Energy and Carbon Impacts of a Changing Water Sector

Abstract Submission: Adapting to changing water availability, population distributions, and water quality regulations requires rethinking our national approach to accessing, treating, and transporting water. Coupled with the single largest federal investment ever made in stormwater, wastewater, and drinking water infrastructure in the United States through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, these pressures are significantly impacting water utilities across the nation and, subsequently, the energy requirements of the water sector. To estimate the baseline energy use and greenhouse gas emissions of drinking water treatment plants in the United States, we use population, demand per capita, and treatment technology data at the facility and water service area levels from the Safe Drinking Water Information System and the United States Geological Survey. In parallel, we survey water and climate action plans to gain a more granular understanding of how water source and end-use profiles, in addition to population and demand, may evolve over the next few decades for a wide array of U.S. cities. We also use this database to analyze trends in water-related problems and intervention strategies. These data sources form the basis for regional estimates of future water needs and sources in the U.S., as well as their energy and carbon footprints. By grounding our modeling efforts in data collected at the facility and city scales, this work provides a more in-depth understanding of how water utilities are responding to our changing climate and the cumulative effect of this response on national energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.

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