By Paul Sheldon, C1 Contributor
The American Correctional Association’s Policy and Standard on Environmentally Responsible and Sustainability-oriented Practices include guidance on water efficiency as part of any commitment to achieving certification as an ACA-accredited institution as follows:
Conserve water through the use of cost-effective, efficient water use technologies. Agencies should seek alternatives to unlimited water use in the form of efficient plumbing fixtures such as reduced flow shower heads, waterless urinals, controlled shower time for offenders, development of drought-resistant landscaping, recycling of rainwater runoff, and similar strategies.
Perhaps John Rees, former Commissioner of Corrections for the state of Kentucky and former Vice President of Corrections Corporation of America, said it best in the February/March 2013 issue of Corrections Today:
“I was a young warden in the early 1980s when I began using ‘green friendly’ practices. I fixed multiple water leaks at the prison and saved more than 30,000 gallons of water per month, significantly lowering my costs for water utilization.
I began using an organized system of premeasured nontoxic cleaning chemicals that saved hundreds of thousands of dollars in water, in addition to tons of plastic and landfill space. This also increased safety for staff and inmate workers.
I have continued this practice throughout my career and the facilities that have continued this practice are still experiencing a positive impact today. I did all of this without even knowing what ‘green practices’ or ‘sustainability’ even meant. I did it because I could save some money and put that to use in other areas.”
The benefits implemented by Commissioner Rees continue to save money and increase safety for institutions nationwide. In addition to saving money on water bills, using water more efficiently also reduces public costs associated with pumping water and sewage treatment outside correctional institutions, so everyone benefits even more widely.
Leading companies that offer the kinds of water-efficient cleaning chemicals described by Commissioner Rees include CorrectPac, Spartan Chemical and Stearns to assist correctional institutions and facilities to assist in saving money while increasing safety. In addition to reducing water costs, using non-toxic, water-efficient cleaning products reduces the risk of inmate-on-inmate and inmate-on-staff violence, by eliminating the possibility of someone throwing or drinking a caustic or toxic substance.
The U.S. EPA provides extensive resources for institutions seeking to improve water efficiency on their “water-sense” website.
Two of California’s prisons, Corcoran and High Desert, have found cost savings and safety improvements from utilizing technologies provided by the Sloan Valve company, that include computerized control devices to enable plumbers or administrators to turn water on and off to any combination of toilets, sinks or showers and to program pre-set limits for plumbing fixture use. The computerization allows plumbers to control toilets and other fixtures so that, for example, inmates cannot continue to flush items down the toilets during periods of unrest or protest.
The website http://www.GreenPrisons.org, which offered the first national symposium on sustainability in prisons, also provides excellent resources for correctional institutions and agencies seeking to improve water efficiency, such as their recent webinar on rainwater catchment systems, which is available for download here.
In addition to the cost-saving and safety features of efficient water use, one of the more important features is that using less water makes it easier and less expensive to implement renewable sources of water heating, such as the geothermal system at Oregon’s Warner Creek Correctional Facility, as described in the Oregon Department of Corrections’ Sustainability Plan. Ohio and Illinois have also implemented water efficiency as part of their overall sustainability plans, as well.
Lastly, using water more efficiency can generate improved public image for correctional facilities and institutions that are part of the larger national movement represented by the Washington-based Sustainability in Prisons Network, sponsored by the Washington State Department of Corrections.
All in all, using water more efficiently is an important way to reduce costs, increase safety, and improve public image.
Paul Sheldon is a Development Consultant, who serves as a founding member of the American Correctional Association’s Clean and Green Committee. He is the primary author of ACA’s Policy and Standard on Environmental Responsible and Sustainability-Oriented Practices, an advisor to www.GreenPrisons.org, a member of the Board of Trustees of Oakland-based www.PlantingJustice.org, and the Development Director for www.InsightGardenProgram.org.