Implementing Instructions: Water Efficiency and Management Provisions of Executive Order 13514
In Executive Order 13514, President Obama directed the Federal Government to meet specific goals for improving the environmental sustainability of its operations and facilities management. Section 2(d) of the Executive Order set Federal agency targets for reducing potable water consumption by 26 percent and the use of industrial, landscaping, and agricultural water by 20 percent by the end of 2020. Additionally, the Executive Order directs Federal agencies to employ water reuse strategies consistent with state law and implement the EPA’s storm water management guidance under the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007.
To ensure Federal agencies achieve these goals, on July 10, 2013, CEQ issued Implementing Instructions: Federal Agency Implementation of Water Efficiency and Management Provisions of Executive Order 13514. These instructions establish guidelines for accounting for Federal water uses as well as measurement and verification methods, and offer strategies for water conservation and reuse. They also provide instructions for prioritizing projects and direct agencies to pursue the most beneficial and cost-effective opportunities first.