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Water Matters

Preface
Of all our resources, water is the most precious. New
York City is famed both for the quality and reliability of
its watersupply as well as for the economy of its largely
gravity-fed delivery. However, a number of unavoidable
challenges face our water network. The need for system
repairs and upgrades is continual, yetthe shutdown of
a major aqueduct or tunnel could cause unacceptable
shortages. Treatment of wastewater leaving the system
consumes energy and generates greenhouse gas emissions. Finally, by 2030,the City’s population is projected
to grow by 14% over the 2000 population, increasing
demand and adding further strain to infrastructure.
Rather than begin the long, complicated, and costlyprocess of expanding the water system, simpler and more
sustainable alternative measures must be taken. PlaNYC
2030, the City’s comprehensive strategy for sustainability,
identifies conservation effortsas fundamental to protecting the reliability of our water network. As a City leader
in sustainable design, The New York City Department
of Design and Construction (DDC) is pleased to support
thiseffort with Water Matters: A Design Manual for Water
Conservation in Buildings, our ninth in a series of manuals
and guidelines dedicated to promoting greater environmental responsibility in theprojects we build.
Promoting efficient water use in buildings is instrumental
to lowering overall system usage. At DDC, we have
ten years’ worth of high performance projects that prove
meaningfulresults can be achieved with little or no cost
increase. Typical DDC high performance buildings reduce
their potable water consumption anywhere from 20-80%
over baseline performance by using thestrategies

recommended in the pages that follow. That said, Water
Matters will be a useful tool for design and construction
professionals, building operators, and anyone who
has a stakehold in New...