ENERGY
Energy & Climate Change in New England
WATER & WASTEWATER
Energy and Water and
Wastewater Treatment
U.S. EPA | ENERGY OUTREACH AT EPA NEW ENGLAND
THE ENERGY & CLIMATE CHANGE
efforts at EPA New England include working with
businesses, federal, state, and local organizations and
New England citizens to reduce energy use by providing tools, guidance
and technical assistance for energy efficiency, cleaner fuels and renewable
sources of energy. The goal of these efforts is to reduce greenhouse
gas emissions and impacts of climate change.
INTRO:
About 3 percent of the energy the United States consumes is used to provide drinking water and wastewater services.
This is equivalent to 56 billion kilowatt hours of energy and 45 million tons of greenhouse gases emitted to the
atmosphere each year. These facilities are often the largest energy users in municipalities. By reducing the energy
use at these water systems, we can save energy and money, improve air quality and get the benefits of more reliable
energy systems.
BENCHMARKING ENERGY USE
AT UTILITIES TO DETERMINE
ENERGY PERFORMANCE
The ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager tool allows
communities and drinking water and wastewater plant
operators to track and assess energy and water consump-
tion rates and compare them to a national average. The
tool can help a utility determine its energy performance,
set priorities in energy investments, verify how well
improvements work, and calculate its carbon footprint.
About 100 facilities in New England have measured their
energy performance using this tool. For more information
or to use the tool, visit www.energystar.gov/benchmark.
GENERATING ENERGY AT
TREATMENT PLANTS
Water and wastewater treatment facilities can gener-
ate as well as consume energy. Several utilities in New
England are approaching Zero Net Energy status, which
means that they generate in a year about as much energy
as they consume. Facilities can generate energy by install-
ing solar panels or wind turbines or by capturing bio-gas
from their treatment plant biological processes and using
it for energy.
STATE EFFORTS TO PROMOTE
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
State Programs to help public water systems and waste-
water treatment facilities to better manage their energy
use include:
Maine - The Joint Environmental Training Coordination
Committee is holding a series of energy management
roundtables for water and wastewater facilities in Maine.
To join the roundtables or for more information, contact
Gina Snyder (snyder.gina@epa.gov).
Massachusetts - EPA and the Commonwealth of Massa-
chusetts are introducing energy management techniques
to all municipally-owned drinking water and wastewater
facilities in the state. All facilities will be offered educa-
tion and training and may request technical assistance. In
addition, a group of Energy Leaders will work towards a
Zero Net Energy status. For more information, contact
Jason Turgeon (turgeon.jason@epa.gov).
Rhode Island - All 19 wastewater facilities in the state
are working to increase their energy efficiency and use of
renewable energy under an EPA State Innovations Grant
to the Narragansett Bay Commission. For more informa-
tion, contact Gina Snyder (snyder.gina@epa.gov).
KEY CONTACTS:
JASON TURGEON
EPA New England
Energy and Climate Unit
(617) 918-1637
turgeon.jason@epa.gov
MIKE DiBARA
MassDEP
Project Manager
(508) 767-2885
Michael.Dibara@state.ma.us
GENERAL INFO:
EPA NEW ENGLAND
5 Post Office Square
Suite 100
Boston, MA 02109-3912
(617) 918-1111
www.epa.gov/region1/
TOLL-FREE
CUSTOMER SERVICE
1-888-EPA-7341
LEARN MORE AT:
www.epa.gov/region1/
energykit
4»EPA:
United States
Environmental Protection
kAgency
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EPA-901-F-10-029
December 2010
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