Drink Up! It is Super Bowl Time!

We are just days away from the biggest game in professional football; the Super Bowl. February 3rd at 6:00 pm E.T. the San Francisco 49ers and the Baltimore Ravens will compete for the title of Super Bowl XLVII.

Photo Courtesy of Microsoft Word

Whether you watch the game for the expertly performed plays or the outrageous commercials you will notice one thing: Water is in ALL of it! You may be rushing to the grocery store Saturday night to stock up on the necessary food and drinks for the day's festivities but the players are on a much different schedule.

The night before any physically active day, it is EXTREMELY important to hydrate (ask any athlete!). NFL players know their sweat rates and hydrate themselves accordingly. A sweat rate is more than simply drinking according to thirst. An individual's sweat rate can range from 1 to 4 pounds per hour; the variation is attributed to the sport, an individual's weight, and environmental conditions. You will notice 10 minutes prior to kickoff athletes are not drowning themselves in water in order to get hydrated. It is hugely important the night before a big game, or even a few hours before the start, that athletes are hydrating themselves properly  so that the kidneys are able to process the water in a efficient manner and muscle strength can be improved. Water is used throughout all of the our body; blood is about 93 % water, muscle is about 73% water and body fat is about 10% water.

Now that you know just how important water is to an athlete's performance you may be wondering how these players are able to take in that much water. The water straight from your tap is a great way to hydrate but it isn't the only way!

Many foods have a high water content. Some examples of this are:
Coffee: 99.5 percent water
(new research has found that coffee taken in normal doses hydrates as well as water)
Broccoli is 89 percent water
Lettuce is 96 percent water
Watermelon is 92 percent water
Strawberries are 92 percent water

You can not function without water whether you are on the field or in the stands. As the highly anticipated day comes upon us, make sure to drink up!

~Nicole
ACC Water Conservation Intern

Sandy Creek Nature Center

Are you ready for a road trip???  

If so, join the Water Conservation Office as we travel around Athens-Clarke County in search of buildings, businesses, and organizations that demonstrate cool water conservation methods!  Every month we will visit a new place and learn about how they conserve water.  We will share with you what we have learned and give tips on how to conserve water in your own home or business!  So buckle up and let the journey begin...

Stop 1. Sandy Creek Nature Center

Sandy Creek Nature Center (SCNC) is known for being home to over 4 miles of trails that go through the woodlands and wetlands of Georgia’s Piedmont.  Live reptiles, amphibians, marine and freshwater fishes also call SCNC home.  SCNC has recently expanded and includes various interactive exhibits on everything from composting to water conservation (our favorite part).  Now you might know all of that, but there is one thing that you might not know about Sandy Creek Nature Center...

Sandy Creek Nature Center is the proud home of two 500 gallon rain barrels!  A rain barrel collects and stores rainwater from a downspout.  This collected rainwater can be used on lawns, gardens, and even for washing cars and windows.

The first rain barrel is located in the front of the nature center as you walk in. 

The sign in front of the rain barrel informs readers that this is a rain water capture system that collects rain water runoff from the exhibit hall roof.  SCNC conserves water by using the collected rainwater to water plants instead of using tap water.  This system also reduces erosion and flooding by slowing down runoff from the roof and slowly releasing it to the ground.  

The second rain barrel is located behind the nature center near the trail heads.  This rain barrel collects rainwater from the roof and condensate from the air conditioning system. SCNC uses this water for gardens around their property.

Some of the benefits of using rain barrels include:

~Providing an alternative to using tap water for outdoor watering,

~Reducing stormwater runoff that can cause floods,
~Slowing stormwater runoff so that it can replenish groundwater and soil moisture,

~Saving money on your water bill, and                             

~Rainwater is often softer than tap water, which is better for plants.

Most rain barrels around homes are 55 gallons.  You can find rain barrels at local garden centers or you can build your own.  Here is some more information on rain barrels from the Environmental Protection Agency and you can see how local artists have turned rain barrels into works of art at www.rolloutthebarrels.org.

Finally, visit Sandy Creek Nature Center and check out their awesome rain barrels and gardens! 

Check in next month as we continue our journey around Athens-Clarke County!

Four More Years!

Last week I celebrated my four-year anniversary as the Water Conservation Coordinator here in Athens-Clarke County.  Even though I had been working in Environmental Planning since the mid 1990s, focusing on water has been eye-opening.    

First, making “Water Conservation” interesting and exciting is hard!  When the Water Conservation Office visits classrooms or hosts a festival, we do more than tell people to turn off the water when they brush their teeth.  We try to get people thinking about water in ways they never have before.  Water sustains life, provides fire protection, drives our economy, transports waste, provides wildlife habitat, makes farming possible, has magical physical properties…  the list goes on and on.  It is also a limited resource.  When people truly understand how important water is and how scarce it can be, they will not need to be told to turn off the tap.  They will just do it.

Another thing I have learned is there is more to drought than just the level of the Bear Creek Reservoir.   I believe soil moisture is the most important drought indicator.  When soil moisture is low the river dries up.  When the river is low, the reservoir cannot be replenished and it also gets low.  Soil moisture is affected by a lot of things, including groundwater tables.  That is why when someone says, “I can use all the water I want to because I am on a well,” I remind them that their water-use can affect the water available to everyone. 

Something else I have learned seems obvious to me now.  When the demand for water is the highest, our supply is the lowest.  The demand is highest in the summer when people are irrigating their lawns, growing gardens, cranking up cooling towers, and playing in the sprinklers.  Late summer is also the time of year when river levels naturally are their lowest.  Thirsty trees draw water up through roots and water evaporates from the rivers under the hot sun.  Increased human demand combined with natural summer pressures can lead to water shortages.  That is why the Water Conservation Office continually reminds everyone to be water smart in the summer.

Everyone’s needs are different and the supply is not always reliable.  Ensuring that Athens has enough water to meet its needs is complicated.   It is challenging and rewarding to work in water conservation.   Think about how you and everyone else uses water and you will understand. I am lucky to have such a meaningful job.   I hope my next four years will be as satisfying as the first.

And please, turn the water off when you brush your teeth.

-Marilyn Hall

ACC Water Conservation Coordinator

Thank You, Athens-Clarke County Citizen

I hate to be a party pooper, but the 50 year celebration of wastewater treatment in Athens-Clarke County (ACC) must come to a close.  Athenians are fortunate to have essential and exceptional wastewater services that safely reclaim, refresh, and return the water we use to the environment. Our treatment systems have continually grown and improved as the community has expanded and technology has advanced over the last 50 years. Water reclamation plays a significant role in our health and quality of life in Athens. 

During our celebration we have highlighted several of our dedicated ACC Public Utilities employees in the “Unsung Hero” section of the ACC website.  Lucky for us, they are performing essential - and often not so glamorous - jobs that are vital to the health of our community. These unsung heroes make sure that you have safe and reliable wastewater services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

Lily Anne Phibian reminds us our
toilets are not trash cans.

Before we end our commemoration, we must acknowledge one more unsung hero in the world of wastewater.  This person does not work for ACC, but plays a significant role in the treatment of our effluent.  Who is it?  YOU, the beneficiary of improved sanitation in Athens.  After potable water is used, it becomes wastewater.  It is created with the flush of a toilet, the washing of dishes, the rinsing of clothes, and the draining of a bathtub.  We all contribute to the outflow, whether it is from our own homes or used by local businesses to produce the items and services we consume.


Tommy Hall recycles used FOG at
one of several collection sites in ACC.

The citizens’ role in wastewater treatment is more than a passive one.  Anything and everything you put down the toilet or drain has an effect on our water reclamation facilities (WRF).  Our systems are equipped to handle the usual suspects found in wastewater:  pee, poo, and paper.  However, other items, such as plastics, prophylactics, paper towels, baby wipes, and pharmaceuticals, are harmful to the WRF equipment.  Fats, oils, and greases (FOG) result in clogs, which lead to sewer overflows.  We thank you, another one of our unsung heroes, for remembering your toilets and sinks are not trashcans.  We thank you for putting FOG in the trash can or recycling it to protect our waters.

Athens Council on Aging replaced
old toilets with new, low flow ones
and repaired leaks to conserve water.

We appreciate all of your efforts toward water conservation. Like anything else used daily, the components of the WRF suffer from wear and tear.  Larger volumes of wastewater entering the plant contribute to this deterioration.  Efficient water use in your household improves the functioning of our WRFs, increases the lifetime of each facility, and reduces maintenance and repair costs. 

We ended 2012 with a greater appreciation for you, and all of the Unsung Heroes, who helped Athens-Clarke County reach 50 years of successfully reclaiming, refreshing, and returning our waters to the source.  This has been something to celebrate.  Party on.

Thank you.
     

New Years Resolution

So….. The New Year has begun and what is on the forefront of everyone’s minds? New Years resolutions of course!

Whether or not we like to admit to it, (because if you are anything like me these resolutions will be forgotten faster than they were begun) we all commit to starting the new year off on the right foot. Typical resolutions are to spend less money, spend more time with family and friends, become more organized, eat healthier, or become more fit.

This year, I decided to make a new initiative; break the mold if you will. I have decided that my new year’s resolution will be to drink more water! TaDa!!

Some of you may be scratching your head and wondering why on Earth am so excited to drink more water when I could commit my efforts to other things. And to that, I say be prepared to be amazed.

To begin, it is important to realize that OVER HALF of your body is made up of water. In order for you to be the best you can be in the New Year, you HAVE to stay hydrated. Water allows your body to:

1.       Digest food

2.       Maintain muscles

3.       Keep skin clear and moisturized

4.       Cushion joints

5.       Regulate body temperature

6.       Metabolize fat

7.       Process oxygen through your cells

Many people that set out for weight loss and extreme fitness find that such a rigorous change in their schedule, quickly fades by the spring months. By staying hydrated you can increase energy, metabolize fat cells more quickly, prevent muscle aches, and better your digestion. By changing such a small part of your daily routine, you can gradually improve all other aspects of your life.

Now that I have convinced you to run to your faucet and fill a glass of water, just how much water is recommended to drink a day? Mothers answer is simple, “Drink 8 glasses of water everyday hunny”. Although a sweet gesture, just how much is a glass of water and do I need the same amount of water as my 6 foot tall brother? (I am a measly 5’2”). The short answer is, it depends. The Institute of Medicine recommends roughly 3 liters/ 13 cups of beverages a day for males and 2.2 liters/ 9 cups for females. These estimates are fairly close to the 8-8 ounces rule my mother taught me, so if it is easier to remember I would say it is safe to stick with that. Other factors that contribute to water needs are exercise, environment, and illness/ health conditions.

The easiest way that I have found to accomplish this resolution= carry a  reusable water bottle with you that has measurements written on the side that way you can monitor how much water you have had to drink.

Drink up!