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00070' ASC Bo.... of D......... llii Chairmen E James Gustave Speth Vice Chairman John W. Rowe- Secretery- Treasurer S. David Freeman- Joan Z. Bernstein Lester R. Brown Carleton D. Bum John H. Chalee Gerald L. Decker Carol E. Dinkins Joseph L. Fisher" Robert Fri James M. Jeffords Bruce W. Kerrh C. Payne luces Paul N. McCloskey, Jr. Bernice K. Mcintyre Barbara A. Mikulski George G. Montgomery, Jr. Edmund S. Muskie Richard L. Ottinger" Ruth Patrick John Quarles Charles S. Robb Roger W. Sant' John F. Seiberling John J. Sheehan Russell E. Train Victoria J. Tschinkel Robert B. Wallace Donna W. Wise Larry Young Executive Dimctor Ken Murphv .Executive Comminee .... 100% . . Rocvo'od .fI Piper DIR Sfev.: .s;,,~... -h.is. '-<k.S Wri rle..r. ..u~~.c. a-ho nuirnnmentnl nnb 1EuU!lU ~bU 1Justitutt S+'.dk: "- p~.~r -10 - 22 Ql &tred, Noll.. &ultr 700 poo",.', w4kr Lff>cA....'-'-:j aB"lng1on.II~Qlo 20001-2109 :" 'ed" b"""''n',,-.s ~ wF" , C,'II"'8 Fed'l Pro<;c,,""~ wi,UL ~U'...~ (202)628-1400 rVlJ, ~ c. .--..se ......n ''\n\.(~{<t. 0" \..I...k..~.... .. SEP 1 3 1991 I" n,e 0 fli",'7; prtJ~'e.d"-Io 4ddcess '01. 06 tEPA/l3....e<<.- '" wG...fe..r-e,O'"lS4!..r./. sc TER EFFICIENCY PROJECT SUMMARY --41Co.r)' l::f'"'-- Water has emerged as a critical resource issue in the 1990s. Despite recent storms which have eased the severity of the current situation in California, large areas of the West are now entering their fifth consecutive year of drought conditions. As existing water supplies face ever-increasing demands, conflicts over water, long an issue in the arid west, also have increased in the East. Across the country, there is a growing public awareness and concern over the health of our nation's water resources. These factors combine to provide a unique and timely opportunity to' rethink current policy and to promote the more efficient use of our nation's water resources. In the past, water supply problems were met largely by the building of more reservoirs, aqueducts and pumping stations. In the last decade, however, that has changed -- the best sites for water projects have been developed,' there is growing public concern over the environmental effects of large proj ects, and federal funding has significantly decreased. ' At the same time that the national water supply has remained relatively stable, demands for water have increased. Many metropol i tan areas have grown dramatically. other, older cities have leaking supply systems, which need more and more water. In addition, there is growing interest in keeping water in streams and lakes for fish, wildlife, recreation and tourism. Meanwhile, agriculture, industry, thermoelectric power and commercial facilities continue to require the same or growing amounts of water. Where surface supplies are not available or are fully allocated, many users have turned to groundwater supplies to meet their needs. In large regions in the nation, this has resulted in the "mining" of groundwater, often at a rate greatly exceeding natural recharge. In some areas, overpumping has caused land subsidence, higher pumping costs and salt water intrusions into underlying aquifers -- tainting valuable water supplies. Meanwhile, ground and surface water contamination from hazardous wastes and other sources are destroying some water supplies.