Energy Awareness in Water and Wastewater System Design

Panel: Panel 11. Efficient Communities

Author:
Joseph Cantwell, Science Applications International Corporation

Abstract

Water/wastewater systems were and are planned, designed, constructed and placed into operation based on 20-year projections as required by state and federal regulatory requirements. Life-cycle costs for these facilities generally show that energy costs overshadow initial capital costs, yet code requirements rarely include energy efficiency considerations. As a consequence,
existing water/wastewater systems are not energy-efficient. Designers rarely include flexibility in their designs to provide system owners/operators the option to control their systems in an energyefficient manner. While standards of practice present approaches and codes to meet public health and welfare requirements, no guidelines are available to ensure systems are energy-efficient despite the fact energy use and costs are becoming a focus of concern.

An approach to addressing this dichotomy is to develop energy consumption guidelines. Such guidelines would provide guidance for design, control, and equipment selection options that reduce a system’s energy consumption without impacting the health, welfare and level of service to their customers. The guidelines will present approaches to assure that energy consumption is a priority in the design of proposed improvements or a new system.

The State of Wisconsin Focus on Energy program is developing water/wastewater energy consumption guidelines based on field assessment information reflecting conditions and operational experiences that yield practical approaches to energy-saving opportunities. This paper will discuss the challenges facing the engineering profession and community in changing established water/wastewater system practice, program experiences, and how this approach can be applied to the planning of efficient communities.