Improving Energy Management at
Water and Wastewater Utilities
March 2009
EPA Supports Sustainable Infrastructure and Energy Management Improvements
Improving energy management is a critical part of EPA's efforts to promote I
"sustainable infrastructure". In January 2008, the Office of Wastewater Management!
issued an Energy Management Guidebook for Wastewater and Water Utilities http:/
www.eDa.gov/waterinfrastructure/Ddfs/guidebook si energymanagementodf.
This guide is based on the Plan-Do-Check-Act management system approach and
takes utilities through a step by step process to assess their energy "footprint",
identify opportunities to use energy more efficiently, establish energy efficiency goals,
and monitor and measure progress toward these goals. Using this approach, utilities'
can develop a comprehensive energy management system and successful programs WorkshopmReglon 10'Worley'ldaho
that they can communicate to the communities they serve. The Guide also includes information on energy auditing
and how to use the Energy Star Portfolio Manager Benchmarking Tool http://www.energvstar.gov/index.cfm?
c=evaluate performance.bus portfoliomanager.
"Wastewater and water utilities face many
challenges in providing services, meeting public
expectations, and meeting standards as energy
use and costs increase. More and more utilities
are embracing a systematic approach to integrate
improved energy management into their daily
operations and long-term planning. This system
can help them address a number of important
emerging issues like energy management, climate
change, and sustainability. The Energy
Management Guidebook and EPA-sponsored
workshops are designed to show utilities how its
proven management approach can help ensure
that energy issues are managed effectively and
sustainably."
-Jim Home, U.S. EPA Office of Water
Energy Management System Benefits
Santa Clara Valley Water District, California
Solar energy providing 20% of energy needs
$70,000 reduction of energy costs
Reducing carbon dioxide emissions by an
estimated 412,699 pounds per year
Lowell Regional Wastewater Utility,
Massachusetts
Decrease from 10 million kWh/year 1990-
1996 to 6.5 million kWh/year in 2007
Camden County, NJ
Using the P-D-C-A management system,
Camden County saved $30 million over the
past 10 years in energy costs
Energy Use Facts
Water and Wastewater treatment represents -3% of the na-
tion's energy consumption
$4 billion spent annually for energy
Equivalent to -56 billion kilowatt hours (kWh)
Equates to adding -45 million tons of greenhouse
gases
Energy represents the largest controllable cost of providing
water or wastewater services to the public
16,583 municipal treatment plants in the US
Energy represents 25-30% of total plant O&M
Plan-Do-Check-Act
The 'Plan-Do-Check-Act' management framework helps
utilities better understand their energy consumption, identify
opportunities for improvement, prioritize projects for potential
funding, measure success, reduce or avoid energy costs, and
reduce greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate
change.
"Plan-Do-Check-Act is a process, not a projecta new way of
thinking, of systematically looking at your operations."
-David Six, Water/Wastewater Services Manager,
City of Lewiston, Idaho
"Reducing energy usage and managing costs is a win-win
situation. It makes good business sense, it aids rate payers,
and it helps the environment. The Plan-Do-Check-Act frame-
work helps utilities reach their energy management goals step-
by-step. "
- Cyndi Grafe, EPA Region 10
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Attendees at the Region 4 Workshop in Nashville,
TN review the Energy Management Guidebook.
Energy Management Workshops
Starting with two workshops in
New England, EPA's Office of
Water offered eight workshops
across the United States. Co-
sponsors included EPA regional
offices, state environmental and
energy agencies, and professional
Itrade associations. Over 750
participants learned how to apply
the Plan-Do-Check-Act framework
and heard from water and
wastewater practitioners about their experiences in improving
energy management at their utilities.
Quotes from Workshops
"The workshop was a great way for Region 7 to start a conversation
with our water utilities about the benefits of reducing energy consump-
tion and planning for future energy needs. Next we plan to assist them
in using available tools and in creating partnerships to achieve their
goals."
- Kerry Herndon, EPA Region 7
"I wish I had brought my whole team to the workshop."
- Steve Moehlman, Des Moines Metropolitan Wastewater
Reclamation Authority
Energy Management Systems in Action: Lowell, MA
The Lowell Regional Wastewater I
Utility in Massachusetts has applied |
the 'Plan-Do-Check-Act' approach
from 1996 to the present to address
energy issues. Applying this
continuous improvement approach,
the utility has implemented: fine
bubble aeration; high efficiency and
variable frequency drive pumps;
locked thermostats in pump houses;
replacement of sodium vapor light bulbs; motion sensors; process
changes to reduce electricity load; 'duty cycling' of pumps; enhanced
operation controls through SCADA system; regular review of energy
bills; comprehensive audit for planning capital improvements;
efficiency incentives through its energy provider; and aggressive
elimination of infiltration inflow. The utility is currently investigating
high efficiency blowers, 'green roofs', sludge reduction through pore
control fiber, solar panels, and potential generation of hydro power
from effluent discharges.
"Our 3 biggest costs are energy, payroll, and sludge handling. If
you're not managing your process, you're not managing energy or
your budget."
-Mark Young Executive Director, Lowell Regional Wastewater Utility,
Massachusetts
The Guide
Workshop participants in Lowell, MA
Ensuring a Sustainable Future: An Energy Man-
agement Guidebook for Water and Wastewater
Utilities
Response from EPA Regional
Offices
"EPA New England encourages all water and
wastewater utilities to utilize the approaches
found in the Energy Management Guidebook
as a way to achieve measureable reductions
in energy use, reduce costs and improve the
environment."
- Ira Leighton, Acting Administrator,
EPA Region 1
Next Steps
Future workshops in the remaining EPA
Regions (2, 3, 6, and 8) are anticipated in
2009. EPA Regions continue to reach out
to utilities, following up on actions after
the workshops.
For More Information, Please Contact
Jim Home, Office of Wastewater Management
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Phone: (202)564-0571
E-mail: Horne.James@epa.gov
Noeleen Tillman
Global Environment & Technology Foundation
(GETF)
Phone: (760)944-9398
Email: Noeleen.Tillman@getf.org
Global
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