Research to Improve Water-Use Efficiency and Conservation: Technologies and Practices
Opening Statement By Chairman Nick Lampson
Good afternoon and welcome to today’s hearing on expanding research to improve water-use efficiency and conservation. The Subcommittee is here to receive testimony on H.R. 3957, The Water-Use Efficiency and Conservation Research Act of 2007, introduced by my good friend Jim Matheson. Congressman, I want to thank you for your hard work and interest on this important subject.
Although the world is covered by 70 percent water, less than 3 percent of it is freshwater. According to the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development, a mere .007 percent of the Earth’s total freshwater resources is accessible for human use. Pollution and salinization enhanced by drought conditions only serve to decrease the water available for our use.
Drought and scarce water supplies have long been a problem for my home state of Texas. Population growth, increased energy demand, and climate change impacts are further endangering my state’s limited supplies. The Texas Water Development Board estimates demand for water use will exceed water supply in Texas by the year 2050.
This story is repeating itself across the country. This year’s epic drought in the southeast threatens the water supply for millions. Water levels in the Great Lakes have been declining. Upstate New York’s reservoirs have dropped to record lows. And in the West, the mountain snowpack is melting earlier and faster, affecting fresh water supplies for all those who rely on rivers fed by snow-melt fed rivers.
We cannot solve these problems overnight. But H.R. 3957 will provide us with several important tools to address the coming crisis with technology and innovative thinking. By encouraging research and development into water-use efficiency, we can create a path to increase our nation’s water supplies.
Investing in water-use efficiency strategies requires some expenditure now, but in the long run, conserving water provides substantial cost savings for governments and the American public. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that if all U.S. households installed water-efficient appliances, the country would save more than 3 trillion gallons of water and more than $17 billion dollars per year.
I want to thank our distinguished panel for traveling to testify at this afternoon’s hearing. I look forward to your testimony and to your recommendations as to how we can make better use of our scarce water resources.
Witnesses
Panel
4 - Ms. Val Little
Director of Water Conservation Alliance of Southern Arizona Professor, University of Arizona Professor, University of Arizona
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2 - Mr. Ron Thompson
District Manager Washington County Water Conservancy District, State of Utah Washington County Water Conservancy District, State of Utah
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3 - Mr. Ed Clerico
President Alliance Environmental LLC Alliance Environmental LLC
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1 - Dr. Glen Daigger
Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer CH2M Hill CH2M Hill
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5 - Mr. John Veil
Manager, Water Policy Program Argonne National Laboratory Department of Energy Argonne National Laboratory Department of Energy
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