around plants to
minimize weed growth and reduce evaporation. Typically leaves, bark,
wood chips, straw, compost, or other organic materials.
Multiple start times - an irrigation
schedule where the system is programmed to start and run several
times during the day.
Native landscape - a landscape that features plants
and grasses indigenous to the region.
Native plants - plants that are indigenous to a region
and require litter or no supplemental irrigation after
establishment.
Natural landscape - a landscape created to reflect the
character and spirit of nature and the native surroundings.
Neutron probe - an instrument used to estimate soil
moisture. Relates the rate of attenuation in pulsed neutron
emissions to soil water content.
Nonconsumptive water use
- water withdrawn for use but not consumed and thus returned
to the source.
Non-residential water use
- water use by industrial, commercial, institutional, public,
and agricultural users.
NTU nephelometric turbidity units is a
measure of the clarity of the water.
Turbidity in excess of 5 NTU is just noticeable to the
average person.
Operating pressure - the pressure at which a device or
irrigation system is designed to operate.
Organic chemical contaminants synthetic
and volatile organic chemicals which are byproducts of industrial
processes and petroleum production, and also may come from gas
stations, urban storm water runoff, and septic systems.
Ozonation - the process of applying to a
liquid for disinfection.
Pan evaporation - evaporative water losses from a
standardized pan. Pan evaporation is sometimes used to estimate crop
evapotranspiration and assist in irrigation scheduling.
pCi/L picocuries per liter is a measure
of the radioactivity in the water.
Peak demand - the highest total water use experienced
by a water system.
Peak/off-peak rates - rates charged in accordance with
the most and least popular hours of water use during the day.
Per capita use - the amount of water used by one person
during one 24 hour period. Typically expressed as gallons per capita
per day (gpcd).
Percolation - downward movement of water
through the soil profile or other porous media.
Percolation rate - (1) the rate at which
water moves through porous media, such as soil; and (2) intake rate
used for designing wastewater absorption systems.
Permanent wilting point - soil water content
below which plants cannot readily obtain water and permanently wilt.
Sometimes called "permanent wilting percentage.
Pesticide chemicals used for control of
rodents, animals and insects. These
come from a variety of sources, such as agricultural, urban, storm
water runoff, and residential uses.
Plant water requirement
- the amount of irrigation water needed to replace moisture
depleted from the soil around plant roots as a result of
evapotranspiration.
Point source - a specific site from which waste or
polluted water is discharged.
Pop-up sprinkler head
- a sprinkler head that retracts below ground level when it
is not operating.
Potable water - water that is safe
for drinking.
Pounds per square inch (psi)
- a standard measure of water pressure.
Precipitation rate - the amount of water
applied by a sprinkler system in a specific unit of time.
Pressure gauge - a device used to measure water pressure.
The best pressure gauges are "liquid filled", however most
cheap gauges work well enough for irrigation system use.
Pressure loss - loss in water pressure caused by friction
of water against the inner walls of pipe or system components.
Pressure reducer - a component designed to reduce
water pressure in supply system pipe or irrigation lines.
Pressure regulator - a device used to limit water
pressure.
Pressurized-tank toilet
- a toilet that flushes by using pressure from the waterline
entering a pressurized plastic vessel inside the tank.
Price elasticity of demand
- a measure of the responsiveness of customer water use to
changes in the price of water; measured by the percentage change in
price.
Pricing/rate structure
- System used by water utility managers to charge customers
for water usage.
Pricing signals - rate structures that
encourage water conservation by customers.
Radioactive contaminants can be
naturally occurring or be the result of oil and gas production and
mining activities.
Rain sensor - a device that automatically shuts off an
irrigation system after a set amount of precipitation falls.
Rain switch - a simple on/off switch on an irrigation
system that makes it easy to shut the system down during a
rainstorm.
Rainwater harvesting - the capture and use of runoff from
rainfall.
Rationing - mandatory water use restrictions
typically imposed during a drought.
Recharge - the addition of water to the
groundwater supply by natural or artificial means.
Recirculating cooling water
- recycling cooling water to greatly reduce water use by
using the same water to perform several cooling operations.
Reclaimed water - wastewater that is treated
and reused to supplement water supplies.
Recycled water - a type of reuse water usually run
repeatedly through a closed system; sometimes used to describe
reclaimed water.
Reference evapotranspiration (ETΊ)
- the evapotranspiration of a broad expanse of adequately
watered cool-season grass 4 to 6 inches in height. A standard
measurement for determining maximum water allowances for plants so
that regional differences in climate can be accommodated.
Reservoir (Freshwater)
- A constructed impoundment or natural body of freshwater of
considerable size, whose open-water and deep-bottom zones (no light
penetration to bottom) are large compared to the shallow-water
(shoreline) zone, which has light penetration to its bottom.
Residential End Uses of Water Study (REUWS)
- the Residential End Uses of Water study published by the American
Water Works Association Research Foundation in 1999.
Residential water use
- water use in homes and apartments.
Resistance block - type of soil moisture
probe used to monitor soil moisture conditions to help determine
when water should be applied.
Retrofit - replacement of existing equipment
with equipment that uses less water.
Return flow - that portion of the water diverted from a
stream that finds its way back to the stream channel, either as
surface or underground flow.
Reverse osmosis - common process used to produce deionized
water from municipal water.
Riparian - of, on, or pertaining to the bank
of a river, pond, or lake.
Riser - the connection between a sprinkler
or other irrigation device and the pipe that supplies the water to
it.
River
(or Stream) - A watercourse that flows at all times,
receiving water from ground water and/or surface runoff or other
streams or rivers. The terms "river" and
"stream" are often used interchangeably, depending on the
size of the water body and the region in which it is located.
Root zone - that depth of soil which plant roots
readily penetrate and in which the predominant root activity occurs.
Runoff - the portion of precipitation, snow
melt, or irrigation that flows over the soil, eventually making its
way to surface water supplies.
Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA)
- federal drinking water quality legislation administered by
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Saline - the condition of containing
dissolved or soluble salts. Saline soils productivity is impaired by
high soluble salt content. Saline water is that which would impair
production if used to irrigate sensitive crops without adequate
leaching to prevent soil salinization.
Scale - precipitate that forms on surfaces
in contact with water as a result of chemical or physical change.
Seasonal rate structure
- water rate structure that bills all water consumed during
the summer or peak season at a higher rate than during the other
seasons.
Secondary treatment - the second step in most publicly
owned waste treatment systems, which removes floating and
settle-able
solids and about 90 percent of the oxygen-demanding substances and
suspended solids. Disinfection is the final stage of secondary
treatment.
Secondary wastewater treatment plant - a
facility that reduces pollutants and suspended solids to a greater
level than that achieved by a primary treatment plant; the water
goes through additional treatment processes, producing
"cleaner" wastewater.
Sediment load - amount of sediment carried
by running water.
Sedimentation - deposition of waterborne
sediments due to a decrease in velocity and corresponding reduction
in the size and amount of sediment which can be carried.
Seepage - the movement of water into and
through the soil from unlined canals, ditches, and water storage
facilities.
Self-closing faucet - a faucet that automatically shuts
off the water flow after a designated amount of time, usually a few
seconds.
Semi-arid climate - a climate characterized by 10 to
20 inches of annual precipitation.
Service area - the geographic area served by a water
utility.
Simple payback period
- the length of time over which the cost savings associated
with a conservation measure must accrue to equal the cost of
implementing the measure.
Simple water budget - a water budget that is the product
of reference evapotranspiration, irrigated area, and a conversion
factor.
Siphonic-jet urinal - a urinal that automatically
flushes when the water flowing continuously through its tank reaches
a preset level.
Softening - the removal of calcium and
magnesium ions from water.
Soil amendment - the addition of organic and inorganic
materials to soil to improve its texture, nutrient load,
moisture-holding capacity, and infiltration rate.
Soil classification - the systematic arrangement of
soils into classes of one or more categories or levels to meet a
specific objective. Broad groupings are made on the basis of general
characteristics, and subdivisions are made on the basis of more
detailed differences in specific properties.
Soil conservation - protection of soil against
physical loss by erosion and chemical deterioration by the
application of management and land-use methods that safeguard the
soil against all natural and human-induced factors.
Soil moisture - water stored in soils.
Soil moisture deficit - the amount of water
required to saturate the plant root zone at the time of irrigation,
expressed as a depth of water in inches or feet.
Soil moisture replacement - the amount of
water applied to replace a portion of all of the soil moisture
deficit, expressed as a depth of water in inches or feet.
Soil moisture sensor - a device placed in the ground at
the plant root zone depth to measure the amount of water in the
soil. Soil moisture sensors are also used to control irrigation and
signal whether watering is required or not.
Soil texture - the classification of soil based on its
percentage of sand, silt, and clay.
Source protection - protection of a water
source, ranging from simple sanitary surveys of a watershed to the
development and implementation of complex land use controls, in an
effort to avoid water contamination.
Source water includes rivers, lakes,
streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs and/or wells.
Spray head - a sprinkler nozzle that delivers water in
a fixed spray pattern.
Sprinkler heads - devices that distribute water over a
given area for irrigation (or to put out fires). The primary purpose
of sprinklers, however, is to get golfers wet on cold mornings.
Sprinkler irrigation - a method of irrigation in which
the water is sprayed, or sprinkled, through the air to the ground
surface.
Static water pressure
- water pressure as measured when the water is not moving.
The "not moving" part is critical, if the water is moving
it isn't "static".. When measuring static water pressure
all the water outlets on the pipe must be closed. So if you're
measuring the static pressure at a house you connect the pressure
gauge, then take the reading while all the faucets, the ice maker,
etc., are turned off.
Stream
( or River) - A watercourse that flows at all times,
receiving water from ground water and/or surface runoff or other
streams or rivers. The terms "river" and
"stream" are often used interchangeably, depending on the
size of the water body and the region in which it is located.
Stream
(intermittent) - A watercourse that flows only at
certain times of the year, receiving groundwater or surface waters;
also, a watercourse that does not flow continuously, when water
losses from evaporation or seepage exceed available stream flow at
different reaches of the channel.
Stream
(ephemeral) - A watercourse that flows during and
shortly after periods of high precipitation. Ephemeral stream water
quality is often a concern because the short-lived pools often are
the site of reproduction for amphibious organisms and some
air-breathing fish. For the purposes of this program, ephemeral
streams are combined with intermittent streams.
Stream rotors - sprinkler heads that deliver rotating
streams of water in arcs or full circles at relative low
precipitation rates.
Subirrigation - applying irrigation water
below the ground surface either by raising the water table within or
near the root zone, or by use of a buried perforated or porous pipe
system that discharges directly into the root zone.
Submetering - use of separate meters to
indicate individual water use in apartments, condominiums, and
trailer homes, while the entire complex of units continues to be
metered by the main supplier.
Subsurface irrigation - applying irrigation
water below the ground surface either by raising the water table
within or near the root zone, or by use of a buried perforated or
porous pipe system that discharges directly into the root zone.
Surface soil - upper part of the soil ordinarily moved
in tillage, or its equivalent in uncultivated soils, about 10 to 20
cm in thickness.
Surface water - an open body of water such as a river,
stream, or lake.
Supplemental irrigation
- the application of water to a landscape to supplement
natural phenomena.
Surcharge - a special charge included on a
water bill to recover costs associated with a particular activity,
facility, use, or to convey a message about water prices to
customers.
Surface irrigation - the application of water to land
by surface flow.
Surface water supply - water supplied from a
stream, lake, or reservoir.
Surge irrigation - a surface irrigation technique
wherein flow is applied to furrows (or less commonly, borders)
intermittently during a single irrigation set.
Tailwater - applied irrigation water that
runs off the lower end of a field. Tailwater is measured as the
average depth of runoff water, expressed in inches or feet.
Tall fescue - a hybridized cool-season turf grass
characterized by deeper root systems and greater drought tolerance
than bluegrass.
Tensiometer - instrument consisting of a
porous cup filled with water and connected to a manometer or vacuum
gage; used for measuring the soilwater matric potential (soil
moisture content).
Thatch - the buildup of organic material at
the base of turf grass blades. Thatch repels water and reduces
infiltration capacity.
Tiered pricing - increasing block-rate pricing.
Time-of-day pricing - pricing that charges users
relatively higher prices during utilities' peak use periods.
Toilet dam - a flexible rectangular device placed
across the bottom of a toilet tank to reduce the amount of water
used per flush.
Toilet displacement device
- a toilet retrofit device (such as a dam, bag, bottle, or
rock) used to displace water in the toilet tank in order to reduce
the volume required for flushing.
Toilet flapper - the valve that controls flushing in a
gravity-tank toilet.
Total dissolved solids (TDS)
- a measure of the minerals remaining in water after
evaporation has occurred.
Transpiration - the transfer of water vapor
from plants to air.
Trapway - the outlet of a toilet where the
waste exits to the drainline.
TT treatment technique is a required
process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking
water.
Turf - hybridized grass that forms a dense
growth of blades and roots when regularly mowed.
ug/L micrograms per liter, or one part
per billion. It would
be the equivalent of one minute in 2,000 years, or a single penny in
$10,000,000.
Under-irrigation - the difference between the water
stored in a plant root zone during irrigation and the amount needed
to refill the root zone to field capacity.
Uniform rate - a pricing structure in which the price
per unit of water is constant, regardless of the amount use.
Utility - public water service provider.
Valve - a device used to control the flow of
water. Isolation valves are used to shut-off water for repairs.
Control valves turn on and off the water to the individual circuits
of sprinklers or drip emitters. Check valves allow the water to flow
in only one direction. Master valves are located at the water source
and turn on and off the water for the entire irrigation system when
not in use.
Valve zone - an area where irrigation is all
controlled by a single control valve. Each valve zone must be within
only one hydrozone.
Variable charge - the portion of a water bill that varies
with water use; also known as a commodity charge.
Warm-season turf grass - turf grass that
grows vigorously during warm summer months but goes dormant or dies
at temperatures below 50ΊF. Includes bermuda grass, buffalo grass,
St. Augustine grass, and zoysia grass.
Wastewater - spent or used water from
individual homes, a community, a farm, or an industry that contains
dissolved or suspended matter.
Wastewater treatment plant
- a facility with an engineered system designed to remove
pollutants, such as phosphorus and nitrogen, from municipal and
industrial wastewater for discharge into surface waters.
Water audit - an on-site survey and assessment of
water-using hardware, fixtures, equipment, landscaping, irrigation
systems, and management practices to determine the efficiency of
water use and to develop recommendations for improving water use
efficiency.
Water budget - the amount of water required to maintain
plants in a landscape; a method of establishing water efficiency
standards by prescribing limits on water applications to landscapes.
Water conservation - activities designed to reduce the
demand for water, improve efficiency in use, and reduce losses and
waste of water.
Water conservation incentive
- an effort designed to promote customer awareness about
reducing water use and motivate customers to adopt specific
conservation measures.
Water conservation measure
- an action, behavioral change, device, technology, or
improved design or process implemented to reduce water loss, waste
or use.
Water delivery system
- Reservoirs, canals, ditches, pumps, and other facilities to
move water.
Water demand - water requirements for a particular
purpose, as for irrigation, drinking, toilet flushing, bathing,
clothes washing, etc.
Water efficiency - accomplishment of a
function, task, process, or result with the minimal amount of water
feasible; an indicator of the relationship between the amount of
water required for a particular purpose and the quantity of water
used or delivered.
Water efficiency measure - a specific tool
or practice that results in more efficient water use and thus
reduces water demand.
Water efficiency standard - criterion
creating maximum or acceptable levels of water use.
Water efficient landscape - a landscape that
minimizes water demand through design, installation, and management.
Water feature - a pool, fountain, water sculpture,
waterfall, or other decorative element that includes water. Many
water features recycle water thus reducing consumption.
Water harvesting - the capture and use of runoff from
rainfall.
Water holding capacity
- amount of soil water available to plants. See available
soil water.
Water quality - the chemical, physical, and biological
characteristics of water.
Water reclamation - the treatment of wastewater to
make it reusable, usually for non-potable purposes.
Water recycling - the treatment of urban
wastewater to make it reusable for a specific beneficial purpose.
Water reuse - using wastewater or reclaimed
water from one application for another application. The deliberate
use of reclaimed water or wastewater must be in compliance with
applicable rules for a beneficial purpose (landscape irrigation,
agricultural irrigation, aesthetic uses, ground water recharge,
industrial uses, and fire protection).
Water right - under the riparian system, a
legally protected claim to take possession of water occurring in a
natural waterway and to divert that water for beneficial use; under
the prior appropriation system, a property or legal claim to
withdraw a specified amount of water in a specified time frame for
beneficial use.
Watershed - the land area from which water,
sediment, and dissolved materials drain to a common watercourse or
body of water..
Water surcharge - imposition of a higher rate on excessive
water use .
Water system - a series of interconnected
treatment and conveyance facilities owned and operated by a water
supplier.
Water table - in an unconfined aquifer, the top of the
saturated zone; the level at which a well penetrates the top of an
unconfined aquifer.
Water transfers - selling or exchanging water or water
rights among individuals or agencies.
Water use efficiency - employing
water-saving practices to reduce costs and to slow the depletion of
the water supply to ensure future water availability.
Weed - any undesirable or troublesome plant.
Wetlands - Wetlands are areas that are
inundated or saturated by surface or groundwater at a frequency or
duration to support, and that under normal circumstances do support,
a prevalence of vegetation (hydrophytes) typically adapted for life
in saturated soil conditions. Wetlands include the transitional
areas between aquatic and terrestrial systems. To be classified as a
jurisdictional wetland for Section 404 purposes by the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers or EPA, an area must exhibit each of the
following three attributes:
- Hydric soils.
- Water table is at or above the surface, or within the root
zone, for a significant period of time during the growing
season.
- Soil is saturated at a frequency and duration to foster the
growth and reproduction of hydrophytic vegetation and inhibit
flood-intolerant species. (40 CFR 232.2(r) - Section 404)
Xeriscape - a trademarked term denoting
landscaping that involves the selection, placement, and care of
low-water-use and native ground cover, turf, plants, shrubs, and
trees. Xeriscape is based on seven principles: proper planning and
design, soil analysis and improvement, practical turf areas,
appropriate plant selection, efficient irrigation, mulching, and
appropriate maintenance.
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News Letters / CCR
