Our Ideas

Providing a safe, reliable supply of drinking water for customers is the driving factor when decisions are made at a drinking water utility. However, energy is, now more than ever, an important factor in critical environmental and social objectives.

Joining forces with EMA, a premier North American environmental consulting firm, and the Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Research Organization, Junxion, serving as principal investigator, is leading an international team of experienced energy management professions to research innovative energy management solutions.

The cost of energy accounts for as much as 35% of a utility’s annual operating budget. On top of that, factors like limited new water supply options, water quality challenges, urban growth driving increased water demand, and fluctuating energy markets, continue to push those energy costs higher.

Volatility in non-renewable fuels and energy pricing, along with increased regulatory commitments and growing market demand for lower greenhouse gas emissions, are driving utilities to consider their carbon footprint and energy sources along with cost.

Utilities are facing profound challenges in the future. As they respond to climate change, water and wastewater industry organization are providing drinking water utilities with tools to evaluate the various economic, social, and environmental tradeoffs associated with energy-management strategies so that sustainable decisions are possible.

Funded by the American Water Works Association Research Foundation and the Water Environment Research Foundation, the work from this project will bring together previous energy management tools and case studies from participating utilities to develop a web based decision support tool. The tool will provide utilities the ability to explore and quantify the economic, environmental and social impacts of various energy management options.

Along with EMA and CSIRO, the international consortium of partners includes organizations from North America, the United Kingdom, and Australia
Participants

Australia
Yarra Valley Water
Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Research Organization
Sydney Water Corporation Limited

Canada
Simon Fraser University
Metro Vancouver
Toronto Water

United States
American Water Works Research Foundation
Water Environment Research Foundation
National Center for Atmospheric Research
New York State Energy Research and Development Authority
So Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority
Tarrant Regional Water District
Colorado Springs Utilities Department
JEA Water & Wastewater Treatment
Alexandria Sanitation Authority
Cincinnati Water Works
City of Akron Public Utilities Bureau
City of Columbus Division of Power and Water

United Kingdom
United Utilities Water