Glossary of Terms
UNITS OF MEASUREMENT
Credit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_measurement
AF Acre-feet, = 325,851 gallons or 43,560 cubic feet
AFA Acre-feet per annum (year)
BTU British Thermal Unit
CCF Hundred cubic feet = 748 gal.
CF Cubic feet = 7.48 gal.
GAL Gallons, 1 gallon = 0.134 cubic feet
GCD: Gallons per capita per day
gpcd Gallons per capita per day
gpd Gallons per day
gpf Gallons per flush (of a toilet or urinal)
gpm Gallons per minute
gpsf Gallons per square foot
hcf Hundred cubic feet = 748 gal.
hr Hours
kgal One thousand gallons = 134 cubic feet
kWh Kilowatt-hours
l Liters
lcd Liters per capita per day
lpf Liters per flush (of a toilet or urinal)
MG Million gallons
mgd Millions of gallons per day
MG/yr Millions of gallons per year
min Minute
psi Pounds per square inch
sf Square feet
ACRONYMS
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AC Alternating current
ASCE American Society of Civil Engineers, www.asce.org
AMR Automatic meter reading equipment
ANSI American National Standards Institute, www.ansi.org
ARM Automated remote metering
ASME American Society of Mechanical Engineers, www.asme.org
AWC Average winter consumption
AWR Applied water requirement, the gross amount of water that must be applied to a plant or grass to accommodate evapotranspiration (ET) including runoff and water required to overcome system efficiencies
AWWA American Water Works Association, www.awwa.org
AwwaRF American Water Works Association Research Foundation, www.awwarf.org
BMP Best management practice
CALFED A joint effort by state and federal agencies to resolve water supply and quality issues involving the San Francisco Bay and Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta
CAP Central Arizona Project
CC&Rs Conditions, covenants, and restrictions
CEE Consortium for Energy Efficiency
CFR Code of Federal Regulations
CGP Construction General Permit
CI Commercial and Industrial
CII Commercial, industrial, and institutional
CIMIS California Irrigation Management Information System, www.cimis.water.ca.gov/
CIS Customer information system
COD Chemical Oxygen Demand
CSO Combined Sewer Overflow
CUSTID Customer identification number
CUWCC California Urban Water Conservation Council
CWA Clean Water Act (formerly referred to as the Federal Water Pollution Control Act or Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972)
DC Direct current
DCU Data collection unit (in an AMR system)
DMR Discharge Monitoring Report
D.O. Dissolved Oxygen
DU Dwelling Unit
DU Distribution uniformity- a measure of irrigation efficiency
DEIR Draft Environmental Impact Report
EF Energy factor
EGLS Estimated generalized least-squares
EIS Environmental Impact Statement
ELG Effluent Limitations Guidelines
EPA Environmental Protection Agency (US government), www.epa.gov
EPAct Energy Policy Act, first implemented in Oct. 1992
ER Effective rainfall
ET Evapotranspiration, water loss via evaporation from plant surfaces and soil at base of plant and transpiration from plant leaf or grass surfaces
ETo Reference ET for a standard crop of grass 4 inches to 7 inches tall
FR Federal Register
HD High density, refers to MF and other types of units constructed in dense configuration
HOA Homeowners association
HUD U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, www.hud.gov
IA Irrigation Association
IE Irrigation Efficiency
IL Infrastructure Leakage Index
IRP Integrated resources planning
KL Landscape coefficient (includes crop coefficient, and coefficients for shade and slope)
LF Low-flow
LEED Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (U.S. Green Bldg Council, ) www.usgbc.org/LEED/
LID Low-impact development (for storm water quality)
MaP Maximum performance testing (of toilets and other fixtures). This is a trademarked label.
MEP Maximum Extent Practicable
MEF Modified energy factor
MF Multi-family dwelling unit
MFR Multi-family residential
MIU Meter interface unit. Also known as a Telemetry Interface Unit.
MS4 Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System
MSGP Multi Sector General Permit
N Number The number of cases from which a summary statistic or analysis is derived.
NIST National Institute of Standards and Technology, www.nist.gov
NPDES National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
NOI Notice of Intent
NOV Notice of Violation
NOT Notice of Termination
NPS Non-point Source
NPV Net present value of a series of payments, costs, or benefits
O&M Operation and Maintenance
OW Office of Water
OWM Office of Wastewater Management
P-value The probability value of a statistical hypothesis test; the probability of getting a value of the test statistic as extreme or more extreme than that observed by chance alone, if the null hypothesis is true.
PA Permitting Authority
PAC Project advisory committee
PE Public Education
pH The measure of the water's relative acidity or alkalinity. A pH of 7 is neutral while higher numbers indicate acidity and lower alkalinity.
POTW Publicly Owned Treatment Works
POC Project oversight committee
POTW Publicly Owned Treatment Works
POU Point of use
PUC Public utilities commission
PV Present value of a series of payments, costs, or benefits
OLS Ordinary least squares
R 2 Coefficient of determination
RBC Read, bill, and collect
REUWS Residential End Uses of Water Study (AWWA 1999)
RF Radio frequency
RMSE Root mean square error
RUBS Ratio utility billing systems, a calculation method that uses a compensation factor to allocate utility costs among users, most often used in the context of multi-family or commercial billing
SCS Soil Conservation Service now Natural Resources Conservation Service, www.nrcs.usda.gov/
SIC Standard Industrial Classification
SF Single-family dwelling unit (detached unless otherwise specified)
St. Dev. Standard deviation
SUR Seemingly unrelated regression
SWAT Smart Water Application Technology: class of irrigation controllers using soil, weather, or ET-based measurements to control irrigation scheduling
SWMP Storm Water Management Plan
SWPPP (also SWP3) - Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan
SWRS Subregional water reclamation system
TCEQ Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
TMDL Total Maximum Daily Load
TSS Total Suspended Solids
T-test An inferential statistical test for comparing two means. A dependent or paired t-test is used to compare the mean difference score between paired measurements.
UA Urbanized Area
UARL Unavoidable annual real losses
ULF Ultra-low flow
ULFT Ultra-low flow toilet
UNAR Unified North American Requirements for toilet fixtures (and other devices)
WD Water district
WF Water factor
WW Wastewater
Terms
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8500
This number refers to the California Department of Water Resources desired pumping rate for exporting water from the Delta to the State Water Project (SWP) measured in cubic feet per second (cfs). The SWP currently has permission to pump at 6680 cfs. The total pumping capacity of the SWP is 10,300 cfs, and the Federal export pumps have the capacity to pump at a rate of 6,200 cfs.
Absolute humity
The mass of water vapor in a given volume of air (WHO 2003).A measure of the amount of water vapor held in a volume of air (in grams per cubic meter), frequently the atmosphere (Symons et al. 2000).
Acid rain
Precipitation that has a pH lower than about 5.0, the value produced when naturally occurring carbon dioxide, sulfate and nitrogen oxide dissolve into water droplets in clouds. Increases in acidity may occur naturally (e.g. following emissions of aerosols during volcanic eruptions) or as a result of human activities (e.g. emission of sulfur dioxide during fossil fuel combustion).
Acre foot
One acre-foot is about 326,000 gallons, or enough water to supply two typical families for a year.
The volume of water, 43,560 cubic feet, that will cover an area of one acre to a depth of one foot.
Air gap
An air gap is the unobstructed vertical space between the water outlet and the flood level of a fixture. A simple example is the space between a wall mounted faucet and the sink rim (this space is the air gap).
Allocation types
The basis by which utility expenses are apportioned to users. Common types include unit count, occupant count, occupant ratio, square footage, and a combination of occupant count and square footage. Less common types include bathroom count and fixture count.
Alluvial fan
An alluvial fan is a fan-shaped deposit formed where a fast flowing stream flattens, slows, and spreads typically at the exit of a canyon onto a flatter plain.
Anadromous fish
Fish that ascend rivers from the sea for breeding.
Apparent losses
In a distribution system water audit apparent losses represent the “paper” losses that occur when volumes of water reach a use, but are not properly measured or recorded. They include customer meter inaccuracies, unauthorized consumption and data handling error in customer billing systems. Apparent losses cause water utilities a loss of revenue but also interject a degree of error in the assessment of customer consumption, making it more difficult to evaluate the success of water conservation and loss control measures.
Application rate
The depth of water applied to a given area over time, usually measured in inches per hour.
Applied water
The portion of water supplied by the irrigation system that reaches the soil surface.
Appropriative water rights
An exclusive right to take water as specified by the amount, source, use, location and period of time of its physical control. ‘First in time, first in right.’
Aquifer
An aquifer is a body of rock or sediment that stores and transmits large amounts of groundwater. An aquifer typically consists of sands and gravels with interconnected pore spaces, or rocks with numerous interconnected fractures or cavities.
Area
Square footage or acreage measured or estimated from scale plans, photographs, or from on-site measurements.
Arid climate
A climate characterized by less than 10 inches of annual precipitation.
As-built plans
Site plans reflecting the actual constructed conditions of a landscape irrigation system or other facility installation.
Avoided cost
The cost of an activity or facility that could be avoided by choosing an alternative course of action.
B2
The section of the Central Valley Project Improvement Act (CVPIA) that states that 800,000 acre-feet of water should be allocated from the CVP for the restoration of anadromous Central Valley fisheries which is supposed to be part of the Delta's "base flows" for environmental purposes. Westlands Water District sued to try to prevent full implementation of this measure. While the environmental groups who defended the law lost the main issues on B2, the Judge declared that a "PRIMARY PURPOSE" of the CVP is environmental.
Backflow prevention device
A safety device used to prevent contamination of the potable water supply from the reverse flow of water from an irrigation system or other customer activity back into the potable distribution system.
Backwash
The use of water to clean filters. Water under high-pressure is pumped in reverse through filters,
removing trapped sediment and other material.
Baffle
device used to restrain the flow of a fluid, gas, or loose material or to prevent the spreading of sound or light in a particular direction.
Ballcock
A float actuated valve, part of the toilet trim in the toilet tank that controls the refill water flowing into the toilet tank when it is not full.
Bay Delta
The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is the largest estuary in the Western United States, a critical habitat to more than 500 native plant, fish and animal species, and a major hub of the state’s water supply. It channels water from Northern California’s watersheds to 23 million Californians – two-thirds of the states households – and some three million acres of farmland in the Central Valley. The Delta is created by the coming together of two of California’s two largest rivers: the Sacramento flowing south from its headwaters near Mt. Shasta, and the San Joaquin flowing north from its origins high in the southern Sierra Nevada.
Bay Delta conservation Plan
This plan is intended to satisfy the requirements of the federal and state Endangered Species Acts while providing assurances that sufficient water is taken from the Delta for the water agencies (Bureau of Reclamation and the California Department of Water Resources) and the water districts who have contracts to buy water from these two agencies (e.g. Tulare Lake Water Storage District, Westlands Water District, and Metropolitan Water District of Southern California). The conservation part of the planning process is trying to identify habitat restoration measures for the Delta and the nearby Suisun Marsh to ensure conservation of the nine fish species that are currently considered at risk, while at the same time providing for water conveyance through and/or around the Delta for water supply. The plan is being developed by state and federal agencies with input from environmental and water contractor stakeholders. The effort started by evaluating 10 options which were subsequently narrowed to 4 in September of 2007. If all goes as planned, one option will be carried forward though planning studies in 2008 which will then be subject to environmental evaluation. The Plan has specifically excluded from consideration, at least so far, the study of reduction of demand for water from the Delta.
Beneficial rainfall
The portion of total rainfall that is available for use by the plant, (effective rainfall).
Berm
A constructed barrier of compacted earth.
Best Management Practices
A practice or combination of practices that provide the most effective and practicable means of controlling point and nonpoint source pollutants at levels compatible with environmental quality goals. These include activities or structural improvements that help reduce nonpoint source pollution and limit the volume of stormwater runoff. Non-structural BMPs limit the impact of development with effective planning and practice. Structural BMPs reduce volume and peak rates of stormwater flow, and some improve water quality. Most BMPs use vegetation to slow stormwater runoff, infiltrate the water into the soil, and absorb excess nutrients and other pollutants.
Better Site design
A fundamentally different approach to residential and commercial development. It seeks to accomplish 3 goals at every development site: to reduce the amount of impervious cover, to increase natural lands set aside for conservation, and to use pervious areas for more effective stormwater treatment. To meet these goals, designers must scrutinize every aspect of a site plan: its streets, parking spaces, setbacks, lot sizes, driveways, and sidewalks. At the same time, creative grading and drainage techniques reduce stormwater runoff and encourage more infiltration.
Bill stuffer
An advertisement or notice included with a utility bill.
Billing cycle
The regular interval of time when customer’s meters are read and bills are issued, generally every month (monthly) or two months (bi-monthly).
Billing period
The elapsed time between two specific consecutive meter reads for billing purposes.
Billing unit
The unit of measure used to bill customers, either 100 cubic feet (abbreviated HCF or CCF) or 1000 gallons (kgals).
Blackwater
Water polluted with food, animal, or human waste
Bleed-off
Draining off the water in a cooling tower reservoir to avoid the buildup of excess dissolved solids. Also referred to as blowdown.
Blowdown
Draining off the water in a cooling tower reservoir to avoid the buildup of excess dissolved solids. Also referred to as bleed-off.
Blow-out toilet
A type of toilet, normally found in hospitals or sites subject to high use, that has an extra wide trapway, is generally supplied by at least a two-inch service line to the building,
Brackish
Containing a mixture of seawater and fresh water. Brackish water is somewhat salty.
Bubbler
A type of sprinkler head that delivers a relatively large volume of water to a level area where standing water gradually infiltrates into the soil. The flow rate is large relative to the area to which the water is delivered. Bubblers are used to irrigate trees and shrubs.
Buffer Strip
An area of land maintained in permanent vegetation that helps to control air, soil, and water quality and other environmental problems primarily on land that is used for agriculture. Buffer strips trap sediment, and enhance filtration of nutrients and pesticides by slowing down runoff that could enter the local surface waters.
Catch-can test
Measurement of a sprinkler system’s application rate. Test involves placing graduated containers at evenly spaced intervals throughout an irrigated area and measuring the depth of water collected in the cans over a given period of time.
Central Valley Project (CVP)
The Central Valley Project (CVP) stretches 400 miles consisting of 20 dams and reservoirs, 11 power plants and 500 miles of canals. (ACWA)
Central irrigation control system
A computerized system for programming irrigation controllers from a central location; using a personal computer and radio waves or hard wiring to send program information to geographically distant controllers.
Check valve
A device that prevents drainage of water down to the low points of an irrigation system after the system is shut off. Also called anti-drain valve. A valve that allows flow in only one direction, preventing backflow.
Cistern
A receptacle for holding liquids, usually water. Often cisterns are built to catch and store rainwater.
Class
Customers having similar characteristics (commercial, single-family residential, etc) grouped together for billing or program purposes.
Conductivity
A measure of how well the water conducts electricity. This gives an Indication of ion concentration in the water sample.
Coliform bacteria
Microorganisms (e.g., Escherichia Coli) common to the intestinal tract of warm blooded animals. The organisms’ presence in water is an indicator of fecal pollution.
Colorado River Supplies
Canals and aqueducts that bring Colorado River water to Southern California are a key component of the state’s backbone water infrastructure and an integral part of California’s water supply. In recent years, California has used as much as 5.37 million acre-feet (MAF) per year of Colorado River supplies, even though its entitlement is only 4.4 MAF (plus 50% of any declared surplus).
Commercial user
Customers who use water at a place of business, such as hotels, restaurants, office buildings, commercial businesses or other places of commerce. These do not include multi-family residences, agricultural users, or customers that fall within the industrial or institutional classifications.
Commodity rate
Charging for water based on the volume of use. Not a flat or fixed rate.
Clean Water Act (Water Quality Act)
(formerly the Federal Water Pollution Control Act or Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972). Public law 92-500; 33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.; legislation which provides statutory authority for the NPDES program. Also know as the Federal Water Pollution Control Act.
Compound meter
A meter with two measuring chambers, generally a turbine for high flows and a positive displacement for low flows.
Conductivity
A measure of how well the water conducts electricity. This gives an Indication of ion concentration in the water sample.
Conjunctive Use
The combined use of surface and ground water systems to optimize resource use and minimize impacts of using a single water source.
Connection fee
A charge assessed to a new account by a water utility that generally covers the cost of hooking up to the system and compensates the utility for prior water system improvements that made the capacity available.
Conservation
Protect natural resources including plant and animal species as well as their habitat for the future.
Conservation rate structure
A pricing structure billed by the quantity of commodity delivered and tied to the costs associated with that delivery, designed to provide an accurate price signal to the consumer. An increasing block rate structure, if the top tier equals the utility’s marginal cost of new water, is one example of a conservation rate structure.
Conservation tillage
Conservation tillage systems are methods of soil tillage which leave a minimum of 30% of crop residue on the soil surface or at least 1,000 lb/ac (1,100 kg/ha) of small grain residue on the surface during the critical soil erosion period. This slows water movement, which reduces the amount of soil erosion.
Consumer surplus
The difference between what a commodity is worth to a consumer and what she actually pays for it.
Constructed wetlands
A constructed wetland or wetpark is an artificial marsh or swamp, created for anthropogenic discharge such as wastewater, stormwater runoff or sewage treatment, and as habitat for wildlife, or for land reclamation after mining or other disturbance. Natural wetlands act as biofilter, removing sediments and pollutants such as heavy metals from the water, and constructed wetlands can be designed to emulate these features.
Continuous variables
Variables that are numerical and can be scaled.
Conveyance
The process of water moving from one place to another.
Crop coefficient (K c)
A factor used to adjust reference evapotranspiration and calculate water requirements for a given plant species. (Also called plant factor or landscape coefficient)
Curb stop
Shut-off valve between the customer meter and the street service line from the water main.
Customer class
A group of customers (residential, commercial, industrial, wholesale, and so on) defined by similar characteristics or patterns of water usage.
Declining block rate
A commodity rate whose unit price decreases with increasing water use.
Dedicated metering
Metering of water service based on a single type of use, such as metering for landscape irrigation separately from interior domestic use.
Demand management
Measures, practices or incentives deployed by utilities to change the pattern of demand for a service by its customers or slow the rate of growth for that service.
Demand side measures
In the water industry, programs which encourage customers to modify the amount or timing of water use. These measures may include encouraging customers to implement hardware or behavior changes, or change the volume or timing of their use, depending on the time of day or time of year.
Desalination
The process of removing salt from brackish water or sea water, producing water suitable for fresh water uses and a concentrated brine.
Developed water
Water that has been captured in reservoirs, diverted from rivers/streams, or accessed by wells for use by society.
Discharge
The volume of water (and suspended sediment if surface water) that passes a given location within a given period of time.
Discount rate
The financial rate used to calculate the present value of future benefits and costs.
Distribution facilities
Pipes, meters, storage, pumps and other facilities used to distribute water to end users.
Distribution uniformity (DU)
An expression of how evenly water is applied to a landscape by an irrigation system. DU is calculated in the field by analyzing the results of catch-can tests.
Drip irrigation
The slow, accurate application of water directly to plant root zones with a system of tubes and emitters usually operated under reduced pressure.
Drought
An extended period of below-average precipitation resulting in a reduction of water in available storage that can result in a cutback in water service to customers.
Dryland Farming
A type of farming practiced in arid areas without irrigation by planting drought-resistant crops and maintaining a fine surface tilth or mulch that protects the natural moisture of the soil from evaporation.
Dual and multiple programming
The capacity of an irrigation controller to schedule the frequency and duration of irrigation cycles to meet varying water requirements of plants served by a system. Grouping plants and laying out irrigation stations by similar water requirements facilitates multiple programming.
Dye test
A test for water leaks, specifically by putting dye in a toilet tank to see if it appears in the bowl.
eColiform Colony Count
Indicator organisms (such as Escherichis coli) are used as a proxy for the presence of specific disease-causing organisms like Salmonella typhi.
Effective precipitation (EP)
The portion of total rainfall that is available for use by the plant.
Efficiency
The production of the desired effects or results with minimum waste of time, effort, or skill
Efficiency standard
A value or criteria that establishes target levels of water use for a particular activity.
Effluent
Something that flows out, such as wastewater, treated or untreated, that flows out of a wastewater treatment plant, sewer, or industrial outfall.
Emitter
A drip irrigation component that dispenses water to plants at a known rate, measured in gallons per hour.
End use
A fixture, appliance, or other specific object or activity that uses water.
Environmental Technology
An all-inclusive term used to describe pollution control devices and systems, waste treatment processes and storage facilities, and site remediation technologies and their components that may be utilized to remove pollutants or contaminants from or prevent them from entering the environment. Examples include wet scrubbers (air), soil washing (soil), granulated activated carbon unit (water), and filtration (air, water). Usually, this term applies to hardware-based systems; however, it also applies to methods or techniques used for pollution prevention, pollutant reduction, or containment of contamination to prevent further movement of the contaminants, such as capping,
Escalation rate
The average rate of increase in the inflation-adjusted future cost of water supply.
Erosion
When land is diminished or worn away due to wind, water, or glacial ice. Often the eroded
debris (silt or sediment) becomes a pollutant via storm water runoff. Erosion occurs naturally but can be
intensified by land clearing activities such as farming, development, road-building, and timber
harvesting.
Estimated Water Use (EWU)
The amount of water estimated to be needed by the landscape during one year.
Estuary
The lower course of a river where its flow is commingled by the sea, resulting in brackish water.
ET factor
A factor used to set a landscape water efficiency goal. Also know as an “adjustment factor”.
Evapotranspiration (ET)
The quantity of water evaporated from soil surfaces and transpired by plants during a specific time.
EWA
Refers to the Environmental, or more accurately, the Exporters Water Account. The EWA is a program within CALFED set up to ensure that endangered species (mostly fish) have a sufficient amount of water at all times in order to live. The EWA was supposed to ensure enough water by 1) maintaining a continuous supply of water to water contractors, and 2) purchasing additional water through water storage and water transfers to meet the needs of endangered species. Like many parts of CALFED, this program was not sufficiently funded, and much of the water in the EWA account was expended to benefit water contractors, while environmental water went to satisfy pre-existing water quality and fish protection laws, providing no additional benefit to the environment.
Excavation
The process of removing earth, stone, or other materials from land.
External costs and benefits
An external cost is when one party adversely affects another party either by reducing its productivity or
well being. An external benefit is where one party beneficially affects another party either by increasing
its productivity or its well being, or lowering its costs.
Externalities
External costs and benefits.
Faucet aerator
A flow reduction device that screws on the end of the kitchen or lavatory faucet to add air to the water
flow.
Fecal coliform
The coliform bacteria group that are present in the intestinal tracts and feces of humans and otherwarm-blooded animals. Drinking water with fecal coliform can cause diarrhea and other gastrointestinal illnesses.
Filtration
A water treatment process that involves water passing through sand or other media, where particlesand other constituents are trapped and removed from the flow.
First Flush Diverter
Device attached to the gutter that diverts The first flush of water from the roof (which can contain bacteria from decomposed insects, skinks, bird and animal droppings, and concentrated tannic acid) to prevent fouled water from entering downspout &/or cistern
Fish Ladder
A series of pools arranged like ascending steps at the side of a stream, enabling migrating fish to swim upstream around a dam or other obstruction.
Fixed costs
Costs that do not change as output level changes over the time horizon being analyzed.
Fixed rates
Part of a utility bill that is not affected by consumption.
Flapper valve
A pliable valve in the opening at the bottom of a toilet tank that regulates water flow into the toilet
bowl.
Flow rate
The rate at which a volume of water flows through pipes, valves, etc. in a given period of time. Often
reported as cubic feet per second (cfs) or gallons-per-minute (gpm).
Flush valve
A valve used to expel sediment from irrigation lines. Also, a type of flushing mechanism used in
commercial toilets.
Flushometer
A commercial/institutional type toilet, which generates a flush by the opening of a valve directly
connected to the pressurized building water system.
Fluvial
The processes associated with rivers and streams and the deposits and landforms created by them.
Gabion
Cages, cylinders, or boxes filled with soil or sand that are used in civil engineering, road building, and military applications. For erosion control caged riprap is used. For dams or foundation construction, cylindrical metal structures are used.
General Permit
A permit issued under the NPDES program to cover a certain class or category of storm water
discharges. These permits reduce the administrative burden of permitting storm water discharges.
Grading
The cutting and/or filling of the land surface to a desired slope or elevation.
Graywatery/Greywater
Wastewater generated from domestic activities such as dish washing, laundry and bathing
Groundwater
Water that has seeped beneath the earth’s surface and is stored in the pores and spaces between alluvial materials (sand, gravel or clay). Groundwater is water located beneath the ground surface in soil pore spaces and in the fractures of lithologic formations
Groundwater banking
Storing surface water in a groundwater basin, or using surface water in lieu of groundwater, to increase the available groundwater supply.
Groundwater recharge
Percolating or injecting surface water into a groundwater basin to increase the available groundwater supply.
Halopyhte
A halophyte is a plant that naturally grows where it is affected by salinity in the root area or by salt spray, such as in saline semi-deserts, mangrove swamps, marshes and sloughs, and seashores.
Hardness
Hardness is caused by calcium and high levels of magnesium salts and inhibits the cleaning action of soaps and detergents. It can also cause deposits of scale on the inside of hot water pipes and cooking utensils.
HardPath/Soft Path
Hard path refers to the traditional water supply augmentation strategies such as building new dams and canals. Soft path refers to nonstructural water management innovations to improve water supply reliability such as water conservation, water reclamation, groundwater banking and changes in reservoir operation to improve sustainability.
Hardscape
Landscaping that does not permit water to seep into the ground, such as concrete, brick and lumber.
Hardware efficiency
A percentage or fraction value that represents the portion of water applied by an irrigation system that is beneficial to the plants. See distribution uniformity.
H-axis clothes washer
Horizontal-axis clothes washer.
High efficiency clothes washer (HECW)
A type of clothes washer meeting certain water and energy standards. They often involve a design where the tub axis is more nearly horizontal than vertical. Clothes are tumbled through water that only fills a fraction of the tub. Also known as a horizontal axis, tumble action or front-loading clothes washer.
High-water-using plants
Plants with a crop coefficient greater than 0.7.
Historic basis
Past water consumption history.
Hot water hybrid
The practice of estimating a resident’s total water usage based on metered hot water usage.
Hot water on demand system
A system of pumping hot water more quickly from the water heater to the fixture calling for water for the purpose of reducing the wait time (and associated waste) for hot water.
Hot water ratio billing
The practice of estimating a resident’s total water usage based on metered hot water usage.
Hydrolic
An all-inclusive term used to describe pollution control devices and systems, waste treatment processes and storage facilities, and site remediation technologies and their components that may be utilized to remove pollutants or contaminants from or prevent them from entering the environment. Examples include wet scrubbers (air), soil washing (soil), granulated activated carbon unit (water), and filtration (air, water). Usually, this term applies to hardware-based systems; however, it also applies to methods or techniques used for pollution prevention, pollutant reduction, or containment of contamination to prevent further movement of the contaminants, such as capping, solidification or vitrification, and biological treatment.
Hydrologic cycle
Movement of water as it evaporates from rivers, lakes or oceans, into the atmosphere, returns to earth as precipitation, flows into rivers to the ocean and evaporates again.
Hydrozone
A portion of the landscaped area having plants with similar water needs that are served by a valve or set of valves with the same schedule.
Illicit Connection: Any discharge to a municipal separate storm sewer that is not composed entirely of storm water and is not authorized by an NPDES permit, with some exceptions (e.g., discharges due to fire fighting activities).
Impact head
A type of single-stream rotor that uses the impact of a stream of water to rotate a nozzle in a full or partial circle. Impact heads have large radii and relatively low precipitation rates and do not provide matched precipitation rates for varying arc patterns.
Impermeable
Impossible to permeate
Inclining block rate
A commodity rate whose unit price increases with increasing water use.
Incremental benefits and costs
The next unit of cost required to achieve the next unit of benefit.
Individual metering
The installation of meters for each individual dwelling unit as well as separate common area metering with the local water utility providing customer read, bill and collect services.
Industrial user
Water users that are primarily manufacturers or processors of materials as defined by the Standard Industrial Classifications (SIC) Code numbers 2000 through 3999.
Induced Meandering
Induced Meandering is a erosion control method which uses instream structures and vegetation to increase channel sinuosity, bed stability, alluvial storage, floodplain development, and channel roughness.
Infrastructure
The physical systems and that support community function (roads, sewers, water lines, etc.).
Infiltration
Infiltration is the process by which water on the ground surface enters the soil.
Infiltration rate
The rate at which water permeates the soil surface, expressed as a depth of water per unit of time (inches-per-hour).
Infrastructure Leakage Index
In a water supply distribution system, the Infrastructure Leakage Index, ILI, is the ratio of the current level of annual real losses (mostly leakage) to the Unavoidable Annual Real Losses, UARL. It is a good benchmarking performance indicator for comparisons of leakage standing among drinking water utilities.
Institutional user
Water-using establishment dedicated to public service. This includes schools, churches, hospitals, and government facilities. All facilities serving these functions are considered institutional regardless of ownership.
Instream uses
The beneficial uses of water within a river or stream, such as providing habitat for aquatic life, sport fishing, river rafting or scenic beauty.
Irrigated area
The portion of a landscape that requires supplemental irrigation, usually expressed in square feet or acres.
Irrigation controller
A mechanical or electronic clock that can be programmed to operate remote-control valves to control watering times.
Irrigation cycle
A scheduled application of water by an irrigation station defined by a start time and its duration. Multiple cycles can be scheduled, separated by time intervals, to allow infiltration of applied water.
Irrigation efficiency (IE)
A value representing the amount of water beneficially applied, divided by the total water applied. Also, the product of decimal equivalents representing hardware efficiency and management efficiency.
Irrigation only accounts
Accounts with a separate meter dedicated to non-sewered uses such as landscape irrigation or cooling towers.
Irrigation plan
A two-dimensional plan drawn to scale expressing the layout of irrigation components and component specifications. Layout of pipes may be depicted diagrammatically, but location of irrigation heads and irrigation schedules should be specified.
Irrigation scheduling
The process of developing a schedule for an automatic irrigation system that applies the right amount of water, matched to the plant needs, which varies daily, weekly, or seasonally.
Irrigation station
A group of irrigation components, including heads or emitters and pipes, controlled / operated by a remote control valve.
Keyline design
A technique for maximizing beneficial use of water resources of a piece of land. The Keyline refers to a specific topographic feature linked to water flow. Beyond that however, Keyline can be seen as a collection of design principles, techniques and systems for development of rural and urban landscapes.
Landscape irrigation auditor
A person who has had landscape water audit training and passed a certification exam.
Landscape water budget (LWB)
A volume of applied irrigation water expressed as a monthly or yearly amount, based on ETo and the plant material being watered.
Law of the River
A collection of interstate agreements, international treaties, legislation, and judicial decisions that form the basis of allocation decisions for the Colorado River.
Leak correlator
An electronic device that uses probes placed on exposed portions of a water distribution system to pinpoint the location of a leak.
Leak detection
The procedure of pinpointing the exact location of leaks from water pipes and fittings.
Leakage management
The organized, proactive functions of a water utility to control distribution system leakage to a economic minimum. Includes appropriate combinations of active leakage control (flow analysis, leak detection) and repair, pressure management, and system rehabilitation
Leak noise logger
A device that gathers and stores sounds used in detecting and pinpointing water distribution system leaks across a given area of the system
Leak survey
The systematic process of listening for leaks in a distribution system.
LEED Standards
The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™ is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings. LEED is a voluntary, consensus-based, national standard for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings. LEED provides a complete framework for assessing building performance and meeting sustainability goals.
Life-cycle analysis
Examines the costs and benefits of an action over its entire expected life span.
Limited turf areas
Restriction of turfgrass to a prescribed fraction of the landscape area.
Low flow detector
A part of a water meter register that indicates any flow through the meter. Also, called a Leak Indicator.
Low flow faucet
A faucet fixture that meets 1992 EPAct standards (2.2 gpm or less at 80 psi).
Low flow showerhead
A showerhead that meets 1992 EPAct standards (2.5 gpm or less at 80 psi)
Low flow toilet
A 3.5 gpf toilet, as mandated by California in a 1977 law that took effect 1980.
Low head drainage
Drainage of water from irrigation lines at the lowest elevations in an irrigation station.
Lower basin states
The states of Nevada, Arizona and California, which form part of the Colorado River watershed.
Low Impact Development
Low Impact Development (LID) is a term used in the United States to describe a land planning and
engineering design approach to managing stormwater runoff. LID emphasizes conservation and use of
on-site natural features to protect water quality. This approach implements engineered small-scale
hydrologic controls to replicate the pre-development hydrologic regime of watersheds through
infiltrating, filtering, storing, evaporating, and detaining runoff close to its source.
Makeup water
Fresh water introduced into a cooling tower to replace water lost to evaporation and blowdown.
Management efficiency
A percentage or fraction of the total applied water that represents the portion beneficially applied. This is determined by scheduling, maintenance, and repair of irrigation systems.
Marginal cost
The additional cost incurred by supplying one more unit of water.
Master meter
A single meter that measures utility usage for an entire property, or an entire building, which usually includes common areas.
Matched precipitation rates
Equal water-delivery rate by sprinkler heads with varying arc patterns within an irrigation station. Matched precipitation rates are required to achieve uniform distribution.
Matched sprinkler heads
Sprinkler heads with the same precipitation rate.
Mediterranean climate
A climate characterized by moderate temperatures throughout the year, dry summers and rainy winters.
Medium Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4)
MS4 located in an incorporated place or county with a population of 100,000 or more but less than
250,000, as determined by the latest U.S. Census. Also refered to as Phase I regulated entities.
Medium-water-using plants
Plants with a crop coefficient of 0.4 to 0.6.
Meter
Device that measures utility usage.
Meter (water)
An instrument for measuring and recording water volume.
Meter register
Mechanical device (sometimes used synonymously with the term “Face”) that uses a system of gear reductions to integrate the rotation of the moving element of a meter’s measuring chamber into numerical units.
Microclimate
The climate of a specific place within a given area, generally varying by wind and evapotranspiration (ET).
Mixed use meter
A water meter that serves more than one type of end use, such as an office building and its surrounding landscape.
Mulch
A protective covering of various substances, usually organic, such as wood chips, placed on the soil surface around plants to reduce weed growth and evaporation and to maintain even temperatures around plant roots.
Multi-family (MF)
Residential housing with multiple dwelling units, such as apartments and condominiums.
Multiple linear regression
Method of determining the relationship between several independent or predictor variables and a dependent variable. The dependent variable must be a continuous variable.
Multiple start times
An irrigation controller’s capacity to accept programming of more than one irrigation start-time per station per day.
Municipal and industrial (M&I)
Water supplies serving humans or man-made activities, as opposed to agricultural water supply.
Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4)
A publically-owned conveyance or system of conveyances that discharges to waters of the U.S. and
designed or used for collecting or conveying storm water, is not a combined sewer, and is not part of a
publicly-owned treatment works (POTW).
Multi-Sector General Permit (MSGP): An NPDES permit that regulates storm water discharges from
eleven categories of industrial activities.
NAICS (formally SIC codes)
North American Industry Classification System. A consolidation of the codes for the US, Canada and Mexico. Produced by the US Office of Management and Budget.
Natural (green) infrastructure
Physical systems provided by the earth that support life (water cycle, nitrogen cycle, water purification)
Non-point source pollution
A diffuse source of pollution that cannot be attributed to a clearly identifiable, specific physical location or a defined discharge channel. This includes the nutrients that runoff the ground from any land use - croplands, feedlots, lawns, parking lots, streets, forests, etc. - and enter waterways. It also includes nutrients that enter through air pollution, through the groundwater, or from septic systems.
Non-potable water
Water that does not, or may not, meet drinking water quality standards.
Non-revenue water
In a distribution system water audit, non-revenue water equals the volume of unbilled authorized consumption (water for fire fighting, system flushing and similar uses) added to real losses and apparent losses.
Notice of Intent (NOI): An application to notify the permitting authority of a facility's intention to be
covered by a general permit; exempts a facility from having to submit an individual or group application.
O&M
Operation and Maintenance.
Off-stream
Water use occurring outside the natural stream channel.
Operating pressure
Distribution system water pressure measured in pounds-per-square-inch (psi). Municipal systems are generally maintained between 50 and 80 psi.
Opportunity costs
The true costs faced by a decision maker, measured as the highest valued alternative that is foregone when an action is taken.
Outfall
The point where wastewater or drainage discharges from a sewer pipe, ditch, or other
conveyance to a receiving body of water.
Overdraft
A groundwater basin is being overdrafted when, over a number of years, the average amount of water withdrawn from the basin exceeds the average amount of water flowing into the basin.
Overspray
Application of water via sprinkler irrigation to areas other than the intended area.
Partial-capture submetering
Type of submetering where only a portion of the total water consumption in each unit is measured.
Peak use
The maximum demand occurring in a given period, such as hourly or daily or annually.
Per capita residential use
Average daily water use (sales) to residential customers divided by population served.
Per capita use
Water use per person.
Percolation
The slow passage of a liquid through a filtering medium.
Permeable
That can be permeated or penetrated, especially by liquids or gases
Point-of-use meter
A meter that measures water flow at the actual usage point, such as a faucet or toilet.
Point source pollution
Water pollution sources that may be traced to a specific source, such as a sewer line or a discharge pipe
of an industrial facility. Pollution coming from a single identifiable source such as discharge pipes from
industry or sewer plants or other means of conveyance including ditches, channels, sewers, and
containers.
Positive displacement meter
A type of water meter used to measure relatively low flows (such as residential uses).
Pollutant Loading
The total quantity of pollutants in storm water runoff.
Potable Water
Potable water is simply water that is safe to drink. Potable water is free from pollution, harmful organisms and impurities
Pounds-per-square-inch (psi)
A unit measure of pressure. In this case, the pressure exerted by water in a distribution system.
Precipitation rate
Application rate for sprinkler irrigation, generally measured in inches-per-hour.
Pressure assist toilet
A toilet that uses the water distribution system pressure to compress air in a bladder that fills with water after the toilet is flushed. The compressed air forces the water from the bladder into the toilet bowl at an increased velocity.
Pressure compensating emitter
A drip-irrigation emitter designed to deliver water at a consistent flow rate under a range of operating pressure.
Pressure loss
The reduction in water pressure due to friction of water against the inner walls of pipe and components.
Pressure reducer
A water system component that reduces the downstream pressure of water, often used in irrigation systems, always used in drip systems.
Pressure regulation
Maintaining distribution system water pressure within certain limits.
Pressure regulating valve
1) A device, often installed downstream of the customer meter, to reduce high pressures to a set amount. Often required where the existing system pressure exceeds 85 psi. 2) A device installed on input water supply mains or irrigation systems to regulate water pressure in a zone or district metered area (DMA) to protect against pressure surges and to control leakage.
Pressure testing
Subjecting a fully loaded section of a water distribution system to maximum normal pressure (or normal pressure plus a safety factor) against a closed downstream shut-off.
Pressure zone
A three dimensional zone in the water distribution system where the pressure is allowed to vary only within certain limits, generally dictated by the elevation of the water tank serving the zone.
Primary treatment
The first stage of a wastewater treatment process in which floating material and large suspended solids are removed by mechanical processes, such as filtration.
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Public user
Publicly owned water customers, such as schools, parks, and government buildings. Also referred to as institutional customers.
Rain shutoff device
A device connected to an irrigation controller that overrides scheduled irrigation when significant precipitation is detected.
Rainwater
Rain is liquid precipitation, as opposed to other kinds of precipitation such as snow, hail and sleet
Rainwater harvesting/catchment
The gathering, or accumulating and storing, of rainwater
Raw water
Untreated water
Real losses
In a water distribution system audit, real losses are the physical loss of water from the distribution system prior to reaching the customer. Real losses include leakage from piping and reservoir walls, as well as storage overflows caused by faulty control equipment or operator error. Real losses represent a waste of water and energy resources since they are volumes of water extracted from a source, treated to prevailing standards, but never reaching beneficial use.
Recirculating task
Water that is employed for the same task multiple times. In a cooling tower, water is used to carry heat away from a heat source, cooled by evaporation in a cooling tower, and returned to the heat source to repeat the task.
Recycled Water
Reclaimed water, sometimes called recycled water, is former wastewater (sewage) that has been treated to remove solids and certain impurities, and then allowed to recharge the aquifer rather than being discharged to surface water
Reference evapotranspiration (ETo)
The water requirements of a standardized landscape plot, specifically, the estimate of the evapotranspiration of a broad expanse of well-watered, 4-to-7 inch-tall cool-season grass.
Regulated MS4
Any MS4 covered by the NPDES Storm Water Program (regulated small, medium, or large MS4s).
Remote-control valve
An electric solenoid valve, wired to an irrigation controller, that controls the flow of water to an irrigation station.
Retention rate
The percent of devices that remain in-place over time after initially being installed or distributed.
Retrofit
1) Replacement of existing water using fixtures or appliances with new and more efficient ones. 2) Replacement of parts for a fixture or appliance to make the device more efficient.
Retrofit on resale
A regulation that requires plumbing fixtures to be upgraded to current code at the time property is sold.
Reuse
Use of treated municipal wastewater effluent for specific, direct, beneficial uses. See reclaimed water. Also used to describe water that is captured on-site and utilized in a new application.
Reverse osmosis
A process to remove dissolved solids, usually salts, from water. Salty water is forced through membranes at high pressure, producing fresh water and a highly concentrated brine.
Riparian
Relating to or living or
