AWWA SOURCES55641

The recent energy crisis in California required looking into a broad range of potential energy savings. Although recognized previously through the narrow perspective of hot water savings, the view on potential energy savings through water conservation widened to incorporate as applicable the energy consuming aspects of water supply pumping, treatment and distribution to customers along with wastewater treatment processes. This paper presents the basic considerations in quantification of energy savings through the potential gains of water conservation measures, including residential clothes washers, commercial clothes washers and commercial dishwashers. An overview of energy savings in light of other water conservation measures such as reductions in outdoor water use is discussed in a more general sense. This information is useful to technical professionals at utilities in assessing the broader scope of cost-benefit analyses of water conservation programs given the reductions in operations & maintenance costs to utilities. Assessing energy benefits from water conservation also effectively incorporates the overall resource supply perspective provided to not only retail and wholesale water agencies but also electric utilities. In a larger context, the quantification of combined energy and water savings enables more accuracy in respective demand forecasts and thus enhances integrated resource planning when performed for individual communities throughout the United States. Includes 15 references, tables, figures.