Handbook of Water Use and Conservation: Homes, Landscapes, Industries, Businesses, Farms [Hardcover]

Amy Vickers (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1931579075 | ISBN-13: 978-1931579070 | Publication Date: August 1, 2001 | Edition: 1

As drought, pollution, and sprawl make water increasingly scarce, here is the first comprehensive and authoritative handbook on water use and efficiency measures for all who are concerned about efficient water use. "Handbook of Water Use and Conservation: Homes, Landscapes, Businesses, Industries, Farms " (WaterPlow Press, ISBN 1931579075) by noted water conservation expert Amy Vickers is a 464-page hardcover handbook that describes water use characteristics, water audit steps, and over 100 efficiency measures for homes, landscapes, industries, businesses, and farms. Now in its second printing, the book provides estimated water savings and related benefits (including energy savings) and costs for the measures and offers many case studies. The book includes over 175 fact-filled tables, charts and photos, as well as eight appendices, a full glossary and an index. This definitive and state-of-the-art reference on water use, conservation, and efficiency measures is a "must have" for all professionals, libraries, and specialists concerned with efficient water use and management—managers, planners, engineers, architects, academicians, consultants, policymakers, landscapers, irrigators, builders, and conservationists.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

An engineer and water resources consultant, Vickers has written a comprehensive, nontechnical handbook on water use and efficiency measures for homeowners, businesses, farmers, and industries. The first chapter outlines ten key planning steps to a successful conservation program, such as goals, incentives, benefits and costs, and evaluation. The chapter on efficiency measures for residential and domestic water use is packed with charts and tables detailing how changing to high-efficiency clothes washers, water-efficient dishwashers, and low-volume toilets, showerheads, and faucets saves both water and money. Efficiency measures for landscape water use include native and low-water-use plants, irrigation scheduling, and the use of mulches. The section on industrial, commercial, and institutional water measures covers laundromats, swimming pools, cooling and heating systems, and zoos, while efficiency measures for agriculture include drip irrigation, tailwater reuse, surge valves, and canal management. Among the useful appendixes are a list of web addresses of conservation organizations, a table for calculating water-cost savings based on volume of use, sample worksheets for water audits for a residence, an irrigational setting, and an industrial/ commercial/institutional setting. The attractive layout includes numerous charts, photographs, and sidebars containing useful data, and a glossary of terms and a detailed index complete the work. This is a clear, concise, and well-written work for all audience levels on a topic that will be of interest to academic, public, and special libraries. It may be a bit pricey, but it will be the definitive work on this topic. Eva Lautemann, Georgia Perimeter Coll., Clarkston
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"... the definitive work. It's clear, thorough, modern, practical, profitable, and inspiring. Buy it, read it, practice it, publicize it." -- Amory B. Lovins, CEO (Research), Rocky Mountain Institute, August 2001

"...most thorough reference ever published on water use and conservation. ... this book will guide you." -- Robert A. Rosamond, American Water Works Association, July 2001

"A toolbox for water use efficiency, focusing on practical solutions to boost the productivity of existing water supplies." -- Newsflow, Global Water Partnership (January 2003)

"A veritable bible on saving water… a wealth of information. A superb resource." -- Fine Homebuilding (July 2002)

"Highly recommended." -- Electronic Green Journal (Spring 2002)

"Packed with valuable information. Very accessible and understandable." -- Turf magazine (January 2003)

"With this book, any excuses for wasteful water usage go down the drain." -- World Rivers Review (August 2001)

Much more than a handbook, this is a veritable encyclopedia of water conservation methods and equipment in buildings, landscapes, and beyond... A superb reference that is both comprehensive and accessible... Anyone working on conservation programs for governments or institutions will find it invaluable, and many others will benefit from it as well. --Environmental Building News, Jan02

This new professional text is the most thorough reference ever published on water use and conservation. It contains hundreds of water-efficiency technologies and practices for all of your customer groups-residential, landscape, industrial, commercial, institutional, and agricultural. Whether you need conservation measures to tackle a short-term drought or a long-term supply problem, this book will guide you... Everything you need to know... A gold mine of resources. --American Water Works Association, Jul01

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 464 pages
• Publisher: WaterPlow Press; 1 edition (August 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1931579075
• ISBN-13: 978-1931579070
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.4 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #870,754 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars How to get the most use out of the least water, January 12, 2002

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Handbook of Water Use and Conservation: Homes, Landscapes, Industries, Businesses, Farms (Hardcover)

Amy Vicker's Handbook Of Water Use And Conversation is a vast, scholarly, yet eminently practical guide and reference work enabling the reader to skillfully get the most use out of the least water, whether one is attempting to conserve for one's home, business, industry, or farm. Black-and-what photographs and diagrams illustrate the many topics discussed herein, from optimal plumbing adapters to legal and economic incentives for water conservation. The Handbook Of Water Use And Conservation is enthusiastically recommended for anyone with environmental concerns for water quality and usage, from lay homeowners, to agriculturalists, to municipal authorities, to corporate C.E.O.'s.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Handbook of Water Use and Conservation, July 28, 2003

By 

Denise R Rue-Pastin (Southwest Colorado) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Handbook of Water Use and Conservation: Homes, Landscapes, Industries, Businesses, Farms (Hardcover)

To call Amy Vickers "Handbook of Water Use and Conservation" EXCEPTIONAL would be an understatement! As the Water Conservation Program Director for our town, it has been an invaluable source of information. I reference the book at least a half a dozen times a week and refer to it as my water "Bible." Thorough and very well written, it comprehensively covers residential, landscape, industrial/commercial/institutional, and agricultural water use and efficiency measures. I especially like the case study examples of efficiency measures and savings she references. In addition, the book provides a plethora of additional sources and organizations to contact for more information. Although relevant to all sectors (e.g., homeowners, industry, etc.), the book is a MUST for all water utilities and conservation professional's reference library. As a water utility and/or a professional in the water conservation field, to not own this book would be a disservice to yourself and your trade.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An interesting, comprehensive guide, February 1, 2002

By 

Amy Munson (Allentown, PA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Handbook of Water Use and Conservation: Homes, Landscapes, Industries, Businesses, Farms (Hardcover)

This excellent book would be a useful guide for homeowners and water professionals alike. It provides a wealth of technical information about conserving water for homes, landscapes, industry, and agriculture. A casual homeowner interested in minor changes to conserve water may find this book to be too technical, but a committed homeowner who is interested in comprehensive indoor and outdoor water conservation will find that this book contains all the information necessary to implement a conservation program. In addition to being an outstanding technical reference, this book is actually *interesting* to read. The text is clearly written with excellent photographs, and is peppered with relevant quotes and facts. Amy Vickers' book belongs on the shelf of every person interested in water conservation.