The untapped Water and Energy Efficiency Opportunities in Municipal Water Systems
Mike RabeCity Energy Strategies Conference19 - 21 November 2003Cape Town
Who is the Alliance to Save Energy ?
U.S. based NGO coalition of prominent business, government, environmental and consumer leaders who promote the efficient and clean use of energy worldwide to benefit the environment, economy, and major stakeholders
Expertise in Building, Industrial, International, Financing, Utility, Water and Energy management, Policy, Market Development, and Education sectors
Over 70 Alliance Associates Alliance runs programmes in many countries
around the world
What is the relationship between water and energy?
Wasted Water = Wasted Energy ResourcesAddressing inefficiencies in systems results in
substantial water savings and hence also substantial energy savings
Therefore substantial quantities of energy can be saved within municipal water systems
In many water supply systems (water and wastewater), energy represents the single biggest input cost in the final delivered product
What does the Alliance do?
Initiated the ‘Watergy Programme’ in various European countries, Brazil, India, Mexico, and South Africa
Watergy underway as a programme in four S.A. cities, funded by USAID
Helps set up Efficiency Management teamsAssists in accessing financial resourcesCo-manages the implementation of technical
improvements to water systemsDisseminates best practice through case
studies
What does the Alliance plan to do in South Africa?
Leak reduction programmesPressure ManagementPlanning and setting up Energy Efficiency cellsBiogas utilizationWater audits and benchmarking,
in Buffalo City, Mogale City, Sol Plaatje and Polokwane
What are the challenges to this programme?
Lack of informationLack of capacityLack of financial resource
Context within S.A.
Much change within municipal environment over the last 10 years
Focus on many issues except perhaps efficiencyExtension of service delivery to low income
areas is critically needed but cannot be expanded sufficiently due to constraints on resources
=>A solution to this constraint is to create A solution to this constraint is to create efficiencies within the existing systemsefficiencies within the existing systems
Watergy Efficiencyseeks to cost
effectively deliver water services
while minimizing water and energy
use.
=
Water supply systems offer multiple opportunities to directly reduce water and energy waste while better serving the customers’needs___________________•Leak and Loss Reduction•Operations & Maintenance•Pumping systems•Primary/secondarywastewater treatment•Pressure Management•Preventative Maintenance
Supply Side Efficiency Measures
+
Looking at a water system comprehensively and making sure efficiency projects are designed in tandem creates even greater efficiency opportunities _____________________•Right sizing pump systems after reducing consumer demand•Identified cascading effects of efficiencies•Avoided wastewater treatment by promoting reuse and reducing demand•Embed principles in building codes
+
Reducing demand by helping the consumer use water more efficiently decreases the required water supply saving both energy and water__________________•Water efficient household appliances•Metering, billing and credit control•Low-flow plumbing fixtures•Industrial water reuse•Leak and water waste reduction•Aligning Level of Service to affordability
WATERGYEfficiency
ConsumersResidential/Industrial
Demand Side Efficiency Measures
Comprehensive Demand /Supply Side Approach Synergies
The Solution-Watergy Efficiency
Synergies resulting from co-managing water and energy
resources
Reduce Costs Improve affordability / sustainabilityAllows for expansion of service delivery
footprintCuts Air PollutionImprove Public HealthUpgrade Water and Energy ServicesMinimize Strain on Natural ResourcesReduce or Eliminate Major Capital
Investment
What can Municipalities do to Promote Watergy Efficiency?
Create management infrastructure (people aspect, competency and capacity)
Expand bulk water metering and monitoring systems (procedures)
Develop baselines and metrics (benchmarking)Carry out facility assessments (systems audit)Establish goals and record successDevelop an action plan for addressing wasteSeek outside assistanceMobilize community action
Management and leadership are key
Supply Side and Demand Side Intervention
Supply Side: Addressing leaks low c-value (high friction) for pipes improper system layout system over-design incorrect equipment selection old, outdated equipment Lack of preventative and proactive maintenance Poor reactive maintenance wastage of usable water inefficient pumps and motors, correcting power factors Pressure management Load shifting
Supply Side and Demand Side Intervention (cont.)
Demand Side:Metering, billing and revenue collectionRetrofitting water efficient household appliances
including toiletsIndustrial water reuseLeak and water waste reductionEfficient basin Aerators Efficient washing appliancesMatching service level provision to affordabilityXeriscapingDrip IrrigationRebate installation programmes
Case Study: Results of a co-ordinated supply and demand side approach to water services in the
Kagiso area of Mogale City
Kagiso Consumption
828740
361560
250977
803985
782310
417703
0
100000
200000
300000
400000
500000
600000
700000
800000
900000
Months
Results/Benefits
Substantial water and energy savingsEfficiencies createdReduced sewage flowsReduced cost of sewage treatment
(quantitative and qualitative)Increased payment percentages for wet
servicesPostponement of substantial CAPEX
Another key principle: Efficiency attracts development
The case of SAB-Miller in Mogale City:SAB-Miller represents the single biggest user of
water in Mogale City (10% of total) and hence also the single biggest source of revenue from water for the City
Water is the largest input cost into brewing beerCreating efficiencies=>reduces cost of water to the
end-user=>attracts future national expansion in capacity of SAB-Miller
SAVE WATER – DRINK BEER !!!
Industrial Demand Side Approaches
Water Reuse Austin,Texas is developing an entire piping system
for recaptured water to be used in a large variety of industrial and irrigation purposes throughout the city saving 150 million liter per day
California reuses over 160 billion gallons of water for irrigation and industries
eThekwini Municipality has implemented an industrial water reuse project
Demand-Side Action Case of Toronto Canada
Goal- Reduce peak water demand and waste water treatment by 15 (220 million liters per day) percent by 2015
Motivation- Demand is predicted to outstrip supply in 10-15 years dictating the need for costly infrastructure investments
Process- Created a cross sectional water efficiency team with both demand and supply side expertise
Case of Toronto Canada
ActionsLeak reduction program- reduced 30 million liters
per dayLow flow toilet installation programHorizontal Washing machine programIndustrial capacity buy-back program
ResultsEfficiency measures cost 1/3 of building new
capacity
Other examples in S.A.
Operation Gcin’amanzi project in SowetoKhayalitsha pressure management projecteThekwini optimization of water systemLeast cost planning as adapted to the
Western Highveld
----- keep listening!!!
For More Information
Mike Rabe [email protected]
27 11 416 3015or
Seth Baruch at the Alliance to Save Energy
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