Water Master Planning
FRAMEWORKS FOR SUSTAINABILITY: WATER MASTER PLANNING
The American Society of Civil Engineer’s (ASCE) 2009 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure assessed the condition and capacity of our nation’s public works with an overall grade of D. ASCE estimates that $2.2 trillion is needed over the next five years to bring the nation’s infrastructure to a good condition. There is no time like the present for thoughtful, creative, transformational water infrastructure master planning. Water is essential for life. Through careful integration of water conservation, rain harvesting, wasterwater treatment and reuse, stormwater management, and smart infrstrucutre we can restore our precious waterways and begin to create regenerative communities.
Natural Systems International (NSI) is leader in the planning and design of green water infrastructure. The key to NSI’s success is in the seamless integration of our engineered systems and the natural environment, building envelope, and community connectivity. Water conservation, resource responsibility, right use theory, efficiency, and carbon neutrality are corner stones of NSI’s planning and design criteria. Our Water Master Plans are inspired by the desire to minimize or eliminate the use of potable water on a site by capturing, treating and reusing stormwater and wastewater to offset potable uses for irrigation, toilet flushing and cooling towers.
NSI has worked to change this notion of wastewater. It is a high-value resource with inherent bound energy and nutrients that can be reused and harnessed for a multitude of purposes. Treatment systems can be beautiful, integrated directly into the landscape, and provide not only immense educational opportunities, but also wildlife habitat and open space. Through a systematic and holistic design approach our team analyzes, evaluates, and makes recommendations to create the most sustainable, feasible, and permitable options for planned and/or existing water infrastructure. Services include:
- Site and Building Analysis and System Integration,
- Strategic Briefings: Water Sustainability,
- Feasibility Studies,
- Cost and Carbon Comparisons,
- Water, Stormwater & Wastewater Infrastructure Master Planning,
- Water Sustainability Audits and Water Balances,
- Water Conservation Consulting, and
- LEED & Living Building Design and Accreditation Documentation.
NSI staff has contributed to or completed dozens of masterplans, feasibility studies, cost comparisons and infrastructure improvement audits, including:
Master Planning (NSI focus – Project, City, State or Country)
• Water, Wastewater & Stormwater – Hudson, Montgomery, Alabama
• Water, Wastewater & Stormwater – Panamaes, Pedasi, Panama
• Wastewater, Stormwater & Rainwater – Galisteo, New Mexico
• Wastewater & Stormwater – KAPSARC, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
• Wastewater & Stormwater – Plaza Cambodia, Phnom Phen, Cambodia
• Water & Wastewater – Loreto Bay, Mexico
Infrastructure Improvements (for existing or expanded buildings)
• Wastewater – Duke Farms, Hillsborough, New Jersey
• Wastewater – Omega Institute, Rhinebeck, New York
• Wastewater – Sidwell Friends School, Washington DC
• Wastewater – City of Jerome, Jerome, Arizona
Infrastructure Audits, Feasibility Studies, and Cost Comparisons
• Stormwater, Wastewater, & Pond Restoration – 300 acre East Coast Private Estate
• Water & Wastewater – Northport Point, Northport, Michigan
• Wastewater & Stormwater – Punta Cacique, Costa Rica
• Stream Daylighting – Panther Lake Outfall, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• Wastewater – Amy’s Kitchen, Medford, Oregon
• Water Infrastructure Audit – White Wave, City of Industry, California
• Infrastructure Audit – St. Stephens & St. Agnes School, Alexandria, Virginia
