You are not logged in You are not logged in to this journal. Log In

LOG IN or SELECT A PURCHASE OPTION:

Issues in Energy Consumption by Municipal Drinking Water Distribution Systems

World Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2007: Restoring our Natural Habitat
Proceedings of the World Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2007
Santosh R. Ghimire, S. M. ASCE1 and Brian D. Barkdoll, M. ASCE2

1Graduate Research Assistant, Civil & Environmental Engineering Dept., Michigan Tech University, Houghton, MI 49931, Email: sghimire@mtu.edu
2Associate Professor, Civil & Environmental Engineering Dept., Michigan Tech University, Houghton, MI 49931, E‐mail: barkdoll@mtu.edu

  • Abstract
Energy consumption is a large cost for municipal water distribution system utilities. Approximately 80% of municipal water processing and distribution costs are for electricity. There are several components that contribute to the total cost of drinking water. In the US, 4% of the nation's electricity use goes towards moving and treating water and wastewater. According to the EPA, drinking water and wastewater systems spend about $4 billion a year on energy to pump, treat, deliver, collect, and clean drinking water. If drinking water and wastewater systems reduce energy use by just 10 percent through cost‐effective investments in energy efficiency, collectively they would save about $400 million and 5 billion kWh annually. The paper presented here will discuss the current issues in energy consumption, case studies of approaches to energy reduction, solution procedures for optimizing energy use, and the possible use of renewable energy to possibly reduce the life‐cycle cost for municipal drinking water distribution system utilities. This paper will aid utility managers in making sustainable energy management decisions.

© 2007 ASCE

ARTICLE DATA

PUBLICATION DATA

ISBN:

0-7844-0927-7

Publisher


Close

close