Fort Huachuca, Arizona developed a water management process/system that is designed to achieve sustainable water practices while satisfying the needs of 11,000 military and civilian personnel who live, work, or receive training work on location in this extremely arid climate. The water used at the fort is monitored from the wellhead, to account for the full amount extracted, to the entry and exit points of the wastewater treatment plant, to determine how much water can be used for irrigation reuse and other measures.
The goal of the water management system is to achieve zero balance water pumping at Fort Huachuca by the end of 2007. Zero balance implies that the net impact of the fort's pumping on the regional aquifer would be zero. Taking action to reduce water usage will not only ensure that future generations have water, but also that the endangered, local species will maintain their habitat for survival.
To accomplish its goals, Fort Huachuca organized a management team that implemented a plan with numerous strategies, such as water conservation, the reuse of treated wastewater, and the recharge of treated wastewater and urban runoff. This team, consisting of environmental scientists, compliance officers, engineers, technicians, attorneys, educators, real property specialists, and environmental services contractors, is constantly researching the best available conservation technology. Water saving devices installed to date include waterless urinals; low flow toilets, faucets and showerheads; horizontal axis washing machines; and drip irrigation. In addition, landscaping now uses native plants that are adapted to low annual rainfall.
The most important aspect of Fort Huachuca's efforts to reduce water use is the conservation policies, such as the "Water Mitigation Policy." This policy requires that any project that increases water use must be offset by a project or technology that reduces water consumption by an equivalent amount. Another policy, the "Installation Irrigation and Water Management Policy," restricts the use of outside irrigation and is responsible for just over 20 percent of the annual reduction in water use. The final policy, predicted to decrease annual water use by 10 percent, requires that refrigerated air-cooling be used instead of evaporative cooling.
Fort Huachuca formed numerous partnerships in order to continue its water reduction efforts. The facility, the Nature Conservancy, and the Bureau of Land Management purchase conservation easements that retire agricultural pumping in the region. Additionally, Fort Huachuca is a voluntary participant in the regional watershed partnership, the Upper San Pedro Partnership. This group has drafted a preliminary working plan for water conservation in the area.
In addition, the facility completed a 10 year plan for water resource management, reduced groundwater pumping by 50 percent, completed recharge facilities and a sewer leak-detection survey, and provided educational opportunities for 7,000 employees.
For more information please contact, Gretchen R. Kent at (520) 533-2549 or gretchen.kent@us.army.mil.
