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FAQs about WEc1 :

Can non-potable well water that is used for irrigation contribute to potable water reduction?

Can surface water, such as water from an irrigation ditch or a local creek, be used as nonpotable water?

Do interior planters count in the calculation?

We are using non-potable water for irrigation. For drought conditions, can we hook up to a potable water source for backup and still earn this credit?

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NC-2009 WEc1:Water Efficient Landscaping

Potable water backup

Profile picture for user hholdridge
Heather Holdridge
Sustainability Director
Lake|Flato Architects
LEEDuser Basic Member
78 thumbs up

Can a project still earn 4 points under option 2 if a cistern has potable water backup? Could we demonstrate that it wouldn't be used through the path 1 calculations?

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Profile picture for user wweaver
William Weaver
LEED Fellow, WELL AP
JLL
LEEDuser Basic Member
125 thumbs up

Mon, 08/19/2013 - 15:31

The cistern can not have a permanent potable water backup and still count. If the backup is temporary - let's say, installed only for a specified time for plant establishment - then it may contribute. But, if you install a permanent potable water backup system, it will negate your ability to achieve the points.

Mon, 08/19/2013 - 16:07

Hi Heather, Will is correct. Also, I don't believe a potable water backup system to the cistern would be an acceptable temporary irrigation system, primarily because there is no way to ensure that the system will be disconnected at the end of the landscape establishment period. If helpful, note that LEED Interpretations 2207, 5766 and 5962 address acceptable temporary irrigation strategies.

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 16:30

LEED Interpreation ID#998 from 2005 was update October 1, 2013. It says "The approach of designing rainwater storage for a "normal" rainfall year and providing potable water as backup is acceptable," and "this ruling has been made applicable to WEc1 in LEED v2009." (http://www.usgbc.org/leed-interpretations?keys=998) So it looks like a potable water back up is now acceptable! (I guess that means the "Bird's Eye View" for this credit above needs to be revised now?)
Profile picture for user tristanroberts
Tristan Roberts
Representative
Vermont House of Representatives
LEEDuser Expert
7780 thumbs up

Tue, 04/22/2014 - 18:54

Good catch, Michelle! I've updated our LEEDuser guidance above and referenced that LI.

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