Water Efficiency Saves Energy – Reducing Global Warming Pollution

Water Facts account for19 percent of thetotalelectricity largest energyuserinthestate, estimatedto vulnerable:thewatersector isthe particularly States the numberisfarhigher. Californiais oftheUnitedtreatment, parts butincertain power generationisusedforwatersupplyand process. Nationwide, about4percent of disposalisanenergy-intensiveand wastewater Providing householdswithsafedrinkingwater The Energy–Water Connection approximately 116billionpoundsofcarbondioxide (CO andreleasewastewater nationwideconsumetremendous amountsofenergy The collection,distribution, andtreatment ofdrinking waterand Use Strategies Warming Pollution Through Water Energy: Reducing Global Water EfficiencySaves lower consumers’ utilitybills,andreduce globalwarming pollution. water efficiencymeasures, areas we canhelptoprotect dry from drought, water.to import Through use. Solutions existtocutbothwaterandenergy States, suchastheSouthwest, are where used significantamountsofenergy strong inthedriestwater connectionisparticularly regions oftheUnited much globalwarming pollutioneachyear as10millioncars. each kilowatt-hour ofelectricity. translates into25gallonsofwater toproduce 136 billiongallonsoffreshwater aday, which thermoelectric power plants,forexample,use needed intheoperationofpower plants.Some use isreduced, waterissaved becauselessis pumped toendusers.Moreover, whenenergy energy becauselesswaterneedstobetreated and consumed. Reducing waterconsumptionsaves 2 ) peryear—as 1 The energy- 2 Water Efficiency Saves Energy: Reducing Global Warming Pollution Through Water Use Strategies

Water conservation and efficiency measures Source and Conveyance reduce the burden on these energy-intensive 1. Use Low Impact Development water systems. There are ways to cut down on (“Green” Building) energy use—and greenhouse gas emissions—at Capturing and reusing stormwater runoff can

Water Facts Water every stage in the water process: greatly reduce the consumption of imported, potable water, as well as the energy usage and

CO2 emissions associated with importing water. When runoff is diverted and captured before it flows into surface waters, it can be used onsite either to replenish groundwater supplies through infiltration or for graywater uses, like landscape Source and Drinking Distribution End use Wastewater irrigation and toilet flushing. These techniques conveyance Water Treatment are known as low-impact development (LID), Treatment the central objective of which is to maintain individual sites’ pre-development hydrology. LID uses common sense and simple technology— NRDC Strategies for Saving Energy strategically placed beds of native plants, rain Through Water Efficiency barrels, “green roofs,” porous surfaces for The following series of policy recommendations parking lots and roads, and other measures—to can help consumers, water suppliers and retain rainfall onsite or to help rainfall soak distributors, farmers, and states conserve water into the ground, rather than polluting the and in turn save energy. In many cases a single nearest receiving water. In effect, LID mimics investment will help conserve our water supply, nature’s own filtration systems. In addition to protect water quality, and lower energy demand, reducing water and energy use, the result is less which also results in economic savings, greater water pollution from contaminated runoff, less sustainability of our water infrastructure, and a flooding, replenished water supplies, and often reduction in global warming pollution. more natural-looking, aesthetically pleasing cityscapes.

Case Study: LID Can Save Water and Energy in Southern California

LID’s benefits are particularly important in the dry climates that characterize much of the West, where rainfall is in short supply. Southern California, for instance, must import most of its water via the State Water Project, Colorado River Aqueduct, and Los Angeles Aqueduct. Moving such large quantities of water over long distances and significant elevations requires a considerable amount of energy. Widespread use of LID practices would enable Southern California cities to import significantly less water, in turn reducing

energy needs and associated CO2 emissions. As one example, if all new residential and commercial development and redevelopment in urbanized Southern California started using LID practices,

by 2030 CO2 emissions would be reduced by up to 292,000 metric tons per year. Intel's corporate headquarters in Santa Clara, California, incorporates LID techniques. 2. Recycle and Reuse current standards while performing as well or Wastewater better than their less-efficient counterparts. You Can Save Water and Because water suitable for reuse is often a All water savings realized through the use of Energy with WaterSense by-product of existing secondary and tertiary WaterSense-labeled products and services also wastewater treatment processes, this type of water have a corresponding reduction in energy Consumers recycling is a low-energy source of water supply. consumption. The EPA estimates that if just one can save This is especially true in areas like Southern out of every 100 American homes were retrofitted both water California, where enormous amounts of energy with water-efficient fixtures, about 100 million and energy costs by are required to import water. Recycled water kilowatt-hours of electricity per year would be switching to can be delivered to users, usually at less cost saved—avoiding 80,000 tons of global warming WaterSense- than non-recycled water, for anything from pollution, or the equivalent of over 8 million labeled fixtures irrigating golf courses, parks, and crops, to gallons of gasoline consumption. and appliances, including mixing concrete, to firefighting. In fact, Orange Local and federal government can expand toilets, showerheads, faucets, County, California now uses advanced treatment and promote the WaterSense program by: clothes washers, dishwashers, technologies to purify wastewater to beyond n Offering rebates for the purchase of WaterSense and irrigation equipment. For bottled water quality, then allows it to percolate products, as some cities are already doing. instance, the average household into the groundwater basin for later use as could save more than 11,000 n Offering federal tax credits for purchasing potable water. This system uses only about half gallons of water, and about $170 WaterSense products, as for the Energy Star the energy that would be required to transport on its water bill, every year by program. making a few simple changes that water from Northern California to Southern such as installing WaterSense- n Requiring WaterSense products in new California. labeled toilets and faucets in construction and in government buildings. the bathroom. If just 1 percent Distribution of American homes replaced 3. Fix Leaking Drinking 5. Require and Provide Incentives an older toilet with a new water Water Pipes for Agricultural Water-Use Efficiency efficient toilet, the country Water treatment processes use large quantities of and Soil and Manure Management would save more than 38 million energy to treat and distribute water to customers. Agriculture is a major user of groundwater and kilowatt-hours of electricity— Energy use for water treatment is expected to surface water in the United States, accounting for enough electricity to supply more increase as more stringent water quality rules about 85 percent of the country’s consumptive than 43,000 households for a 4 and improved disinfection technologies, such water use. month. as ultraviolet treatment and ozonation, are put in place that reduce the risk of carcinogens and other potentially harmful disinfection by- U.S. Consumptive Water Use products. Yet many drinking water systems lose Domestic-Commercial 8% as much as 20 percent of treated drinking water Industrial Mining 4% each year due to leaks in their pipe networks.3 Improving drinking water infrastructure would Thermoelectric 3% save water and energy, and reduce the global warming pollution that results from wasted Irrigation- Livestock 85% energy.

End Use 4. Promote and Expand the EPA’s WaterSense Program The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) launched its WaterSense program in 2007 to help consumers and businesses identify products that meet the program’s water-efficiency and performance criteria. The program sets specifications for the labeling of products that are at least 20 percent more efficient than the Water Efficiency Saves Energy: Reducing Global Warming Pollution Through Water Use Strategies

Water use efficiency measures such as individual parts. Given that water and wastewater modest crop shifting, smart irrigation scheduling, facilities are often the largest and most energy- advanced irrigation management, and efficient intensive loads owned and operated by local irrigation technology have the potential of vastly governments, representing up to 35 percent of

Water Facts Water improving water use efficiency. Switching from municipal energy use, water resources agencies flood irrigation to drip irrigation, for instance, and energy commissions should work together can increase water use efficiency as much as 40 to reflect water-energy connections. For instance, percent. Even small management changes can the non-profit Consortium for Energy Efficiency bring a 10 to 15 percent improvement in water has launched the National Municipal Water use efficiency. Less water pumped for agricultural and Wastewater Facility Initiative, which brings purposes equals energy savings and global together municipalities, counties, water districts warming pollution reduction. or authorities, and townships to promote greater Global warming pollution can also be energy efficiency in publicly held facilities. reduced by improved agricultural soil and manure management, which produces important 7. Retrofit Wastewater Facilities to Generate water quality benefits as well. According to Energy from Capture and Use of Biogas recent estimates, agriculture accounts for about Another way to save energy in the water supply 6 percent of all global warming pollution in process is by retrofitting wastewater facilities with the United States. Nitrous oxide is the most Combined Heat and Power (CHP) systems. CHP significant greenhouse gas emitted through systems can recover biogas (a mixture of methane, agricultural production. Agricultural soil carbon dioxide, water vapor, and other gases) management activities account for 78 percent from anaerobic digesters to heat buildings or to of nitrous oxide emissions, most of which result 1 EPA, National Water Program Strategy: generate electricity. For example, San Francisco’s Response to Climate Change (2008), at 24-25, from the application of nitrogen fertilizers to East Bay Municipal Utility District captures at http://www.epa.gov/water/climatechange/ cropland, which in turn causes water pollution. strategy.html. Much of the information in this and uses biogas to generate enough electricity fact sheet has been adapted from this report. Currently, U.S. farmers apply about 20 to 30 to cover 90 percent of energy needed at its main percent more nitrogen fertilizer than needed. 2 U.S. Dept. of Energy, Energy Demands on wastewater facility. It is estimated that if all 544 Water Resources (2006), at 18, at http:// Scientists further estimate that reducing nitrogen large sewage treatment plants in the United States www.sandia.gov/energy-water/docs/121- fertilizer use would reduce downstream water RptToCongress-EWwEIAcomments-FINAL.pdf. operating anaerobic digesters were to install CHP pollution by more than 20 to 30 percent.5 Proven 3 Congressional Budget Office, Future systems, about 340 megawatts of clean energy Investment in Drinking Water and Wastewater nutrient conservation practices are available that could be generated, offsetting 2.3 million metric Infrastructure (2002), at 8, at http://www.cbo. can substantially reduce loss of nitrogen to the tons of CO emissions annually—equivalent to gov/ftpdocs/39xx/doc3983/11-18-WaterSystems. atmosphere and to surface and groundwater. 2 pdf. planting about 640,000 acres of forest, or the 7 4 EPA, WaterSense program website, at http:// emissions of about 430,000 cars. www.epa.gov/watersense/index.htm. 5 Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, Wastewater and Drinking Ecosystems and Human Well-being: Policy Water Treatment Responses (2003), at 302. Water Efficiency Saves Energy 6. Implement Energy Conservation U.S. cities, particularly those in the arid 6 Consortium for Energy Efficiency, Initiative Measures at Drinking Water and Wastewater Description: CEE National Municipal Water and Southwest, continue to struggle to find fresh Wastewater Facility Initiative (2007), at 1, at Treatment Facilities water. At the same time, these cities are on the http://www.cee1.org/ind/mot-sys/ww/ww-init- Facilities that treat and distribute drinking des.pdf. front lines for feeling the impacts of global water and collect and treat wastewater have the 7 EPA, Combined Heat and Power Partnership, warming, such as higher temperatures and Opportunities for and Benefits of Combined Heat potential to achieve 15 to 30 percent energy prolonged droughts. These water use efficiency and Power at Wastewater Treatment Facilities savings, or 15.75 to 31.5 billion kilowatt-hours, measures can be implemented by consumers and (2007), at iii, at http://www.epa.gov/chp/ through energy conservation measures alone.6 documents/wwtf_opportunities.pdf. agencies alike, saving both water and energy and Technology is currently available to improve mitigating global warming pollution. It is clearly energy efficiency of equipment such as motors, a win-win solution. drives, and fans, by up to 50 percent for some