xvEPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Moving Utilities toward Sustainabilitv through Energy Management
Wastewater and water utilities across the country are facing
a series of daunting challenges to improve their efficiency
while keeping rates affordable for the communities they
serve. Energy costs from wastewater and water services
often represent 30% or more of a municipality's total energy
costs. At the same time, energy represents the largest
controllable cost for these utilities. Given these challenges, it
is imperative that utilities utilize a systematic approach to
minimize energy usage and costs while not sacrificing
performance.
U.S. EPA's Office of Water and EPA's Regional offices have
been working with utilities to help them understand and
implement an energy management program based around a Plan-Do-Check-Act management
systems framework as outlined in the Energy Management Guidebook for Wastewater and
Water Utilities depicted above. EPA has sponsored a number of workshops around the
country to introduce utilities to the steps contained in the Guidebook and the Regional offices
are now are working with over 150 utilities to help them implement energy management
programs. As a result of both operational changes and other improvements, these utilities are
seeing significant benefits from their efforts. For example:
• The Greater Lawrence Massachusetts Sanitary District expects to save 45% in total energy
costs and generate 410 kilowatts of green power (solar and hydro).
• The Barnstable Massachusetts Wastewater Treatment Facility expects to save 100% of
their total energy costs as result of several upgrades and reduce almost 2,000 tons of C02.
• The Angola Indiana Wastewater Treatment Plant has reduced energy consumption by 25%
and overall energy expenditures by 58%. These reductions also helped the utility avoid
staff layoffs and rate increases.
EPA832F11010
August 2011
Office of Water
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oEPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
EPA Region 7 has worked with a group of utilities in Missouri under the Missouri Water
Utilities Partnership (MOWUP) and developed a number of case studies documenting the
efforts of these utilities and the benefits they have seen.
Case Studies Index
Missouri Water Utilities Partnership Flyer
City of Columbia
City of Harrisonville
City of Joplin
City of Neosho
CitvofO'Fallon
City of Rolla
City of St. Peters
To access more information about MOWUP and the case studies for the participating utilities,
go to http://www.epa.gov/region7/water/si.htm or contact Kerry Herndon at
Herndon.kerry@epa.gov or (913) 551-7286.
For further information about the overall energy management project and to download a copy
of the Energy Management Guidebook, go to
http://water.epa.gov/infrastructure/sustain/cut energy.cfm or contact Jim Home at
horne.iames@epa.gov or (202) 564-0571.
EPA832F11010
August 2011
Office of Water
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