Saving money by the gallon: Maxwell uses river water to irrigate golf courses Published Oct. 28, 2013 By Airman 1st Class William J. Blankenship 42nd Air Base Wing Public Affairs MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. - -- Maxwell recently changed the way it irrigates its two golf courses. Gone are the days of sprinklers spraying dollars by the thousands to maintain fairways and greens. The base is now using water from the Alabama River to keep its courses in golfing condition. "Team Maxwell is devoted to innovation and a cost conscious culture," said Col. Trent Edwards, 42nd Air Base Wing commander. "The initiative will save the base $125,000 a year and was developed in partnership with the local community." Previously, the base used water purchased from a local utility company to maintain the courses. While the amount of water used to irrigate did not change, the amount of money saved has earned the base an award of $100,000 for a top three savings initiative in fiscal 2013 from Air Education and Training Command. The money saved by using water from the river equates to about 24 million gallons of water annually and represents an approximate reduction in annual water purchases of about 7 percent, said Larry Rowland, base energy manager. The water is drawn from the river by large pumps located on Maxwell property. After filtration to remove large impurities, it is sent through the existing irrigation system to the various sprinkler systems serving the golf courses. In a time when every dollar counts, Maxwell recognizes the significance of energy awareness month. In fact, the base is ahead of the Air Force's goal to reduce potable water usage 2 percent annually, said Rowland. "We are proud of the award we received from AETC and feel like our 7 percent reduction in water purchases, being 5 percent above the installation requested amount, is something we can hang our hat on to give us momentum for more improvements in the future," he said.