When most people think of a dam, it’s pretty common to think of something built across a stream or river to hold the water back and create a reservoir. One picture that could flash immediately to mind is something on the scale of Hoover Dam and the massive amounts of water that it keeps contained.
   GreenPlumbers, in the promotion of water conservation, has developed a program that may alter the way you conceive of a dam.
   Imagine, rather than an immense body of water held back by concrete walls, you have an “URBAN DAM” slowing or stopping the flow of water through each home and business in every community across our nation! Imagine millions of “URBAN DAMs” helping control the amount of water supplied to homes as well as the amount of effluent flowing from the homes will certainly impact water conservation and help to reduce the amount of energy required to treat wastewater.
   The GreenPlumber serves as an attendant gatekeeper of the water provided to his or her customers by the water agencies that supply it. It is with the GreenPlumber URBAN DAM Project that the GreenPlumber will make his mark on his/her community—in his/her state—in his/her country.
   It sounds noble and vast and even idealistic, but it is rooted in a straightforward, yet comprehensive approach that identifies residential water and energy savings and provides for a detailed three-phase implementation. The GreenPlumber’s participation in the URBAN DAM Project is integral, not only to the program’s success, but also to the water and energy conservation resulting from its implementation.
   In each of our GreenPlumbers workshops we stress the importance of the relationship between the plumber and the water agencies and/or conservation managers in their communities. We strive to promote the ways and means of enhancing communication between the two through our workshops and our message. The URBAN DAM Project illustrates the GreenPlumbers’ vision of this collaboration among the water agencies, the plumbing contractor and the home-owner/consumer.
   The URBAN DAM Project can be simply defined as a three-phase project with goals of reaching the consumer to change product use and behavioral patterns and ultimately provide the long-term solution to the crisis of our diminishing water supply.
   Partnering with the water authorities, the GreenPlumber performs a 50-point water audit on the property and, where possible, immediately corrects problems and fixes leaks. At this first juncture, the plumber additionally performs some inexpensive water-saving techniques and installs products such as low-flow showerheads and faucet aerators. 
   The second phase includes the replacement of water-wasting fixtures and appliances with high efficiency models that contribute to the overall goal of damming the flow of water through the home. The third phase will involve alternative technologies that are making their way into the US such as rainwater catchment systems, grey water, water re-use systems, on-site wastewater treatment systems and solar thermal technologies for heating domestic water. 
   Throughout the different phases, the URBAN DAM Project provides increased awareness of water and energy conservation and expects to equip the consumer with tools to monitor everyday water and energy usage. The eventual goal of the project is to compile data on a nationwide scale to provide meaningful measurement of water and energy savings.
   The project makes water conservation sense to the municipality and the water agency while it highlights the plumber as the standard bearer of water and energy conservation. It puts the plumber in touch with the consumer who is interested in being part of the solution and who wants to make sure their money is spent wisely from an environmental standpoint. 
   Finally, the project provides the consumer with an opportunity to make a difference for the good of the community, the country and the planet’s resources.
   As always, let us not forget that it is not only possible, but honorable to make money and do the right thing in conserving our resources. The URBAN DAM Project is a prime example of such an opportunity. Stay tuned for updates on the progress of the GreenPlumbers URBAN DAM Project.