Correlation of Energy Management Policies with Lower Energy Use in Public Water Systems
Publication: Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management
Volume 144, Issue 11
Abstract
One question in the increasingly frequent discussions about energy management among water utilities is whether energy management policies have any effect on their energy footprints. This study examines the question using new data from public water systems in the United States. A statistically significant difference was found, indicating that water utilities with documented energy management policies, plans, or programs use about 30% less energy, on average, than those without, even after considering other important factors such as water system size, water source type, and climate conditions. This finding suggests that voluntary, organization-specific policies should be included among other best practices for sustainably managing water utilities’ energy use.
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Acknowledgments
The author thanks Tyler Allen of Hansen, Allen & Luce for his review of and suggestions for this manuscript. The comments of three anonymous peer reviewers are also appreciated. Sample energy management policies were provided by Central Utah Water Conservancy District, Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District, Salt Lake City Department of Public Utilities, and the City of Ketchum, Idaho.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management
Volume 144 • Issue 11 • November 2018
Copyright
©2018 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Nov 9, 2017
Accepted: May 31, 2018
Published online: Sep 4, 2018
Published in print: Nov 1, 2018
Discussion open until: Feb 4, 2019
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